BULLARD BROOK HILL
Mascot: Lady Guard
Coach: Sonorah Duty (2nd year at Brook Hill)
District: TAPPS 5A District (Tyler Grace Community, Dallas Bishop Dunne, Garland Brighter Horizons, Dallas Cristo Rey. Dallas Christian, McKinney Christian)
2019 Record: 22-7-2
Assistant coaches: Lindsey Flores — JV, Paige Holland, Kayleigh Smith
Returning players (Name, class, position, 2019 stats): Anna Hardee (Senior, Setter, 371 Assists, 1st Team All-State) ... Kensi Holley (Senior, OH/RS/DS, 173 Digs, 41 Aces) ... Lexi Turner (Senior, MB, 99 Kills, 102 Blocks, 2019 Blocker of the Year) ... Mary Elizabeth Roberts (Senior, OH, 125 Kills) ... Belle Reed (Junior, OH, 263 Kills, 54 Blocks, 209 Digs, 2019 Hitter of the Year, 1st Team All-State) ... Mollee McCurley (Junior, DS, 74 Digs) ... Allyson Juarez (Junior, DS, 27 Digs) ...
Notable newcomers (Name, class, position): Grace Yeager (Senior, DS) ... Callie Bailey (Sophomore, DS) ...
Did you know?: The Lady Guard made a final four showing last season, looking to repeat and take the championship this year. “We have a strong returning lineup and look forward to growing on what we established last year,” Duty said.
TATUM
Mascot: Lady Eagles
Coach: Leven Barker
District: 16-3A (Arp, Elysian Fields, Jefferson, West Rusk, Troup, Waskom)
2019 record: 29-11
Top returning players: Abby Sorenson (849 assists, 173 digs, 81 aces) … Summer Dancy-Vasquez (406 digs, 93 percent server) … Kaylei Stroud (202 kills, 391 digs, 59 aces) … Kenzi Greenwood … Macy Brown … Kerrigan Biggs
You can count on: “2020 should be a little better for us than 2019 simply because we started so many young ones last year and it took us a bit to get going. Getting to the regional tournament with the younger girls should help them settle into varsity volleyball a little easier this year. I feel like we will be a good defensive team that will be searching for their offensive leaders early due to losing Essence Allen (A&M-Commerce), but these girls are huntry to make their own mark.” — Barker
Needs work: “Leadership and playing hard when the going gets tough. It’s going to happen early with the schedule we put together, and we simply will need to learn how to deal with it. When you lose the All-East Texas Player of the Year (Allen), it’s always fun to see who steps up the next year.” — Barker
Did you know?: Barker has a career record of 629-243, and he has won at least 100 games at three different schools (Mexia, Pine Tree and Carthage)
ELYSIAN FIELDS
Mascot: Lady Jackets
Coach: Keasa Bonds
District: 16-3A (Arp, Jefferson, Tatum, West Rusk, Troup, Waskom)
Top returning players: Tucker Ellis … Mary Frances Ellis … Christen Smith … Camryn Chandler … Heather Auvil
Newcomers to watch: Bryanne Beavers … Morgan Shaw
You can count on: “Competitiveness and high energy.” — Bonds
Did you know?: This is Bonds’ first season at Elysian Fields
WASKOM
Mascot: Lady Wildcats
Coach: Iyhia McMichael
District: 16-3A (Tatum, Arp, Jefferson, West Rusk, Troup, Elysian Fields)
2019 record: 14-17
Top returning players: Alaina Dyson (18 aces, 85 kills, 101 digs) … Skyie Middlebrook (16 aces, 11 kills, 128 digs) … Destiny beaty … Brookelyn Loyd … Karlee Waltrip … Malayiah Fields … Isabelle Phillips
Newcomers to watch: Anna Claire Reeves … Ladaija Thomas
You can count on: “Team cohesiveness. We lost one senior last year, middle blocker Destiny LeBrun. Our team has been used to playin with each other, and they know each other very well. That is something that cannot be overlooked toward the success of our program going into this year.” — McMichael
Needs work: “We are always striving to get 1% better in everything we do, so we will be working on being more precise on our serving, passing and offensive strategy.” — McMichael
Did you know?: Dyson was last year’s district Newcomer of the Year
JEFFERSON
Mascot: Lady Bulldogs
Coach: Falon Jones
District: 16-3A (Waskom, Tatum, Arp, West Rusk, Troup, Elysian Fields)
Top returning players: Tierrani Johnson … Ja’Kayla Rusk …Kei’ana Maybery
Newcomers to watch: Harmoni Williams … Brooklyn Shelton … Falicia Craver
You can count on: “Tierrani Johnson is a three-year varsity player. Expectations for her this year are to lead her team by example and show everything she has worked hard for.” — Jones
Needs work: “There are a lot of new varsity players this year, so we’re really just trying to create some chemistry on the court.” — Jones
SABINE
Mascot: Lady Cardinals
Coach: Tara Wait
District: 15-3A (Daingerfield, New Diana, Gladewater, Hughes Springs, Ore City, White Oak)
