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Lehi’s Ashton Shewell takes a swing in a 6A boys volleyball state tournament match at the UCCU Center in Orem on Friday, May 9, 2025.

Darnell Dickson, Daily Herald

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Cooper Pope of Timpanogos takes a swing against Desert Hills in a 4A boys volleyball state semifinal match at the UCCU Center in Orem on Thursday, May 8, 2025.

Darnell Dickson, Daily Herald

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Orem’s Lucky Jennings (8) celebrates with his teammates during a 4A boys volleyball state quarterfinal match against Green Canyon at the UCCU Center in Orem on Wednesday, May 7, 2025.

Darnell Dickson, Daily Herald

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Maple Mountain’s Taft Hillman passes the ball in the 5A boys volleyball state finals against Wasatch at the UCCU Center in Orem on Saturday, May 10, 2025.

Jeff Porcaro, Maple Mountain Sports

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Here are the top boys volleyball players in the Utah Valley area for 2025.

Player of the Year: Trey Thornton, 6-7 Sr. OH, Maple Mountain

Thornton was the lynchpin for back-to-back state championships, even with defenses geared to slow him down. This season, Thornton logged 422 kills (4.7 per set) while hitting .431. He added 49 aces, 43 total blocks and 169 digs. In the past two seasons, the BYU-bound lefty totaled 851 kills.

Offensive MVP: Ashton Shewell, 6-5 So. OH, Lehi

Shewell’s main sport is basketball but you could make a case for volleyball as well. In just his second varsity season, Shewell managed 394 kills (4.7 per set) while hitting a robust .367 to go along with 30 aces and 26 total blocks.

Defensive MVP: Aaron Neilson, 6-4 Sr. MB, Orem

Nielson teamed up with Luke Wolsey as perhaps the best middle blocker combo in the state. Neilson contributed 89 total blocks while adding 203 kills (1.9 per set) and hitting .336.

Co-Setter MVPs: Taft Hillman, 6-7 Jr., Maple Mountain and Lucky Jennings, 6-0 Sr., Orem

Hillman was the setter for last year’s state championship and helped repeat the effort with 964 assists (10.6 per set) while adding 69 kills, 29 aces, 77 total blocks and 127 digs. Jennings topped the 4A state champion Tigers with 733 assists (7.7 per set) with 69 kills, 40 aces and 164 digs.

Co-Coaches of the Year: Bill Sefita, Orem and Napoleon Galang, Maple Mountain

All Sefita does is win championships. He has led the Orem girls program to consecutive state titles (2023-24) and then directed the boys program to a 26-6 mark and gold trophy this spring. Galang, an assistant for the Golden Eagles during their 2024 championship season, inherited a lot of talent but kept the program challenged and on target for another state title while posting a 29-1 record.

FIRST TEAM ALL-VALLEY

(Listed in alphabetical order)

Chase Billeter, Jr. OH, Wasatch

Billeter totaled over 300 kills (3.5 per set) for the 5A state runner-up Wasps.

Mattheus Borges Jr. OH, Maple Mountain

Borges provided another potent attacker for the Golden Eagles with 192 kills (2.1 per set) while hitting .260 while also adding 16 aces, 27 total blocks and 153 digs.

Reis Brothers, Jr. S, Springville

Brothers had a terrific year for the Red Devils with 705 assists (8.7 per set) and also totaled 59 kills, 32 aces, 67 total blocks and 108 digs.

Kamohoalii Chan Sr., Spanish Fork

Chan did it all for the Dons with 236 kills (2.6 per set), 45 aces and 178 digs.

Keagan Cundiff, Sr. S, Westlake

Cundiff directed the offense for the Thunder with 940 assists (9.6 per set) and also logged 46 kills, 26 aces, 40 total blocks and 238 digs.

Freddy Dayton, Jr. OH, Lone Peak

Dayton totaled 220 kills (2.3 per set) to go along with 35 aces, 33 total blocks and 211 digs for the Knights.

Waylon Francom, Sr. OH, Payson

Francom led the way for the Lions with 393 kills (3.8 per set) and hit .284 with 40 aces, 51 total blocks and 199 digs.

Max Hale, Sr. OH, American Fork

Hale was the main weapon for the Cavemen, finishing with 354 kills (4.5 per set) and hitting .249 while logging 16 aces, 29 total blocks and 148 digs.

Brady Holt, So. OH, Lone Peak

Holt built on a great freshman season with another good one, ending up with 350 kills (3.7 per set) and hit .279 while adding 28 aces, 43 total blocks and 149 digs.

