The State’s Best: Meet the 2024 all-area high school girls volleyball team
A look at The State’s all-area girls volleyball team players of the year from Midlands high schools for the 2024 season.
Top individuals
▪ The State’s Player of the Year: Camryn Jeffery, Westwood
▪ Readers’ choice Player of the Year (fan vote): Lauren Rivers, Cardinal Newman
First Team
Lilly Almada, Westwood: Senior setter/outside hitter had 104 kills, 535 assists, 183 digs and 43 aces. Almada was an all-state and North-South All-Star selection.
Addie Bittner, North Central: Senior outside hitter had 430 kills, 11 blocks, 60 aces, 297 digs in helping the Knights to their first state volleyball championship. Bittner was an all-state selection, played in the North-South All-Star game and signed with Coker University.
Jasia Brunson, Lexington: Senior outside hitter had 264 kills, 22 aces, 30 blocks, 196 digs this season. Brunson was selected to play in North-South All-Star volleyball matches.
Courtney Burgess, AC Flora: Junior had 132 kills, 21 aces, 150 digs, 304 assists. Burgess was Region 3-4A Player of Year, all-state selection and is committed to Virginia Tech.
Aryanna Connell, Camden: Senior middle hitter had 381 kills, 57 aces, 55 blocks, 57 aces, 203 digs, 33 assists. Connell was an all-state selection and signed with Claflin.
Nicolette Connell, Camden: Senior libero/outside hitter had 107 kills, 296 digs and 63 assists this season. Connell was selected for North-South All-Star matches and signed with UNC Charlotte.
Danielle Dais, Cardinal Newman: Junior had 308 kills, 103 digs, 25 blocks and was part of Cardinal Newman’s SCISA state championship team. Dais was an all-state and all-star selection.
Gabby Esposito, Gilbert: The sophomore outside hitter had 307 kills, 250 digs and 27 aces this season.
Sydney Fischer, Lexington: Senior setter had 670 assists, 216 digs, 71 kills, 33 aces and 21 blocks. Fischer was Region 4-5A Player of Year and an all-state selection. She signed to play at Jacksonville.
Haley Freeman, Northside Christian: Led Crusaders with 294 kills and 50 aces. Was SCISA all-state selection and also played in North-South All-Star matches. Signed with North Greenville.
Grayson Graham, Spring Valley: Senior outside hitter had 240 kills, 247 digs and 39 aces this season. Graham was selected for North-South All-Star volleyball matches.
Camryn Jeffery, Westwood: Senior middle hitter had 500 kills, a 48.8 kill percentage, 107 blocks, 272 digs and 22 assists. Jeffery was region player of the year and all-state selection for the fourth straight season. She played in North-South All-Star matches signed to play at LSU.
Alexis Jodie, River Bluff: Junior setter had 806 assists, 256 digs and 49 aces this season. Jodie was an all-state selection.
Hadley Lindner, Northside Christian: Led Crusaders with 511 assists. Was SCISA All-State selection and played in North-South All-Star matches. Lindner signed with USC Sumter.
Alivia Martin, Ben Lippen: Senior had 289 kills, a 40.5 kill percentages, 273 digs and 37 aces. Martin was SCISA 1-4A Player of Year and all-state selection.
Masyn McClanahan, River Bluff: Senior libero had 322 digs and 51 aces this season. McClanahan was an all-state, North-South All-Star game selection and signed with Gardner-Webb.
Mary Norwood, North Central: Senior outside hitter had 386 kills, a .401 hitting percentage, 78 digs, 44 aces and 18 blocks. Norwood was an all-state, North-South All-Star selection and signed with Columbia International.
Khylie Remmenga, Cardinal Newman: Junior middle blocker had 220 kills, 65 blocks, 45 digs, 44 aces in helping the Cardinals to the SCISA 4A volleyball championship. Remmenga was a SCISA all-state and all-star selection.
Lauren Rivers, Cardinal Newman: Freshman setter had 101 kills, 86 aces, 29 blocks, 287 digs and 917 assists in helping the Cardinals to the SCISA 4A volleyball championship. Rivers was a SCISA all-state and all-star selection.
Kyah Shephard, Gray Collegiate: Senior middle hitter was War Eagles’ leader in kills and blocks this season.
Kaylie Spires, Gilbert: Freshman had 157 kills, 333 assists, 377 digs and 57 aces this season.
Aubrey Taylor, North Central: Senior setter had 912 assists, 159 digs and 65 aces and helped North Central to its first state volleyball championship.
Callie Wilbanks, Mid-Carolina: Senior outside hitter had 202 kills, 152 digs and 44 aces. Willbanks was Region 3-2A Player of Year and all-state selection.
Second Team
Kristine Brown, Keenan; Kaitlyn Clyburn, Camden; Ivy Collins, Swansea; Lily Kate Deyo, Lexington; Emily Dirienzo, Lexington; Zaniya Harris, Chapin; Leila Hargrove, Cardinal Newman; Zaniya Harris, Chapin; Lindsay Hodges, Chapin; Shamiya Jefferson, Dutch Fork; Georgia Kate Price, Ben Lippen; Kennedy Koon, Gilbert; Riley Lyons, Blythewood; Wesleyan McDowell, Gray Collegiate; Camille Newton, Lugoff-Elgin; Charleston Parker, North Central; Haylee Roberts, Lugoff-Elgin; Kaydee Rivers, Newberry; Autumn Salomon, White Knoll; Caroline Tucker, River Bluff; Jade Wells, Blythewood; Tamia Wilson, Spring Valley
This story was originally published December 4, 2024 at 6:30 AM.
