Van looks to advance in volleyball playoffs in 2025

Published 1:13 pm Tuesday, August 5, 2025

After going to the regional semifinals and regional quarterfinals in 2021 and 2022, respectively, Van exited the postseason in the first round the last two seasons.

“I’m expecting us to kind of improve on some things that we lacked last year,” Van head volleyball coach Ashton Carpenter said. “We have to fix some things. We’ve already started doing that in the offseason to kind of become a little more of a cohesive unit. Our ultimate goal is to get back to the top of the district and go for a deeper playoff run.

“It’s been a few years since we’ve made it to at least the second round, so we’re looking forward to doing that.”

Carpenter was joined by junior right-side hitter Jordan Flodder, senior outside hitter Kayla White, junior setter Keeley Walker and senior libero Averi Crouch at a fall sports media day at the CHRISTUS Orthopedics & Sports Medicine Institute on July 31 to talk about the upcoming season.

“I just expect us to continue to work hard every day and compete at our highest level every single game and obviously go out with the expectations of winning and doing everything we can to make that happen,” Flodder said.

“I just want to have fun and make some memories for our one last year,” White said.

“I expect us to have confidence in ourselves and really push ourselves to our full potential this season,” Walker said.

“I expect us to go far this year because we have such great team chemistry, and I expect us to practice how we play and just really use last year as a building block and just do better this year,” Crouch said.

Flodder, who has committed to Loyola Marymount University, had 371 kills, 68 blocks, 31 digs and 16 assists last season. White (205 kills, 127 digs, 36 aces, 15 blocks and 13 assists), 2024 Tyler Morning Telegraph All-Rose Country Volleyball Newcomer of the Year Walker (638 assists, 269 digs, 79 kills, 45 aces and 17 blocks) and Crouch (440 digs, 20 assists and 19 aces) are also back for the Lady Vandals, who went 27-14 and 9-3 in district last season.

Van competes in District 15-4A with Athens, Brownsboro, Canton, Kemp, Mabank and Lindale.

The Lady Vandals will open the 2025 season against Hallsville on Aug. 11 in Van.