IndyStar preseason Volleyball Super Team 2024: Get to know Central Indiana's best players

The 2024 Indiana high school volleyball season begins in earnest this weekend with over 90 matches on Saturday’s docket. With the fun and games set to officially begin, it’s time to recognize (and get to know) some of the area’s top players with the unveiling of 2024 preseason ALL-USA Central Indiana Super Team.

Indiana high school volleyball preview: Everything you need to know for 2024 season

FIRST TEAM

Logan Bell

Roncalli, Sr., OH

College: Oregon

Why she's here: Last season marked the full arrival of Logan Bell. A year older and stronger, the 5-10 hitter demonstrated her ability to take over matches with a thunderous swing and impressive versatility. Bell fueled another deep tournament run for the 3A-bound Royals, clocking a career-high 409 kills on a .268 hit%. She has 947 kills, 82 blocks 879 digs and 105 aces entering her 2024.

Insider: Having IHSAA beach volleyball decision overruled 'is great for female sports.'

Favorite Olympic sport: "Volleyball, beach volleyball and gymnastics. And I watched the cycling with the American (Kristen Faulkner) who was put on the roster a month ago and came back from 33rd to win the gold."

Beach or indoor volleyball?

"The beach game is so intense. There’s only two of you out there so you have to be on it and if you get down in that hole, you have to pull yourself out of it because there are no subs. So just watching men’s and women’s is just incredible. Beach is so hard."

Olympic sport you’d love to try: "Even though I’m tall for gymnastics, it would be gymnastics. It’s in my inner-core. It’s what I grew up doing and I love it so much, just being able to flip. I love handstands, obviously, but gymnastics for sure." (Her best event was beam.)

Volleyball ick: "I don’t like it when people tuck their shirts into their sports bra in the back. I just don’t get it."

Favorite volleyball memory: "The reverse-sweep we pulled on Brownsburg (in regional) my freshman year. That was pretty hype. Everyone stormed the court afterward. I scored the winning point and it just felt so cool."

Most embarrassing volleyball moment: "I have a lot. When I was 10 or 11, my first club season, I accidentally wore my spandex inside out and backwards, so I had to go change. Then my freshman year I was so nervous going into the first game and I sent this free ball straight into the bottom of the net. I was like, I’m getting cut. Oh no."

Advice you would give your freshman self: "Keep going. It’s not the end of the world if you make a bad pass or a hitting error. There are so many things not worth being sad or mad over. I’m my own worst critic, but it’s not the end of the world. There’s always something that’s going to be better. Trust in that plan. … Be social and outgoing, because those relationships mean everything."

Current binge: "Love Island, The First 48 and I love fixer-upper shows. My favorite one is Home Town and Good Bones, because it’s in Indy."

Favorite pump-up song: "Anything AC/DC. That’s so not 2024 of me, but… 'Thunderstuck'. I also like 'Hells Bells', because it’s my last name. 'Back in Black' used to be my walk-up song for softball."

Reese Dunkle

Center Grove, Sr., OH

College: Stanford

Why she's here: The 6-3 Dunkle remained a massive presence at the net, clocking 117 blocks (353 for her career) for the regional runner-up Trojans, while also progressing as an attacker. She racked up a career-high 307 kills with a .294 hit% and enters her final season with 692 career kills. The future Cardinal also registered 42 aces.

Interviewed by Ellen Zapp

Favorite Olympic sport: "Volleyball. I watch it a lot, not in class because that’s against the rules, but during my study hall."

Olympic sport you’d love to try: "Definitely basketball."

Zapp: I think you’d be really good at basketball, but I could also see you speedwalking.

"I walk really fast in the hallways."

Volleyball ick: "Knee-high socks. I don’t know, it just rubs me the wrong way."

Favorite volleyball memory: "Nationals this year when my club team went to gold division. We lost on the last day, but we made it to gold and winning our crossover match was the best."

Most embarrassing volleyball moment: "One time at practice I swung and I missed the ball. I still don’t know what happened. I went to hit and all of a sudden the ball hit me in the head and I was like, what happened? Thankfully it wasn’t during a game, but sometimes I randomly remember it during games and it freaks me out."

Advice you would give your freshman self: "Hit the ball and stop tipping"

Current binge: "Love Island. My favorite boy is Rob."

Favorite pump-up song: "'All Too Well' (10-minute version) by Taylor Swift. It’s not really a pump-up song, but it gets me in my feels and ready to go out there."

