Introducing the 2025 All-News-Herald Volleyball First Team

SARAH GIROUX | Flat Rock: Arguably the Downriver area’s top team for a second straight year, Flat Rock made its first-ever trip to the Division 2 state championship game thanks to a host of players. Providing the most charisma for the Rams once more was Sarah Giroux, who is now a two-time all-state honoree. The junior led all local outside hitters with over 500 kills, doing so at a 34 percent hit rate, while also digging out over 300 shots and collecting over 50 aces.

MACY HARRISON | Allen Park Inter-City Baptist: The folks over at Inter-City Baptist collected their sixth regional title in program history and a big reason why was a strong final high school season from Macy Harrison. A three-sport standout at the school, Harrison was one of three Chargers to receive all-state status at season’s end. In addition to her over 700 assists, the senior setter was efficient in sneaking in over 100 kills as well, doing so at a near 40 percent clip.

MIA HYDE | Trenton: If there was one local team that was Flat Rock’s equal this past fall, it was the newly-crowned News-Herald Invitational champions at Trenton. A run to their eventual first-ever D1 regional crown was largely behind the swing of hitter Mia Hyde, who has earned first-team all-News-Herald honors now in three straight years. The senior all-state recipient finish with just over 400 kills, 355 digs, 46 blocks, and a strong 2.2 rating in the serve receive department.

CHLOE SMITH | Allen Park Inter-City Baptist: Few local players, if any, provided a strong back row presence for her team during the season than Chloe Smith did for Inter-City. One of those three aforementioned all-staters for the Chargers, no area libero dug out more shots than the 602 put up by Smith. The senior also posted over 50 assists, 62 aces, and an above-average 2.05 serve receive rating.

LILY KLEIN | Flat Rock: If there were ‘comeback player of the year’ honors to be had, Flat Rock’s Lily Klein would likely be the runaway winner. After missing all of the 2024 season due to injury, Klein returned to the middle to solidify a stout front-net presence for the Rams in the fall. The junior joined her teammate Giroux in being named all-state after tallying 252 kills at a 33.6 percent hit rate, as well as 69 blocks.

DANERIS GOMEZ | Allen Park Inter-City Baptist: Staying at the front of the net, Inter-City figures to give opposing teams problems there with Daneris Gomez in the fold for multiple years to come. Still only a sophomore, Gomez took a big jump forward for a Chargers team that came up just shy of reaching the state semifinals in D4. She ended the year with 224 kills, a .387 hit percentage, and just under 70 blocks.

SIMONE CICOTTE | New Boston Huron: One of the stronger and more battle-tested programs locally this fall was Huron, which housed one of the more touted hitters in Simone Cicotte. An all-Huron League and all-region honoree, Cicotte “showcased exceptional versatility” according to Chiefs head coach Devon Newman. The senior and Madonna University signee logged well over 300 kills as well as north of 30 blocks and aces each.

BAILEY ELLIS | Allen Park: It was another strong season on the hardwood for Allen Park, which is no stranger to possessing one of the area’s top hitters on an annual basis. This year for the Jags, that honor went to Bailey Ellis, who was the team’s “go-to attacker on the outside” according to head coach Brooke Martin. The senior was named both all-Downriver League and all-region after finishing with 400 kills, 30 blocks, and 30 aces.

SONIAH ROBINSON | Brownstown Woodhaven: Elsewhere in the Downriver League, another program with a tradition of boasting strong hitters on the outside is Woodhaven. Their best such performer on the outside for the past two seasons now has been Soniah Robinson, who earns first-team all-area honors for a second straight season. Robinson, who recently signed to play at Aquinas College next year, finished the year with over 200 kills and digs each, as well as 30 aces.

KASSIDY KORNDORFER | Trenton: Perhaps the most prolific at arguably the most important position on the floor, Kassidy Korndorfer took a considerable leap forward after being named second-team all-News-Herald in 2024. No local setter tallied more assists this past season than the 920 put up by Korndorfer. The junior all-region standout did a little bit of everything for the Trojans, evident by her 200+ digs along with 62 aces in the service game.

HANNAH HESSE | Flat Rock: Another repeat all-area honoree, Hannah Hesse “continues to improve every year” according to Flat Rock head coach Morgan Delhey. Though they’ve had to navigate using two superb setters, Hesse has helped paved the way for the Rams’ recent success in the sport. The junior was named both all-Huron League and all-region after setting up over 700 Flat Rock points. She also finished with well over 200 digs.

