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IndyStar will once again be recognizing the top players in Indiana with our Volleyball Athlete of the Week poll. And with that season-long staple nearing its return, we thought what better way to kick things off than with a preseason Player of the Year poll!
Scroll to the bottom of the article to vote. Voting is open until noon EST Friday.
To nominate a player for our Player of the Week poll, submit the individual's name, school and notable stats via email or Twitter (@Brian_Haenchen) by Sunday afternoon each week.
Here are our preseason Player of the Year nominees!
Bombacino enters her senior year verbally committed to Michigan and on the heels of a career year on the attack. She totaled 452 kills on .270 hitting with at least 10 kills in 26 matches, including a 24-kill outing against Penn. She rounded out her line with 42 aces, 31 blocks, 226 digs and 16 assists. The 6-foot pin has 1,093 career kills.
Bonde will lead the two-time defending Class A champs to 2A this fall. The 6-2 junior totaled 387 kills on .362 hitting, plus 28 aces and 111 digs against a loaded schedule, and has 195 blocks (60 solos) over the past two seasons.
A senior Dayton commit, the libero scored 230 service points with 56 aces over 106 sets and had a career-low 16 errors on 720 receptions last season. Breitwieser collected a career-high 580 digs — pushing her career total to 1,247 — five kills and 68 assists.
Cardinal, an Iowa commit, clocked 73 blocks and a career-high 335 kills on .424 hitting. She also notched 15 digs and her first career assist, and enters her senior year with 152 blocks and 531 kills for her career.
The 6-3 Louisville commit has 236 career blocks (176 solo), 65 of which came during last year's regional championship run. Comer also clocked 244 kills on .525 hitting, leaving her with 732 for her career, and 38 aces.
Evans scored 476 assists in 103 sets, while also upping her kills total to 221 on .244 hitting. The Marquette commit had 28 aces, 55 blocks and 303 digs. She has 1,123 career assists.
The 5-99 junior accumulated 1,249 assists in 117 sets, and rounded out her line with 98 kills, 34 aces, 38 blocks and 244 digs. Groninger had 50-plus assists in three matches.
A 2028 Texas commit, Haffner anchored the Carroll back line with 432 digs, 60 aces, three kills and 133 assists. She had eight errors on 331 receptions and enters her junior year with 885 career digs.
Hanchar put down 251 kills on .238 hitting. She also logged 35 aces, 26 blocks, 328 digs and 33 assists, and enters her senior season with 763 kills (.266 hit%) and 828 digs for her career.
The senior setter/right side registered 229 kills on .309 hitting, 350 assists, 48 blocks, 197 digs and seven aces for the 3A state runner-up Saints.
Johnson totaled 1,292 assists in 118 sets (10.9 per set) as a freshman. She also put down 22 kills, 38 aces and 19 blocks, and accumulated 264 digs.
Knepp has over 2,000 career assists after recording 1,033 last season as a junior. The first team all-state honoree also notched 34 kills, 29 aces, 18 blocks and 283 digs (631 career).
The 2028 Ohio State commit recorded a career-high 79 blocks (53 solo) and racked up 503 kills on .564 hitting. Powell also recorded 83 aces and 350 digs. She enters her junior year with 156 blocks, 890 kills (.555 hit%) and 639 digs for her career.
The Kentucky-bound Rhamy shined in 2A, picking up a career-high 436 kills (.385 hit%), 64 aces, 51 blocks (48 solo), 314 digs and 51 assists for the regional champion Knights. She has a career line of 1,157 kills (.353 hit%), 187 aces, 112 blocks and 936 digs.
Ritchie, who committed to Louisville earlier this summer, notched 641 digs, pushing her career total to 1,080 entering her junior year. She also had 41 aces, 82 assists and 20 kills, and averaged 20.6 receptions per match and was charged with 32 errors.
The senior UCF commit enters her senior year with her sights set on 4,000 career assists. She is currently at 3,025 after racking up 1,151 in 120 sets last fall. She rounded out her season line with 82 kills, 70 aces, 34 blocks and 312 digs.