Hidden talent: "Ich kann Deutsch sprechen."

Zapp: She can speak German.

Raegan Durbin

Western Boone, Sr., OH

College: Middle Tennessee

Why she's here: Durbin's numbers speak for themselves: 623 kills (.381 hit%), 56 aces and 223 digs. A dominating presence on the attack, the 5-10 six-rotation player is on track to reach 2,000 career kills within the first couple weeks of the season and is coming off a massive summer on the club circuit playing alongside a number of other Division I-bound standouts from the area.

Favorite Olympic sport: "Obviously volleyball, but honestly the synchronized diving and synchronized swimming are really interesting to me. Gymnastics is really fun, too, but the synchronized swimming — how do people hold their breath for that long? It is crazy. I don’t even know how many hours they spend working on that, but it’s honestly kind of inspiring, because everyone has to be perfect in order to do well."

Olympic sport you’d love to try: "I’d like to think I could be a good swimmer if I practiced. I think I could maybe do it. I don’t know. Probably just the shorter distances, not the 30 down-and-backs that they do."

Volleyball ick: "When people wear their hair down. When people are warming up and they have their hair down, it throws me off a little bit."

Pre-match ritual: "I’m very superstitious. I always have a bow in my hair when I play. We started that early in club season then I wore the same bow for every track meet and I carried it onto volleyball. I always have a bow in my hair. We always have a dance party in the locker room before the game — you can’t win otherwise, that’s just how it works. I also take visualization pretty seriously, especially during the high school season when you have one game per day, not four."

Advice you would give your freshman self: "Enjoy every moment. I know that sounds very basic, but to just really be grateful for the things and opportunities that you’re given, even the small things, because now that I’m leaving for college in five months, I’m like I would do anything to do the past three or four years again because it’s been such a great experience."

Favorite pump-up song: "'Stir Fry' by Migos."

Hidden talent: "Communicating with people. I love people and I love talking, getting to know people. I think that’s kind of a talent or a skill that not a lot of people can say they have right now."

Lexi Gin

Brebeuf Jesuit, Sr., L-DS

College: Penn State

Why she's here: The 5-6 senior operated a time share at libero with Wisconsin freshman Lola Schumacher last season, but will own the position this fall. She’s proven more than capable of those responsibilities, having accumulated 511 digs last season (1,058 career) with only 42 errors on 545 receptions. Gin, who helped Munciana win its fourth straight 18 Open national championship over the summer, has 119 career aces.

Favorite Olympic sport: "I haven’t watched yet, but I’ve seen a little bit of breaking (break dancing) and I really want to watch that. Obviously volleyball, too, and water polo. That one’s really interesting. I think that game is so hard. I don’t know how people do it. Oh, and synchronized diving. I think that one’s crazy."

Olympic sport you’d love to try: "If I was really good at gymnastics, I would do gymnastics. But I think that’s too much pressure one-on-one, so I think I’d do synchronized diving — if I was good at it. I could definitely see myself diving. Maybe not as high as they do, but some small dives, yeah."

Volleyball ick: "Short socks, that sounds me but for me it’s just not. And I used to do this, so I’m not hating on anyone, but the turtle shell knee pads, especially black ones. And I also did this, but colorful spandex with tie-dye and all that. It needs to be one color."

Advice you would give your freshman self: "Soak it all in. It goes by really fast. I know everybody says that, but it really does. And realizing that everything’s going to work out, not putting too much pressure on yourself. I know through the years I did put too much pressure on myself, but now I’ve been through everything — the recruiting, club and high school — it’ll all work out."

One thing she wish she knew entering freshman year: "It’s completely different than club. They’re too different animals and you have to attack them two different ways."

Player on another team she enjoys watching: Hamilton Heights senior libero Kennedy Cherry. "I played with her when I was younger. We play the same position so I guess it’s easier to watch, but seeing her cover all that court and her athleticism is really fun. Even to play with it was amazing."

Current binge: "'Brooklyn Nine-Nine', 'One Tree Hill', 'Grey’s Anatomy' — but I’m kind of over that — 'Criminal Minds'."

Favorite pump-up song: "Lately it’s been EDM slash house music, but I also like throwbacks."

Random talent: "Table tennis and pickleball."

Ava Hunter

Hamilton Southeastern, Sr., S

College: Loyola Chicago

Why she's here: Hunter returns to quarterback the Royals’ high-powered attack. She shared the position with Santa Clara freshman Macy Hinshaw over the past two seasons, totaling 971 assists and 86 aces over that stretch. The 5-11 senior was charged with only four ball-handling errors on 953 attempts in 2023.