Ben Hone, Sr. OH, Orem

Hone was a powerful weapon for the 4A state champions, finishing with 305 kills (3.4 per set) and hit .266 to go along with 45 aces, 28 total blocs and 145 digs.

Luke Michaelis, Jr. OH, Cedar Valley

Michaelis had 336 kills (3.1 per set) and hit .303 with earning 36 total blocks and 16 aces.

Cooper Pope Sr. OH, Timpanogos

Pope’s dynamic play led the T-Wolves to a surprise second-place finish in the 4A tournament with 378 kills (4.7 per set) while hitting .263. He also had 33 aces, 51 total blocks and 233 digs.

Ty Reynolds, So. S, Lehi

Reynolds is one of the top young setters in the state and led the Pioneers with 948 assists (11.4 per set) and also managed 35 aces.

JJ Serre Jr. OH, Wasatch

Serre couldn’t be stopped and had over 300 kills (3.7 per set) while hitting .311 for the Wasps.

Brockton Shirley, Sr. OH, Payson

Shirley totaled 337 kills for the Lions (3.3 per set) and contributed 22 aces and 181 digs.

Manase Storey, Sr. MB, Maple Mountain

Storey owned the middle for the Golden Eagles with 165 kills (2.0 per set) while hitting an astounding .498. He also contributed 27 total blocks and 34 aces.

Evan Straw Sr. MB, Springville

Straw was a presence for the Red Devils with 213 kills (2.7 per set) while hitting .350, to go along with 57 total blocks, 21 aces and 162 digs.

Kilika Tafa, Jr. OH, Westlake

The high-flying Tafa was one of the Valley’s most dynamic athletes and ended up with 326 kills (3.9 per set) and hit .238 while adding 28 aces and 39 total blocks.

Preston Taylor Sr. OPP, Salem Hills

Taylor topped the Skyhawks with 303 kills (3.5 per set) to go along with 60 total blocks, 27 aces and 169 digs.

Brayden Thomas, Sr. OH, Pleasant Grove

Thomas led the Vikings with 222 kills (2.6 per set) and fired off 46 aces while totaling 213 digs.

Chance Wallace Sr. L, Timpanogos

Wallace was on top of his game for the T-Wolves with 398 digs (4.9 per set).

Luke Wolsey Jr. MB, Orem

The quick-jumping Wolsey was a headache for opponents, finishing with 175 kills (2.0 per set) and hit .377 while adding 27 aces and 64 total blocks.

SECOND TEAM ALL-VALLEY

(Listed in alphabetical order)

Trevor Allen, So. OH, Lone Peak

Allen had 159 kills (1.7 per set) while totaling 32 aces, 25 total blocks and 190 digs.

Jace Anderson, So. OH, Spanish Fork

Anderson finished with 187 kills (2.0 per set) with 18 aces and 161 digs.

Dylan Avery, Sr. OPP, Lehi

Avery had 151 kills (1.8 per set) and hit .277 while adding 44 total blocks.

Eli Baldwin, Jr. OH, Salem Hills

Baldwin contributed 177 kills (1.9 per set) and tallied 15 aces, 38 total blocks and 162 digs.

Will Beckwith Sr. OH, American Heritage

Beckwith was a top option for the Patriots, finishing with 260 kills (3.5 per set), 51 aces and 124 digs.

Treyvon Cly Jr. L, Orem

Cly had 105 kills but eventually switched to libero, where he totaled 299 digs (2.7 per set).

Talon Colarusso Sr. OH, Provo

Colarusso topped the Bulldogs with 149 kills (2.2 per set) and a total of 51 blocks.

Caden Cox, Jr MB, American Fork

Cox totaled 127 kills (1.7 per set) for the Cavemen.

William Dayton, Jr. S, Lone Peak

Dayton had 766 assists (8.1 per set) and contributed 21 aces, 34 total blocks and 189 digs.

Zaxon Downey Jr. S, Timpanogos

Downey really came on down the stretch and led the T-Wolves with 667 assists (8.3 per set) to go along with 37 aces and 133 digs.

Brody Hemphill, Jr. OH, Mountain View

Hemphill finished with 197 kills (2.2 per set) with 38 aces and 165 digs.

Brody Hulme Sr. S, Wasatch

Hulme was solid at the setter spot for the Wasps, averaging 9.6 assists per set with more than 40 aces.

Josh Johnson Sr. OH, Skyridge

Johnson was one of the top hitters for the Falcons and averaged 2.5 kills per set.

Sam Lowell Sr., MB, Timpanogos

Lowell did good work for the T-Wolves with 55 total blocks and 106 kills (1.6 per set).

