Trinity's Emma Moody (left) and Auburn’s Ellie Pate of the South attempt to block the shot of Ohatchee's Jorda Crook of the North at AHSAA All-Star Volleyball game at Cramton Bowl Multiplex in Montgomery, Ala., Thursday, July 22, 2022. (Marvin Gentry | preps@al.com)Marvin Gentry | WG2022Photo
The AL.com A-List ranks the best high school senior volleyball players in the state.
AL.COM A-LIST SUPER SENIORS
BITS AND PIECES: 544 kills, 345 digs, 126 aces, 95 blocks, 36 assists last season. She is a dual athlete and two-time state champion in track & field, winning the long jump in 2021 and triple jump in 2022.
WHAT COACH HOLLY RICHARDS SAID: Meg is one of the fiercest competitors that I have coached. She led our team this past season in kills, aces and blocks as an undersized middle. Due to her great jumping ability and innate knowledge of the game, she is a tremendous MB for us. She possesses a very quick arm-swing and is able to read a block and defense to help her score consistently.
BITS AND PIECES: 482 kills, 350 digs, 50 aces last season. She’s the Class 1A-3A tennis state champion at No. 4 singles and two-time state champion at No. 1 doubles in addition to earning two Class 1A volleyball state championships. She was also named AHSAA Class 1A volleyball state championship MVP & the Class 1A-3A Calhoun County volleyball Player of the Year. Draper achieved a C1 status in the United States Pony Club and rode horses competitively for six years.
WHAT COACH ANNA TAYLOR SAID: Throughout Lily Grace’s career she’s always been the one to make the defensive play or get the kill when her team needs her the most. She is a dynamic and coachable player whose leadership and athleticism on the court is undeniable, and that’s a winning combination.
BITS AND PIECES: 460 digs, 109 assists, 68 aces last season. She has maintained 95 percent or higher in all of her classes.
WHAT COACH JENNIFER GRAHAM SAID: Lily Rhoades is a dynamic, defensive player that is fun to watch. Her ability to read hitters and predict offense is impressive. If I was to choose one word to describe Lily, it would be ‘solid.’ Her leadership, intensity level and effort is contagious on and off the court and we are excited about her future at the next level.
COLLEGE: Committed to South Alabama
BITS AND PIECES: 411 digs, 85 assists, 35 aces last season. She holds a 4.12 GPA and made the AVCA Phenom List as well as being named The Tuscaloosa News Player of the Year. Thompson is a certified lifeguard and a member of Civinettes.
WHAT COACH RYAN GRAVLEE SAID: Preslee is all about putting the team first and is the most mentally stable athlete that I’ve came across. Mentally tough athletes stay in their own lane. There are things you can control and things that you can’t. Mentally robust athletes focus on their effort and performance, declining to get tangled up in what the competition is doing. If everyone is moving forward together, then success takes care of itself.
BITS AND PIECES: 548 kills, 351 digs, 86 aces, 53 blocks last season. Her older brother Nick is a part of the Texas Rangers organization, playing for Round Rock Express.
WHAT COACH HOLLY RICHARDS SAID: Calli is a very dynamic player for us. Not only is she a leader in skills by example, she is a fantastic floor leader vocally. She is determined to play her best every time she steps foot on the floor, whether that is practice or a match. Calli does a tremendous job of mixing up her shots from the outside to be able to score on any part of the court.
BITS AND PIECES: 589 kills, 445 digs, 47 blocks, 132 aces last season. She’s the oldest of four siblings from a very athletic family. Whiteside is amongst the top 10 percent of her class with a 4.5 GPA.
WHAT COACH DAVE OMTVEDT SAID: Ashlyn Whiteside is a fifth-year varsity starter, a scholar athlete and a wonderful young lady. She is one of the most consistent, dedicated athletes and top all-around players that I have ever coached.
BITS AND PIECES: 486 kills, 352 digs, 68 aces last season. She has been an avid reader since about 13 years old, reading about five books a week. Older sister Landyn was a three-time all-state softball player and Lennon is a three-time first team all-state volleyball player.
