TEXARKANA, Texas — Texas High was well-represented in the District 10-5A all-district volleyball selections, with two players earning superlative honors and several more recognized across the first and second teams.

Senior Kyleigh Perkins was named Co-Utility Player of the Year, sharing the award with Lufkin’s Akira Smallwood. Taryne Stiger, also a senior, earned Co-Blocker of the Year alongside Hallsville sophomore Kylee Fernandez.

Eva Treadway and Sydney Woods were selected to the first team, while Kenley Dewberry and Cruz Hopkins were named to the second team.

Four players earned honorable mention: Karasha Hayes, Zanasia Nelson, Deja Aubrey and Lexie Burton.

Texas High also had 12 players named to the Academic All-District team: Aubrey, Burton, Madelyn Carroll, Dewberry, Hopkins, Phoenix Jones, Acasia Nelson, Zanasia Nelson, Perkins, Stiger, Treadway and Woods.

Hallsville’s Kaycin Farrell was named Most Valuable Player, and Hallsville head coach Tara Wager and her staff earned Coaching Staff of the Year.

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2025 District 10-5A All-District Honors

Most Valuable Player: Kaycin Farrell – Hallsville – JR. No. 25

Most Valuable Hitter: Chesney McCullough – Lufkin – SR. No. 4

Most Valuable Setter: Lilly Fry – Hallsville – SR. No. 3

Co-Utility Player of the Year: Kyleigh Perkins – Texas High – SR. No. 2 and Akira Smallwood – Lufkin – SR. No. 12

Libero of the Year: Danika Cantu – Marshall – JR. No. 13

Co-Blocker of the Year: Taryne Stiger – Texas High – SR. No. 6 and Kylee Fernandez – Hallsville – SO. No. 12

Server of the Year: Ava Wise – Whitehouse – SR. No. 2

Newcomer of the Year: Ja’Lee Flores – Tyler – SR. No. 9/17.

Coaching Staff of the Year: Tara Wager – Hallsville

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1st Team All-District

Lyla Evans – Hallsville

Madi Farrell – Hallsville

Tailor Benson – Hallsville

Eva Treadway – Texas

Sydney Woods – Texas

Ellie Cooley – Whitehouse

Vaida Hocker – Whitehouse

Lily Holzbauer – Whitehouse

Kaylee Garner – Whitehouse

Savannah Bergman – Lufkin

Aleciera Smallwood – Lufkin

Kinlee Smith – Marshall

Jazlyn Duran – Tyler

Kaelyn McLean – Tyler

Emmy Finnerude – Nacogdoches

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2nd Team All-District

Livi Vineyard – Hallsville

Miller Goswick – Hallsville

Caroline Slaten -Hallsville

Kendall Bostik – Whitehouse

Ava Reese – Whitehouse

Jazlynn ONeal – Lufkin

ZaNyia Johnson – Lufkin

Kenley Dewberry- Texas High

Cruz Hopkins – Texas High

Ella Kate Runnels – Marshall

Addi Watkins – Marshall

Ruby Hulen – Mount Pleasant

Miyah Amador-Farrier – Mount Pleasant

Zarriya Swindle – Nacogdoches

Kinsley Fields – Nacogdoches

Elaine McCown – Jacksonville

Gretchen Ault – Jacksonville

Ryan Vega – Tyler

Marilyn Cardenas – Tyler

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Honorable Mention

Karasha Hayes – Texas High

Zanasia Nelson – Texas High

Deja Aubrey – Texas High

Lexie Burton – Texas High

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Academic All-District

Texas High: Deja Aubrey, Alexeia Burton, Madelyn Carroll, Kenley Dewberry, Cruz Hopkins, Phoenix Jones, Acasia Nelson, Zanasia Nelson, Kyleigh Perkins, Taryne Stiger, Eva Treadway, Sydney Woods

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Dec 27, 2025) – USA Volleyball is deeply saddened by the passing of longtime volleyball leader Glen Lietzke, a respected and influential figure whose dedication to the sport touched athletes, families, and organizations nationwide.

A true champion and pioneer of the game, Lietzke’s service spanned decades and encompassed numerous initiatives to grow and strengthen the volleyball community. He was a cornerstone of the sport, the founder of Austin Juniors Volleyball, and an AVCA Hall of Fame inductee.

In 1998, he was inducted into the USA Volleyball Hall of Fame as a recipient of the USA Volleyball George J. Fisher Leadership Award. His impact was felt profoundly at the national level through his work with First Point Volleyball, now an arm of USA Volleyball, and his service on the USA Volleyball Foundation Board, where his vision helped expand opportunities for countless young athletes.

He was a longtime coach, including collegiate stints at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls, Southwest Missouri State University, and the University of Texas. He also coached many teams at Austin Juniors and coached with the U.S. junior and youth national teams.

“Glen Lietzke always amazed me with the depth of his innovation and the lasting influence he had on our sport, shared John Speraw, President and CEO of USA Volleyball. “But what impressed me most in recent years was his generosity and the quiet way he made an impact. I always knew I could call Glen for honest insight and thoughtful perspective. He worked behind the scenes, never seeking attention, always focused on making things better for others. That is what our sport has lost, a humble icon and we have lost a good friend.”

Lietzke was a tireless advocate for the growth of boys and men’s volleyball, investing resources and leadership to help programs thrive in regions where few opportunities previously existed. At the time of his passing, he was actively leading preparations for January’s Southwest Boys Classic, one of the premier events on the national calendar.

