A number of the area’s best volleyball players are back in Riverside gearing up to begin a new season of Highland Husky volleyball next week. Highland was the ultimate up-and-down team in 2022, never losing more than three matches in a row but also never winning more than three straight. Huskies head coach Shannon Hills-Copeman tells KCII Sports a few factors led to their 13-15 campaign, which she believes this year’s squad can correct.

“Last year was so difficult for all of us,” Hills-Copeman says, “[with] a new coach [and] new system that we were running. The girls that we have on the team this year are used to it now, so we’re not changing as much.”

One big piece back for Highland is senior outside hitter Sarah Burton, who led the team with 203 kills and 258 digs while also putting up 25 aces and 14 blocks. Junior Adeline Krotz started to come into her own last season with 101 kills, 25 aces, 156 digs and a team-high 23 blocks.

The Huskies also get back defensive specialist Lilly Barre, who had 146 digs as a sophomore, and senior setter Grace Prybil, who handed out just shy of 200 assists to go with 39 kills, 16 aces and 91 digs. Hills-Copeman says she has a team that should be able to compete with any team in any match.

“We’re trying to get better every day,” she says. “We lost some pretty good leaders on the court [from] last year, but the seniors that I have coming up this year will be absolutely awesome to watch.”

Highland opens the 2023 volleyball season by taking on Keota this coming Monday. The Huskies will also face Belle Plaine one week from tonight.