Oregon’s top high school volleyball players: Meet the state’s best setters
By René Ferrán
Over the next week, we’ll be taking a position-by-position look at some of the top players in Oregon high school volleyball. Our first list focuses on the setters.
There are hundreds of standout volleyball players in Oregon and these lists are not intended to be comprehensive! Let us know about any other setters you think should be added.
Jackie Carle (Jesuit) photo by Leon Neuschwander
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S Katiya Arellano, Valley Catholic, Jr.
Arellano made the 4A all-state honorable mention list as a sophomore, when she took over as the starting setter for the Cowapa League champion and fourth-place finisher at the state tournament. She had 290 assists during the first month of this season. “Katiya has grown into a strong, confident setter, and she runs a solid offense,” said coach Becky Kemper. “She has a passion for the game of volleyball that I love!”
S/OH Abbigayle Bailey, Damascus Christian, Sr.
Bailey plays opposite Valley 10 player of the year Sierra Hale in the rotation, earning first-team all-league honors last fall, when she had 306 assists, 165 kills and 48 aces. Through 15 matches this season, she had 131 assists, 104 kills and 40 aces.
S Hannah Brown, Sherwood, Jr.
Brown shared setting duties with all-state pick Alyssa Kapuniai-Ryan last season, finishing with 310 assists, 151 digs and 46 aces. The former gymnast, who still can throw a back handspring at practice, has taken over as the No. 1 setter this year.
S/OH Beaux Bruegman, Sheldon, Sr.
Bruegman is one of the top multisport athletes in the state. Besides being named Southwest player of the year and a 6A first-team all-state selection in volleyball as a junior, she also was a first-team all-SWC wing for the basketball team. She leads the team with 224 assists and 43 aces, is second in kills (112) and ranks third in digs (99). “She is a player you want on the court at all times,” coach Martine Wodke said. “She is a player who finds a way.”
S Jackie Carle, Jesuit, So.
Carle took over as the No. 1 setter as a freshman, making the all-Metro first team. This season, she’s averaging 10.8 assists per set, with just 36 errors in more than 1,350 touches. She also has 167 digs and 15 aces while serving .943. “Jackie is much improved over last season,” coach Teresa Zimmerlee said. “She’s tenacious on offense and defense.”
S Meah Carley, Sr., Cascade
Carley last season was a key contributor to the Cougars’ first state championship, making the all-Oregon West and 4A all-tournament first teams. She moved from outside hitter to setter this year to replace all-state selection Kenna Coleman, and coach Cristina Williams said, “it looks like she has been setting for years. Meah’s athletic ability is one-of-a-kind — she is a natural and just a beast of an athlete — and her volleyball IQ is definitely her strong suit.”
S Olivia Doel, West Linn, Jr.
Doel took over for second-team 6A all-state setter Shealyn Cecil this year and has kept the Lions offense humming, running a 5-1. “Olivia has stepped up in a major way, being a huge leader for everyone on the court,” coach Emilie Wilmes said. “I can’t wait to see how she keeps developing throughout this year and into next.”
S Kensi Erion, Newberg, Sr.
Erion was a second-team all-Pacific selection last season, when she had 502 assists and served at a .930 clip with 30 aces. She’s averaged more than 20 assists per match this season, again feeding the state’s No. 1 recruit, outside hitter Sophie Gregoire. “Kensi knows when to set her go-to hitters, but she’s also smart enough to move the ball around and mess with the defense,” coach Thomas Salness said. “This year, her back row play has really improved, and her passing on D is amazing.”
S Hannah Fendall, Sisters, Sr.
Fendall, an all-Oregon West honorable mention pick a year ago, returns for last year’s 4A runner-up and has the Outlaws off to a 19-2 start after dropping to 3A. “She runs a fast-paced offense with a very talented front line,” coach Rory Rush said. “She is the energy on the floor and a leader with her teammates. She sees the floor well and also plays great defense.”
S/RS Dannika Goss, Tillamook, Jr.
Cheesemakers coach Lavonne Rawe calls Goss the consummate gym rat, “that girl who wouldn’t go home if you didn’t make her. She is smart, hard-working and dedicated.”
S/RS Taylor Guerra, Westview, Jr.
Guerra started as a freshman during the COVID season and has become a key member of the attack, setting in the back row and hitting from the right side in the front row. She made the all-Metro second team last year and has a team-high 239 assists to go with 99 digs, 39 kills and 37 aces this season.
S/MB Asvery Guijosa Gonzalez, Molalla, Sr.