Beyond his professional achievements, Glen was a trusted friend to the First Point Volleyball and a visionary leader whose belief in what was possible strengthened the sport. His legacy is one of generational impact; a volleyball community made better, more inclusive, and more vibrant through his lifelong commitment.

USA Volleyball extends its heartfelt condolences to his wife, Kathy, his children, Nathan and Lauren, the Austin Juniors community, and the many athletes, coaches and colleagues inspired by his life and work.

Just a few days ago, coach Craig Skinner and the Kentucky Wildcats volleyball team got a huge lift by landing All-ACC outside hitter Morgan Gaerte from the transfer portal. However, they will also be losing Brooke Bultema. The sophomore middle blocker announced she was transferring, and very quickly found a home with the Louisville Cardinals.

Bultema didn’t see a lot of action down the stretch of the season, but she played well when she was on the court. In 57 sets played, she recorded 92 kills and 55 blocks. Her .264 hit percentage was top five on the team among regular players, and her 1.61 kills per set was fourth. She was second on the team, behind only Lizzie Carr, with .96 blocks per set.

The Kentucky Wildcats volleyball team had one of its most successful seasons ever in 2025, winning 27 straight games and getting to the national championship match. It didn’t end the way they would have hoped, but it was a terrific run that captured the hearts of Big Blue Nation.

Individually, Eva Hudson had a huge season that led to her being named the SEC Player of the Year. He recorded 546 kills to lead Kentucky, and was critical to their success. Her senior season was certainly a special one.

Hudson’s eligibility ended after the season, but she has quickly managed to land a professional deal, signing with LOVB Atlanta. League One Volleyball is set to begin its second season in January, and features six professional teams.

If you wanted a quiet week to process the end of the volleyball season, you picked the wrong sport.

Just days after Kentucky’s historic 27-match winning streak was snapped in a painful 3-0 National Championship loss to Texas A&M, the program was hit with the full “joy and anguish” of the Transfer Portal era.

Craig Skinner didn’t waste time sulking. He went out and landed one of the most dangerous attackers in the country. But in true portal fashion, the news came with a price tag attached. and this one is going to annoy the fanbase.

The Joy: Morgan Gaerte is a problem

First, the massive news. Kentucky announced the signing of Morgan Gaerte, a 6-foot-5 outside hitter from Notre Dame who joins the Wildcats with two years of eligibility remaining.

This isn’t a depth piece. This is a legitimate “terminator.”

Gaerte was a First Team All-ACC selection in 2025 and an AVCA Honorable Mention All-American. Her numbers at Notre Dame were video game stuff:

• 497 kills (School record for the rally-scoring era)
• 4.64 kills per set (Mammoth production)
• 22 straight matches with 10+ kills

Skinner needs firepower to replace what is leaving, and Gaerte is exactly that. She hails from Indiana (ranked the No. 5 player in the nation coming out of high school) and brings the kind of heavy arm that can take over a fifth set, or even prevent it from going that far.

The anguish: Brooke Bultema to the enemy Cards

Now for the part that requires a deep breath.

Shortly after the Gaerte announcement, sophomore middle blocker Brooke Bultema announced she was entering the portal. Transfers happen. Players want playing time. That is part of the game.

The problem? She is transferring to Louisville.

Bultema was efficient when she played (.264 hitting percentage, 0.96 blocks per set), even though her minutes dipped down the stretch. Losing a productive sophomore hurts; losing her to the Cardinals adds a layer of rivalry bitterness that won’t go away quietly.

“Leaving Kentucky was the hardest decision of my life,” Bultema said in her statement. “Not only because I was leaving a school I loved, but people that have forever changed my life for the better.”

Craig Skinner’s message: The fire is lit

Despite the whiplash, Craig Skinner sounded like a coach who is ready to run it back.

“Man. What a ride! This team rejuvenated my fire for coaching,” Skinner said, thanking the 38,000 fans who packed Memorial Coliseum this season. “Thank you, BBN, for being with us every step of the way.”

The 2025 season ended in heartbreak, and the offseason started with a rivalry trade-off. But adding a weapon like Gaerte proves one thing: Kentucky intends to be right back in the Final Four conversation next December.

Not many volleyball players in the North Bay have had a two-year run quite like Cardinal Newman’s Cienna Alvarez.

A transfer from Vintage High School two years ago, Alvarez made an immediate impact for the Cardinals in 2024, helping her team tally more than 20 wins for a second straight season.

Newman reached the semifinal round of the North Coast Section Division 2 playoffs that year and qualified for the Northern California regional tournament, where the Cardinals won their first-round match.

This fall, Alvarez was a focal point for the Cardinals in her senior campaign. She welcomed the pressure and ran with it, leading the way as Newman improved on last year’s finish.

For her success on one of the area’s top teams, Alvarez is more than deserving to be named The Press Democrat’s Volleyball Player of the Year.

This fall, Newman finished second in the North Bay League Oak division behind area powerhouse Windsor and third in the NCS Division 2 playoffs, again qualifying for the the state’s Northern California tourney.

Alvarez was at the center of it all, earning double-doubles in kills and digs almost every match and taking over when needed — like when she put up a season high of 29 kills in a 3-1 win over Salesian to send Newman to NorCals for a third straight year.

In the second round of the Division II bracket, 10th-seeded Newman had No. 2 St. Francis on the ropes, but the Cardinals ultimately fell short in a five-set thriller.

Still, Alvarez had another of her double-doubles with 27 kills and 14 digs to keep her team on the verge of an upset.

She ended the season with 466 kills, the fourth-highest total in the entire North Coast Section. She also earned 41 aces and 263 digs to cap her high school career.