Interviewed by Kaylyn Christy

Favorite Olympic sport: "Gymnastics."

Olympic sport you’d love to try: "Probably swimming — the short ones. I would work hard at that."

Volleyball ick: "Colorful knee pads. Some people have zebra, some people have pink. (shakes head) Or the long, colorful socks."

Does anybody on the team wear colorful knee pads or socks?

"No, I’d probably tell them."

Favorite volleyball memory: "The two state championship runs."

Do you have a favorite memory from those?

"I have funny ones. And obviously game point is fun and when we have little games that are so competitive, that’s fun, but I think my favorite memory from all of last season was every Thursday we would play, like competitive, we would make full-on teams back-and-forth. And that was the most competitive games we had. We couldn’t get any more competitive. We would battle and scream at each other across the net. It was the most fun. And we would wear outfits, like football jerseys or old jerseys and come play."

Advice you would give your freshman self: "It will all work out in the end, just to stay calm and not stress about the future. … Know you don’t always have to do your exact best at everything."

Current binge: "'You' on Netflix with the stalker."

Favorite pump-up song: "'Woo' by Rihanna. Favorite song."

Hidden talent: "I can do a doll eye. That’s my hidden talent."

Lindsey Mangelson

Hamilton Southeastern, Sr., OH

College: Mississippi State

Why she's here: The Royals’ most-experienced returning hitter, Mangelson enters her third varsity season with 590 kills (.293 hit%) and 77 blocks. The 6-2 Mississippi State commit shined amidst a deep group of D-I recruits in 2023, totaling career-highs in blocks (42), kills (358), aces (12) and digs (125). Mangelson plays club for Munciana and was selected MVP at the AAU Junior National Volleyball Championships in June.

Interviewed by Ava Hunter

Favorite Olympic sport: "I like swimming. ... It's really impressive."

Olympic sport you’d love to try: "Soccer. I played soccer since I was 3 until my freshman year."

Volleyball ick: "When people are messy."

Favorite volleyball memory: "Our first time winning state."

Advice you would give your freshman self: "In moments when I’m getting down on myself and in a hole, I’d tell myself to get out of it. ‘You’ll be fine.’"

Favorite pump-up song: "'Toes' by Lil Baby."

Hidden talent: "I don’t have one."

What’s your hobby? What random things are you good at?

Hunter: She’s good at everything. Every sport possible. Basketball, volleyball, soccer — maybe not gymnastics.

"Definitely not gymnastics. I did that when I was little. Not good at it. I did it for like one season, I think. I did cartwheels and stuff. Still probably can’t do one."

(Mangelson played in the field for soccer, then switched to goalie.)

Worst volleyball memory: "Probably breaking my back."

Most embarrassing volleyball moment: "I whiffed in the middle of the court at nationals two years ago."

SECOND TEAM

Belle Brown

Avon, Sr., S

College: Not committed

Why she's here: Brown followed an excellent sophomore campaign with an even better junior year, totaling 870 assists and 64 blocks for the sectional champion Orioles. The 5-9 standout, who should clear 2,000 career assists within her first few matches of 2024, also registered a career-high 258 digs and ran an offense that averaged around 12 kills per set.

Interviewed by Cam McCollum

Favorite Olympic sport: "Gymnastics, because there are so many things. It’s a team, but there are so many individual aspects, too. I’d also say beach volleyball."

Olympic sport you’d love to try: "Oh man, I really think I could do basketball. I’m really not that good at it, but I think if I really tried, I could maybe do it."

Brown: Probably — OK. (laughs)

Volleyball ick: "Black turtle shell knee pads. I cannot get on board. They just make me cringe."

Favorite volleyball memory: "Winning sectional. We went all the way to Terre Haute North, so it was kind of far, then staying there all day and playing at night — we did all the work and we won."

Most embarrassing volleyball moment: "Oh gosh, so many. When I flip over chairs or bleachers. I’m not looking where I’m running, I’m just focused on the ball."

I always think that looks cool.

"It is cool, except when I’m stuck in a chair and I’m like, ‘Uh, guys?’"

Advice you would give your freshman self: "Time flies. I was saying the other day when we walked into tryouts, it’s crazy to think this is our last high school tryout, this is the last season."

