With a new school year means the local high school volleyball teams are headed back to their respective courts, looking to spike the competition. Here’s our preview of the prep teams in our coverage area:
Pasco County
Academy of the Lakes
2022 record: 7-8
District: 2A-9
Coach: Jeffrey Saxton
Outlook: The Wildcats lose their top scorer, Malia Nelson (173 kills), but replenish their depleted roster with several incoming freshmen. Molly Blackwood, who is returning from a softball injury, had 92 kills last season.
Bishop McLaughlin
2022 record: 5-16
District: 3A-9
Coach: Elizabeth Klauka
Outlook: The Hurricanes are looking to bounce back from a disappointing season, and will lean on the team’s returning top scorer, D’Yanna Spicer, who had 91 kills and 66 blocks, while Samanta Banner, also returning, added 48 kills.
Cypress Creek
2022 record: 17-8
District: 5A-5
Coach: Angel Ramirez
Outlook: The Coyotes had their best season in the program’s short history, however, nearby rivals, Wesley Chapel, were a powerhouse last season. While their season ended in the region semifinals to Merritt Island, the Coyotes, who lost 10 seniors, return outside hitter Addison Fast (55 kills) and Camryn Paradise (254 assists, 22 digs).
Land O’ Lakes
2022 record: 24-8
District: 6A-9
Coach: Emily Frazer
Outlook: The Gators get a new coach coming off its best season in program history that saw them reach the Class 6A state tournament, led by County Player of the Year Bella Horruitiner (284 kills, 31 aces, 211 digs), who returns for her senior season. Carissa Mixon also returns (219 kills), as does Katelyn Hurley (73 kills), while the Gators look to push past district rival Mitchell again for another deep postseason run and are ranked 14th in Class 5A.
Pasco
2022 record: 6-15
District: 5A-6
Coach: Ramiro Tejada
Outlook: The Pirates sit in a deep district with several teams, though look to lean on some of its tall outside hitters in Mylianna Lane, Karaline Burnap and Skye Gagne. Emma LeTourneau, who played at Wesley Chapel last season and had 171 kills, returns to the team this season.
Sunlake
2022 record: 13-10
District: 6A-9
Coach: Elyse Garcia
Outlook: The Seahawks return Kendyl Okin (117 kills, 43 blocks) and look to keep pace with the likes of in-town rival Land O’ Lakes and Mitchell. Okin will be helped at the net by outside hitter Elanah Hardeen (88 kills) and Zayda Thomas (56 kills).
Wesley Chapel
2022 record: 23-6
District: 5A-5
Coach: Brittany Collison
Outlook: The Wildcats, coming off arguably the program’s best season that ended in the Class 5A state tournament, do lose one of the county’s top players in Chloe Danielson (1,031 career kills), but still return a wealth of talent, especially on the net. The team will have a power hitting attack from seniors Elizabeth Ekechi (201 kills, 85 digs, 45 blocks) and Annabell Grace Korta (191 kills, 59 digs, 38 blocks), while also returning is Brooke Ashkenase, who had 347 digs last year. The Wildcats are ranked fifth in Class 5A.
Wiregrass Ranch
2022 record: 12-10
District: 6A-10
Coach: Amy Strawser
Outlook: The Bulls were looking to bring back senior Haley Strawser (318 assists, 308 digs, 162 kills) to keep pace as the only Pasco County team in their district that also features Bloomingdale and Wharton, but Stawser is now out due to injury. Also returning will be Ayanna Klaiber-Norris (121 kills) and Kamryn Hill (94 kills).
Zephyrhills
2022 record: 6-13
District: 5A-6
Coach: Maya Clark
Outlook: The Bulldogs get a new coach with Emily Frazer departing for Land O’ Lakes, and look to build on its best season in years that resulted in six wins, a total they hadn’t reached since 2012.
Zephyrhills Christian
2022 record: 0-7
District: Independent
Coach: Amy Jones
Outlook: The Warriors, will once again, play as an independent team, but this year with a 15-game schedule.
Hillsborough County
Carrollwood Day
2022 record: 20-7
District: 3A-9
Coach: Douglas Chinchar
Outlook:The Patriots return a pair of coach’s daughters, who dominated at the net last year: freshman Lydia Chinchar had 535 kills, 192 digs and 43 blocks, while the elder sister, senior Naomi Chinchar, had 179 kills, 104 digs and 41 blocks. Throw in junior Lorelei Church (844 assists, 169 digs, 75 kills), and the Patriots have a potent lineup looking to move past the first round of the regional tournament. The Patriots are ranked 13th in Class 3A.
Freedom
2022 record: 10-5
District: 5A-9
Coach: Renee Thompson
Outlook: The Patriots, coming off one of their best seasons in recent team history, look to build on that by returning Addison Barno (148 kills, 122 digs) and Liliana Palacios (77 kills, 107 digs), and a weak district might just help the team to the regional tournament.
Gaither
2022 record: 12-7
District: 6A-10
Coach: Kesha Lindo
Outlook: The Cowboys will look to keep pace in a tough district, and will do so by turning to Angelina Hanson (89 kills, 80 digs) and Haven Osler (80 kills, 60 digs), whose little sister, freshman Kendall Osler, also joins the team. Junior Mya Crow also had 67 kills in 2022.
Steinbrenner
2022 record: 8-19
District: 7A-9
Coach: Jandra Fabian
Outlook: The Warriors will look to rebound off a down year, but do so in returning Andrea Ruiz (119 kills) and Malloy Baruch (71 kills), though still find themselves in a very tough district led by powerhouse Plant.
Wharton
2022 record: 15-10
District: 6A-10
Coach: Eric Barber
Outlook: The Wildcats lose their top two scorers to graduation, but return Naree Kately (114 kills), Josiya Teague (82 kills) and Paige Boyd (43 blocks), as the team looks to battle against the likes of Bloomingdale and Wiregrass Ranch for district dominance.
Published September 06, 2023