Aki Malietoa, Jr.RS, Pleasant Grove

Malietoa added 205 kills for the Vikings (2.0 per set) with 47 total blocks.

Jace Mangum Jr. OH, Payson

Mangum finished with 239 kills (2.4 per set) and hit .232 to go along with 44 aces, 30 total blocks and 241 digs.

Nicholas Nelson, Jr. OH, Mountain View

Nelson did his job of the Bruins, totaling 215 kills (2.4 per set) and adding 41 blocks.

Kimball Olsen Fr. OH, Maple Mountain

Olsen has a bright future with the Golden Eagles after he had 128 kills (1.4 per set) and hit .230 while firing off 32 aces and logging 95 digs.

Evan Olmstead, Sr. L, American Fork

Olmstead, who will play for his father at BYU, ended up with 397 digs (5.0 per set) and also added 13 aces.

Jonny Petersen Jr. S, Cedar Valley

The Aviators relied on Peterson for 602 assists (5.7 per set) as well as 121 kills (1.1 per set), 30 aces and 201 digs.

Marcus Rettinger Sr. MB, Skyridge

Rettinger averaged 2.7 kills per set for the Falcons.

Jacob Ricks, Sr. OH, Timpanogos

Ricks totaled 133 kills (1.6 per set) as well as 215 digs.

Kyson Ririe Jr. OH, Westlake

Ririe packed a punch with 204 kills (2.1 per set) for the Thunder.

Talon Roberts So. S, Salem Hills

The setter for the Skyhawks finished with 750 assists (8.2 per set) as well as 15 aces, 35 total blocks and 159 digs.

Jackson Sanders Sr. OH, Orem

Sanders was a great option for the Tigers with 154 kills (1.6 per set) and added 116 digs.

Alec Slater, Sr. OH, Wasatch

Slater had a great senior season for the Wasps.

Nephi Spendlove, Sr. MB, Springville

Spendlove totaled 89 total blocks and had 112 kills (1.4 per set) for the Red Devils.

Ian Wilson, Sr. OH, Lehi

Wilson contributed 200 kills (2.4 per set) and tallied 41 total blocks.

Thomas Wood, 6-4 So MB, Westlake

Wood was solid in the middle for the Thunder with 171 kills (1.9 per set) and hit .334 while contributing 51 total blocks.

HONORABLE MENTION

(Listed in alphabetical order)

AMERICAN FORK: Evan Johnson, Smith Littlefield, Jackson Mecham, Jarrett Santiago.

AMERICAN HERITAGE: Peter Jacobson, Jake McGhie, Parker Mendenhall, Sam Wilson.

CEDAR VALLEY: Sam Davis, Jordan Easton, Kahana Franco, Elias Hending, Luke Hokanson, Swayden Sabey.

FREEDOM PREP: Joseh Black, Wyatt Leigh, McKay Smith, Parker Taylor

LEHI: Santiago Hernandez. Dax Moore, Taite Stewart.

LONE PEAK: Thomas Beutler, Mason Green, Max Hamblin, Britton Schiess.

MAPLE MOUNTAIN: McKay Beattie, Jonny Hair, Abe Hawkins.

MOUNTAIN VIEW: Mac Earnest, Micah Fairbanks, Adam Maya, Toby Smith, Braxton Ward, Makai Wood.

OREM: Will Brown, Aaron Maya, Isaac Richardson.

PAYSON: Ryan Facer, Dillon Houston, Parker Houston, Teancum Joel.

PLEASANT GROVE: Elijah Barnes, Jason Frink, Nicholas Call, Tyson Thomas.

PROVO: Leif Gonzalez, Jaxson Koford, Hayden Moser, Tucker Snarr, Corban Tidwell

SALEM HILLS: Harrison Egbert, Kooper Stewart.

SKYRIDGE: Alex Caldwell, Fihi Fainga, Trey Mahe, Ben Muir, Boston Prettyman, Devin Willits.

SPANISH FORK: Alec Bluth, Dylan Bluth, Preston Hupp, Sawyer Larsen, Mason Swenson, Braxton Vale.

SPRINGVILLE: Taylor Cook, Christian Hopkins, Garrett Kilgrow, Marshall Patterson.

TIMPANOGOS: Jared Hansen, Crew Kozlowski, Brigham Wohan.

TIMPVIEW: Bowie Asvitt, Christian Puente, Ikaika Reyes, Gaku Toma, Vander Van Dyke.

WASATCH: Foraker Fisher, Grant Hansen, Everett Saunders, Carter Smith.

WESTLAKE: Parker Swenson, Micah Sorensen, DJ Simmonds, Talon Schank.