Current binge: "'Young Sheldon' and 'Big Bang Theory', because they bounce off each other. And there’s supposed to be a new (spin-off), so I’m excited for that."

Favorite pump-up song: "I like the song that’s like — I don’t want to sing it (laughs), it’s like ‘bring ‘em out.’ ('Bring ‘Em Out' by T.I.)"

Hidden talent: "Backflips and I can jump through my leg. If I’m standing, I can hold my leg up and jump through it."

Kennedy Cherry

Hamilton Heights, Sr., L-DS

College: Western Kentucky

Why she's here: The 5-7 backline anchor adds three years varsity experience for the regional runner-up Huskies, who return all but one player from a year ago. They’re poised for a similarly deep run in 2024 with Cherry looking to build off a junior campaign that saw her record 380 receptions with only 11 errors, 485 digs and 39 aces. She has 1,326 career digs.

Favorite Olympic sport: "Gymnastics, but my favorite Winter Olympics is probably half-pipe snowboarding."

Olympic sport you’d love to try: "In the winter, bobsled. I would like to run really, really fast then jump in, put my head down and zoom around the track. I think that’d be so much fun. In the summer, I was watching kayak cross yesterday and that looked so much fun to try, because you’re going down and have to get around the poles."

Volleyball ick: "When people wear their kneepads down at their shoes and walk around."

Favorite volleyball memory: "Winning sectional last year. That was awesome. We hadn’t won one in 25 years and I know coach (Steve) Ward, it meant everything to him. He cried all night long. He’s been coaching for 30 years and it finally came to fruition. He deserved it all. There was so much emotion all night long and the bus ride home was so much fun.

"The girls basketball team started a tradition a few years ago when they won sectional of jumping in the pool, so we stole their tradition and jumped in the pool when we got back to school. It was so much fun."

Most embarrassing volleyball moment: "Sophomore year, I had just started jump-serving and I tripped and fell during a scrimmage. Thankfully no one has it on video."

Advice you would give your freshman self: You’ll be a senior before you know it. I remember Kelsey Smith, who now plays at UAB and is an amazing setter, she told me that your four years are going to fly by and I thought she was crazy. Now here I am. My senior season started yesterday and I’m going to college in six months."

Current binge: "'Outer Banks' and 'Selling Sunset' — not 'Selling the OC' or 'Selling LA'."

Favorite pump-up song: 'Super Gremlin' by Kodak Black."

Bella Dafforn

Hamilton Southeastern, Sr., L-DS

College: Mercer

Why she's here: Dafforn, a 5-4 senior, established herself among the state’s top liberos over three seasons at Lawrence North, racking up 1,012 digs (463 as a junior), 127 aces and 83 assists — 52 of which came in 2023. She played club volleyball over the summer with Hunter and Kaylyn Christy, which has helped ease her transition with the Royals.

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Interviewed by Lindsey Mangelson

Favorite Olympic sport: "Volleyball and probably gymnastics."

Olympic sport you’d love to try: "Basketball. I think I’d be really good at it."

Volleyball ick: "Really obnoxious cheering. Like way over the top."

Favorite volleyball memory: "AAU nationals is always fun."

Advice you would give your freshman self: "Take one day at a time and stay positive through everything."

Current binge: "'Love Island'. I just started it. I’m on season two."

Favorite pump-up song: "'Let It All Work Out' by Lil Wayne."

Pregame ritual: "I do stretches that my weights coach gave me."

Most embarrassing volleyball moment: "Tripping on the court. Any time I trip and fall on the court. It doesn’t happen often, but when I do it’s bad."

Hidden talent: "Probably basketball." (smirks)

Izzy Masten

Tri-West, Jr., OH

College: Pitt

Why she's here: Masten commanded the state's attention as a sophomore, raising her career highs for season kills (454) and increasing her efficiency on the attack (.277 hit%). Though likely to play libero in college, the 5-8 junior is a dangerous force on the attack with over 700 career kills and a .258 hit% — plus 704 digs and 69 assists. Masten is a multi-sport athlete, playing both indoor and beach volleyball (she won a national championship this summer).

Favorite Olympic sport: "Beach volleyball. I love watching beach volleyball."

Non-volleyball?

"Swimming. It’s kind of quick, so I can watch it in a minute. It’s really fun."

Olympic sport you’d love to try: "Gymnastics. I definitely could not do that. Sometimes I think I could, but — actually gymnastics might be my favorite to watch. Simone Biles is incredible. The stuff they can do, it blows my mind."

