While some volleyball teams will be able to lean on valuable returning experience, others are counting on good team chemistry to take them far into the season.
Here’s how area team coaches are predicting the 2023 season will go.
Iola
Iola returns a much more experienced group this year including six starters from last season. Head coach Amanda Holman believes the strength of this year’s team will be its depth, experience and serving.
Those returning include Kaysin Crusinbery, Reese Curry, Jackie Fager, Rio Lohman, Alana Mader and Elza Clift. Last season, Curry had a team-high 124 kills and 47 aces while Clift had a team-high 270 digs and Lohman had a team-high 96 blocks.
“We had a lot of younger players get a lot of varsity experience and they know what to expect at this level now,” Holman said. “With our experience I hope to include more offensive options. Our goals are to win the league and have a winning season.”
Humboldt
The Lady Cubs are coming off a Tri-Valley League regular season championship title after going 30-6 overall and 7-0 in league play last fall. Humboldt returns five starters while losing two to graduation.
Shelby Shaughnessy, Kenisyn and Skylar Hottenstein, Kinley Tucker and Ricklyn Hillmon will all bring back valuable court time. Shaughnessy and Skylar Hottenstein were named Tri-Valley All-League players in 2022. 
“We should be competitive and will compete for a league title again,” Humboldt head coach Terry Meadows said. “We have a lot of experience at the varsity level.”
Crest
Crest is also coming off a historic season in which they won a school-record 26 matches and finished 10-1 in Three Rivers League play. The Lady Lancers return four starters from last season and lost three to graduation.
Senior Kayla Hermreck was named to the Class 1A All-State Second Team last year. Joining her are Karlee Boots, Brooklyn Jones and Kinley Edgerton. 
“I feel that we will continue to build on the positive things from last season,” said head coach Abigail Hermreck. “Of course we want to get more wins and go further in the postseason, but our focus is on one match at a time and enjoying the season.”
Marmaton Valley
The Lady Wildcats are under the leadership of first-year head coach Megan Blythe. Marmaton Valley returns 12 players from last year which finished fourth in the Three Rivers League. There are six freshmen a part of the team this year too.
Blythe expects Marmaton Valley’s leaders to step up including Janae Granere, Piper Barney, Payton Scharff and Tayven Sutton. Foreign exchange student Maria Ferero from Madrid, Spain is playing volleyball for the first time ever and has impressed in practice.
“I think we have a lot of players who have the potential to be aggressive net players, it’s just making sure we have just as aggressive defense on the back end,” said Blythe. “A hitter is great but if there’s no ball to hit, there’s no point to score.”
Yates Center
Yates Center High’s volleyball team will look awfully familiar from last season, returning a number of starters with second-year head coach Carrie Cummings at the helm. Cummings believes the team’s chemistry will help them most improve from an 11-26 season.
Returning starters are Kamdyn Trahan, Lauren McConaghie, Addison Morrison, Peyton Petit and Kinley Morrison. A couple of freshmen Cummings expects to make an impact are Mylin Tidd and Cayten Cummings.
