Girls volleyball guide: Lexington’s top teams and players for the 2025 season
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Lexington Catholic enters 2025 as the city’s top-ranked team at No. 9 overall.
- Preseason poll features five Lexington teams in top 25, led by veteran cores.
- Key returning players and new coaching faces set stage for competitive season.
Lexington Catholic shook up the Central Kentucky volleyball scene with its first 11th Region Tournament championship win in school history last season.
But whether 2024 represents a possible changing of the guard or a blip on the radar during the extended period of excellence shown by Paul Laurence Dunbar and Henry Clay over the last two decades will be revealed beginning Monday when the girls volleyball season serves up its first matches.
Based on reputation and preseason form, Lexington Catholic is the only city team in the top 10 of the first coaches poll at No. 9. Then it’s Bryan Station at No. 19, Dunbar at No. 21, Frederick Douglass at No. 22 and Henry Clay at No. 24, even though the Blue Devils have been off their title-winning form for five years.
No. 20 Great Crossing, the 2021 region champion, will have a say too, but this preview features only the nine teams who call Lexington home.
2025 girls high school volleyball at a glance
The following is an overview of Lexington’s girls volleyball scene, with teams listed based on their preseason ranking by the Kentucky Volleyball Coaches Association or how they finished in 2024. Player honors (all-city first team*, second team** and honorable mention^) and statistics are pulled from the 2024 season. Quotes come from the head coaches.
Player positions: DS - defensive specialist; MB - middle blocker; MH - middle hitter; OH - outside hitter; OPP - opposite hitter; L - libero; S - setter
KVCA preseason rank: No. 9.
Coach: Jeff Kaufmann (fourth season).
Last season: 26-7. 11th Region champion.
Standing out: Ella Blackburn*, sr. OH (288 kills); Charlotte Hall*, jr. setter (834 assists, 231 digs, 35 aces). “It will not take her long to shatter all of the LC setting records”; Miller Duncan*, jr. MH (182 kills, 45 blocks, 43 aces); Maddy Warner**, sr. L (356 digs, 40 aces); Payton Avilez, sr. OH (118 kills, 176 digs, 53 blocks).
Notes: Six players with starting experience return. Avilez’s and Blackburn’s stats could see a jump as they become six-rotation players. LexCath broke a streak of 30 consecutive losses to Dunbar with its region championship win.
Coach Kaufmann says: “I am very confident and hopeful that we can build on our success of winning the regional last year and take ourselves even further into the state tournament this year. That is the goal that the girls have set for themselves.”
Schedule highlights: Aug. 19 vs. Frederick Douglass; Aug. 28 vs. Bryan Station; Sept. 2 vs. Tates Creek; Sept. 4 vs. West Jessamine; Sept. 9 at Lafayette; Sept. 18 vs. Great Crossing; Oct. 7 vs. Paul Laurence Dunbar.
KVCA preseason rank: No. 19.
Coach: Jonnalyn Shimko (second season).
Last season: 15-20.
Standing out: Cameron Owens*, sr. OH (457 kills, 34 blocks, 264 digs, 50 aces), “dynamic hitter” who earned all-state honorable mention honors; Micah Robinson**, sr., OH/MB (208 kills, 28 blocks, 49 aces), “her quick block at the net makes her a constant threat”; Nyalie Locke^, sr. S (767 assists, 217 digs, 42 aces).
Notes: Five players with starting experience return. The Defenders showed a glimpse of their potential last season in a 25-23, 25-23, 25-18 loss to Frederick Douglass in the district semifinals. The Broncos had to battle from deficits in each of the first two sets.
Coach Shimko says: “I am very excited to watch this group thrive together. These seniors have put in the work to lead each other and have a successful season. We are working toward a district championship and a deep tournament run.”
Schedule highlights: Aug. 26 at West Jessamine; Aug. 28 at Lexington Catholic; Sept. 16 vs. Scott County; Sept. 18 at Paul Laurence Dunbar; Sept. 23 vs. Henry Clay; Oct. 7 vs. Sayre; Oct. 9 at Frederick Douglass; Oct. 14 vs. Great Crossing.
KVCA preseason rank: No. 21.
Coach: Jenni Morgan (21st season).
Last season: 27-9. 43rd District champion; 11th Region runner-up.