Guijosa Gonzalez made the all-Tri-Valley second team last season, when she had 137 assists, 87 digs and a team-high 38 aces while serving .930. She has had to split time between setting and playing middle blocker this year because of a season-ending injury to one of the team's middles. She is ASB President and a senior officer with Future Business Leaders of America. “Asvery is one of the most gifted volleyball players I’ve coached,” said coach Lauree Nelzen. “With her height (5-10) and setting ability, she is a force to be reckoned with.”
S/OH Sierra Hale, Damascus Christian, Sr.
Hale won Valley 10 player of the year honors and was a unanimous selection to the 1A all-tournament team last season, when the Eagles placed third and she finished with 343 kills (four per set), 328 assists (3.8 per set), 315 digs (3.7) and 106 aces. She led the team in four categories through the Eagles’ 15-0 start — aces (64), kills (128), assists (189) and digs (109). “Her volleyball IQ is extremely high, and she has an incredible drive to win,” coach Emily Russau said. “She also competes at a high level in basketball and track, but her love is volleyball, and Sierra has been a leader by example on this team.”
S Lexi Herber, Salem Academy, So.
Herber, the younger sister of all-state middle blocker Aly Herber, backed up another first-team all-state pick in Bailey Pedersen last season, still making the all-Tri-River third team. This season, she had 333 assists, 113 digs and 33 aces through 15 matches. “Lexi works hard to place the ball where her hitters need it,” said Crusaders coach Melissa Holman. “Besides her expertise as a setter, she consistently ranks in the top three for aces, digs and kills.”
S Alexis Haury, Silverton, Jr.
Haury is one of the Northwest’s top class of 2024 recruits, already committing to the University of Washington, where she plans to study medicine with the goal of becoming an anesthesiologist. She led the team in assists (147), digs (163), serving (20 aces, .982 percentage) and hitting percentage (.317 with 73 kills) through the first month of the season. “Alexis is an amazing athlete with top-notch hard work and leadership, but she is an even better young woman,” said Foxes coach Reilly-Jane Rosecrans. “She is a caring and passionate person who is always working hard for herself and others.”
S Gracie Koch, St. Paul, Jr.
Koch was a setting machine for the 1A runner-up Buckaroos last season, recording 832 assists on 2,423 attempts and serving an ace on 26% of her serves (95 of 361). Coach Les Hiller joked that she thinks the first-team all-Casco selection and her twin sister, Stella, “have twin ESP, because what Stella wants to hit, she doesn’t even call it. Gracie just knows.”
S/OH Marli Lind, Powder Valley, So.
Lind shined as a freshman for the Badgers last season, finishing with 228 assists, 233 digs, 85 aces and 78 kills and earning all-Old Oregon honorable mention. Her mother and coach, Marji, knows where to find her when she’s not playing volleyball — just head to any pond in the nearby Blue Mountains and look for Marli holding a fishing pole. “Marli puts her heart and soul into the sport of volleyball and her team,” Marji said. “But she is happiest when her teammates are succeeding and celebrates their accomplishments long before her own.”
S/RS Alexia Lowe, Mazama, Jr.
Lowe has stepped into the shoes of two-time Skyline player of the year Bridget Fenner, playing setter and right-side for the Vikings and leading the team with 207 assists (4.7 per set), 44 kills and 29 aces (.939 serving percentage). Assistant coach Sam Fenner praised how Lowe has also taken over the leadership role Bridget filled last season. “She is learning how to find her voice,” Sam Fenner said. “Alexia is a driven player who is a phenomenal defender.”
S Sam McDonald, Horizon Christian (Tualatin), Jr.
McDonald received 3A all-state honorable mention and first-team all-Lewis & Clark recognition last season, part of a Hawks youth movement that also includes twin sister Ellie at right-side hitter. Sam, who had 254 assists through Sept. 30, also ran on two relays at the state track meet in May, placing seventh in the 4x400.
S Kamden Mitchell, Crescent Valley, So.
Mitchell shared time at setter with Madison Heagney last season, making the all-Mid-Willamette honorable mention list and leading the Raiders in assists. With Heagney having graduated, Mitchell is now the clear No. 1 at the position, with 382 assists (7.6 per set), 137 digs, 57 kills and 29 aces. “Kam does things on offense that are not seen in a setter her age,” coach Troy Shorey said. “She is starting to expand her setting skills and complete offensive plays that fire her team up and allow her hitters to be successful.”
S/OH Haley Moreschi, David Douglas, Jr.
Moreschi added an attacking role to her setting duties this season, leading the Scots in kills and posting a hitting average consistently above 2.0. “Along with being our go-to hitter on the outside, she is a solid setter with great hands and a very strong server,” coach Janeen Rainey said.
