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Lexi Elman
HITTER, OMAHA MARIANA three-year varsity performer for the Crusaders, her kill total went up each year. The 6-foot outside hitter had 189 as a sophomore, 367 as a junior and 498 as a senior.
"She carried us through this season," Marian coach Rochelle Rohlfs said. "She showed up to play hard every match."
In addition to kills, the University of Pacific recruit was among the Crusaders' leaders in several other team categories. She was second in hitting percentage (.340), aces (51) and digs (386) and third in blocks (33).
Rohlfs said Elman also was at her best in close matches.
"She was such a go-to player for us," the coach said. "Lexi helped us win a lot of tight ones."
Elman follows her sister Katie, who was a first-team All-Nebraska libero last season at Marian. -
Alyssa FrauendorferHITTER, HUMPHREY
The 6-foot senior helped the Class D-2 Bulldogs capture a second consecutive state title in just their second trip to the state tournament. ¶ Frauendorfer led the way with 501 kills. She also had 375 digs and 136 blocks as Humphrey finished the season 33-2. ¶ "We had a great season, and Alyssa's numbers are just part of the story," Bulldogs coach Gary Bender said. "She grew a lot as a team leader this year and played a major role in helping our young girls." ¶ At the state tournament, Frauendorfer had 80 kills — including 23 in the D-2 final against Cedar Valley.
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CO-CAPTAIN
Kelly Hunter
SETTER, PAPIO SOUTHThe 5-11 setter had 808 assists this season. She also had 208 digs, 65 aces and 42 blocks.
"Kelly made a big jump in her game as our only setter," coach Gwen Egbert said. "She has an ability to focus and to understand what needs to happen."
Hunter had 677 assists last season and Whitney Kostal had 438 in the Titans' 6-2 attack. The one-setter offense put added pressure on the NU recruit this season and she responded.
In the first round of the state tournament, Hunter had 29 assists in the win over Papio. She had 39 in the semifinal victory over Millard West and 32 in the Class A final.
Hunter's strong jump serve gave the Titans another weapon, and her height at the net made it difficult for opponents to target her for possible kills. -
Michaela Mestl
HITTER, KEARNEY CATHOLICNot the tallest player on the court, the 5-foot-6 Mestl still managed to get the job done for the Stars.
The three-year varsity starter helped Kearney Catholic reach the state final in 2010 and 2011, though the Stars came up short both times. The team went back to the Class C-1 championship match in 2012 and finished the job, defeating Columbus Scotus in five sets to cap a 36-0 season and capture the school's first title.
Mestl had another outstanding season with 282 kills, 54 aces and a hitting percentage of .392. But coach Kris Conner said the senior's leadership skills were crucial, especially in the state final when the Stars trailed the defending champion Shamrocks 2-1 in sets.
"She was bound and determined that we were going to come back," Conner said. "She was such a fierce competitor any time she stepped on the court." -
CO-CAPTAIN
Amber Rolfzen
HITTER, PAPIO SOUTHThe outside hitter led the Titans with 352 kills and finished her career with 1,485. She also had 229 digs and 27 blocks.
"I thought she made a big jump technically this season," coach Gwen Egbert said. "She improved her passing, serving and attacking and made the most of her opportunities."
Rolfzen also performed at a high level at the state tournament. She had 12 kills in a first-round win against Papillion-La Vista, 11 in a semifinal against Millard West and nine in the final against Marian.
"I think she can be a really good player at Nebraska," Egbert said. "She's going to be right in the mix, so that will be fun to see." -
CO-CAPTAIN
Kadie Rolfzen
HITTER, PAPIO SOUTHLike her sister, Kadie ended her Titans career in a big way. She had 328 kills and finished with 1,578 for her varsity career.
She also led the Titans in digs with 299 and had 30 blocks.
"I thought Kadie had a really solid senior season," coach Gwen Egbert said. "Her expectations are so high that she wants that from everyone. She wants to compete and she wants to win."
The Titans did plenty of that with Rolfzen in the lineup. She had 48 kills in three state tournament matches, including 17 in the championship against the Crusaders.
"One of her biggest strengths is her court vision," Egbert said. "She always seemed to be able to find the open spot." -
Sydney TownsendLIBERO, LINCOLN PIUS X
Recognized by several coaches as the top libero in Class A, the 5-8 junior helped the Thunderbolts finish third at the state tournament. ¶ Townsend, a Nebraska recruit, finished the season with 663 digs and 36 aces. Pius went 29-12 this year after moving up from Class B. ¶ Making her progress more impressive was the fact she was an outside hitter for the Thunderbolts in her first two varsity seasons. ¶ "She moved to the new position last year during the club season," Pius coach Jake Moore said. "She knew that would be her role in college and she really embraced the switch." ¶ Townsend had one of her best matches of the season in a first-rounder at state against Lincoln Southeast. The junior had 39 digs in a four-set victory. ¶ "The best thing is that I don't think we've even come close to tapping her potential," Moore said. "It's going to be fun to see her progress even more as a senior and then beyond that at Nebraska."