The Mustangs are ready for a challenge.
The volleyball squad wrapped their previous season 35-6, as well as finishing at the top of the WaMaC-East conference.
The Mount Vernon team fought all the way to the Class 3A semifinal game at state, where they fell to Assumption.
This year’s team will be without last year’s seniors — Kameron Brand, Madeleine Miller, Parker Whitham, Emma Meester, Kia McNeal, and Kyla Vaughn. But returning head coach Maggie Willems emphasized many key players will be back.
“We return key players from the varsity — Chloe Meester, Brooke Ellyson, Jaden Rolland and Eryn Jackson and they’ll be surrounded by athletes who have been training and are ready to play important roles in the varsity line up,” said Willems.
Willems said she and her coaching staff — Robin Brand, Amber Hess, and Christa Winders — are excited about the strong teams they’ll coach this year at the freshman, sophomore, junior varsity, and varsity levels.
“From top to bottom, we are seeing highly skilled players and great teamwork,” said Willems.
And those highly skilled players, Willems indicated, are up for a good challenge.
“We pride ourselves on our schedule, and it is once again tremendously challenging, with the goal of making us the best team we can be in the post season,” the coach revealed.
To that end, continued Willems, the squad would first be hosting the Shirley Ryan Invitational to open the season, with their first match scheduled for 8:30 a.m.
“More than half the field is ranked in their class,” Willems noted.
1 Jaden Rolland – Junior
3 Caliana Whitaker – Soph
4 Paige Schurbon – Junior
5 Eryn Jackson – Junior
7 Jordan Bleile – Senior
8 Brooke Ellyson – Senior
10 Olivia Haverback – Junior
11 Addison Gookin – Senior
14 Kaylie Kelchen – Senior
15 Sydney Huber -Junior
16 Chloe Meester – Junior
17 Sophia Meester – Ninth
Coaching Staff
Head Coach Maggie Willems
Assistant Coach Robin Brand
Assistant Coach Amber Hess
Assistant Coach Christa Winders
MV VB Roster 1 Jaden Rolland — Junior 3 Caliana Whitaker — Soph 4 Paige Schurbon — Junior 5 Eryn Jackson — Junior 7 Jordan Bleile — Senior 8 Brooke Ellyson — Senior 10 Olivia Haverback — Junior 11 Addison Gookin — Senior 14 Kaylie Kelchen — Senior 15 Sydney Huber -Junior 16 Chloe Meester — Junior 17 Sophia Meester — Ninth Coaching Staff Head Coach Maggie Willems Assistant Coach Robin Brand Assistant Coach Amber Hess Assistant Coach Christa Winders
Mount Vernon volleyball return key players
Trent Bowman
August 31, 2023