Volleyball ick: "The bun with the tail (writer’s note: it’s like a rat tail out of the bun) I used to wear that when I was little, but I don’t anymore."

Favorite volleyball memory: "Winning some nationals, either club or beach. I won nationals this past season. That was really fun."

How she started playing beach volleyball: "My mom played volleyball at Purdue, but she also played a lot of beach, so I grew up playing beach with her — I was traveling to California when I was like 10. So I’ve played it my entire life."

Current binge: "'Love Island' and 'Too Hot To Handle'."

Favorite pump-up song: "Every game it’s different, but probably something by Drake or Travis Scott. Sometimes I throw in a throwback, but it just depends on my mood."

Hidden talent: She can shape her tongue into a clover.

Caroline Ward

Tri-West, So., OH-OPP

College: Not committed

Why she's here: Ranked No. 1 in her class by PrepDig Indiana, Ward made an immediate statement her freshman season, clearing 300 kills with a .223 hit percentage. The 6-1 hitter drew rave reviews from other players during media day, and with most of her teammates returning from last year's semistate run, she's positioned to make an even larger splash this fall.

Favorite Olympic sport: "Men’s indoor volleyball. It’s fun when you see them rally. It’s not something you see often, but when they’re getting good ups and they’re swinging so hard." (She also mentioned gymnastics, archery, archery and water polo).

Olympic sport you’d love to try: "I was on a flight and I had so much fun watching archery, which I did not expect to like, but it was so interesting. I don’t think I’d be very good at it, but it looks really fun."

Volleyball ick: "Black-on-black-on-black. When I see girls with black leggings, black knee pads, black shoes — I’m sorry, don’t do that."

What’s the appropriate color combination?

"You need to have white knee pads, white ankle braces and any color shoes — just not black shoes. I hate black shoes."

Is all-white OK?

"Yes, that’s perfect."

On pressures of being state’s top-ranked player: "It’s a little stressful. I want to prove myself, like I can do everything people say I can; living up to their (expectations). So I want to be good every single time I step on the court and show people what I have."

Current binge: "When I was doing my nails the other day, I started watching 'A Good Girls’ Guide to Murder' on Netflix. I don’t how I feel about it, but I watched like five episodes. I might finish that."

Favorite pump-up song: "'Gently' by Drake and Bad Bunny. It’s a lot of Spanish, but I like it. I like the beat."

Pregame ritual: "After warm-ups, I’m the first person in line to go through handshakes and I usually look up and say 'let’s go.' That just randomly started one day and I can’t stop doing it now."

Hidden talent: "I do my own nails. I think that’s a good hidden talent."

Ellen Zapp

Center Grove, Sr., MH-OH

College: Oakland

Why she's here: The Trojans have quite the two-some at the net with Dunkle in the middle and Zapp on the outside. The 6-foot Zapp is coming off a career year during which she set career-highs in kills (408 on .242 hit%) and blocks (39). She has 770 career kills entering her senior season.

Interviewed by Reese Dunkle

Favorite Olympic sport: "Gymnastics. I’m a Simone Biles girl for life."

Olympic sport you’d love to try: "When I was little, I was really good at rock climbing and I feel like I would be good at it, so maybe I need to get in shape for rock climbing. I think I could do speed climbing. I’d need to practice a lot, but I used to be good at it."

Volleyball ick: "Those buns with the rat tail out behind them."

Dunkle: We both used to do it.

Favorite volleyball memory: "AAU Nationals this year. It was so much fun. Vegas was so much fun and I loved going to all the team dinners and winning crossover — I love our team."

Most embarrassing volleyball moment: "I have it on film, one time my 15s year, I was running a slide at practice, Jenna Tadros — shoutout to her, I love that girl — I actually ran her over and we both fell on the ground."

Advice you would give your freshman self: "Look forward to the future, but also focus on the now. And go to jump training sooner."

Current binge: "'Love Island', obviously. I’m a Leah girl, I like Rob, I like Kahler a lot."

Favorite pump-up song: "21 Savage, so you could probably play anything by 21 and I’ll love it."

Hidden talent: "Handstands. I do one before every game and I love it. I’ve been working on it for a couple years now."

THIRD TEAM

Molly Beatty

Herron, Sr., S

College: Central Michigan

Why she's here: Rated ninth in the state and second at her position by Prep Dig Indiana, the 6-foot Beatty will be with the Achaeans for about a month before relocating to Vancouver where she’ll spend the second half of her season with Volleyball Canada’s National Excellence Program. Beatty has 217 career kills and 673 career assists, and has led Herron to 28 wins over the past two seasons.

