Class 5A/4A Granite Peaks

Teams: Broomfield, Centaurus, Erie, Fairview, Frederick, Holy Family, Horizon, Legacy, Longmont, Mead, Monarch, Niwot, Silver Creek and Skyline.

Broomfield Eagles

Coach: Odette Edbrooke

Last year’s result: 18-7; fell in regionals.

Testing 1-2-3: Edbrooke takes over the program, stepping in for former coach Carisa Kessler.

The tea: The Eagles are experienced, with eight seniors leading the way. Outside hitters Addie Dotson and Sadie Elliott will be key in the attack. MB Adelaide Griest, a sophomore, is a rising talent in her own right. Edbrooke said she hopes her team can make a run at a league title.

Centaurus Warriors

Coach: Caitlin Rabinowitz

Last year’s result: 12-11.

Testing 1-2-3: Senior Elliott Mickelberry, who is listed at 6-foot-2 on MaxPreps, returns after she had 77 kills in 70 sets a year ago.

The tea: The Warriors have some nice returning talent, including Mickelberry and 6-3 junior Violet Morrandez, who had 101 kills and 61 digs in 69 sets a year ago. Other names to watch include senior L Izabella Stallone and junior S Mila Weinstein.

Erie Tigers

Coach: Jessica Ashton

Last year’s result: 18-7; fell in regionals.

Testing 1-2-3: Ashton takes over the program. She’d been an assistant coach for the Tigers the past four years.

The tea: Senior Sutton Sales is one of the best players in the state. After racking up 248 kills a year ago, she is committed to the University of Utah for beach volleyball. Alongside her, Avery Malek is a talented four-year varsity player. As is junior Tegan Cerveny, who had 199 kills in 2023. “We have a very young program with a lot of talent that will set up the program for the future,” Ashton said.

Fairview Knights

Coach: Lauren Ollanik

Last year’s result: 13-12; fell in regionals.

Testing 1-2-3: The Knights are a young program after graduating their top six kills leaders from 2023.

The tea: Sophomore L Peyton Weiss is a rising talent. She helps make up a young wave of talent that also includes fellow sophomore Megan Espiritu-Niswonger. Ahead of their 2024 run are senior captains Paige Hoskins, Ashley Landblom and Keira Smith. Their job is to push their teammates “to be the best players and teammates possible,” Ollanik said.

Frederick Golden Eagles

Coach: Kay Kay Martinez

Last year’s result: 11-14; fell in regionals.

Testing 1-2-3: Junior L Tatianna Staab is coming off a season where she recorded 276 digs, 570 service receptions, 92 assists and 25 aces, per MaxPreps.

The tea: The Golden Eagles are hoping to make the change from “good to great,” the second-year coach said. Staab and Maggie Haring are team leaders. Others to watch include juniors Kyla Vejrostek (DS), Ava Reed (OH) and Marisol Tembrock (S). Reed already has 64 kills in her first 19 sets of the season. Senior Larkyn Harford has 40 kills.

Holy Family Tigers

Coach: Jenna Gallas

Last year’s result: 18-9; went 0-2 at Class 4A state tournament.

Testing 1-2-3: The Tigers have five returning varsity players after reaching the 4A state tournament in 2023. Meanwhile, their five top kills leaders from last year graduated.

The tea: The Tigers will look much different in 2024. Senior S Gabby Hebert leads the returnees after she had 692 assists and 52 aces in 2023. The other four returning varsity players are seniors Jessica Eldridge (DS), Brooklyn Glaze (DS), Addison Gromko (MH) and sophomore Caroline Staff (S).

Legacy Lightning

Coach: Will Rozum

Last year’s result: 16-9; fell in regionals.

Testing 1-2-3: Sophomore OH Reagan Bayley is having a strong start to the season, with 83 kills in just 26 sets.

The tea: The Lightning have a talented attack led by Bayley and junior OH Aislin Oldach (82 kills so far). Their seniors are strong and include S Audrey Hendershot and L Jaylen Javorek. Hendershot has 126 assists and 14 aces in 26 sets played so far this season. Javorek has 84 digs and 127 service receptions.