Standing out: Sadie Stuart*, sr. MB (289 kills, 89 blocks, 27 aces), “will be key offensive player”; Peyton Beatty*, sr. DS/L (341 digs, 23 aces); Mia Pendley*, jr. OH (284 kills, 255 digs, 42 aces); Kenzie Lowe^, sr. MB (81 kills, 57 blocks).
Notes: Four players with starting experience return. Dunbar traditionally opens its season against Northern Kentucky’s Ryle, this season’s preseason No. 7 team. The Bulldogs are 12-14 against the Raiders since 2003. One of their tournament trips this year will be to Orlando, Florida.
Coach Morgan says: “This year’s team has been working incredibly hard and showing great dedication both on and off the court. They are learning to collaborate effectively, growing not only as individual players but as a team. I think we continue to be a competitive team like we have in the past.”
Schedule highlights: Aug. 19 at Ryle; Aug. 26 at Manual; Sept. 3 at Scott County; Sept. 4 at Henry Clay; Sept. 9 at Great Crossing; Sept. 11 vs. Lafayette; Sept. 16 vs. Frederick Douglass; Sept. 18 vs. Bryan Station; Sept. 22 vs. West Jessamine; Sept. 30 vs. North Oldham; Oct. 7 at Lexington Catholic.
KVCA preseason rank: No. 22.
Coach: Tori Hanson (first season).
Last season: 27-7. 42nd District champions.
Standing out: Olivia Orr*, sr. S (889 assists, 166 digs, 48 aces); Lilly Cowing, sr. DS (246 digs, 38 aces); Ava Simonsen, sr. DS, “a defensive machine”; Hannah Rogers, sr. OPP, “willing to step up in any role given to her and embraces it.”
Notes: Three players with starting experience return. Tori Hanson, a former Midway player and local club coach, becomes the Broncos’ fifth head coach in nine years after Nick Griffin stepped down for personal reasons at the end of last season.
Coach Hanson says: “We are going through a bit of a rebuild in our gym, but the girls have been working their tails off to keep the standards of the program high. … I am excited to see what the girls will bring to the table.”
Schedule highlights: Aug. 19 at Lexington Catholic; Sept. 16 at Paul Laurence Dunbar; Sept. 18 at Scott County; Sept. 23 vs. Great Crossing; Sept. 24 at Sayre; Oct. 7 at West Jessamine; Oct. 9 vs. Bryan Station.
KVCA preseason rank: No. 24.
Coach: Dale Grupe (31st season).
Last season: 11-20.
Standing out: Kelsie Lawson**, jr. MH (148 kills, 56 blocks); Charlotte Young^, sr. MH (131 kills, 36 blocks); Emma Jane Hurley, sr. S (518 assists, 34 aces); Lola Gleason, sr. DS (135 digs, 35 aces); Riley Slattery, sr. DS (165 digs, 17 aces).
Notes: Eight players with starting experience return. The Blue Devils have suffered four straight losing seasons since they won the 11th Region championship and advanced to the state semifinals in 2020. That season capped a run of nine region titles over 14 years under Grupe.
Coach Grupe says: “Solid senior leadership and a strong group of 12-15 all-around volleyball players on varsity will give us a great opportunity to be very competitive this season.”
Schedule highlights: Aug. 20 at Sayre; Sept. 4 vs. Paul Laurence Dunbar; Sept. 9 at Frederick Douglass; Sept. 10 vs. Scott County; Sept. 23 at Bryan Station; Oct. 14 vs. Lexington Christian; Oct. 16 at West Jessamine.
Coach: Taylor La Mantia (second season).
Last season: 20-11.
Standing out: Audrey Gossett*, jr. OH (354 kills, 20 blocks, 161 digs, 27 aces), “one of the top outsides in the state”; Elise Trimble^, sr. S (636 assists, 157 digs, 48 aces); Payton Watts, sr. DS/L, “her defense and coverage at the net are phenomenal.”
Notes: Four players with starting experience return.
Coach La Mantia says: “This team wants to win. We have a great group of returners that are going to help lead some of the younger girls that we have on varsity and have coming up in the program this season.”
Schedule highlights: Aug. 21 at West Jessamine; Sept. 9 vs. Lexington Catholic; Sept. 11 at Paul Laurence Dunbar; Sept. 16 vs. Great Crossing; Sept. 23 at Lexington Christian; Sept. 24 vs. Bryan Station; Sept. 25 vs. Tates Creek; Oct. 18 vs. Greenwood.
