Can Maize South volleyball’s stacked junior class take team back to state?
Last fall, the Maize South volleyball team walked out of its sub-state championship match with the sour taste of unfinished business.
The Mavericks had talent, but inexperience caught up with the group. This year, that same core is older, stronger and hungry to finish the job.
Head coach Alexis Head believes this team has the pieces to return to the Class 5A state tournament this season, which begins Saturday for the Mavericks with the AV-CTL preseason tournament in Hutchinson.
“Inexperience doesn’t mean incapable,” Head said. “They’ve let that become their driving force. They want to be playing beyond sub-state weekend this year.”
After the Mavericks were overly reliant last season on then-senior star Jillian Gregory, now at Wyoming, they figure to be more balanced with better depth this season.
Only one senior is on the roster — outside hitter Brynn Sutton — but Maize South hardly lacks in experience now. A massive junior class of eight players returns, joined by three promising underclassmen.
At the heart of it all is Isabella Cook, a 6-foot-2 junior middle blocker already committed to Iowa State. Cook is a defensive nightmare for opponents, capable of shutting down hitters with her length and timing.
“Bella is just incredible because of her length and her willingness to go be that selfless middle blocker,” Head said. “She can hit over blocks, but what makes her so scary is her defensive ability to be terminal in the block. She closes space down even when her body is so far away because her arms are so long, and she’s getting even better at closing out with her feet.”
Right beside her is setter Autumn Popp, another junior already committed to WSU. Popp has a feel for the game that sets her apart running the team’s offense.
“Autumn’s situational awareness is so far beyond her years,” Head said. “She studies the game and she’s super vocal. She’s constantly checking to see what’s happening on the other side and then she’s setting up the offense to have success based on what she’s seeing.”
A key newcomer is sophomore Sage Illian, a transfer from Wichita Trinity and one of the top beach volleyball players in the country for her age. Her ability to both set and attack could keep opponents off balance all season, as Maize South could experiment with a two-setter system.
“Sage brings so much versatility with her size and her hitting ability,” Head said. “And then her ability to play defense and communicate translate so well from the sand game. She’s unafraid to direct traffic out there.”
The Mavericks also have dynamic dual-sport athletes like Ava Stoughton, a junior opposite hitter, and Jaela Thompson, a junior outside hitter who excels in basketball.
“They’re like sleeper agents that the club volleyball world doesn’t know about,” Head said. “But they are both really dynamic volleyball players.”
Junior libero Kendyll Nash is the glue in the back row, expected to stablize serve-receive and extend rallies with her quickness. Junior middle blocker Addie Davee brings size and athleticism alongside Cook, while her younger sister, freshman middle hitter Emma Davee, offers another 6-foot-4 presence in the middle.
Depth comes from across the roster: Junior outside hitter Ava Jakubov, sophomore defensive specialist Payton Southard and junior defensive specialist Jayla Reid give Head reliable options to plug into any rotation.
It’s a combination that the Mavericks expect to lead them back to the state tournament, where they most recently placed third in Class 5A in 2023.
This story was originally published August 26, 2025 at 6:08 AM.
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