Sun-Times top girls volleyball teams, individuals

Sun-Times Top 10 Volleyball teams(last year’s record in parenthesis)1. Mother McAuley (40-2) – Top returnees from last year’s Class 4A championship team include leading hitter 5-foot-10 Ryann DeJarld (a Notre Dame recruit), 5-11 middle Kelsey Clark (George Washington), 6-foot junior middle Kayla Caffey (Missouri) and 5-5 outside hitter Kennedy Arundel (Connecticut). Libero Carla Cahill anchors a stubborn defense while another DeJarld, 5-8 junior Jane, sets.2. St. Francis (39-3) –The Spartans will chase coach Peg Kopec’s 11th state title behind 6-1 junior outside hitter Molly Haggerty, who has committed to Nebraska, Mary Boken, a 6-1 middle who has committed to Clemson, 5-6 defensive specialist Lisa Mordell (Tulane ), 5-7 junior setter Dani Messa and 6-foot sophomore outside hitter Kamryn Molloy.

3. Benet (36-6) –The Redwings are seeking their fifth state appearance in seven years behind 6-3 Northwestern recruit Rachael Fara, 5-9 libero Natalie Canulli (Penn State), 5-10 junior Tiffany Clark (Michigan) and 5-10 outside hitter Dana Griffin. Other top players include 6-foot sophomore Sara Neilson and 5-8 junior defensive specialist Brittany Mankowski.

4. Glenbard West (34-4) – Duke recruit Natalie Schilling has the ability to terminate from anywhere and 5-10 outside hitter Alison Burelbach, 6-1 middle Patty Stirb and 5-11 rightside Caitlyn Motel provide more than adequate support. Kate Wagner will handle the setting duties, while 5-7 Jaime Ryan will try to replace graduated all-area libero Meg DeMaar.

5. Sandburg (30-8) – Five-foot-10 third-year varsity starter Julia Borschel (University of North Carolina-Ashville), who pounded out better than 200 kills a year ago, will be joined up front by a rotating trio of middle hitters – 6-3 Kristina Stoncius, 6-foot Kathleen Bollito and 5-11 junior Caroline Stefanon – 6-foot Leah Lane (200 kills in 2013) and 5-7 setter Sami Knight.

6. Lincoln-Way North (30-7) – Six-foot middle hitter and three-sport star Valen Manns was unstoppable while leading North to the summer league title at Palos Courts. Also watch 6-foot outside Rachel Burkman (149 kills), 5-10 junior outside Allyson Cappel (team-high 150 kills last fall), 5-10 outside Kylie Snyder and setters Sam Ritter and Amanda Rockrohr.

7. Providence (22-14) – The Celtics aren’t tall, but they are loaded with talent led by 5-11 junior Rachel Alles, who had 397 assists, 155 kills and 46 aces as a sophomore. Other key players include setter Liza Ellingson, 5-6 libero Cory Griffith, 5-8 junior outside Emily Boggetto, 5-10 junior middle Katie Compagno and 5-9 junior outside Anna Smagala.

8. De La Salle (27-8) – The Meteors are eyeing their first-ever sectional title behind 5-11 outside hitter Mary Kate Byrnes (Southern Indiana), 5-9 outside hitter Carleigh Barringer, 5-10 outside hitter Kyra White and 5-8 setter Natalie Arredia. Watch 5-11 junior Kelly Lewis, junior libero Dominique Arcieri, 5-6 sophomore Jessica Gorman and 5-7 freshman Taylor Duddleston.

9. Hinsdale Central (11-19) –Lauren Fuller, a 6-3 outside hitter who is committed to the University of San Diego, is joined by 6-foot middle Claire Cornell, 5-10 outside hitter Regan Serwat, 5-10 outside hitter Emily Sulik, 6-foot middle blocker Nikki Hilbrich and 5-10 junior outside Meg Irvin. Brooke Istvan sets and Alexandra Davis (sister of Michigan’s Ally) digs.

