Iowa Prep Players Heading To The NCAA Tournament
Iowa, home of the “No Coast”, these athletes didn’t grow up on the beaches playing volleyball, but rather their youth programs in their hometowns and local clubs. Iowa has always been known to produce some top players, with the typical Midwest work ethic, but there are athlete who have made their name on the national team. Haley Eckerman of Waterloo East High School would go on to win a national title for Texas, and has since returned to Waterloo to coach at West High School. Mikaela Foecke of West Point, Iowa and Holy Trinity High School is finishing her Senior year at Nebraska with already having two national titles in her possessions.
There is the main stay, the tradition, the program that always finds a way to get it done and make a dent in the postseason in Northern Iowa. Always known for solid all around players from the top large and small schools in Iowa, Coach Bobbi Petersen has 13 players on her roster, which includes her daughter Baylee. Her other daughter and Baylee’s twin, Sydney, will be playing in the tournament for Texas. Northern Iowa has another family connection on the team with Assistant Coach Kalani Mahi, and his daughter Tayah who is a Freshman on the team.
Here is another fun fact – Dike-New Hartford High School has five athletes playing in the tournament.
Here is the full list of athletes from Iowa who will be with their teams in the “Big Dance”.
Northern Iowa
Lexi Astor – Fort Dodge
Kendyl Sorge – Janesville
Baylee Petersen – Dike-New Hartford
Tayah Mahi – Cedar Falls
Karlie Taylor – Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont
Kate Busswitz – Cedar Rapids Prairie
Inga Rotto – Gilbert
Rachel Koop – Dike-New Hartford
Carly Spies – Linn-Mar
Jaydlin Seehase – Sumner-Fredricksburg
Piper Thomas – Jesup
Taylor Hedges – Dike-New Hartford
Jamie Sindlinger – Charles City
Baylor
Hannah Lockin – West Des Moines Valley
Creighton
Jaali Winters – Ankeny Centennial
Samantha Bohnet – Council Bluffs Abraham Lincoln
Megan Sharkey – Bettendorf
Megan Ballenger – Ankeny
Denver
Ellie Anderson – Linn-Mar
Lauren McManus – Waterloo Columbus
Eastern Michigan
Jordan Smith – Solon
Illinois State
Taylor Lynch – Cedar Falls
Kendal Meier – Cedar Rapids Kennedy
Florida State
Taryn Knuth – Johnston
Kentucky
Brooke Morgan – Dike-New Hartford (in title picture)
Missouri
Riley Sents – Grundy Center
Kylie Deberg – Hudson
Nebraska
Mikaela Foecke – Holy Trinity
South Dakota
Claire Gerdes – Cedar Falls
Jenna Wagemester – Cedar Rapid Prairie
Hayley Dotseth – Johnston
Lolo Weideman – Center Point-Urbana
Texas
Sydney Peterson – Dike-New Hartford
Washington State
Abby Phillips – Marion