WHAT COACH SELLERS DUBBERLEY SAID: Lennon is an absolute joy to coach. She’s this rare mix of being incredibly goofy and funny while also being one of the most competitive athletes I’ve ever coached. Even going all the way back to her time playing 12U club volleyball for my wife and me, she’s always been the life of the party while simultaneously refusing to be outworked- even for a single drill. She makes my job as a coach a lot easier and players like that don’t come along every day.
COLLEGE: Committed to Wallace State
BITS AND PIECES: 741 kills, 368 digs last season. She holds the third highest kill record in school history with one season still to play and is a four-year starter. Her favorite class is History because her dad is the teacher. Among top 10 in her class with a 3.97 GPA.
WHAT COACH MEGAN ALDRIDGE SAID: Faith Parker is a dynamic OH who excels in finding ways to score. She is a joy on the court as well as off. A sound, well-rounded kid who is a tremendous asset to Danville volleyball, Danville High School, and the Danville community.
BITS AND PIECES: 312 kills, 74 blocks last season. she has a 4.16 GPA and made 31 on the ACT. She’s Maddie to teammates, but her parents call her Mad Dog when she plays. Autry loves making TikToks.
WHAT COACH COCO TATE SAID: Madison Autry is a force to be reckoned with. She is a small 5-8 compared to other middles in the state, but I have yet to see someone outwork her. She is our odd bird, she keeps our team on their toes and she’s quick to turn red if I bring any type of attention to her quirkiness. She is a lead-by-example kid with few words. Our team would not be complete without her.
BITS AND PIECES: 1,343 assists, 219 digs, 52 aces, 183 kills, 89 blocks last season. Manley is ranked No. 2 in her graduating class and has started on the varsity volleyball team since eighth grade, helping the Bulldogs to three state championships and a state runner-up. She’s also a star on the basketball court, scoring over 40 points in a game and leading Addison to regionals for the first time in over 15 years. Sister Savannah was an all-state volleyball player for several years, graduating from Addison in 2020. Manley’s family calls her Bug, but teammates call her G.
WHAT COACH KAYDI WOODARD SAID: Gracie is one of the most athletic people I’ve ever met. She is a hard worker, but she has an overabundance of natural talent. She excels at anything she pursues, both on the court and in the classroom. I’m so proud of her and I can’t wait to see what the future holds.
COLLEGE: Louisiana Monroe (beach volleyball)
BITS AND PIECES: 507 digs, 305 kills, 48 aces, 39 blocks last season. Bailey was a competitive gymnast as a youngster, but switched to volleyball during middle school. She did not make the middle school eighth-grade team, but worked hard and improved so much that she made the varsity team as a freshman. Beach volleyball is her passion.
WHAT COACH GRETCHEN BOYKIN SAID: Bailey Hope has been on varsity since her freshmen year and is a very solid all-around player. Bailey is a staple for us in serve-receive and has a nice variety of shots to be an effective hitter. The thing that I love the most about Bailey is her leadership ability. She is so mature and is a true leader by example both on and off the court.
BITS AND PIECES: 322 kills, 87 blocks last season. She collects bracelets and rocks from places where she has travelled to and loves playing with her pets, always attempting to teach them new tricks. Grant loves hanging out with her friends and trying new things.
WHAT COACH JUDY GREEN SAID: Katilyn is a dynamic athlete and has improved her game since last season. She is more versatile now than a year ago as an attacker.
BITS AND PIECES: 378 kills, 87 blocks, 204 digs, 32 aces last season. Played in both AHSAA North-South basketball and volleyball games this season. Jones was among the Montgomery All Metro team the past three seasons, AVCA Phenom in 2021 and AL.com Super All-State in 2021.
WHAT COACH KAYLON CANTRELL SAID: Hannah has been a part of our program since seventh grade and over the course of those six years she has put in the work, in and out of season, to be the best volleyball player she can be. She continues to improve in every aspect of the game. We are really excited for this season and what she brings to our team.
BITS AND PIECES: 392 digs, 43 assists, 12 aces, 8 kills last season. Father Darryl was a 1986 all-state athlete at Minor in both football and baseball.
WHAT COACH ANDIE FREEDMAN SAID: Sydney is a very skilled defender with solid ball control, court movement and knowledge of the game. Sydney is a not only a special player, she’s also a great person and team leader. She leads by example and brings a tremendous amount of energy and intensity to the gym.
