4A All-State Returnees: Loaded For The Fall
If there’s anything one can expect from volleyball in Indiana, it’s that the 4A Class is clearly the top end of talent. Repeat state champion New Castle lost all-world setter Melanie Shaffmaster to Minnesota, but that doesn’t stop the reload and possibility…
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Continue ReadingIf there’s anything one can expect from volleyball in Indiana, it’s that the 4A Class is clearly the top end of talent. Repeat state champion New Castle lost all-world setter Melanie Shaffmaster to Minnesota, but that doesn’t stop the reload and possibility of a three-peat. Her younger sister Maebry Shaffmaster (’21, UNC Chapel Hill) and middle thumper Laila Smith Laila Smith 6'2" | MB New Castle | 2021 State IN (’21, Alabama) look to win yet again, and no two attackers on any 4A team can match up with these two, kill for kill. Hamilton Southeastern, last year’s runner-up, return recent Harding commit Delaney Garner Delaney Garner 6'1" | MB Hamilton Southeastern | 2021 State IN (’21, MB) and libero Carly Mills Carly Mills 5'5" | DS/L Hamilton Southeastern | 2021 State IN (’21, Indiana). Providence, the class of the southern half of the state, return all-everything Ali Hornung Ali Hornung 5'9" | OH Providence | 2021 State IN (’21, Purdue) and have a ton of young talent rising to meet her. Ellee Stinson Ellee Stinson 5'5" | DS/L Yorktown | 2021 State IN (’21, Northwestern) of Yorktown will be New Castle’s main competition in their conference and sectional come fall of 2020.
Don’t think that the above first-teamers are all that are returning. There’s a ton of talent on the second-team of All-State players, including New Castle’s libero, Bailey Cox Bailey Cox 5'7" | DS/L New Castle | 2021 State IN (’21, Georgia). The Trojans’ three all-state returnees are more than anyone else in the state. Center Grove, after losing first-team setter MJ Hammill (’20, Wisconsin) and first-team libero Ashley Eck (’20, Indiana State) still return some size, with 6-3 Butler commit Grace Boggess Grace Boggess 6'3" | MB Center Grove | 2021 State IN bringing back a lot of the offense and defense. Emma Halter Emma Halter 5'5" | DS/L Roncalli | 2022 State #60 Nation IN recently committed to Texas (’22, DS), as Roncalli looks to be Center Grove’s cross-town competition in the southern half of the state. Avon gets Scott McQueen back to lead the Orioles, with Abby Maesch Abby Maesch 5'11" | OH Avon | 2021 State IN (’21, Georgia) leading the way offensively.
With all of that being said, we do have a young stud that has yet to commit. US Youth National Training Team OH/L Chloe Chicoine (5-9, McCutcheon, Prep Dig #1 in ’23) is looking to lead this young squad to something more than a sectional, and has the tools to do so. A quality thumper with all of the volleyball smarts and on the US pipeline? Yes, please.