Coach: Leigh Nahra (eighth season).
Last season: 28-8.
Standing out: Brooke Barntsen**, jr. OH (421 kills, 487 assists, 315 digs, 25 blocks, 58 aces), “looking forward to seeing how she leads a young Spartan team this year”; Eli Powell, sr. OH/OPP (181 kills, 273 assists, 234 digs, 72 aces); Phoebe Barlow, sr. L (152 digs, 16 aces).
Notes: Sayre has won the 11th Region’s All “A” Classic among small-school teams each of the last two seasons. Four players with starting experience return. Freshman Decker Kok is lined up as the team’s new setter.
Coach Nahra says: “The returning core team recently attended Vanderbilt’s team camp where they competed against top-level competition from Tennessee and Alabama. The biggest takeaway: They enjoy a challenge and they don’t back down.”
Schedule highlights: Aug. 20 vs. Henry Clay; Sept. 20 at Tates Creek; Sept. 24 vs. Frederick Douglass; Oct. 7 at Bryan Station; Oct. 9 vs. Scott County; Oct. 18 vs. Greenwood (at North Oldham).
Coach: Morgan Contino (sixth season).
Last season: 13-19.
Standing out: LeeAnn Knapp**, jr. OH (242 kills, 204 digs, 35 aces), “can play any position”; Harper Lipsett^, jr. OH/DS (259 kills, 128 digs); Stella Myers, sr. S (847 assists, 222 digs, 45 aces); Hayden Wolff, jr. L/DS (356 digs, 33 aces).
Notes: Six players with starting experience return. The Commodores boast more upperclassmen and depth than they’ve had in the recent past, Contino said. Creek last made the region tournament in 2021. It won the 43rd District in 2020, Contino’s first season.
Coach Contino says: “I like our chances this year! We didn’t graduate any starting minutes, so I am excited to see how another year of experience under our belts will play out. We have the pieces to have team success and the drive to improve upon our results last year.”
Schedule highlights: Aug. 26 vs. Frederick Douglass; Aug. 28 vs. Henry Clay; Sept. 2 at Lexington Catholic; Sept. 4 vs. Great Crossing; Sept. 9 at Bryan Station; Sept. 18 vs. Lexington Christian; Oct. 9 vs. Paul Laurence Dunbar; Oct. 14 vs. West Jessamine.
Coach: Christin O’Nan (second season).
Last season: 15-12.
Standing out: Sarah Biliter**, sr., L (341 digs, 21 aces), shows “her passion and leadership in every moment”; Amanda Ragland^, sr. MB (85 kills, 99 blocks); Hailey Jude^, jr. OH (151 kills, 11 aces); Madeleine Eubank, sr. S (411 assists, 174 digs, 38 aces).
Notes: Four seniors with starting experience return. Last season marked the first time since 2019 that LCA didn’t get swept in the opening round of the district tournament. Its first-round match against Tates Creek was a battle, 25-23, 20-25, 26-24, 27-29, 11-15.
Coach O’Nan says: “I think we made a splash in the district last year and we are hoping to create some waves this year. Our energy is high, and we are ready to take on this season. We have another fierce group of seniors ready to compete.”
Schedule highlights: Aug. 19 at Great Crossing; Aug. 20 at Bryan Station; Sept. 16 vs. Lexington Catholic; Sept. 18 at Tates Creek; Sept. 23 vs. Lafayette; Oct. 9 at Henry Clay; Oct. 16 at Paul Laurence Dunbar.
KVCA Preseason Top 25
Preseason rankings from the Kentucky Volleyball Coaches Association. First place votes in parentheses. 11th Region teams in bold.
1. Assumption (25)
2. Sacred Heart
3. Elizabethtown
4. Ballard
5. Mercy Academy
6. Notre Dame
7. Ryle
8. South Warren
9. Lexington Catholic
10. St Henry
11. Bowling Green
12. Manual
13. West Jessamine
14. McCracken County
15. Holy Cross (Louisville)
16. Christian Academy-Louisville
17. Central Hardin
18. North Oldham
19. Bryan Station
20. Great Crossing
21. Paul Laurence Dunbar
22. Frederick Douglass
23. Greenwood
24. Henry Clay
25. Beechwood