Longmont Trojans

Coach: Aaron Herbert

Last year’s result: 16-9; fell in regionals.

Testing 1-2-3: Senior Ella Augustaitus was an all-state honorable mention and all-conference player in 2023.

The tea: Augustaitus is a top-tier player in the state, coming off a season where she had 267 kills, 51 aces and 262 digs. She is joined by a talented cast that includes junior DS/L Lila Manley and Terra Brubaker. Others to watch include seniors Sasha Buckner (DS), Zia Gonzales (MH) and Liv Benjaminson (OH/RS). The Trojans began 2024 with five wins in their first six matches.

Mead Mavericks

Coach: Mikayla Martinez

Last year’s result: 14-11 record.

Testing 1-2-3: Senior OH Hailey Hall lead the Mavericks last year in kills (280) and digs (238).

The tea: Martinez believes her team is littered with “a lot of incredible athletes” who will look to improve every day. Hailey Hall will lead a band of strong starters that includes freshman S Cailin Hall, junior Rylee Klatt and junior Sage Morris.

Monarch Coyotes

Coach: Kyle Becker

Last year’s result: 9-14 record.

Testing 1-2-3: Junior S Eva Becht paced the Coyote offense with 254 kills last season.

The tea: “I believe this team will earn the right to be looked at differently this season,” Becker said. “This is a very different team that expects more of themselves.” Becker said that senior MB Josie Price, and sophomores OH Ali Towns and L Maya Singh will also help take control.

Niwot Cougars

Coach: Tony Engel

Last year’s result: 17-10 record; second in the 4A/3A Longs Peak League; 4A state qualifier.

Testing 1-2-3: Senior setter Anne Haley has started all four years for the Cougars. Engel describes her as “level-headed, incredible court sense. Mature beyond her years.”

The tea: Engel expects his ladies to compete in every match and finish in the top half of their new league and new 5A classification. He thinks his top crew of Haley, senior OPP/MB/RS Jade West, juniors OH/DS Bella Berger and L/DS Elise Arends will help the team get there.

Silver Creek Raptors

Coach: Rachael Ayers

Last year’s result: 5-18 record.

Testing 1-2-3: Ayers believes sophomore MB/OH Avery White “will be the player to watch” after collecting 83 kills and 23 blocks last year.

The tea: The Raptors will look to make small improvements each and every day as the players remain “hungry to create a wonderful team culture,” according to Ayers. She said that White, junior L Grace Bookman and junior MH Amanda Zick will be essential to the team’s success this year.

Skyline Raptors

Coach: Kevin Ratzlaff

Last year’s result: 3-20 record.

Testing 1-2-3: Ratzlaff believes that junior OH Gabriela Medina-Valdez will take the reins for the Falcons after recording 41 kills last year.

The tea: Three games into the season, the Falcons have already met last year’s win total. Ratzlaff said that because his girls are short, they’ll have to out-work every opponent they face. He believes that juniors L Marisol Sanchez, OH Mikaela Stromquist and senior S Lynsie Cortez will make an impact as well.

5A/4A Rocky Mountain

Teams: Boulder, Brighton, Mountain Range, Northglenn, Prairie View, Riverdale Ridge and Westminster.

Boulder Panthers

Coach: Lyndsey Benson

Last year’s result: 7-16.

Testing 1-2-3: The Panthers are looking for their first winning season since 2016, when they finished 13-12.

The tea: Junior Lucianna Welles will be a key piece to the Panthers’ attack. As will Sloane Smith, who is a talented finisher at the net and from the serve. Avery Maasdorf is back after she recorded 100 kills in 76 sets a year ago.

Class 3A/2A Metro

Teams: The Academy, Colorado Academy, Denver Christian, Eagle Ridge Academy, Forge Christian, Jefferson Academy, Kent Denver, Peak to Peak, Prospect Ridge Academy, St. Mary’s Academy and Stargate.

Jefferson Academy Jaguars

Coach: Alexa Bradford

Last year’s result: 23-4; received a bye then went 0-2 at 3A state tournament.

Testing 1-2-3: The Jaguars return senior OH Monica Slusser, who has 394 career kills.