Favorite Olympic sport: "Gymnastics. I like seeing them perfectly end it at the end. It’s just so satisfying to me."

Olympic sport you’d love to try: "Basketball. I don’t know if I’d be very good, but I enjoy playing it when I do."

Olympic sport she’s discovered this summer: "Pole vault."

Volleyball ick: "Either ankle socks or when they have the hair where it’s kind of a rat tail out of the bun. I don’t like it."

Favorite volleyball memory: "This year at nationals. I got All-American honors and it felt so amazing."

Advice you would give your freshman self: "Enjoy every minute because it does go by really fast. It’s crazy to think I’m a senior this year and it will be my last year. It’s just so crazy to me."

Current binge: "'Love Island'. It was just amazing. The drama is crazy. And I’m still keeping up with the people, because I liked it so much."

Who’s your favorite couple?

"Leah and Miguel. 100%."

Favorite pump-up song: "'Jump' by Kris Kross."

Hidden talent: "I can make a leaf with my tongue"

Kaylyn Christy

Hamilton Southeastern, Sr., L-DS

College: Southwestern Oklahoma State

Why she's here: The 5-10 Christy returned from a knee injury in time for the start of her junior season and was very good at DS once able to play full matches, recording 167 digs with 18 errors on 172 receptions. She has 75 aces and 364 digs for her career.

More: HSE's Kaylyn Christy faced a year-long recovery process. She made it back in four months.

Interviewed by Bella Dafforn

Favorite Olympic sport: "Gymnastics and volleyball, obviously."

Beach or indoor?

"I like watching beach more. I think it’s really cool how they cover the entire court with just two people."

Olympic sport you’d love to try: "I don’t know, they all look really difficult… What even is there?"

Ava Hunter: What about gymnastics?

"Oh! I feel like I could do gymnastics. My difficulty level would not be as high as theirs, but my execution — I could get points for that. … I was always really good at bars and floor when I did gymnastics before I quit for volleyball."

Volleyball ick: "Low socks (ankle socks) and black knee pads."

Favorite volleyball memory: "On the bus rides or at karaoke and when we sang Christmas songs right before state."

Advice you would give your freshman self: "I think just have fun and don’t take everything so seriously. Just have fun. ... Freshman year I had a plan of what I thought was going to happen and that was obviously not where I ended up now — even junior year is not where I ended up now. So I think just going along with the plan God has for your life and trusting Him."

Current binge: "'Nailed' It on Netflix."

Favorite pump-up song: "Maybe a song by Pitbull. Yeah, that’s always good."

Hidden talent: "I can do the splits and walk really far on my hands. I can walk the entire volleyball court on my hands."

Ryleigh Hamilton

Southport, Sr., MH

College: Not committed

Why she's here: The Cardinals have steadily improved over the past couple seasons and Hamilton has been a major factor in their success. The 6-0 attacker picked up 241 kills (.312 hit%) and 86 blocks (41 solo) in 2023, leading Southport to a 17-10 finish — second winning season since 2010 — that included just its second win over rival Perry Meridian since 2010.

Olympic sport you’d love to try: "Maybe tennis. I tried tennis before, so I feel like I have a little going into it."

Volleyball ick: "All-black — like black kneepads, black socks and black shoes. You have to throw some white in there or something."

What’s your ideal color combo?

"I like to have colorful shoes, I just ordered pink shoes for season this year, then white kneepads, white socks and white ankle braces."

Favorite volleyball memory: "Beating Perry last fall (for the first time in over 20 years). I got the game-winning kill. It was everything. The adrenaline after the ball hit the floor, everyone running up and hugging me, picking me up, it was an amazing feeling. It was on their home court, too. It was crazy."

Most embarrassing volleyball moment: "We were playing Greenfield-Central my sophomore year, first year on varsity. The ball goes into the net, my setter gets it out of the net and I didn’t realize she wasn’t going to move, so I slowly went over her and I hit the ball, then I just fell on the floor. I kind of sat there for a minute because everyone just heard me hit the floor; everyone was staring at me. Then my teammate came over and was like, ‘OK you can get up.’ I just slowly got up."