10. Geneva (29-10) –New coach Annie Seitelman inherits a talented crew led by 6-2 sophomore Grace Loberg , 6-1 sophomore Ally Barrett and 5-10 Hannah Lanassa. Libero Kelsey Wicinski, whose sister Lauren starred at NIU and Michigan State, anchors the defense. “We might have snuck up on people last year,” Loberg said. “It will be different this year, I think.”

Others: Nazareth, Marist, Lincoln-Way East, Lemont, Lyons, Oak Park, Joliet Catholic, Plainfield North, Glenbard South, Crystal Lake South.

Sun-Times Top 50 Players (50)

Rachel Alles, 5-9, Jr., S, Providence

Carleigh Barringer, 5-10, Sr., OH, De La Salle

Alex Basler, 6-2, Sr., MB, Libertyville

Mary Boken, 6-2, Sr., MB, St. Francis

Mary Kate Byrnes, 5-11, Sr., OH, De La Salle

Rachel Burau, 5-10, Sr., S, Wheaton Warrenville South

Riley Burchett, 5-4, Sr., DS, Nazareth

Carla Cahill, 5-7, Sr., L, Mother McAuley

Natalie Canulli, 5-9, Sr., L, Benet

Kelsey Clark, 5-11, Sr., MB, Mother McAuley

Emma Decker, 6-3, Jr., S, Nazareth

Ryann DeJarld, 5-9, Sr., OH, Mother McAuley

Rachael Fara, 6-2, Sr., MB, Benet

Kaitlyn Fisher, 6-0, Sr., S, Plainfield North

Lauren Fuller, 6-3, Sr., OH, Hinsdale Central

Amanda Green, 6-1, Sr., OH, Niles North

Molly Haggerty, 6-1, Jr., OH, St. Francis

Phoebe Havenaar, 6-2, Sr., MB, Naperville Central

Lane Hindenburg, 5-11, Sr., OH, Fremd

Elizabeth Hyland, 6-2, Sr., OH, Plainfield Central

Maddie Jaudon, 5-6, Sr., L, Batavia

Hannah Juley, 5-11, Sr., S, Lyons

Sami Knight, 5-7, Sr., S, Sandburg

Grace Konovodoff, 5-7, Sr., S, Rosary

Kaylin Korte, 6-0, Jr., OH, Morris

Stela Kukoc, 6-1, Sr., MB, Highland Park

Allie Lindroth, 6-2, Jr., OH, Plainfield North

Grace Loberg, 6-4, Sr., OH, Geneva

Monica Loftus, 6-0, Sr., OH, Montini

Kamryn Malloy, 5-11, So., OH, St. Francis

Valen Manns, 5-11, Sr., MB, Lincoln-Way North

Lexi Mantas, 5-11, Sr., OH, Stagg

Hanna Markewicz, 5-7, Sr., L, Timothy Christian

Mary Murphy, 5-10, Sr., S, Joliet Catholic

Carly Nolan, 6-0, Sr., OH, Crystal Lake South

Ehize Omoghibo, 6-0, Jr., OH, Evanston

Ginger Perinar, 6-0, Jr.., OH, Minooka

Colleen Reilly, 6-0, Sr., MB, Marist

Toni Saracco, 5-6, Sr., DS, Lyons

Julia Saunders, 6-4, Sr., OH, Nazareth

Natalie Schilling, 6-1, Jr., OH, Glenbard West

Ashley Shook, 6-1, So., S, Plainfield Central

Abby Skryd, 5-7, Sr., OH, Neuqua Valley

Symone Speech, 6-3, Sr., MB, Oak Park-River Forest

Haley Sullivan, 5-3, Sr., DS, Lemont

Kacie Stoll, 6-1, Sr., OH, Timothy Christian

Mackenzi Welsh, 6-2, Jr., OH, Plainfield East

Megan Wernette, 6-3, Sr., MB, Naperville North

Kelsey Wicinski, 5-8, Sr., L, Geneva

Lizzie Zaleski,, 6-0,Sr., S, Marist