9 Madison girls volleyball players to watch in 2024 (2024)

McFarland and Waunakee are eyeing trips back to the Resch Center in Ashwaubenon to contend for WIAA state girls volleyball championships.

Senior Ellen Dotzler hopes to lead the Warriors back, and junior Kayla Landerus wishes the same for McFarland.

Here are nine girls volleyball players to know during the 2024 season.

Ellen Dotzler, Sr., Waunakee

Position: Middle/right side hitter

Impact: She stepped up to play middle last season and had a hitting percentage of .236 with 33 blocks and 18 service aces.

Quotable: “Ellen is important to this team because of her experience and her competitive nature,” Waunakee coach Anne Denkert said. “Ellen will definitely be a leader for this upcoming season.”

Kelsy Grant, Sr., Verona

Position: Opposite/setter

Impact: She was a first-team All-Big Eight Conference player with 147 kills, 33 blocks, 92 digs and 58 aces.

Quotable: “Kelsy is a gamer that thrives in pressure situations,” Verona coach Jenn Bahler said. “She helps set the tone for our team with her work ethic and her energy. She is very fundamentally sound and has the ability to play multiple positions.”

Kierstin Hoel, Sr., Marshall

Position: Outside hitter

Impact: She finished with 313 kills, 25 solo blocks, 28 block assists, 31 aces and 337 digs last season. She was an All-Capitol South Conference player and All-State honorable mention.

Quotable: “Kierstin will be the most valuable asset to our team with being our No. 1 go-to offensive threat and playing six rotations with a scrappy defensive mindset,” Marshall coach Christina Schreiber said. “She’s experienced and poised when the game is on the line, which will be crucial to the success this season with such a sophom*ore-heavy roster.”

Jayse Holman, Sr., Mount Horeb

Position: Right-side hitter

Impact: Was a second-team All-Badger Small Conference player and had a career-high 230 kills, which led the team. She was third on the team with 29 blocks.

Quotable: “Jayse brings the killer instinct to the team,” Mount Horeb coach Josh Smelzer said. “Her bubbly, positive attitude is so magnetic. I guarantee you one of the first athletes opposing coaches talk about when facing Mount Horeb is Jayse. She is so dynamic in the fact that she can hit left- (dominant) or right-handed and put up a tough block.”

Kayla Landerud, Jr., McFarland

Position: Middle blocker

Impact: Landerud was a first-team All-Badger Small Conference player and second team All-State. She finished with 296 kills and hit .367, which was top 20 in the state and 10th in Division 2. She recently committed to play volleyball at UW-Milwaukee.

Quotable: “Kayla is going to play a huge role in our success this season,” McFarland coach Tommy Moriarty said. “If we are able to run our offense through Kayla a lot of the time, not only will we be successful as a team, but our other hitters will have even more opportunity for kills due to Kayla’s presence. We expect more teams to put together a game plan to stop Kayla.”

Rebecca Ring, Sr., Madison Edgewood

Position: Outside hitter

Impact: Ring, an NC State recruit, was second on the team in kills with 256. She was a second-team All-Badger Small Conference and honorable mention All-State player. She’ll be playing all around more often this season, which will be critical for the team’s success, coach Eliza Johnson said.

Quotable: “Rebecca’s capability in the front and back row is going to be key as we find our lineup for the season,” Johnson said. “Rebecca’s leadership and three prior years of experience are invaluable. As a senior, she’s not only a top performer but also a mentor for our younger players. Her work ethic and dedication will inspire the team and drive us forward.”

Penny Schell, Jr., Madison Abundant Life/St. Ambrose

Position: Outside hitter

Impact: She led the Trailways South Conference in kills with 273. Schell had 136 digs, 41 aces and nine blocks and was a first-team All-Trailways South Conference player for the second time for the back-to-back league champs.

Quotable: “Penny is one of our team leaders on the court,” Abundant Life/St. Ambrose coach Becca Mast said. “She does not shy away from high-pressure situations and is often the player to step up and call for the ball in clutch moments. She is always encouraging her team to push harder and dig deeper.”

Kayla Shelton, Jr., Madison Memorial

Position: Libero/defensive specialist

Impact: She served as the primary defensive specialist last season, recording 177 digs, 38 service aces, 219 serve receptions, with an average reception rate of 2.4 per set.

Quotable: “Kayla is an incredibly hard-working athlete that strives for success in everything she does,” Madison Memorial coach Emily Vosberg said. “She has grown into a vital team leader that brings an intensity, yet calm-under-pressure attitude to our team.”

Dani Smith, Sr., Sun Prairie West

Position: Setter

Impact: She was a first-team All-Big Eight Conference player with 104 aces and 432 assists last season.

Quotable: “Dani continues to be such a foundation for our team,” Sun Prairie West coach Mackenzie Walter said. “Her aggressiveness on the service line helps our team to start with tenacity straight out of the gate, and her stoic leadership helps keep everyone levelheaded during challenging rallies.”

Editor’s note: The Wisconsin State Journal’s high school coverage area includes the following schools: Madison Memorial, Middleton, Verona, Madison La Follette, Sun Prairie East, Sun Prairie West, Madison West, Madison East, DeForest, Waunakee, Mount Horeb, Stoughton, Monona Grove, Oregon, Madison Edgewood, McFarland, Deerfield, Marshall, Belleville, Wisconsin Heights, Madison Abundant Life, Madison Country Day, St. Ambrose, Lodi and Sauk Prairie.