S Adrienne Nguyen, St. Mary’s Academy, Jr.
Nguyen has played on the varsity since her freshman season, earning second-team all-Three Rivers honors a year ago. She plays defensive specialist for her club team but sets all the way around for the Blues. First-year coach Wendy Stammer credited her defense as “a game-changer for us” and said “her energy is infectious. She literally celebrates every point as if it was the state championship.”
S Adeline Northway, Grant Union, So.
Northway tagged along with her mom, Shanna, to every practice and match when she was Prospectors coach. She put the knowledge she picked up shagging balls every day to effective use last year as a freshman, earning all-Blue Mountain honorable mention and helping lead the team to a fourth-place finish at the 2A state tournament. “Adeline is an all-around great volleyball player,” coach Mariah Moulton said. “She has been in the gym her whole life, and it shows on the court.”
S Natalie Perez, Westview, Sr.
Perez is part of a deep senior class for the Wildcats which has helped the team start 17-3. She was a first-team all-Metro selection as a junior and has 178 assists, 61 digs, 20 kills and 19 aces this season. “Natalie has improved her defense and quickness to the ball tremendously,” coach Janelle Brandt said. “She’s a very smart player on the floor and a strong server.”
S Hayden Pinard, Roseburg, Sr.
Pinard has been a force in revving up Roseburg’s attack this season after making the all-Southwest second team a year ago. She is averaging 11.7 assists, 2.7 digs and 2.2 kills per set while serving 98% and leading the team in aces. She’s had two matches with 50-plus assists, including a season-high 53 in a five-set defeat at South Medford.
S Mia Starr, Central Catholic, Sr.
Starr committed to UC Davis after a junior season in which she became the Rams’ primary ball-handler, making the all-Mt. Hood second team and finishing with 488 assists, 201 digs, 41 blocks and 78 kills while serving at a .956 clip (45 aces). The Rams have struggled with injuries this season, but Starr has been a steady force, averaging 6.3 assists per set (208 total) with just three errors in her first 501 attempts through Sept. 20. She has a .956 serving percentage (17 aces) and 43 kills. “Mia is a phenomenal athlete, teammate and person,” coach Kayla Hambley said. “Her talent is backed up by an incredible work ethic and a humble attitude.”
S Kate Stidham, Crater, Sr.
Stidham is a three-time all-Midwestern first-team selection who had 672 assists, 55 kills (.317 hitting percentage), 157 digs and 50 aces as a junior. She has committed to Central Washington.
S/OH Nevaeh Thew, Jr., Echo
Thew served as the team’s water girl since grade school, begging to join the high schoolers on the court during practices run by her mom, Des. Now, she plays all six rotations for the Cougars, alternating between outside and middle when she’s not setting. She had 68 kills, 145 assists, 48 aces and 91 digs last season, when she was a first-team all-Big Sky selection, and she leads the team in kills this fall — all while plying her teammates with baked goods she stays up half the night making. “There are very few players who can do the job she does on the court,” Des Thew said.
S/RS Akela Utu, Caldera, So.
The Wolfpack are in their first season as a varsity program, and Utu entered the program as one of its youngest players. Coach Alicia Roe-Rudloff said that “she has managed to find her voice and decide to set the standard for what hard work, communication and determination looked like. She’s the coach when Coach isn’t around — and she’s probably tougher.”
S/OH Lily Wallis, Echo, Sr.
Wallis plays opposite Nevaeh Thew in the Cougars’ 6-2 system, earning second-team all-Big Sky honors for the conference champion last season while finishing with 66 kills, 91 digs and 25 aces. She leads the team in assists, blocks and aces this season. Coach Des Thew called her “a sleeper,” but not for her play on the court. “We have a universal understanding on our team that you never wake Lily up from a nap,” she explained. “Lily is the glue on our team. She is such a positive leader. She never gives up on herself or her teammates.”
S Ashley Wright, Burns, Jr.
Wright deftly directed the Hilanders attack last season to a 3A state championship, earning second-team all-state honors. This year, she has 488 assists (8.4 per set), 101 digs, a team-high 56 aces and 22 blocks.
S Leila Yazd, Sunset, Jr.
The Apollos haven’t missed a beat following the graduation of first-team all-Metro setter Kayla Than thanks to Yazd’s emergence. Through Sept. 30, she led the team in serving (.936 percentage, 39 aces) and had dished out 184 assists (4.1 per set) while sharing setting duties with Chloe Rule.