COLLEGE: Committed to Kentucky (softball)
BITS AND PIECES: 409 kills, 585 digs, 74 aces, 38 assists, 40 blocks last season.
WHAT COACH CHANDLER PHILLIPS SAID: I am thankful that Cassie still graces us with her presence in volleyball. She is great at everything she does. She has very high expectations for herself and is definitely our eye-catcher if walking by the court. Everyone is always surprised when I tell them volleyball isn’t her main sport. She is the athlete that every coach wants.
Trinity's Addison Cherry serves against Montgomery Catholic during the AHSAA Class 3A volleyball state championship at the Bill Harris Arena in Birmingham, Ala., Wednesday, Oct. 27, 2021. (Dennis Victory | preps@al.com)
BITS AND PIECES: 1,346 assists, 286 digs, 43 aces, 156 kills, 54 blocks last season. She is the Interact Club president and a member of the Spanish Honor Society. Cherry volunteers in her community and loves traveling. She played in the AHSAA North-South All-Star volleyball game and older brother Walton played in the football game.
WHAT COACH SARAH DUBBERLEY SAID: I’ve coached Addison since she was in the eighth grade and I have loved watching her grow into her role on the team. She is the steady constant that is needed for a team to see success. Addison is a true team player, a phenomenal leader, an incredible athlete and a joy to coach.
Vestavia Hills' Savannah Gann serves during the Juanita Boddie volleyball tournament at the Finley Center in Hoover, Ala.. (Dennis Victory | preps@al.com)Dennis Victory | preps@al.com
BITS AND PIECES: 317 kills, 169 digs, 31 aces last season. Her favorite TV show is Survivor.
WHAT COACH ASHLEY HARDEE SAID: Savannah is a very talented six-rotation outside hitter. She is tall and athletic enough to be effective in the front row at the highest level and she is a gifted passer and defender, too. She is good for a double-double every night in kills and digs. She hit nearly .300 for us last year and was a leader in aces too. She fills up the stat sheet for us which is critical to our success. Beyond all the numbers, she is a great teammate and leader for our program.
Sparkman’s Ariel Fuqua at AHSAA All-Star volleyball game at Cramton Bowl Multiplex in Montgomery, Ala., Thursday, July 22, 2022. (Marvin Gentry | preps@al.com)Marvin Gentry | WG2022Photo
COLLEGE: Committed to Calhoun State
BITS AND PIECES: 1,356 assists, 308 digs, 68 kills, 32 aces, 35 blocks last season. She had shoulder surgery before her freshman year started, forcing her to miss the season. Fuqua has been a fixture on the court since, commanding the Sparkman offense.
WHAT COACH CHANDLER PHILLIPS SAID: Ariel is my go-to athlete on the court to get things rolling. She is our setter and leads our offense and I have yet to give her a task that she hasn’t exceeded my expectations.
Chelsea’s Emma Pohlmann at AHSAA All-Star volleyball game at Cramton Bowl Multiplex in Montgomery, Ala., Thursday, July 22, 2022. (Marvin Gentry | preps@al.com)Marvin Gentry | WG2022Photo
COLLEGE: Committed to North Florida
BITS AND PIECES: 380 kills, 332 digs, 31 blocks, 79 aces last season. Pohlmann dreamed of playing for the North Florida — a family member worked for the school — since she was 8 years old and committed last month.
WHAT COACH JAMIE GILL SAID: Emma is a true competitor and leader for our program. She has put in the work to be an elite player and her success is well-deserved. I am proud of the type of person, player and student that Emma is and I know her future is bright.
Spain Park's Brooklyn Allison passes the ball against McGill-Toolen during the AHSAA Class 7A volleyball state championship at the Bill Harris Arena in Birmingham, Ala., Thursday, Oct. 28, 2021. (Dennis Victory | preps@al.com)
COLLEGE: Committed to East Tennessee State
BITS AND PIECES: 386 digs, 31 aces, 75 assists last season. She wants to get into pharmacy school following college. Allison has an awesome dog named Dwight and she’s a great juggler.
WHAT COACH KELLYE BOWEN SAID: Brooklyn makes our courts more competitive and she always gives her best when she steps on the court. She is so fun to watch and I love the way she commands the back row.
