7 things to know for girls volleyball season

The Holmen High School volleyball team began its MVC season with a five-set victory over Aquinas at the Reinhart Athletic Complex. The Vikings have won 23 straight conference matches.

A pair of La Crosse area teams made themselves known during the postseason last year.

Aquinas made it all the way to the Division 3 championship, falling in four sets to Barron in the final. Holmen also shocked many by winning its sectional as the sixth seed and advancing to the state tournament.

A number of other local teams made strides behind the emergence of local stars. Here are seven things to know as the first serve of the season approaches.

Aquinas still hungry despite roster turnover

Aquinas graduated all but one starter from last season's team that won the Mississippi Valley Conference and was only a win shy of a state title. But the Blugolds have plenty of standouts who competed against those seniors in practice and saw time off the bench ready to leave their own legacy.

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"They kind of seem like the underdogs," Aquinas coach Danielle Dolan said. "I think these girls are really excited to shock everyone."

Sammy Davis is the lone returning starter from last year's team. Davis, who is committed to play Division I basketball at Bradley, had 420 kills and 55 aces a season ago.

She was a first-team All-Mississippi Valley Conference selection and also earned Wisconsin Volleyball Coaches Association Division 3 all-state honors.

"She's a great athlete, we know what she can do on the court," Dolan said. "Now it's time to see what she can do as a leader."

After using the same lineup on the court most of last season, Dolan plans to utilize the team's depth this fall with a potential of 10 or 11 players seeing the court every game.

Junior Adelaide Bezemek and senior Lauren Von Ruden are expected to be the team's setters. Alaina Elias, a senior outside hitter, is expected to be a steady second option on the outside when Davis is in the back row.

Departure of star trio doesn't limit West Salem

West Salem lost a trio of core players who were pivotal to the team winning the Coulee Conference the past two seasons to graduation.

Coulee Player of the Year Makena Ihle, who is now playing at Viterbo University, as well as Leah Brigson, a libero playing collegiately at Division III Gustavus Adolphus, and second-team all-conference setter Izzie Clements have all graduated.

Even with the losses, the Panthers boast plenty of veteran talent that have them expecting to compete for a conference title.

"It's a little bit of a rebuilding year, as we got people shifting roles ... but a lot of our kids have been playing varsity," West Salem coach Becki Murphy said.

Addy Oldenburg, an all-conference second team middle, is expected to take another leap heading into her junior season. She had 137 kills and 97 blocks as a sophomore.

"She knows the game well, she reads the ball well, which helps us with blocking success," Murphy said. "Just overall, she is a strong player."

Senior outside hitters Natalee Reichert and Josie Brudos both return after starting last season. Reichert led the team with 49 aces and had 188 kills, while Brudos totaled 167 kills.

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Sophomore Brylee Vick is also a name to watch. She only had 25 kills in her freshman campaign, but Murphy is expecting to feature her significantly more this fall.

Luther, Viroqua and Westby figure to be strong competitors this season, but Murphy believes the Panthers have the quality to secure a conference three-peat.

"As much as we say, 'yes, we're going to do that,' it's not going to be easy," Murphy said. "We have to make sure we work hard and that the kids know what is expected of them on the court."

Holmen returns strong team after surprise run

Holmen went 10-2 in the Mississippi Valley Conference. finishing only a game back of league champion Aquinas.

The Vikings then made their mark in the postseason, stealing their sectional as the sixth seed and parading to the state tournament.

"They were just bound and determined, holy smokes," Holmen coach Nicky Rose said.

Divine Savior Holy Angels, the eventual Division 1 state champions, dispatched the Vikings in the quarterfinals, an experience that the team hopes to use to its advantage this fall.

Holmen enters this season with a lineup laden with varsity experience.

Senior Macy Kilne, the team's libero, is arguably the best back row player in the La Crosse area. She had 485 digs last season, including 39 in the sectional final upset over Verona.

The team also returns its four most productive hitters. Senior Charley Casey (275 kills), senior Hadley Teff (195 kills), junior Moira Linse (173 kills) and senior Brenna Schmidt (141 kills) all return this season.

After missing out on a conference title because of a late-season loss to Aquinas a season ago, Holmen hopes to avenge that this fall.

"We should be confident that we have returners and we're going to be able to do some pretty fun things and build on last year," Rose said.

Could Sparta surprise?

A glance at the standings shows that Sparta didn't really make much noise in 2024. The Spartans went 4-8 in the Mississippi Valley Conference and finished 11-15 overall.

But a pair of area coaches named the Spartans as a team to watch this fall.

