SEISC All-Conference selections

The Union area saw a lot of great volleyball this past season from the Southeast Iowa Super Conference (SEISC).

While no Union area teams reached the state tournament, a plethora still put together fantastic seasons.

With the completion of the state tournament and the 2022-23 season as a whole, it’s now time to give recognition to those players from the SEISC that showed delivered outstanding performances throughout the season with the release of the SEISC North and South All-Conference teams.

Leading the Union area in total selections is Winfield-Mt. Union. The Wolves have seven total selections, not including coach of the year.

WMU’s Bradie Buffington and Melina Oepping were both first-team selections as hitters.

Oepping finished with a team-high 236 kills on the season, followed by Buffington with 200. The pair finished second and fifth in the North for total kills.

Keely Malone represents the Wolves on first-team as a setter. Malone finished with 596 assists on the season, which was second most in the North.

At libero, Keetyn Townsely was a unanimous first-team selection. She was also selected as one of two SEISC North Players of the Year.

Townsley racked up 398 digs on the season, the best in the North division.

On second-team, hitter Audrie Gipple, defensive specialist Tessa Huston also represent WMU.

Aurey Meeker was the Wolves’ lone honorable mention selection.

The Wolves’ head coach Dave Pieart is this years North Division coach of the year.

WACO followed WMU with four selections.

In the hitting department, Ellah Kissell was a unanimous selection.

Kissell led the Warriors with 248 kills, the sole Warrior to surpass the 200 mark. Her total was also the most on the season in the North Division.

Grace Coble represents WACO as a unanimous setter selection. Coble was also selected as a player of the year for her play.

Coble finished with 600 assists, most in the North, on the season.

Rounding out the Warriors on the first-team is Jocelyn Fulton as a defensive specialist.

Fulton was the backbone of the Warriors defense, tallying 365 total assist. That total was the second most in the SEISC North.

Emma Wagler is the Warriors lone second-team selection as a hitter.

Katie Leichty and Marie Farmer were each honorable mention picks as well.

Sarah Burton represents Highland as a first-team pick hitter. Burton racked up a team-high 203 kills on the year for fourth overall in the North.

MyLei Smith is the Huskies one second-team pick as a setter.

Adeline Krotz and Lily Barre were both selected as honorable mentions.

For Columbus, Isabelle Lagunas was the lone first-team selection as a defensive specialist.

Lagunas led the Wildcats with 229 digs. She was the only Wildcat to surpass 100 on the season.

Sara Vela and Aracely Garza were Columbus’ honorable mention selections.

Hillcrest Academy’s Malia Yoder was the Ravens lone selection.

Kylee Statler and Claire Withrow were honorable mention selections for Hillcrest as well.

Pekin had no players selected to first or second team’s, but Emma Phillips and Claire Roth were both honorable mentions.

In the SEISC South Division, New London leads with three selections.

The Tiger’s Natalie Burton is a first-team pick as a hitter.

Burton led the Tigers with 448 total kills in 2022-23, good enough for second in the conference.

As a setter, Elly Manning is a first-team selection. Manning finished with 955 total assists for the Tigers. She was second in the conference and 10th in the state for assists.

Emma Nye rounds out New London on the first-team as the sole libero. Nye led the Tigers defensively with 667 total digs. That total is good enough for first in the conference and second in the entire state.

Sophie Malott and Camryn Lair were the Tigers two honorable mention selections.

Van Buren rounds out the Union area in the south. The Warriors didn’t have any first or second-team selections, but Ivy Davison and Annabelle Cormier were both selected as honorable mentions.