ALL-VALLEY BOYS VOLLEYBALL HISTORY

Thornton is the second Daily Herald Boys Volleyball Player of the Year after earning Offensive MVP in 2024, the first season of high school volleyball in the state of Utah.

PLAYER OF THE YEAR

2024 Ethan Hillyard, Pleasant Grove

2025 Trey Thornton, Maple Mountain

NEEDHAM — This spring season has been quite a ride for Taunton boys volleyball.

In their first season as an MSHSL-sanctioned sport, Bemidji boys’ volleyball has two athletes being recognized for their play on the court.

Senior captains Reed Johnson and Elijah Caron were two of just 22 selected to the Minnesota Boys Volleyball All-State team. The duo helped lead the Lumberjacks to a 13-2 regular season finish, earning the team their first ever home section playoff game in the sport. It was a game they won 3-0 victory over Coon Rapids, propelling the team to a section semifinal appearance, where their season ended against St. Michael-Albertville.

Reed Johnson was also selected as one of three finalists for the Minnesota Boys Volleyball Coaches Association Player of the Year award. Some are dubbing it the “Mr. Volleyball” award, and much like some of the other “Mr. (insert sport here)” awards, it is a senior career award given to the top player in the state.

“I wasn’t sure how far back everybody else was behind me, so I knew to just keep rolling, to keep going, because I really wanted to get first,” Brooklyn Anderson told a local outlet.

A high school Oregon track star somersaulted her way through the state championship finish line last week.

Brooklyn Anderson, a junior at Thurston High School, turned heads during her somersault finish in the girls’ 100-meter hurdles at the Oregon State Track & Field Championships in Eugene, Oregon, on May 30. To much surprise, Anderson tumbled in at first place. Thurston High School is located in Springfield, Oregon, about 120 miles south of Portland.

Footage captured by the National Federation of State High School Associations shows Anderson, who was already ahead in the race, tripping and performing a double somersault across the finish line. She won the race with a final time of 14.93 seconds. The second-place runner, Maisy Scanlan from Wilsonville High School, came in at 15.15 seconds, according to the Oregon School Activities Association.

“All I remember is resorting back to my gymnastics career and just somersaulting over that line,” Anderson told The Oregonian after her race. “I wasn’t sure how far back everybody else was behind me, so I knew to just keep rolling, to keep going, because I really wanted to get first.”

Celebrating the win, Anderson shared a photo and video of her somersault finish on Instagram.

“Wow, what a memorable season,” Anderson wrote in the Instagram post. “Year 3 is one for the books. Thank you everybody for the support, and especially thank you to the most amazing heat of girls a girl could finish a race with. You guys are awesome. GO COLTS #jryear #somersault #track #100mhurdles.”

The 500-meter hurdles weren’t the only event Anderson competed in. She also placed fourth in the girls’ 100-meter race, third in girls’ long jump and 10th in the girls’ 4-by-100-meter relay, per the Oregon School Activities Association.

Watch high school track star somersault to a first-place finish

High school track athlete somersaults to victory

A high school track athlete competing in a championship 100m hurdles race rolled her way to victory after she tripped near the finish line.

Greta Cross is a national trending reporter at USA TODAY. Story idea? Email her at gcross@usatoday.com.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (June 6, 2025) – The U.S. Women’s National Team won the first two sets before falling short in a thrilling five-setter to Czechia, 3-2 (23-25, 20-25, 25-17, 25-20, 27-25) on Friday night in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

The U.S. (0-3) will have an off day before facing Korea at 1 p.m. PDT on Sunday, June 8, to finish week one of Volleyball Nations League.

Get Tickets to Women’s VNL in Arlington, Texas, July 9-13

The U.S. block dominated the first two sets and finished with a 13-6 advantage for the match. Czechia, which won its first VNL match in its history and defeated the U.S. for the first time ever, led in kills (82-66) and aces (7-2).

Outside hitter Sarah Franklin led five double-figure scorers for the U.S. with 20 points on 19 kills and a block, while middle blocker Amber Igiede totaled 18 points on 13 kills, four blocks, and an ace. Franklin also led the squad with nine successful receptions and added 10 digs,

Middle Molly McCage led all players with five blocks and registered six kills for 11 points. Outside Logan Eggleston also scored 11 points (seven kills, three blocks and an ace). Opposites Logan Lednicky and Olivia Babcock recorded 10 and nine kills, respectively.

Libero Morgan Hentz paced the U.S. with 13 digs and contributed seven successful receptions. Eggleston finished with 11 digs and seven successful receptions. Setter Saige Ka’aha’aina-Torres tallied nine digs and two kills.