The tea: The Jags bring back some nice pieces from their 2023 state tournament appearance, including Slusser, who was named second-team all-conference a year ago. Others to watch include seniors Alison Smith (RS), Aubrey Nelson (L), junior Mckenna Adams (MB) and freshman Ellie Huang (MB). Bradford is in her third season as head coach.

Peak to Peak Pumas

Coach: Kat Wagenschutz

Last year’s result: 14-11 record; third in the Metro League; qualified for 3A regionals.

Testing 1-2-3: Stanford basketball commit Alexandra Eschmeyer will reprise her role as the team’s starting MH, who led with 154 kills last year.

The tea: Wagenschutz believes her girls have what it takes to compete at a high level this year as they continue to gel as a team. She’ll look to Eschmeyer, seniors L Lhadze Olsen, RS/OH Sydney Lewis, freshman S Tessa Hirt and junior M/RS Katie Day to make the biggest impact.

Prospect Ridge Academy Miners

Coach: Sarah Sparling

Last year’s result: 17-8 record; qualified for 3A regionals.

Testing 1-2-3: Sparling expects sophomores OH/L Genevieve Forsman and OH Brianna Bransom to have the most impact this year.

The tea: Sparling believes the Miners will put together a strong season despite losing five starting seniors, and believes she’ll see a good amount of growth from her ladies. She said that senior S Natalie Rooks, junior OH Brook Luhmann, and sophomores MH/OH Ceira Trinta and S/DS Delaney Ash will help round out the top six.

Class 3A/2A Foothills

Teams: Addenbrooke Classical, Ascent Classical, Aurora West, Golden View, Loveland Classical, Nederland, Poudre Community, STEM Highlands Ranch, Twin Peaks, Two Roads Charter, Vanguard Classical East and William Smith.

Nederland Panthers

Coach: Nicole Zotti

Last year’s result: 7-15 record.

Testing 1-2-3: Senior OH Kendall Zotti led the Panthers last year with 167 digs while also collecting 45 kills and 42 aces.

The tea: Coach Zotti believes her team has what it takes to put together the program’s first-ever winning season and thinks its six seniors will help lead the Panthers there. Kendall Zotti will be joined atop the ticket by seniors MH Natalia Garcia-Upczak and S Payton Kutscher.

Twin Peaks Timberwolves

Coach: Hailey Rehage

Last year’s result: 9-13 record.

Testing 1-2-3: Rehage said that Selma Nuesken has come into the program “with a mentality and work ethic that is rare to come by, especially as a freshman.”

The tea: Rehage is working to build a positive team culture as the Timberwolves look to improve every day. While she said her girls have big shoes to fill from last year’s graduating class, she believes that Nuesken, seniors MB Abby Anglund, OH Violet Warren and junior DS Fernanda Puerta-Sarinana will lead the way.

Class 3A/2A/1A Mile High

Teams: Belleview Christian Bishop Machebeuf, Clear Creek, Dawson, Dayspring Christian, Denver Academy, Estes Park, Flatirons Academy, Front Range Christian, Gilpin County, Heritage Christian, Lyons, SkyView Academy and Union Colony Prep.

Dawson Mustangs

Coach: Korbyn Skeens

Last year’s result: 6-16.

Testing 1-2-3: Senior OH Reece Giffels is coming off a year where she had 106 kills, 24 aces and 202 digs.

The tea: The Mustangs bring back a solid core, including Giffels and junior MB Bella Ward, who had 42 blocks a year ago. Sophomore Cat DeHerrera is a rising star at the libero position and has 18 digs in her first six sets this season. “Staying in the game is our goal,” Skeens said, “win or loss.”

Lyons Lions

Coach: Marcus Richardson

Last year’s result: 18-7 record; second in the Mile High League; qualified for regionals at the No. 13 seed.

Testing 1-2-3: The Lions will bring back a trio of seniors who have played all four years: L Sienna Reed, S Scarlett Voss and OH/RS Gen Newell.

The tea: The Lions feel that they have unfinished business after barely missing out on hosting a regional last year. They return six key players and hope to make a deep postseason run with the help of their seniors, sophomores Michaela Coleman (MB), Audrey Voss (OH), Annabelle Hay (OH) and senior Kirby Neal (MB).