SEISC NORTH FIRST TEAM

Utility: Tyra Lanz, Wapello, Jr

Hitters: *Emily Hemphill, Wapello, Jr; *Bradie Buffington, WMU, Sr; *Ellah Kissell, WACO, Sr; Melina Oepping, WMU, Sr; Sarah Burton, Highland, Jr

Setters: *Grace Coble, WACO, Sr; Keely Malone WMU, Sr

Libero: *Keetyn Townsley, WMU, Sr

Defensive Specialist: Isabelle Lagunas, Columbus, Sr; Jocelyn Fulton, WACO, Sr

Players of the Year: Grace Coble, WACO, Sr; Keetyn Townsley, WMU, Sr

Coach of the Year: Dave Pieart, WMU

SEISC NORTH SECOND TEAM

Utility: Malia Yoder, Hillcrest, So

Hitters: Quinn Veach, Wapello, Sr; Victoria Howell, Columbus, Sr; Riley Krueger, Lone Tree, Sr; Audrie Gipple, WMU, Jr; Emma Wagler, WACO, Jr

Setters: Jacie Hoeg, Wapello; Jr; MyLei Smith, Highland, Sr

Libero: Olyvia Malone; Wapello, Sr

Defensive Specialist: Tessa Huston, WMU, Jr

SEISC NORTH HONORABLE MENTION

Sara Vela, Col, Sr

Aracely Garza, Col, So

Ella Buser, LT, Sr

Cate Sexton, LT, So

Emma Phillips, Pekin, Sr

Claire Roth, Pekin, Sr

Katie Leichty, WACO, Sr

Marie Farmer, WACO, Jr

Madelyn Lanz, Wap, Sr

Livia Fuller, Wap, Sr

McKenzie Kissell, Louisa Muscatine, Sr

Emma Rosenboom, Louisa Muscatine, Sr

Kylee Statler, Hillcrest, So

Claire Withrow, Hillcrest, Fr

Adeline Krotz, Highland, So

Lily Barre, Highland, So

Aurey Meeker, WMU, Jr

SEISC SOUTH FIRST TEAM

Utility: McKenna Marlow, West Burlington, Sr

Hitters: Sophia Armstong, West Burlington, Sr; Gabby Deery, Notre Dame, Sr; Natalie Burden, New London, Sr; Mary Kate Bendlage, Holy Trinity, Jr; Makayla Morrison, Central Lee, Sr; Abby Korschgen, Notre Dame, Sr

Setters: Abbey Bence, West Burlington, Sr; Elly Manning, New London, Sr

Defensive Specialist: Lauren Summers, West Burlington, Sr

Players of the Year: Sophia Armstrong, West Burlington, Sr; Gabby Deery, Notre Dame, Sr

Coach of the Year: Maureen Heath, West Burlington

SEISC SECOND TEAM

Utility: Brooke Mueller, Holy Trinity, Sr

Hitters: Haley Steffener, Mediapolis, Jr; Isabelle Ritter, West Burlington, Sr; Hanna Wagenbach, Mediapolis, Jr; Presley Myers, Holy Trinity, Fr; Aviana West, Notre Dame, Jr

Setters: Anna Bendlage, Holy Trinity, So; Kennedy Welliver, Mediapolis, Sr; Maddy Mosena, Notre Dame, Sr

Libero: Ava Parkins, Notre Dame, Sr

Defensive Specialist: Alix Congdon, Central Lee, Sr

SEISC SOUTH HONORABLE MENTION

Kenna Sandoval, Central Lee, Fr

Bailey Schwartz, Central Lee, Sr

Jaeda Molle, Danville, Jr

Carlea Beckman, Danville, Sr

Teagan Snaadt, Holy Trinity, So

Kayla Box, Holy Trinity, Sr

Jaydon Wirt, Mediapolis, Jr

Lexie Arnold, Mediapolis, Sr

Sophie Malott, New London, Jr

Camryn Lair, New London, Sr

Taryn Stephens, Notre Dame, Jr

Madalynn Knapp, Notre Dame, So

Ivy Davison, Van Buren, Jr

Annabelle Cormier, Van Buren, Sr

Ale Kellen, West Burlington, Sr

Brenna Beggs, West Burlington, So