BILLINGS — Organizers believe this year’s Midland Roundtable Montana All-Star Volleyball Classic is going to be the best yet.
Now in its fourth year, the match will be played on a Friday as a standalone event for the first time. Previously the all-star volleyball match was played on a Saturday before the Montana-Wyoming All-Star boys and girls basketball games.
This year’s all-star volleyball match, sponsored by Scheels, is Friday, June 13, at 6 p.m. at Lockwood High School. Warm-ups begin at 5:30 p.m.
“I think it was a great idea for the fact that I think it’s a long time for people to come to the games, when it starts at 3 o’clock and ends at 10 o’clock,” said the volleyball all-star chairperson, Laurie Kelly of volleyball being showcased on Friday. “That’s kind of hard for people to be there that long.”
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Hardin’s Taiya Guptill jumps and cheers during a match against Billings Central at Hardin High School on Oct. 10, 2024. Guptill will be playing for the Red team in this year’s Midland Roundtable Montana All-Star Volleyball Classic Friday, June 13, at the Lockwood High School gym at 6 p.m.
On Tuesday, the Roundtable announced the rosters for the all-star match. The players selected to participate were previously announced in early April. For the 2024 game, it was decided to first select the players and then later to divide the all-stars into two balanced squads instead of an East vs. West format as was previously used.
A committee divided the 18 graduating high school seniors from the Class of 2025 into two teams evenly by position. Aubrey Beaumont of Rocky Mountain College will lead the Blue team and Maureen Boyle of Carroll College will be the head coach of the Red team.
“Most of our players are multi-talented and can play most every position,” said Kelly.
Last year, Boyle coached the Red team to victory, winning by scores of 25-16, 23-25, 27-25, 25-23.
All 18 players selected to participate in the all-star volleyball match will be playing college volleyball. Among those is Bozeman Gallatin’s Cadence Lundgren, a member of the Blue team, who earned the 2024-25 Gatorade Montana Volleyball Player of the Year award and who will be attending Kansas State University.
“Looking at this group and looking how talented they are, and where they are all going, is pretty impressive,” said Kelly.
Over 425 Montanans in the class of 2025 have committed to or signed with college athletic programs so far.
Players will report on Thursday, June 12, and practice at the Lockwood High School gym later that night.
“They’ll only have one practice this year,” said Kelly. “But they are all in club volleyball. They all just finished in May playing club volleyball. So, they’ve practiced and their last game wasn’t in November. They’re ready to go.”
This year, a free clinic for youth players was also added to the lineup. The clinic, which filled up fast, will be from 3:30 p.m.-5:30 p.m. prior to the all-star match. The All-Star players and coaching staff will be conducting the clinic. The campers will receive free admission to the match.
“This is a chance for our All-Stars to give back to the young players in the area and to share the joy of the game and remember their journey,” said Kelly. “It started for them in the same way — in a gym with their role models and coaches.”
Midland Roundtable Montana All-Star Volleyball Classic
Friday, June 13, 6 p.m.
At Lockwood High School gym
Blue team: Addie Falls Down, S, Billings Senior, Montana State-Northern; Avaree Thompson, DS, Billings Senior, Dickinson State University; Taylor Speake, DS, Bozeman Gallatin, Central Washington University; Sofia Kimmel, OH, Bozeman, Carroll College; Juliana McFarland, OH, Belgrade, Dordt University; Jaycee Cleveland, S, Butte, Dickinson State University; Claire Hoadley, MH, Lone Peak, Rocky Mountain College; Ellie Reinertson, RSH, Gardiner, Montana Tech; Cadence Lundgren, MH, Bozeman Gallatin, Kansas State University. Coach: Aubrey Beaumont, Rocky Mountain College.
Red team: Ella Goeltz, DS, Florence, University of Providence; Taiya Guptill, S, Hardin, Miles Community College; Birdie Heuiser, MH, Helena, Carroll College; Kennedie Noseep, DS, Billings Skyview, Central Wyoming College; Morgan Jones, OH, Bozeman, Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville; Gianna Ruprecht, OH, Columbus, Rocky Mountain College; Hope Gonsioroski, RSH, Baker, Lubbock Christian University; Lauren Fox, S, Bozeman, Carroll College; Nora Dominick, MH, Shields Valley, University of Montana Western. Coach: Maureen Boyle, Carroll College.
Email Gazette Sports Editor John Letasky at john.letasky@406mtsports.com or follow him on X/Twitter at @GazSportsJohnL