Sigler, a 5-11 attacker, put down 209 kills on .352 hitting in her first full varsity season. She also notched 50 blocks, 16 aces and 77 digs in 92 sets.
A junior Georgia Tech commit, Sorg finished with 432 kills on .268 hitting — both career-bests — 214 digs, 42 blocks and 55 aces for the regional champion Highlanders.
Stegall accumulated 270 kills on .352 hitting, 24 blocks and 60 digs in 105 sets for the undefeated 4A state champions. The Notre Dame commit is the Chargers' top returning attacker and will be alongside Haffner at the forefront of their title defense.
A Northern Michigan commit, Stone registered 121 blocks, 145 kills and 31 digs for the two-time defending state champion Royals. She has 245 blocks and 274 kills through two-plus varsity seasons.
The Bowling Green commit logged 362 digs, 62 aces (230 service points) and 43 assists. She was charged with only 15 errors on 347 receptions for the regional champion Rocks.
The UCLA commit fueled the Quakers' run to state, totaling 606 kills on .280 hitting, 349 digs, 42 total blocks (16 solo), 52 aces and 204 service points. Utterback enters her junior season with over 1,010 career kills.
The SMU commit finished with 681 kills on a career-best .258 hitting, 60 total blocks (16 solo), 63 aces and 313 digs. She has over 1,200 kills through three varsity seasons.
Follow Brian Haenchen on Twitter at @Brian_Haenchen. Get IndyStar's high school coverage sent directly to your inbox with the High School Sports newsletter.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: VOTE: IndyStar 2026 Girls Volleyball Preseason Player of the Year poll
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Scroll to the bottom of the article to vote. Voting is open until noon EST Friday.
To nominate a player for our Player of the Week poll, submit the individual's name, school and notable stats via email or Twitter (@Brian_Haenchen) by Sunday afternoon each week.
Here are our preseason Player of the Year nominees!
Luca Bombacino, Chesterton
Bombacino enters her senior year verbally committed to Michigan and on the heels of a career year on the attack. She totaled 452 kills on .270 hitting with at least 10 kills in 26 matches, including a 24-kill outing against Penn. She rounded out her line with 42 aces, 31 blocks, 226 digs and 16 assists. The 6-foot pin has 1,093 career kills.
Rachel Bonde, Trinity Lutheran
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Bonde will lead the two-time defending Class A champs to 2A this fall. The 6-2 junior totaled 387 kills on .362 hitting, plus 28 aces and 111 digs against a loaded schedule, and has 195 blocks (60 solos) over the past two seasons.
Nora Breitwieser, Jasper
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A senior Dayton commit, the libero scored 230 service points with 56 aces over 106 sets and had a career-low 16 errors on 720 receptions last season. Breitwieser collected a career-high 580 digs — pushing her career total to 1,247 — five kills and 68 assists.
Emery Cardinal, Guerin Catholic
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Cardinal, an Iowa commit, clocked 73 blocks and a career-high 335 kills on .424 hitting. She also notched 15 digs and her first career assist, and enters her senior year with 152 blocks and 531 kills for her career.
Carsyn Comer, Westfield
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The 6-3 Louisville commit has 236 career blocks (176 solo), 65 of which came during last year's regional championship run. Comer also clocked 244 kills on .525 hitting, leaving her with 732 for her career, and 38 aces.
London Evans, Carmel
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Evans scored 476 assists in 103 sets, while also upping her kills total to 221 on .244 hitting. The Marquette commit had 28 aces, 55 blocks and 303 digs. She has 1,123 career assists.
Charlee Groninger, Plainfield
The 5-99 junior accumulated 1,249 assists in 117 sets, and rounded out her line with 98 kills, 34 aces, 38 blocks and 244 digs. Groninger had 50-plus assists in three matches.
Cala Haffner, FW Carroll
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A 2028 Texas commit, Haffner anchored the Carroll back line with 432 digs, 60 aces, three kills and 133 assists. She had eight errors on 331 receptions and enters her junior year with 885 career digs.