2019 record: 39-7
Top returning players: Aubree McCann (397 kills, 80 aces, 76 blocks, 288 digs) … Sierrah Richter (78 kills, 135 aces, 14 blocks, 296 digs, 1,510 assists)
You can count on: “A great team coming back on a successful 2019. The Lady Cards will be hungry for wins and playoff victories.” — Wait
Needs work: “A few technical fixes to work on, but overall great team chemistry and a ton of talent.” — Wait
Did you know?: Wait was the setter for White Oak when the Ladynecks won the school’s only volleyball state championship back in 2010. In two state tournament matches that season, she had 63 assists and 18 digs. White Oak finished 131-5 during her sophomore, junior and senior seasons as a player
NEW DIANA
Mascot: Lady Eagles
Coach: Kelly Ridge
District: 15-3A (Sabine Daingerfield, Gladewater, Hughes Springs, Ore City, White Oak)
2019 record: 14-24
Top returning players: Julia Loeza … Tori Ward
Newcomers to watch: Sophie Oubre … Allie Oney … Eden Gossett
You can count on: “Julia Loeza to lead the team.” — Ridge
Needs work: “Passing. Our goal is to be the best passing team in East Texas. Only with good passing can you make great things happen.” — Ridge
Did you know?: Ridge is in her first season at New Diana. She spent the past seven seasons at Grand Saline, where her teams averaged 20.2 wins per season and made the playoffs four times in seven years
HUGHES SPRINGS
Mascot: Lady Mustangs
Coach: John Walker
District: 15-3A (Sabine White Oak, New Diana, Daingerfield, Gladewater, Ore City)
2019 record: 17-20
Top returning players: Cori Johnson (188 kills, 7 blocks, 40 aces) … Adriana Kennedy (172 kills, 56 blocks) … Jacee Short (77 kills, 22 aces0 … Emma McKinney (30 kills, 356 assists, 31 aces
Newcomers to watch: Maggie Pate
Did you know?: Johnson was a second-team all-district pick a year ago
WHITE OAK
Mascot: Ladynecks
Coach: Carolee Musick
District: 15-3A (Sabine, Hughes Springs, New Diana, Daingerfield, Gladewater, Ore City)
2019 record: 25-19
Top returning players: Alysa Hall (195 kills, 38 aces, 29 blocks, 79 digs, 28 assists) … Lexi Baker (327 kills, 68 aces, 344 digs, 26 assists) … Macy Weeks (23 kills, 74 aces, 410 digs, 74 assists) … Payton Palmer … Daphne Bogenschutz … Ashlyn Eynon … Kailee Wilkinson … Brazie Croft … Emma Hill … Anna Iske
You can count on: “Effort and teamwork on every ball.” — Musick
Needs work: “Coming together offensively with young setters.” — Musick
Did you know: Musick has a career record of 763-243, including a 589-138 mark at White Oak … She led White Oak to state tournaments in 1989, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012, winning a 2A state title in 2010
ORE CITY
Mascot: Lady Rebels
Coach: Amy Teague
District: 15-3A (White Oak, Sabine, Hughes Springs, New Diana, Daingerfield, Gladewater)
2019 record: 18-14
Top returning players: Abby Ervin (266 kills) … Jailyn Cook (270 kills, 41 blocks) … Brooklynn Richardson (55 kills, 92 digs) … Ryleigh Larkins (305 digs) …Jacee Burks (82 kills, 36 blocks)
Newcomers to watch: Victoria Jones … Tori Cummings
Did you know?: Rosann Newsom, the new assistant volleyball coach, is an Ore City graduate
GLADEWATER
Mascot: Lady Bears
Coach: Lakelia Williams
District: 15-3A (White Oak, Ore City, Sabine, Hughes Springs, New Diana, Daingerfield, Gladewater)
Top returning players: Hai’leigh Oliver … A’alatiah Turner … Livia Prince … déjà Martin … Trinity Mooney … Shelby Weaver
Newcomers to watch: JaKiyah Bell
You can count on: “The Lady Bears getting after it and turning heads like never before.” — Williams
Needs work: “Offense is a work in progress.” — Williams
WINONA
Mascot: Lady Wildcats
Coach: Archie Thompson
District: 13-3A (MP Chapel Hill, Harmony, Mineola, Mount Vernon, Quitman)
Top returning players: Randi Hanson … Lindsey Smotherman … Caden McFarland … Amiracle Peck … Addison Yeadon
Newcomers to watch: Charity Rozell … Kyrea Jackson
You can count on: “Improved volleyball IQ. Eight-five percent of the team was sophomores and freshman with no varsity experience last year, so there were a lot of things we had to learn on the fly. I am confident they will take what they learned and apply it to the upcoming season.” — Thompson
Needs work: “Team chemistry and offense.” — Thompson
QUITMAN
Mascot: Lady Bulldogs
Coach: Ashlee Lingo
District: 13-3A (Winona, MP Chapel Hill, Harmony, Mineola, Mount Vernon)
2019 record: 20-25
Top returning players: Ava Burroughs (371 kills, 70 blocks, 98 digs, 90 percent server, 29 aces) … Lucy Brannon … Lindsey Hornaday