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That isn't much of a shock to Mary Sackmann, Sparta's second-year coach.

While her team wasn't stacking up wins, it was competing with the conference's top squads. The Spartans pushed Onalaska to five sets, Holmen to four and Aquinas to four.

"If you were there at our matches, you'd see, every game we competed," Sackmann said.

Sparta returns senior Kaylie Church, who should surpass 500 assists this season.

Seniors Izzy Mickelson and Elexa Jones are also back. Mickelson, a middle, had 102 kills and 55 blocks, while Jones racked up 82 kills and 37 blocks. Jones was a middle last season but will be moving to a different position this fall, according to Sackmann.

Sackmann said she expects Mickelson and Jones to "put up big numbers" once again. The second-year coach is also optimistic her team can end the season among the Mississippi Valley's top three.

"I think we can compete with some of the top teams in the conference," Sackmann said. "The Holmen's, the Aquinas', the Onalaska's, I think we can give them a run for their money."

What will Central do after last year's leap?

The departure of six seniors leaves a Central team that went from 11-18 to 18-11 from 2023 to 2024 in a unique spot.

The Riverhawks are looking at this year as somewhat out a rebuild, although Central coach Haley Williams is confident her team will remain competitive.

"We lost some big roles," Williams said. "But we're anticipating working towards another successful season to keep this momentum going."

Central has a trio of juniors who are worth watching out for.

Setter Ellie Gillitzer, an all-conference honorable mention last year, had 313 assists and a team-high 44 aces.

McKenna Michaels and Ella Crawford both return after strong sophomore seasons. Michaels was second on the team with 149 kills, while Crawford, a middle, was third with 93. Crawford led the team with 47 blocks last season.

"I'm excited to see who shows up and has a really strong season," Williams said "because I think it can be a multitude of players."

Onalaska track stars eye on-court success

All-conference first-team talents Maddy Wilson (University of Wisconsin-La Crosse) and Ellie Mascotti (University of Wisconsin-River Falls) are both representing collegiate programs this year.

That means Onalaska will need players to step up, something that coach Jess Rohde is confident will happen.

Seniors Isabella Malecek and Makena McGarry, both state qualifiers in track and field, will be crucial for the Hilltoppers this fall.

Malecek had 162 kills last season, while McGarry had 145.

They then shined in the track and field scene this past spring, with Malecek placing sixth in the long jump at the Division 1 state championships, where she also competed in the 400 meter and relays. McGarry placed second in the long jump and finished 12th in the triple jump.

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"Just incredible athletes," Rohde said. "We're so lucky to have them play volleyball."

Sophomore McKenzie Bauer, the team's libero last season, will be moving to setter to replace Mascotti, who ended her senior season with 599 assists.

"She's extremely athletic," Rohde said. "I think she's going to catch on very quickly."

Junior Kendall Carlson, a middle with 42 blocks last season, is another player Rhode expects to contribute on an Onalaska team that is hoping to build off a third-place finish in the Mississippi Valley Conference in 2024.

"We'll be in matches," Rohde said. "Hopefully, we'll be ahead more often than not. I'm absolutely confident that we should be."

A familiar face returns to Tomah

Sarah Walters led the Tomah volleyball program from 2011-2021.

Then, she stepped away to spend time with her family. But when her old job opened up again in the spring, she sought out approval from her now college-bound children and decided to coach the Timberwolves once again.

"Volleyball players are wonderful people," Walters said. "I missed the interactions with that group of people."

Walters started her coaching career nearly three decades ago after playing collegiately at the University of Wisconsin-Stout. She started coaching at Colfax, then took a job at Sparta before heading to Tomah.

"Pretty much my whole life, I think I've been in the gym," she said.

The coach inherits a Tomah team that finished sixth last season in the Mississippi Valley Conference. The Timberwolves were a regular top-four finisher in the league during Walters' first stint.

Even if the path back to that level may not come immediately, there are players to place to build a foundation around.

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Brielle Plueger, a junior setter who had 242 assists and 91 kills last season, has established herself as a leader. Walters highlighted her court vision and willingness to take risks as strengths.

Senior Taylor Lord is the team's top returning offensive threat. Lord, listed as a middle and outside hitter on last year's roster, had 112 kills last fall and possesses "a lot of weapons in her arsenal," Walters said.

The Timberwolves, as a whole, are a young team, but that provides Walters with an opportunity to establish a culture that can last.

"My expectations for the team are just to be the best we can," Walters said. "To get a foundation under Tomah volleyball that we can grow upon."

Onalaska sophomore Natalie Marso (10) warms up before a WIAA regional volleyball game on Thursday against Central.