Caroline Hanchar, Cathedral
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Hanchar put down 251 kills on .238 hitting. She also logged 35 aces, 26 blocks, 328 digs and 33 assists, and enters her senior season with 763 kills (.266 hit%) and 828 digs for her career.
Braelynn Hodgman, Concordia
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The senior setter/right side registered 229 kills on .309 hitting, 350 assists, 48 blocks, 197 digs and seven aces for the 3A state runner-up Saints.
Landree Johnson, Yorktown
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Johnson totaled 1,292 assists in 118 sets (10.9 per set) as a freshman. She also put down 22 kills, 38 aces and 19 blocks, and accumulated 264 digs.
Hallie Knepp, Barr-Reeve
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Knepp has over 2,000 career assists after recording 1,033 last season as a junior. The first team all-state honoree also notched 34 kills, 29 aces, 18 blocks and 283 digs (631 career).
Abbie Powell, Southern Wells
The 2028 Ohio State commit recorded a career-high 79 blocks (53 solo) and racked up 503 kills on .564 hitting. Powell also recorded 83 aces and 350 digs. She enters her junior year with 156 blocks, 890 kills (.555 hit%) and 639 digs for her career.
Shania Rhamy, Southwood
The Kentucky-bound Rhamy shined in 2A, picking up a career-high 436 kills (.385 hit%), 64 aces, 51 blocks (48 solo), 314 digs and 51 assists for the regional champion Knights. She has a career line of 1,157 kills (.353 hit%), 187 aces, 112 blocks and 936 digs.
Chloe Ritchie, Yorktown
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Ritchie, who committed to Louisville earlier this summer, notched 641 digs, pushing her career total to 1,080 entering her junior year. She also had 41 aces, 82 assists and 20 kills, and averaged 20.6 receptions per match and was charged with 32 errors.
Anabelle Schembra, Center Grove
The senior UCF commit enters her senior year with her sights set on 4,000 career assists. She is currently at 3,025 after racking up 1,151 in 120 sets last fall. She rounded out her season line with 82 kills, 70 aces, 34 blocks and 312 digs.
Brooklyn Sigler, Hamilton Southeastern
Sigler, a 5-11 attacker, put down 209 kills on .352 hitting in her first full varsity season. She also notched 50 blocks, 16 aces and 77 digs in 92 sets.
Macy Sorg, Floyd Central
A junior Georgia Tech commit, Sorg finished with 432 kills on .268 hitting — both career-bests — 214 digs, 42 blocks and 55 aces for the regional champion Highlanders.
Sarah Stegall, Fort Wayne Carroll
Stegall accumulated 270 kills on .352 hitting, 24 blocks and 60 digs in 105 sets for the undefeated 4A state champions. The Notre Dame commit is the Chargers' top returning attacker and will be alongside Haffner at the forefront of their title defense.
Ella Stone, Roncalli
A Northern Michigan commit, Stone registered 121 blocks, 145 kills and 31 digs for the two-time defending state champion Royals. She has 245 blocks and 274 kills through two-plus varsity seasons.
Kendyl Strack, Westfield
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The Bowling Green commit logged 362 digs, 62 aces (230 service points) and 43 assists. She was charged with only 15 errors on 347 receptions for the regional champion Rocks.
Audrey Utterback, Plainfield
The UCLA commit fueled the Quakers' run to state, totaling 606 kills on .280 hitting, 349 digs, 42 total blocks (16 solo), 52 aces and 204 service points. Utterback enters her junior season with over 1,010 career kills.
Caroline Ward, Tri-West
The SMU commit finished with 681 kills on a career-best .258 hitting, 60 total blocks (16 solo), 63 aces and 313 digs. She has over 1,200 kills through three varsity seasons.
Follow Brian Haenchen on Twitter at @Brian_Haenchen. Get IndyStar's high school coverage sent directly to your inbox with the High School Sports newsletter.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: VOTE: IndyStar 2026 Girls Volleyball Preseason Player of the Year poll
Continue reading...