Advice you would give your freshman self: "Just go out there and play. I always felt like I thought about it too much and when I made a mistake I would get so in my head and be like, oh my gosh what am I doing wrong? It’s fine to make a mistake. It happens all the time in volleyball and it can be with anyone. It’s not just you. I’d tell myself to believe and not be so anxious."

Current binge: "'Love Island'. I spent the night at my friend’s house and we watched eight episodes all in one night. It’s so addicting."

Favorite pump-up song: "I like Taylor Swift, but any Drake song."

Player on another team she enjoys watching: "Former North Central hitter Alaleh Tolliver (now at Butler). She is a tremendous player. She hits all around and it is crazy. She can hit shots — she is so good."

What’s it like playing against her at the net?

"I just go up, I press and I hope that I can get a touch on it or something and I don’t get tooled or anything. I hope for a stuff or just a tiny touch to slow it down. She has a hard swing; it hurts the hand."

Hidden talent: "I can do handstands and all that stuff. When I was little, I’d go to my grandma’s house and she taught me how to do cartwheels and the splits. I can’t do the splits anymore, I’ve grown a lot since then, but I can do some of the easy gymnastics stuff."

Eva Hurrle

Roncalli, Sr., L-DS

College: DePaul

Why she’s here: A three-sport standout, the 5-8 Hurrle will compete for the libero spot this season. She recorded 184 receptions with only 13 errors as a junior, plus 172 digs and 34 aces in her first full varsity season in 2023. The Royals return the majority of their lineup and are the favorites in Class 3A.

Favorite Olympic sport: "I love beach volleyball, men’s or women’s, then gymnastics and track and field. I think it’s fun to watch all the different events. I get into that."

Olympic sport you’d love to try: "3v3 basketball. That seems really fun."

Volleyball ick: "Ankle socks. That’s so generic, a lot of people feel that way, but it’s not the best look."

Favorite volleyball memory: "The bus ride to semistate last year. Our parents all wrote us letters and it was so sweet to know we have so many supporters, not just our families but the students at our school and siblings and all our friends. It was awesome to see."

Most embarrassing volleyball moment: "We were at the Providence tournament this past year and coach Bell gave me a short serve — and I served it under the net. That was a low moment."

Advice you would give your freshman self: "Don’t take for granted the hard practices, the awesome games, even your wins and losses. It goes by so fast. And although it really sucks, to be honest, you make the best memories from it even when you’re conditioning out on the football field and it’s 95 degrees out. Everyone’s suffering together. It doesn’t make it more fun, but it makes it more enjoyable. … And put yourself out there, even if it makes you uncomfortable. It’s worth it."

Current binge: "'Young Sheldon'."

Favorite pump-up song: "Anything by Rihanna."

Hidden talent: "I can juggle. I learned in grade school."

Aysa Thomas

Brownsburg, Sr., S

College: Southern Indiana

Why she's here: The youngest of four college (or in this case, future college) athletes, the 5-10 Thomas cleared 900 kills for a third consecutive season (905) and scored a career-high 130 kills on a .401 hit%. She has 923 digs and 2,927 assists through three varsity seasons. Thomas is a massive presence on the floor and has the Bulldogs poised to challenge for a sectional title.

Favorite Olympic event so far: "Men’s 100 meters because of Noah Lyles. It’s just so cool, and the fact the commentator didn’t think he won at first, I was like wow, it’s pretty cool he won. That was crazy. … And I also liked gymnastics, obviously."

Olympic sport you’d love to try: "I ran track earlier in high school. I wasn’t very good, but I think if I was good, I would really enjoy it. Or gymnastics, I really like gymnastics. I did it when I was younger. I wasn’t very good, but I liked it."

Volleyball ick: "Black knee pads, unless it’s Purdue where they all have black knee pads. Or even black ankle braces. Unless it’s all-black like Purdue."

Favorite volleyball memory: "Being able to play with my sister (Quinci). It was really fun and going into freshman year, I didn’t know how it was going to go. I didn’t know if she was going to get mad at me — which she did sometimes, but not super mad, but definitely being able to experience winning sectionals with her two years in a row."

Advice you would give your freshman self: "To have fun. I was super serious freshman year because I didn’t think I belonged. Everything was so different. I was the only freshman on the team and I knew people, but only because my sister knew them. So probably just to enjoy it and have more fun."

Player on another team she enjoys watching: "Former Roncalli libero Emma Halter (now at Texas). She might have been the only reason we lost in regional my freshman year. We just couldn’t get a ball down. … She got everything. I don’t know if she read everything or just went — she got everything up. We tried different things, it was always up."

