The Columbus Wildcats are getting set to start a new high school volleyball season and have much of the roster back from a team that won eight matches in 2023, four of them inside the North division of the Southeast Iowa Super Conference.

Among the returners is junior setter Daniela Diaz, who was a first-team all-conference selection after she handed out a team-high 442 assists last season but also showed off her versatility with 23 kills, 13 serving aces, 10 defensive blocks and 128 digs.

Second-team all-conference outside hitter Jessica Del Rio is back after putting up 97 kills and 23 aces as a sophomore, while classmate Kennedy Woepking also returns after a 2023 season with 96 kills and 28 aces.

Add on senior Aracely Garza returning after piling up 78 kills, 25 aces and 159 digs, as well as junior libero Jocelyn Hernandez coming back after she had over 200 digs last season, and you have one of the most experienced teams in the area.

While hitting and serving will be strengths for Columbus, head coach Lori Beenen tells KCII Sports that their experience is the Wildcats’ greatest asset.

“Our starting lineup has been together for the last two years,” Beenen says. “They know each other well, both on and off the court, and I think that’s going to be a huge strength for us.”

Columbus will begin the new volleyball season this coming Monday at the WACO Tournament in Wayland, where the Wildcats will have matches against Louisa-Muscatine, Sigourney and Burlington Notre Dame.