A look at returning volleyball stat leaders in 2019
If talent heading into 2019 is being judged on where volleyball players sat on the state stat leaders list, there are high-quality players returning this season.
The 2018 season saw players at all classifications put up impressive numbers throughout the year and in the case of some categories, overall leaders will be right back on the floor when things get rolling this fall.
Ahead is a look at some of the players that are looking at putting up solid stats once again when the 2019 Colorado volleyball begins next month.
Kills
Silver Creek senior Caitlin Volkmann was a wrecking machine last year. She finished the season with the most kills in the state, recording 552 through the course of the season. She was one of just two players in Colorado to record more than 500 kills in 2018. The other was Fleming’s Whitney Chintala who cleared that mark as a freshman and should be one of the premier hitters in the state.
Eaglecrest’s Audrey Black led all Class 5A hitters with 442 kills and will be back for the Raptors this season. Lutheran’s Payton Brgoch led all 3A returners with 434 and Lyons’ Taylor Maguire had 481 to top all players returning at 2A.
Aces
The ability to score a point without the other team returning a serve can be vital to a team’s success. Pikes Peak Christian’s Kyler Sweat returns in 2019 having dished out 87 aces last year to lead players coming back this season. Dawson’s Angelina Sala was just five behind sweat with 82 aces to top the 2A field and she’ll be back as a junior.
Fossil Ridge’s Rachel Lambrecht recorded 73 aces, topping returning 5A players. In her first year of varsity volleyball, Lincoln’s Evelyn Montalvo-Lopez was tied for third in all of 4A with 70 aces. She’s hoping she can top the field in 2019 as just a sophomore.
The same can be said for DSST: College View’s Jandel Bracamontes. Her 80 aces were tied with Eagle Ridge Academy’s Emma Cable for second in all of 3A. Both players will be back and trying to strike off the serve for their teams.
Blocks
Ellicott’s Dalton Henderson was a nightmare for hitters trying to attack the net. The now-sophomore ranked second in the entire state with 159 blocks last year topping the list of players coming back this season.
She edged Horizon’s Lauren Strain who led all 5A returners with 157. If Grandview’s Addison O’Grady and Chaparral’s Julianna Dalton are factored in, 5A sees its top three blockers returning in 2019.
Alameda’s Felicity Trujillo Maldonado tops the returning 4A players with 112. Woodland Park’s Sarah Garner was right behind her with 111.
Soroco’s Tyla Johnson led 2A returners with 142 and La Veta’s Desi Ortivez led all of 1A 123 and will return as a senior.
Digs
Holy Family’s Peyton Frank doesn’t top the list of returning players with the most digs, she led the entire state in the category last year.
Merino’s Faith Trenkle tops the field of returning 1A players with 642 and Fleming’s Whitney Chintala was also right there at 639. Both players joined Frank as three of the top four leaders across the state last year.
Rampart’s Grace Wilkinson is the 5A player coming back with the most kills (497) this fall while Sterling’s Jade Feather (571) holds that honor in 3A.
Highland’s Alyssa Winter led all 2A players with 552 digs last year and will be back as a senior in 2019.