Current binge: "'Suits'."

Favorite pump-up song: "One of Drake’s old songs like 'Headlines'."

Most embarrassing volleyball moment: "My hands get super sweaty, so whenever that happens the ball will slip right through."

Hidden talent: "I can play the Ukulele. I’ll play it and sometimes Quinci will sing along."

Molly Welborn

Scecina, Sr., OH

College: Not committed

Why she’s here: The 5-7 Welborn had a massive season recording 567 kills on a .262 hit%, 62 aces and 44 digs — all career-highs — to lead the Crusaders to a 25-12 finish and a second consecutive regional championship (they were within a couple points of advancing to the 2A championship in both seasons).

Favorite Olympic sport: "Gymnastics. It’s getting better and better every time. It’s insane. I love watching Simone Biles and Suni Lee."

Olympic sport you’d love to try: "I don’t think I could do softball, but I really wish I was good at it. It just seems fun. Maybe I’ll try at Scecina just for fun. … I used to do gymnastics. Sometimes I think — the next Olympics are in four years, right? What if I start training right now then I can go to the Olympics in four years." (Best event would be floor or vault.)

Volleyball ick: "When people wear their kneepads on their shins. I hate it. And then they complain about having sore knees. I’m like, that’s your fault. Put your kneepads higher up. There’s no point in even having them on."

Favorite volleyball memory: "Last year was the best club team I’ve been a part of. It was so sad leaving. Every part of it was so fun, my coach was amazing, I loved it."

Most embarrassing volleyball moment: "Hitting it under the net. I’ve done that so many times. Or whiffing it. It’s just like, why? I don’t understand. That’s the most un-athletic thing you could do."

Advice you would give your freshman self: "Everything will be fine. I think there have been multiple things where it’s so stressful, so nerve-wracking and afterwards it’s perfectly fine. Like this for example. I was nervous and it’s like, why am I nervous? I always think like that. And to just be yourself, because I think some people are scared of that. Be the best version of yourself. If people don’t like you, they don’t like you."

One thing she wish she knew entering freshman year: "High school goes by so fast. Enjoy it."

Current binge: "'All American' on CW."

Favorite pump-up song: "'Umbrella' by Rihanna."

Hidden talent: "I can make a goat noise." (She declined to demonstrate, lest the video be used with this story.)

Honorary selection

Cam McCollum

Avon, Sr., MH

College: Memphis

Why she’s here: An ACL tear will sideline the 5-8 McCollum this season, but she was brilliant as a junior for the sectional champs, tallying 271 kills (.350 hit%) and 105 total blocks (14 solo) — all career-highs. She will graduate with 420 kills (.264 hit%), 196 total blocks and 30 digs to her name.

Interviewed by Belle Brown

Favorite Olympic sport: "Gymnastics. I used to be a gymnast, but yeah, it’s really fun — the floor exercise is probably my favorite. Simone Biles is one of my favorite gymnasts. And also track. I love the 100."

Olympic sport you’d love to try: "Track. I probably wouldn’t be as fast as them, but it looks fun."

Volleyball ick: "Ankle socks. It just looks weird."

Favorite volleyball memory: "Winning sectionals. It was a different feeling. The past two seasons hadn’t gone as well as we wanted them to and winning sectional felt like it."

Most embarrassing volleyball moment: "Mine are probably just falling. I’ve run into the setter a couple times. … There have also been times when I’ve served it and it’s not even hit the net."

Advice you would give your freshman self: "Make the most of it while you can — time does fly. And trust the process. Don’t try to rush anything. Everything will come to you when it’s time."

One thing she wish she knew as freshmen: "There are going to be hard days, so being able to move past that and trying not to dwell on them for too long; not being afraid to make mistakes."

Current binge: "'Love Island'. I watch it every year. And I usually watch 'Criminal Minds' and 'The Office', those are my two go-tos. It’s hard for me to start a new show, because I don’t want to finish it. Those are the only two I’ll really stick with.

Favorite couple on 'Love Island'?

"Kordell and Serena. They won, so I love them."

Favorite pump-up song: "I don’t really have a specific one, but I like listening to Drake — some of his older songs — and Sza."

Hidden talent: "It’s not a talent, but people think it’s weird that I write with my left hand but do everything else with my right."

Follow Brian Haenchen on Twitter at @Brian_Haenchen.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: IHSAA volleyball 2024 IndyStar preseason Super Team, top players