LILY MACDONALD | Allen Park: A fixture on the back row for Allen Park each of the last two seasons, Lily MacDonald “kept consistency in high intensity moments” per Coach Martin. Another returning first-team all-area honoree from the year prior, MacDonald wrapped up her high school career for the Jags having earned both all-DRL and all-region status. She finished with 500 digs and a very strong 2.6 serve receive rating.

GIABELLA DEANGELO | Gibraltar Carlson: A largely young but talented Carlson program took another step forward. Perhaps the biggest sign of such was a strong sophomore campaign from Giabella DeAngelo, who Marauders head coach Regan Sliwinski says the team relied on regularly for her “steady play and ability.” An all-region libero at season’s end, DeAngelo collected over 250 digs while also serving at a rate just shy of 92 percent.

KYLEE AGUIRRE | Trenton: Much like her setter teammate Korndorfer, Trenton’s Kylee Aguirre makes the jump up to first-team all-News-Herald after a strong final prep season on the hardwood. An all-Downriver League honoree, the senior defensive specialist finished with an area-best 380 digs at her position. She also provided a lot of value in the serve receive department with an above-average 2.1 mark.

MADELINE FRANK | Allen Park Inter-City Baptist: There has been a strong core of players for several seasons at Inter-City and Madeline Frank has been one steady piece of that. A two-time all-area honoree in basketball at the school as well, Frank is a hitter by trade but often finds herself wearing several hats for the Chargers. In addition to just under 200 kills, the senior recorded over 400 digs and a 2.07 pass rating.

REAGAN HIGDON | Flat Rock: The team over at Flat Rock may very well own the best 1-2 hitting combo in the Downriver area with Reagan Higdon opposite of Sarah Giroux. A three-time all-area honoree in track during the spring, Higdon finished the volleyball season with over 250 kills, 300 digs, and 100 aces. Coach Delhey praised the senior for her consistency in “defense and serve receive” also.

BRISTOL DAVENPORT | Southgate Anderson: Despite the team’s relative struggles during the season, Anderson’s Bristol Davenport made a strong first impression on the high school circuit. Splitting time between outside hitter and defensive specialist, the freshman for the Titans was named both all-DRL and all-region after finishing with 233 kills, 148 digs, 36 aces, and a 91.1 serve receive percentage.

BRENNA PIERSON | Allen Park: Another local player earning first-team honors for a second straight season is Allen Park’s Brenna Pierson, who Coach Martin says “showed strong consistency while staying aggressive.” No local middle blocker racked up more kills than the 300 put up by the senior Pierson, who also collected 70 blocks and over two dozen aces. All of that was good enough to earn all-DRL and all-region honors.

RYLIE HAWKINS | Wyandotte Roosevelt: On a team where underclassmen logged a majority of the playing time, it was a senior in Rylie Hawkins who was arguably the most important piece for Roosevelt. A second-team all-area honoree a season ago, Hawkins was named to the all-region team after averaging over three kills and roughly one block and ace per set for the Bears. She also turned in hit and serve rates of 30 and 93 percent, respectively.

ALLISON GUYETTE | Riverview Gabriel Richard: No local program enjoyed a bigger turnaround from 2024 than Gabriel Richard and head coach Elizabeth Clemence. The unquestioned driving force for the Pioneers was Allison Guyette, who the charismatic Clemence dubbed the team MVP and praised for being “steady and very reliable on the court.” The senior setter earned all-Catholic honors in the Catholic League after putting together a strong stat line of 625 assists, 146 kills, and 102 aces.

AVA RYAN | New Boston Huron: The bigest reason for why Cicotte and her fellow Huron teammates received countless point opportunities was the play of Ava Ryan at the setter position. An all-conference and all-region performer, Ryan displayed “smart decision-making and precise ball placement” according to Coach Newman. The senior for the Chiefs finished with just shy of 600 assists, a little more than 200 digs, and served an incredible 98 percent rate.

STELLA SOBUSH | Wyandotte Roosevelt: Another one of the few upperclassmen that Roosevelt regularly leaned on was Stella Sobush, who like her teammate Hawkins was named all-region at season’s end. An all-conference recipient in the Downriver League as well, Sobush averaged around four digs across the Bears’ 80+ sets played on the season. The junior was also strong in the serve game with a 2.2 receive rating at a 91 percent serving mark.

SLOANE HASLER | Riverview Gabriel Richard: One would be hard-pressed to find an underclassman who played well above her class than Richard’s Sloane Hasler. The season-long production speaks for itself for Hasler, who Coach Clemence says “consistently held her own in her position.” In addition to her near 500 digs, the freshman libero for the district-champion Pioneers served at a very reliable 95 percent rate.

