2025 All-News-Herald Volleyball Second Team – The News Herald

Introducing the 2025 All-News-Herald Volleyball Second Team

FAITH BALLANTYNE | Grosse Ile: Arguably their best and most important player, Faith Ballantyne consistently delivered for a Grosse Ile team that played its best ball late in the season. The senior Ballantyne was named all-Huron League and all-region after averaging over four kills and digs per game, serving at a 91 percent success rate, and posting an above-average serve receive rating as well.

ESMERELDA HERNANDEZ | Lincoln Park: Deemed their “most consistent performer” by head coach Natasha Villarreal, Lincoln Park’s Esmerelda Hernandez earned team MVP recognition after a strong junior campaign. An all-Downriver League and all-region honoree, Hernandez “played multiple positions” for the Railsplitters, finishing with just under 100 kills, over 100 digs, and a dozen aces at a 90.2 percent serving rate.

KATIE SMOLYANOV | Allen Park Inter-City Baptist: The regional champions from Inter-City housed one of the better hitting tandems in Division 4 with Katie Smolyanov opposite of and classmate first-team all-News-Herald honoree Madeline Frank. An all-MIAC and all-region standout, the senior for the Chargers collected 200 kills at around a 25 percent hit rate while also picking up close to 50 blocks.

ADDISON BURGEI | Gibraltar Carlson: A budding star in the middle, Addison Burgei was “consistently one of our most reliable, high-level performers” according to Carlson head coach Regan Sliwinski. Only a freshman, Burgei is already playing above her pay grade, if you will. She earned both all-DRL and all-region honors after collecting close to 200 kills and 100 digs, as well as 47 blocks with also a 94 percent serving success rate.

GRACE WEND | Trenton: Staying in the Downriver League, the depth at the middle blocker position in the conference continues with Trenton’s Grace Wend. Another all-conference and all-region standout, Wend was a very important piece for the News-Herald Invite and first-time regional champion Trojans this past fall. The junior by season’s end logged 185 kills, 145 digs, 46 blocks, and two dozen aces in the service game.

AMELIA VOSS | Allen Park: Speaking of late-season surges, Amelia Voss “blossomed as the season went on” according to Allen Park head coach Brooke Martin. Voss figures to be one of the top returning setters in the Downriver League come next season after putting together a junior campaign that included 400 assists, 100 kills, 100 digs, and 40 aces.

ADDISON SKINNER | Gibraltar Carlson: A “true anchor to the program.” Those were the words of Carlson’s Sliwinski when describing the versatile and dependable Addison Skinner. Now a three-time all-News-Herald honoree in her career, Skinner split time between being a setter and an opposite side hitter for the Marauders. The senior and all-region recipient logged over 200 assists and digs each while also picking up north of 100 kills.

MAELIE FRICKE | Flat Rock: It was a collective team effort in order for Flat Rock to reach their first-ever state championship game back in the fall. Perhaps the biggest unsung hero for the Rams was Maelie Fricke, who head coach Morgan Delhey described as the “rock of the back row.” Delhey will also get Fricke for one more season as well. The junior libero was name all-region after racking up 273 digs and was a threat in serving with 45 aces.

BELLA SMITH | Brownstown Woodhaven: Another key returning player in the Class of 2027, Bella Smith has and will continue to be a steady presence on the back row for Woodhaven. An all-Downriver League and all-region representative for the Warriors, Smith in addition to her over 250 digs as a libero was also reliable on both ends of the service game, evident by her near two dozen aces and a 1.89 serve receive rating.

JADA PAULSEN | Trenton: While they will see all-state standout Mia Hyde eventually graduate, Trenton appears to have a very capable hitter in Jada Paulsen to fill that role on the outside next school year. Paulsen, who also saw steady time as a defensive specialist for the Trojans, logged just over 150 kills and 200 digs. The junior was also well above average in the serve receive department and also collected 24 aces.

ADDISON WALLACE | Gibraltar Carlson: Another player no stranger to making all-News-Herald teams — in multiple sports — Carlson’s Addison Wallace finds herself on the all-area second team for a second straight year. Coach Sliwinski said Wallace’s “presence on the court sets the standard for everyone.” The senior hitter for the Marauders compiled over 100 kills and digs, a strong 95 percent serving mark, and a positive serve receive rating.

JULIA WILLIAMS | Grosse Ile: Praised for her “great accuracy” by head coach Rebecca Kuehn, Julia Williams was the “key piece to the offense” for Grosse Ile this past season. Williams figures to slide is as the No. 1 hitter for the Red Devils come next school year, following the eventual graduation of the aforementioned Ballantyne. The junior posted per-game averages of around four kills, six digs, three blocks, and one ace.

