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top players in the 2025 class

VaselineJune 27, 2024

0 4 minutes read

The new high school volleyball season is just around the corner.

It will be hard to top the 2023 season where Kings and Mercy McAuley won their first state championships. McNicholas and Notre Dame Academy also appeared in their respective state finals.

One thing these four teams had in common was their senior leadership. There are plenty of seniors who will take the field for the final time this fall and want to lead their teams to postseason success.

Here are Greater Cincinnati’s top girls volleyball players in the Class of 2025.

Sophia Arends, Fenwick

The Falcons will continue to compete in the Greater Catholic League-Coed behind Arends, who ranked in the league’s top five in digs (293) and aces (65). She will have a reliable partner in the transition from defense to attack. Fellow senior Brooklyn Zeuch is the top returning setter in the GCL-C.

Sakura Codling, Seton

The UCLA commit was one of many stars for a Saints team that was ranked No. 1 in the state for much of the 2023 season.

They will rely on a number of seniors as they chase back-to-back Girls Greater Catholic League titles, but Codling is the lone returning all-state honoree. The first team member racked up 473 digs, 113 assists and 31 aces as a junior.

Molly Creech and Emsley Venard, St. Ursula

Creech will be a leader on the front lines. She had 247 kills, 67 digs and 22 blocks as a junior. The responsibility for replacing Maddy Brus and Molly Dorger will not rest entirely on her shoulders. Fellow senior Nia Jones and junior Gabby Semona will be at her side to put away attacks and block opponents’ swings.

In her first year as a starting setter, Venard finished second in the GGCL with 940 assists. They also dug 243 attacks to help the Bulldogs advance to a second straight regional championship game.

Grace Crider, Anderson

The Raptors are on the rise in the Eastern Cincinnati Conference and will be one of many teams looking to end the Kings’ two-year run as national champions.

Crider is central to Anderson’s production. As a junior, she ranked in the top five in the league in kills (356), led her team with 53 aces and dug 183 attacks.

Mariah Gaines, Roger Bacon

The Spartans have eight seniors on the team this year. Gaines leads the way with her all-around production (293 kills, 239 digs and 33 aces in 2023). Last year she recorded seven double-doubles. Even when she didn’t end a match with a double-double, she routinely had double-digit kills or digs.

Luci Heid, Badin

She is the centerpiece of a Rams team looking to win their second regional championship in three years. Her versatility in attack is one of her biggest strengths; she has shown that she can put away a kill at the net or come from the back line.

Heid led the Rams in 2023 with 424 kills and 59 aces. She registered double-digit kills in 25 of Badin’s 28 matches.

Brooklyn Helm, Scott

The Eagles have fallen to fellow Northern Kentucky teams Campbell County and Bishop Brossart in the last two 10th Region championship games. If they can complete the 37th District trifecta this year, Helm will be a major reason.

Scott was an impressive defensive team in 2023 as five players finished the season with over 200 digs. Helm was a rare example of a player who had more digs (359) than kills (306). She also led the Eagles with 89 aces and contributed 20 blocks.

Caroline Moore and Ashley Sess, Mercy McAuley

The Wolves face a tough task replacing all-state hitters Sophia Adkins and Ruby Klusman as they come off their first state championship.

Moore and Sess played prominent roles last year. They both appeared in every match and recorded over 200 kills and 50 blocks. Sess had a season-high seven blocks in the state championship game. Moore recorded 10 kills in the Wolves’ final game of 2023, including the championship point.

Pandas of Notre Dame

Is it too early to pencil the Pandas in for a third straight state championship? After graduating just one member of the 2023 team, Notre Dame will be led by seven seniors this fall.

Libero Julia Grace was one of two players named a MaxPreps All-American in 2023. She led the team with 487 digs and 48 aces. Joining Grace as defensive specialists are Hannah Dannenberg and Lacey Hostetler, who combined for 413 digs and 58 aces last year.

On the front lines, Riley McCloskey, Grace Portwood and Ava Tilden have some of the most powerful weapons in the state. Last season they combined for 949 kills.

Last but not least, Ella Goetz is perhaps the Pandas’ most versatile senior. She had 174 kills last year, but led the team with 84 blocks and served 42 aces.

Ursuline Lions

The Lions had a rebuilding year in 2023 after a dominant state title in 2022, but they should be back in the mix for a GGCL title this fall.

After collecting 913 assists, 245 digs and 29 blocks, setter Addy Franz was named a GGCL first-team selection.

Katie Gielas is the Lions’ main offensive weapon. She is coming off a season in which she had 384 kills, including 24 in the final game of 2023. On the other side of the net is Lindy Radaszewski, a one-woman brick wall. Last year she led Ursulines with 84 blocks. She racked up 266 kills in 2023, giving the Lions options on offense.

Ella Sunderman, Williamsburg

The Wildcats have returned two valuable seniors in Madison Speeg and Avery Neth, but Sunderman will play an equally valuable role on the team this year.

She is a true jack-of-all-trades for Williamsburg, which won the Southern Buckeye Conference-National division in 2023 with a 12-0 record. Sunderman ranked in the top five in the conference in kills (233) and aces (107), and led the Wildcats with 304 assists, while also making 193 attacks. 304 assists, 233 kills, 193 digs and 107 aces.

VaselineJune 27, 2024

0 4 minutes read