McGill-Toolen's Anna Grace Sparks attacks during action at the Juanita Boddie volleyball tournament at the Finley Center in Hoover, Ala., on Saturday, Aug. 21, 2021. (Dennis Victory | preps@al.com)
COLLEGE: Queen’s University of Charlotte
BITS AND PIECES: 377 kills, 163 digs, 46 blocks, 22 aces last season. She is extremely artistic, has a great voice and should probably be in a show choir. Sparks is also a huge fan of Marvel movies.
WHAT COACH KATE WOOD SAID: Anna Grace has an infectious vibe for our team; she brings the energy. Her mature outlook will be impactful for us as well.
4. HALEY PATTERSON, ST. LUKE’S
St Luke’s Haley Patterson at AHSAA All-Star volleyball game at Cramton Bowl Multiplex in Montgomery, Ala., Thursday, July 22, 2022. (Marvin Gentry | preps@al.com)Marvin Gentry | WG2022Photo
COLLEGE: Committed to Kennesaw State
BITS AND PIECES: 663 kills, 555 digs 66 aces, 40 blocks last season. She comes from a very athletic family: Mom Jaye was a three-sport athlete in high school, dad Chris was a two-sport athlete and brother Hunter was a two-sport athlete and was on the state championship baseball team. Patterson collects tennis shoes.
WHAT COACH MEREDITH DONALD SAID: Haley is one of the most incredible volleyball players I have ever coached, but more importantly she is a great teammate. She pushes everyone around her to be better by giving her all at everything she does. When Haley sets a goal, she will not stop until she achieves it. She is so humble and has the attitude that she can always get better. Haley never settles for average.
Spain Park’s Emily Breazeale, the North team MVP, passes the ball to help her team win the AHSAA North-South Sports Week volleyball match, 3-2, at Montgomery’s Cramton Bowl MultiPlex. The match was on Thursday, July 21, 2022. (AHSAA | Marvin Gentry)
BITS AND PIECES: 484 kills, 258 digs, 61 aces last season. She wants to play at the next level before becoming a doctor. Her nickname is Breazy and she was named North MVP of the AHSAA North-South All-Star game.
WHAT COACH KELLYE BOWEN SAID: Emily strives to be the best and she is a competitor. She is getting more comfortable with her role as the outside hitter 1. She wants the best for others and is finding new ways to lead the team.
Ohatchee’s Jorda Crook (15) at AHSAA All-Star volleyball game at Cramton Bowl Multiplex in Montgomery, Ala., Thursday, July 22, 2022. (Marvin Gentry | preps@al.com)Marvin Gentry | WG2022Photo
BITS AND PIECES: 581 kills, 103 blocks, 219 digs, 75 aces last season. She also plays basketball (averages about 30 points per game) and is the Class 1A-3A javelin state champion. She loves sudoku puzzles. Three of her siblings (Jessica, who’s also the former volleyball coach at Chelsea, Josh and Jasmine) were all-state athletes and played in college.
WHAT COACH REBECCA HUGHES SAID: Jorda Crook is one of those players that you look at and you are so thankful that she is on your side of the court. She is incredibly fun to watch and excels in any sport she plays. She just has a dominating presence about her. and her work ethic is second to none.
Auburn’s Ellie Pate at AHSAA All-Star volleyball game at Cramton Bowl Multiplex in Montgomery, Ala., Thursday, July 22, 2022. (Marvin Gentry | preps@al.com)Marvin Gentry | WG2022Photo
COLLEGE: Committed to East Carolina
BITS AND PIECES: 410 kills, 43 blocks, 317 digs, 42 assists, 60 aces last season. Dad Rob played football at Auburn and the Chargers in the NFL. She is ranked in the top 10 percent academically in her class and was named South MVP of the AHSAA North-South All-Star game, USA Nationals All American and USA High Performance MVP team.
WHAT COACH TOMMY CARTER SAID: Ellie Pate is one of the most driven athletes that I have ever been around. Not only does she get it done on the court, she excels in the classroom and truly has a servant heart, always willing to help others. What a blessing it has been for me to see her grow in so many ways. She will be successful in whatever she chooses in life. I look forward to enjoying this season with her and her teammates.
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