ELLE DWYER | Flat Rock: Helping fill out their group of all-region starters, Elle Dwyer shined as flat rock’s No. 1 defensive specialist all season long. Dwyer, who “steps in to any defensive role” according to Coach Delhey, received all-Huron League status as well after picking up well over 200 digs on the back row. The junior for the Rams also chipped in with just under 30 aces.

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.

Hoboken, N.J. – Looking to defend their Middle Atlantic Conference Championship, the Stevens Institute of Technology men’s volleyball team was selected first in the MAC Preseason Coaches Poll, it was announced Friday.
 
The Ducks collected 62 points and six first-place votes, with Messiah earning 58 points and the remaining three first-place votes. Rounding out the top four were Misericordia (51 points) and Stevenson (40 points).
 
Arcadia was slotted fifth with 35 points, while Widener registered 29 points to place sixth. Rounding out the poll were Eastern (25 points), King’s (16 points), and Hood (8 points).
The Ducks, who won their fourth consecutive MAC Championship last season, open the 2026 campaign by hosting St. Joseph’s (Long Island) and Drew in a tri-match on January 16.
 
2026 MAC Men’s Volleyball Preseason Poll

GRAND FORKS — When it comes to athletics, geography isn’t always a benefit in attracting those outside the region to Grand Forks and UND.

For new UND volleyball coach David Nguyen, however, his move from New Jersey to North Dakota had a lot to do with location.

“Knowing that there’s a really big hub in recruiting, that as a coach, kind of just threw green flags right away,” said Nguyen, who made his first public comments in Grand Forks on Wednesday in the media room at Ralph Engelstad Arena. “The research I’ve done with my family — and family is a huge thing for me — it’s making sure my family is in a good situation. Everything I’ve researched about Grand Forks and the Midwest, it’s community is the first thing that comes up. That’s really important for me, and I’m excited to be part of that.”

As head coach, Nguyen brought Fairleigh Dickinson to the NCAA tournament in 2022 and won the Northeast Conference (NEC) regular-season championship in 2023.

Nguyen was named NEC coach of the year twice in four seasons at Fairleigh Dickinson. His teams went 9-5, 11-3, 11-3 and 12-4 in the NEC. Before his arrival, Fairleigh Dickinson went 3-11, 2-6, 3-13, 0-14, 1-13 and 1-13 in the NEC.

Nguyen wants to establish a base of recruiting within UND’s traditional footprint.

“We will be strategic with our recruiting process, starting with the regional players within our area,” Nguyen said. “My job is to make sure that we keep the North Dakota players that are quality players and quality for the culture. This whole recruiting process is going to be all over the place, but we do live in the hot bed of volleyball, so our focus will start with Minnesota, along with Wisconsin and Nebraska. There’s going to be a lot of really good volleyball around this area for us to recruit.”

Nguyen said UND’s campus can be a recruiting tool.

“The campus is beautiful,” he said. “I’ve done a lot of research, as well, so I’m able to see the campus while it’s green. I’m excited for the area, and I’m excited to explore a little bit more, as well.”

Nguyen will have a rebuilding project at UND. The Fighting Hawks have posted eight consecutive losing seasons as the program spiraled from a strong mid-major under Ashley Hardee (2009-13) and Mark Pryor (2014-18) to a floundering team in the Summit League.

UND, under previous head coach Jesse Tupac, went 7-20 and 4-12 in the Summit last season. It has not yet won a match at the Summit League tournament since joining the conference in 2018.

“We need to get this program back to where it used to be,” Nguyen said. “I think we can get there. The support and everything that the university has given us, it’s right there. It’s right there for the taking, and we’ve just got to make sure that we move it in the right direction.”

Nguyen said his successful teams at FDU were known for creativity.

“Position-less volleyball is kind of how I come at it,” Nguyen said. “I like players that come in and have the ability to play multiple positions and are able to adapt to different things. I think that’s what we’ve been successful at at my previous school, and I’m looking to do the same thing here at UND. I want to bring in players that are adaptable into different situations.”

UND athletic director Bill Chaves and UND President Andrew Armacost were in attendance for Nguyen’s initial press conference. Nguyen said when he received the call about landing the job, he couldn’t believe it.

“I can’t believe how far my family and I have come throughout this process,” Nguyen said. “I started at the very bottom of the things, being a volunteer assistant, being a manager. Now, it’s just like a big flagship school like UND is offering me a position … I’m just grateful.”

Former Hallsville standout Pyle signs with Sam Houston volleyball

Published 10:35 am Friday, January 2, 2026

Lauren Pyle, a three-year starter at Hallsville High School and two-year standout at Tyler Junior College, will continue her academic and athletic career at the 4-year level after signing a volleyball national letter of intent with Sam Houston State University recently.