The U.S. finished on a 6-2 run to win its first set of the 2025 VNL in the opening set. Franklin and Lednicky each scored four points on kills.

Trailing 15-14 in the second set, the U.S. scored five consecutive points to take control. McCage scored on a slide and her back-to-back blocks made it 20-16. McCage led the team in the set with five points on two kills and three blocks. Igiede, Lednicky and Eggleston each scored four points.

Czechia stayed in the match by passing at a 75 percent success rate in the third set. Igiede scored four points with Franklin adding three.

The U.S. trailed most of the fourth set, drawing within one point at 11-10 and six more times after that, but could not draw even. A kill by Franklin made it 19-18 but Czechia sent the match to a fifth set with a 6-2 run. Babcock produced a team-high six kills in the fourth set.

Two Eggleston kills put the U.S. in front 7-3 in the deciding set and an Igiede kill later in the set made it 11-8. Czechia scored the next four points and had match points at 14-12 and 14-13.

A Franklin kill off a set from Hentz gave the U.S. its first match point at 15-14. Two kills by Igiede and three by Franklin help set up five more U.S. match points, including a Franklin kill that gave the U.S. its 10th match point at 25-24. Czechia scored the final three points, finally securing the victory on its fourth match point. Franklin (six) and Igiede (five) combined for 11 of their team’s 18 kills in the fifth set.

“We got back into that same rut where we lost some consistency early on in the third and put ourselves in a pretty big hole,” head coach Erik Sullivan told VBTV. “Again, I’m proud of the way our team fought through the whole match, but it’s a hard one to swallow. We’ve got some grit and some fight to us, but we’ve just got to figure out the consistency. We can’t have these big lulls in our execution.”

Monica Brancuska of Czechia led all players with 22 kills and 23 points, while Michaela Mlejnkova recorded seven of her 21 kills in the final set.

U.S. Women’s Week One Roster for 2025 VNL

No. Name (Pos., Ht., Hometown, College, USAV Region)
6 Morgan Hentz (L, 5-9, Lakeside Park, Ky., Stanford Univ., Pioneer)
9 Madisen Skinner (OH, 6-2, Katy, Texas, Univ. of Kentucky and Univ. of Texas, Lone Star)
13 Amber Igiede (MB, 6-3, Baton Rouge, La., Univ. of Hawaii, Bayou)
14 Anna Dodson (MB, 6-5, Fort Collins, Colo., UCLA, Rocky Mountain)
17 Zoe Jarvis (previously Fleck) (L, 5-6, Granada Hills, Calif., UCLA and Univ. of Texas, Southern California)
21 Roni Jones-Perry (OH, 6-0, West Jordan, Utah, BYU, Intermountain)
22 Sarah Franklin (OH, 6-4, Lake Worth, Fla., Univ. of Wisconsin, Florida)
24 Olivia Babcock (Opp, 6-4, Los Angeles, Calif., Pitt, Southern California)
27 Ella Powell (S, 6-0, Fayetteville, Ark., Univ. of Washington, Delta)
28 Logan Lednicky (Opp, 6-3, Sugar Land, Texas, Univ. of Texas A&M, Lone Star)
29 Molly McCage (MB, 6-3, Spring, Texas, Univ. of Texas, Lone Star)
32 Saige Ka’aha’aina-Torres (S, Honolulu, Hawaii, Univ. of Texas, Aloha)
33 Logan Eggleston (OH, 6-2, Brentwood, Tenn., Univ. of Texas, Southern)
43 Serena Gray (MB, 6-2, Temple City, Calif., Pitt, Southern California)

Head Coach: Erik Sullivan
Assistant Coach: Mike Wall
Second Assistant Coach: Brandon Taliaferro
Second Assistant Coach: Tayyiba Haneef-Park
Second Assistant Coach: Joe Trinsey
Team Manager: Rob Browning
Team Doctors: William Briner, James Suchy, Chris Lee, Andrew Gregory
Physiotherapist: Kara Kessans
Physical Trainers: Shawn Hueglin, Shannon Boone
Mental Performance Coach: Andrea Becker, Katy Stanfill
Performance Analyst: Virginia Pham

Week 1 Schedule: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Matches will be shown live and on-demand on VBTV. CBS Sport Network and the Big Ten Network will also air matches.

All times PDT
June 4 Italy def. USA, 3-0 (25-13, 25-13, 30-28)
June 5 Brazil def. USA, 3-0 (25-18, 25-17, 25-19)
June 6 Czechia def. USA, 3-2 (23-25, 20-25, 25-17, 25-20, 27-25)
June 8 at 1 p.m. vs. Korea