The Independent 2024 All-Area volleyball team

MARSHALL — The Marshall Independent announced its All-Area volleyball teams on Thursday, with six players named to each of the first, second and third teams. 

Marshall and Canby each earned a pair of first-team selections, with Marshall’s Reese Drake and Avery Fahl getting the nod as well as Canby’s Emily Nelson and Karlie Wollum. Westbrook-Walnut Grove’s Natalie Wahl was the lone senior on the first team after leading the Chargers to the Section 3A championship match while Minneota’s Eden Meagher was the lone freshman on the first team after her performance for the state runner-up Vikings.

Marshall the Independent 12 area schools with four selections. In addition to the pair of first-teamers, Brooke Gillingham and Kezlyn Pinckney were named to the All-Area second team. Gillingham and Drake were selected to the second and third team respectively last year, while Fahl and Pinckney are both first-time honorees.

Drake led the area in kills with 400 while Fahl led the area with 63 ace blocks and led qualified players in hitting percentage at .366 on 265 kills. Pinckney was also the area leader in digs with 465.

In total, nine players from the Independent area were named to All-State teams. In addition to the six first-teamers, Minneota’s Elivia Faris and Abby Rolbiecki, RTR’s Avery Schreurs and Wabasso’s Audrey Johnson were selected to the Minnesota Volleyball Coaches Association’s All-State teams.

Faris and Schreurs were selected to the Independent’s first and second teams last year, while Canby’s Wollum and Nelson are both also second-time honorees after being named to the second and third teams last year.

Minneota and Canby tied for the second-most All-Area selections with three each. Faris was a second-teamer and Rolbeicki a third-teamer, while Canby’s Brynn Kockelman earned a second-team nod.

Canby’s Nelson was the area leader in ace serves with 61 while Wabasso junior Sara Carlson earned a second-team selection after finishing the regular season with an area-high 773 set assists.

The Independent will announce its Player of the Year and Coach of the Year in Friday, Nov. 29’s edition of the Independent.

ALL-AREA TEAM

Editor’s Note: Players listed in alphabetical order; regular-season stats only

FIRST TEAM

Reese Drake, Marshall, Jr., OH: 400 kills, .279 hit %, 387 digs, 34 ace serves, 21 ace blocks

Avery Fahl, Marshall, Jr., MB/S: 462 set assists, 63 blocks, 265 kills, .366 hit %, 297 digs, 30 ace serves

Eden Meagher, Minneota, Fr., OH: 293 kills, 167 digs, 21 ace blocks, 22 service aces

Emily Nelson, Canby, Jr., S/RS: 482 set assists, 197 digs, 61 ace serves, 216 kills, .311 hit %

Natalie Wahl, WWG, Sr., OH: 252 kills, .233 hit %, 272 digs, 44 ace serves

Karlie Wollum, Canby, Jr., OH: 323 kills, .250 hit %, 227 digs, 27 ace serves, 9 ace blocks

Sara Carlson, Wabasso, Jr., S: 773 set assists, 101 digs, 19 ace serves

Elivia Faris, Sr., Minneota, OH: 251 kills, 24 ace serves

Brooke Gillingham, Marshall, Jr., S: 458 set assists, 220 digs, 34 ace serves, 211 kills, .222 hit %, 14 ace blocks

Brynn Kockelman, Canby, Jr., S/RS: 421 set assists, 166 digs, 32 ace serves, 140 kills, .226 hit %

Kez Pinckney, Marshall, So., L: 465 digs, 39 ace serves, 144 set assists

Avery Schreurs, RTR, Sr., L: 411 digs, 27 ace serves, 66 set assists

THIRD TEAM

Brezlyn Buchert, RTR, Jr., S: 555 set assists, 207 digs, 22 ace serves, 22 ace blocks

Allison Edwards, TMB, Sr., OH: 615 set assists, 144 digs, 50 kills, 19 ace blocks, 19 ace serves

Tia Donkersloot, RRC, Jr., MB: 251 kills, .284 hit %, 24 ace blocks, 28 ace serves

Hadley Jenniges, WWG, So., S/RS: 567 set assists, 167 digs, 84 kills, .114 hit %, 28 ace serves

Alivia Olson, Wabasso, Sr., OH: 313 kills, .281 hit %, 158 digs, 13 ace blocks, 31 ace serves

Abby Rolbiecki, Minneota, Jr., L: 367 digs, 29 ace serves

HONORABLE MENTIONS: Alana Almich, YME, Jr., MB; Laken Baartman, RTR, So., DS/OH; Nevaeh Hennen, Minneota, Sr., S; Taylor Hinz, Lakeview, So., OH; Audrey Johnson, Wabasso, Jr., L; Reese Johnson, Dawson-Boyd, Sr., OH; Ava Karbo, RTR, Jr., MB; Aliyah Rangaard, Canby, Sr., L; Carlie Ross, WWG, Jr., OH; Maia Scheffler, RRC, Sr., L; Thea Schneider, MCC, Sr., MB/S; Teagan Viessman, TMB, Sr., L.