GABRIELLA FERRERA | Brownstown Woodhaven: Few local middle blockers have had as strong and consistent of a career as Gabby Ferrera has during her time at Woodhaven. An all-News-Herald honoree each of the two seasons prior also, Ferrera was active both at the net and in the back row for the Warriors. The senior turned in 169 kills and 76 digs, while also picking up over a dozen solo blocks.

OLIVIA BLACKLEDGE | Wyandotte Roosevelt: In an area surrounded by veterans at the setter position, Roosevelt’s Olivia Blackledge is showing she more than belongs despite only being a sophomore. In addition to her effectiveness in the service game — evident by her 96 percent success rate — Blackledge for the Bears averaged just over five assists and just below three digs per set throughout the season.

ZOE RYAN | Flat Rock: Despite not joining the team until early October, Zoe Ryan was able to step in and help carry Flat Rock all the way to the state finals in D2. A transfer from Dearborn Divine Child, Ryan more or less became the Rams’ primary setter in the back half of the season. The junior finished with well over 300 assists, 55 of which came in the state semifinals, while also logging 137 digs and 21 aces.

LYDIA DURAN | Southgate Anderson: A largely junior and sophomore-heavy Anderson squad on the rise regularly leaned on the veteran back row presence of Lydia Duran throughout the season. An all-region honoree like freshman teammate Bristol Davenport, the senior Duran finished with well over 100 digs, nearly two dozen aces, and both passing and serve receive ratings over over 2.0.

MARIAN MCCARTHY | Grosse Ile: Elsewhere at the libero position, Marian McCarthy was Grosse Ile’s “most consistent player when it comes to serving and digging” according to Coach Kuehn. One of several key returning liberos come next season, McCarthy averaged an incredible 16 digs per match for the Devils this past fall. The junior also logged nearly 50 aces at a 93 percent serving clip.

BRIANNA JACKSON | Melvindale: Although it was an up-and-down season overall for Melvindale, one player who consistently performed from start to finish was Brianna Jackson. A standout for the school’s softball team as well, the senior defensive specialist was praised for “showing up to every game and practice giving it her all” by Cardinals head coach Nadya Nasser.

SAMANTHA BRIGGS | Taylor: Despite their season-long woes, Taylor oftentimes proved to be a tough out for their Downriver League counterparts. A big reason for that was the play of Samantha Briggs, who Griffins head coach Jeana Rybski called “one of the hardest-working players I have ever coached.” Dubbed the team MVP at season’s end, Briggs was the Griffins’ all-conference honoree at season’s end.

AMARA JAE MILES | Ecorse: A “great leader both on and off the court.” Those were the words of Ecorse head coach Tania Woodard when describing Amara Jae Miles. An all-Charter School Conference recipient, Miles did a little bit of everything for the Red Raiders. Primarily a hitter and middle blocker, the junior finished with a full stat line of 125 kills, 40 blocks, 45 digs, 56 assists, and 33 aces in just nine total matches.

JENNA WOODWORTH | Riverview Gabriel Richard: One of the more productive middle blockers in the Downriver area, Jenna Woodworth “continues to grow in many different ways” according to Gabriel Richard head coach Elizabeth Clemence. An all-conference honoree in the Catholic League, Woodworth finished her junior season with the Pioneers tallying close to 200 kills and over 70 blocks.

LOLA WILLIAMS | Riverview: After being named honorable mention in 2024, Lola Williams finishes her career at Riverview with second-team all-area honors after a strong senior season. Williams, who also saw time as both a right-side hitter and libero, was the Pirates’ primary setter during the fall season. The team MVP turned in just under 300 assists, over 200 digs, and 56 aces, all good to earn all-Huron League status.

BRIANNA HOLBROOK | New Boston Huron: Elsewhere in the Huron League, the libero position in the conference is a stacked one in the Class of 2027 with Huron’s Brianna Holbrook right in the mix. Noted for her “exceptional passing and relentless coverage” by Chiefs head coach Devon Newman, Holbrook ended her junior season well north of 300 digs while also chipping in with 17 aces off the service line.

PAYTON KOSKI | Brownstown Woodhaven: Despite only being a freshman, Woodhaven’s Payton Koski appears to already be establishing herself as one of the local area’s top defensive specialists. In addition to her 153 digs, Koski in her first season of high school volleyball for the Warriors also added over two dozen aces and an above-average serve receive rating.

Honorable Mention

Allen Park: Ava O’Donnell, Layla Hinds | Allen Park Cabrini: Izzy Adamski | Brownstown Woodhaven: Amaya Dantzler | Ecorse: Rosita Ortiz | Gibraltar Carlson: Emma Ferguson, Angela Sandoval | Lincoln Park: Alize White | Melvindale: Sauitua Matthes | Southgate Anderson: Reese Randall | Trenton: Brenna McMaster