“Sam Houston reached out to me, and that gave me a lot of confidence,” Pyle said of her decision to sign with the Conference USA school located in Huntsville.

“I went to visit, and just liked the environment,” she added. “It felt like family, and I really liked the program they are building there. The campus is awesome, and the program is just a good fit for me. I just felt strongly it was where I wanted to be for the next two years.”

Pyle spent the past two seasons at Tyler Junior College, recording 1,415 assists, 171 kills, 372 digs and 102 aces during that span.

She was the Region XIV Conference Setter of the Year and a first team all-region selection after the 2025 season, recording 995 assists, 122 kills, 50 aces and 285 digs during a season that saw the Apache Ladies finish 17-14 overall and 10-6 in conference play.

“Tyler was awesome,” Pyle said of her time at TJC. “I was able to grow and learn as a player, and was able to become more of a strategic player, a better player and a better all-around athlete.”

Prior to heading to TJC, Pyle was a standout at Hallsville High School – recording 2,975 assists, 1,052 digs, 464 kills, 261 aces and 101 blocks in her final three seasons with the Ladycats.

She played sparingly as a freshman, and then recorded 830 assists, 55 aces, 72 kills, 34 blocks and 246 digs as a sophomore. Pyle had 1,042 assists, 100 aces, 167 kills, 25 blocks and 382 digs as a junior for Hallsville, and capped her high school career by recording 1,103 assists, 106 aces, 225 kills, 42 blocks and 424 digs her senior season.

Pyle said she will be a setter – either in a 6-1 or 5-2 offense – at Sam Houston, and looks forward to taking the next step.

“I plan to go in and fight for my spot,” she said. “They have another setter coming out of high school, but they want my experience that comes with having two years (of college) under my belt. They know how competitive our conference is, and they want my leadership and experience.”

Tyler competed in the Region XIV Conference along with Trinity Valley, Blinn, Panola, Navarro, Lee, Wharton and Coastal Bend.

Sam Houston is a member of Conference USA with UTEP, Western Kentucky, Kennesaw State, Florida International, Liberty, Jacksonville State, New Mexico State, Missouri State, Delaware, Middle Tennessee and Louisiana Tech

Trevor Clevenot has been part of the French men’s national team for more than a decade, during a period that has delivered the greatest results in the programme’s history. Across that time, he has built a reputation based on consistency and reliability rather than visibility.

Even after winning Olympic gold medals in Tokyo and Paris, Clevenot does not speak about success as something that lasts by itself. For him, high-level volleyball remains subject to constant change, a reality he acknowledges when reflecting on the past year with the national team.

Trevor Clevenot shares a moment on court with setter Antoine Brizard and superstar outside hitter Earvin Ngapeth during France’s gold medal run at Paris 2024.

“I think 2025 was a difficult year for our national team. We didn’t manage to reach our objectives,” he said. “Yesterday’s truth is not today’s truth in high-level sport, and especially in volleyball. We will have to go back to work and improve if we want to perform in 2026.”

Clevenot has been a regular presence in the French lineup throughout the most successful era in the team’s history. While others have often taken attacking responsibility, his role has focused on defence, stability and decision-making, particularly in tight moments.

At club level, he is now based in Ankara with Ziraat Bankasi, where he plays alongside stars Nimir Abdel-Aziz of the Netherlands and Poland’s Tomasz Fornal, players he has faced frequently at international level. The shift from opponents to teammates has been straightforward, forged by familiarity and the daily demands of training.

“I was lucky enough to play with them in my previous clubs. They are great players, but above all great people,” he said. “Training every day with top-level players is very inspiring and pushes you to keep improving.”

Life in Turkey has required adjustment after spells in France, Italy and Poland, but Clevenot says he has settled quickly. Living in a different environment has influenced not only his professional routine but also his life away from the court.

“Ankara is a big city, and for me the balance between volleyball and life outside the court is very important,” he said. “I’ve found a very good balance here. You have to adapt to the culture, but that’s also a real source of personal growth.”

Trevor Clevenot stays locked in during Volleyball Nations League action, focused on his role and the details that hold France together.

Looking ahead to 2026, Clevenot does not frame the season around personal targets. With commitments at both club and international level, his approach remains unchanged and focused on consistency rather than outcome.

“2026 will be another very demanding year, both for the club and the national team,” he said. “I don’t set myself specific objectives, but I always try to give the best of myself. The results will be a consequence of our preparation and the level of commitment we put in throughout the season.”

Trevor Clevenot during Volleyball Nations League 2025 action.

Success does not come with a finish line for Trevor Clevenot, only the reality that each season starts again on equal terms.