You can count on: “They are hard-working and are craving success. We have a lot to determine our first few weeks of the season.” — Lingo
Did you know: The competition gym the Lady Bulldogs play in is named for coach Lingo’s grandfather – Delbert Ballad, and she is the third generation in her family to coach in the gym. Her aunt, Chrystal Ballard, coached Lingo in high school
LINDEN-KILDARE
Mascot: Lady Tigers
Coach: Shayne Erwin
District: 17-2A (Rivercrest, Clarksville, Detroit, Maud, James Bowie, Avery, Sulphur Bluff)
2019 record:12-22
Top returning players: Kendall Wells … Angelyna Megs … Hayley Mason
Newcomers to watch: LaSonya Nard … Kyndal Fitts
You can count on: “Hard work and great attitudes.” — Erwin
Needs work: “Blocking and offensive efficiency. I need the players to gain more confidence.” — Erwin
UNION GROVE
Mascot: Lady Lions
Coach: Molly Mackey
District: 19-2A (Big Sandy, Hawkins, Overton, Carlisle, Union Hill, Leverett’s Chapel)
2019 record: 14-25
Top returning players: Carleigh Judd … Avery Brooks … Caylee Pritchett
Newcomers to watch: Macey Roberts … Makenna Littlejohn
You can count on: “My team bringing the energy day in and day out.” — Mackey
Needs work: “Our biggest challenge this year will be my players adjusting to my style of coaching.” — Mackey
Did you know: Mackey is in her first season as a head volleyball coach. She served as head softball coach at Sabine the past three seasons, and will also be the head softball coach at Union Grove
LEVERETT’S CHAPEL
Mascot: Lady Lions
Coach: Keshia Raibon
District: 19-2A (Union Grove, Big Sandy, Hawkins, Overton, Carlisle, Union Hill)
2019 record: 20-17
Top returning players: Michele Jamaica … Ashilia Smith
Newcomers to watch: Jalynn Peers
You can count on: “Hard work.” — Raibon
Needs work: “Communication and a young team developing game knowledge.” — Raibon
OVERTON
Mascot: Lady Mustangs
Coach: Rickey Hammontree
District: 19-2A (Leverett’s Chapel, Union Grove, Big Sandy, Hawkins, Carlisle, Union Hill)
Top returning players: Kaley McMillian … Mary Fenter … Sarrah Garrett … Makayla Moser … Taleyah Tilley
Newcomers to watch: Brylie Smith … Chloe Laws
You can count on: “Great team work ethic.” — Hammontree
Needs work: “Communication as a team.” — Hammontree
Did you know?: Hammontree is in his first season at Overton after moving spending more than 20 seasons at Leverett’s Chapel
BECKVILLE
Mascot: Ladycats
Coach: Cherry Downs
District: 20-2A (Garrison, Gary, San Augustine, Shelbyville, Timpson)
2019 record: 36-14
Top returning players: Allison Baker (162 kills, 44 aces, 20 blocks, 330 digs, 607 assists) … Kinsley Rivers (276 kills, 61 aces, 47 blocks, 293 digs) … Lindsey Baker
You can count on: “Excellent work ethic. Our varsity team is made up of five seniors, one junior and four sophomoresI am looking for MJ Weatherford, a sophomore, to replace the role of Miranda Mize, my graduated middle blocker. I have four other sophomores that are working hard to be their best. Our numbers are down the season, but our talent is up.” — Downs
Needs work: “Our female athletes need to learn the necessity to dominate the court. We have tremendous skill and potential, but we like to play to the level of our competition. I remind them weekly that it shouldn’t matter who is on the other side of the net. We must focus on our game.” — Downs
Did you know?: Downs is 279-58 in her coaching career, all at Beckville. Her first team in 2012 finished 23-12, and the Ladycats have won at least 30 matches in each of the next seven seasons with records of 30-5, 34-6, 37-6, 36-6, 41-1, 42-8 and 36-14 … Madi Wise, a 2016 Beckville graduate, will be an assistant coach for Downs this year
GARY
Mascot: Lady Bobcats
Coach: Connor Nichols
District: 20-2A (Beckville, Garrison, San Augustine, Shelbyville, Timpson)
2019 record: 16-18
Top returning players: Carlee Linebarger (30 aces, 110 digs, 384 assists) … Gracie Johnson (28 aces, 81 kills, 254 digs) … Emma Adams (17 aces, 224 kills, 97 blocks) … Summer Stuart
Newcomers to watch: Adisyn Bonner … Riley O’Neal
You can count on: “Working together.” — Nichols
Needs work: “Communication.” — Nichols
GARRISON
Mascot: Lady Bulldogs
Coach: Christina Miller
District: 20-2A (Beckville, Gary, San Augustine, Shelbyville, Timpson)
2019 record: 3-9 (district play)
Top returning players: Chloe Reneau
Newcomers to watch: Mariah Chanowski
Did you know?: Reneau was a first team all-district pick last season
— Compiled by Jack Stallard and Brandon Ogden