Demons may rise in 2023

This certainly should be an interesting year for the Washington volleyball team. In 2022, the Demons were one of the toughest young teams in the Southeast Conference, but Washington’s youth showed as the Demons dropped a handful of close matches in SEC play.

In 2022, Washington started the season out with a sweep at eventual regular-season champion Burlington. The Demons, however, followed that up with two-straight five set losses, to Keokuk and Mt. Pleasant, and fell in four sets against both Fort Madison and Fairfield.

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The Demons did end the 2022 SEC tournament with a strong final two games, as Washington swept Fort Madison and Mt. Pleasant on the last day of the tourney to take third in the final conference standings.

Washington finished 9-24 overall last season. The Demons’ final conference mark was 3-7.

The Demons could return a boatload of talent in 2023, including sophomore Leighton Messinger, who recorded a team-high 194 kills last year, and junior Ella Greiner, who recorded 139.

Washington returns four of its Top-5 hitters, including senior Maci Williams (62 kills) and sophomore Taylor Miksch (58 kills). The Demons also return setter Lauren Hinrichsen, who led the way with 270 assists.

On the defensive side of things, the Top-5 diggers from last year were all underclassmen. Messinger led the way with 301 digs. Juniors-to-be Greiner, Ruby Witthoft, Bella Salazar and Hinrichsen all had over 100 digs.