Walton posted 25 points on 70% shooting, including 10-13 from the free throw line vs. the Flyers on New Years Eve. She scored 14 of those points in the fourth quarter to secure the Patriots’ 74-59 victory. Walton also scored four rebounds and dished out four assists. 

The Patriots went 2-0 last week, continuing their undefeated streak in conference play, and stretching their overall record to 8-6 on the season. 

“Brittnay is the perfect addition to our staff. She comes to us highly-recommended and is a very well-respected coach in the volleyball community. I am excited to add her energy, extreme enthusiasm and competitiveness to our gym,” said Wargo-Kearney. “Brittnay is a great relationship builder and will have the trust of our players, as well as future Wolfpack athletes. I have no doubt her impact on our program will make us stronger and she will continue to put together strong recruiting classes as our recruiting coordinator. I am fired up to welcome her to Raleigh!”

Estes joins the Pack after spending the last four seasons at her alma mater, Lipscomb. 

She helped coach the 2023 ASUN Player of the Year, Meg Mersman, to All-American, All-Region honors, in addition to three All-ASUN honors. 

In her first season with the Bison in 2020, she helped guide the squad to their seventh ASUN Regular Season Championship and seventh Tournament Championship after the group finished with a 14-2 overall record and 11-1 conference record. 

Prior to joining the staff in Nashville, Estes spent five years in Los Angeles, California where she played one season of beach volleyball for Loyola Marymount as a graduate student before playing pro for the Associate of Volleyball Professionals (AVP), the country’s most extensive premiere beach volleyball tour. 

A standout outside hitter for the Bison, the Palm Harbor, Florida native was a four year starter and was tabbed the 2015 Conference Player of the Year. During her senior campaign, she was tabbed the ASUN Tournament MVP. She remains in the top-five in the Lipscomb record book for several stats, including kills per set and kills per set in a five set match. 

Over the course of her time in Nashville, she collected two All-Conference selections, two All-Tournament team nods, and four Player of the Week honors. She was also a two-time AVCA All-Region honoree. In 2020, she was named to the ASUN All-Decade team.

Estes graduated from Lipscomb in 2016 with a bachelor’s degree in Journalism and New Media. She also earned her master’s degree from Loyola Marymount in Educational Studies. 

LONGVIEW — Five Tyler Legacy volleyball players earned honors on the Blue Bell/Texas Sports Writers Association Class 6A All-State Volleyball Team, the organization announced on Monday.

Taylor Woods and Maddie Goin were honorable mention selections as outside hitters. Mikel Reed and Aubrey Felton earned honorable mention honors at middle blocker. Kate Priest was an honorable mention pick at libero/defensive specialist.

Woods, a Louisiana Tech signee, had 379 kills, 285 digs, 25 blocks, 44 aces, 497 serve/receive receptions and a 2.08 average. Goin had 235 kills, 194 digs, 21 blocks, 300 serve/receive receptions and a 2.04 average. Reed had 124 kills, 52 blocks and 48 digs. Felton had 112 kills, 62 blocks, 13 aces and 41 digs. Priest had 328 digs, 419 serve/receive receptions and a 2.11 average.

The Lady Raiders went 22-10, qualified for the playoffs for the first time since 2021 and won a playoff match for the first time since 2007.

Longview’s Triniti Jackson was a third-team pick at setter. Teammates Alyssa Grissom, Jaharia Hunter and Landry Tubb were honorable mention selections at middle blocker, outside hitter and libero/defensive specialist, respectively.

Jackson had 702 assists, 401 kills, 313 digs, 45 blocks and 60 aces. Grissom had 201 kills, 91 blocks, 31 aces and 56 digs. Hunter had 331 kills, 222 digs and 32 blocks. Tubb had 628 digs, 28 aces and 42 assists.

State champions Byron Nelson (Division I) and Southlake Carroll (Division II) earned the top superlatives in voting. Byron Nelson’s Sophee Peterson was named Player of the Year in Class 6A, and Leslie Jackson of Southlake Carroll earned Coach of the Year honors.

Voting was conducted by TSWA members based on nominations from coaches and TSWA members from around the state.

COACH OF THE YEAR: Leslie Jackson, Southlake Carroll

PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Sophee Peterson, Byron Nelson

FIRST TEAM

Middle Blockers: Kinsley Young, Southlake Carroll; Camille Presley, Austin; Kerington Thornton, Round Rock

Outside Hitters: Layla Austin, Southlake Carroll; Avery Koonsen, Pearland Dawson; Marlee Lightsey, Comal Canyon

Setter: Sophee Peterson, Byron Nelson

Libero/Defensive Specialist: Jenna Thedford, Pearland Dawson

SECOND TEAM

Middle Blockers: Taliah Angwekwe, Stony Point; Callie Funk, Katy Tompkins; Keaton Points, Pearland Dawson

Outside Hitters: Kylie Kleckner, Byron Nelson; Riley Malloy, Austin; Saniya Reynolds, Cy Ranch

Setter: Logan Sanders, Comal Canyon

Libero/Defensive Specialist: Taylor Wright, Copperas Cove

THIRD TEAM

Middle Blockers: Ryea Jackson, Duncanville; (tie) Madyson Carr, Cy Ranch; (tie) Micah Rusher, Oak Ridge

Outside Hitters: Kylie Rodriguez, Forney; Ashley Seay, Byron Nelson; Jaylyn Tuiasosopo, O’Connor

Setter: (tie) Triniti Jackson, Longview; Audrey Cook, Stratford

Libero/Defensive Specialist: Emerson Chang, Manvel

HONORABLE MENTION

Middle Blockers: Carinne Bouie, Goose Creek Memorial; Mikel Reed, Tyler Legacy; Aubrey Felton, Tyler Legacy; Khadijah Blue, Cibolo Steele; Mia Carrasco, Eastlake; Alyssa Grissom, Longview; Carolina Elizondo, Laredo Alexander; Jocelyn Joyner, O’Connor

Outside Hitters: Jaharia Hunter, Longview; Taylor Woods, Tyler Legacy; Nevah English, Manvel; Karina Deylen Mendivil, James Madison; Sloane Ranney, Pearland Dawson; Simone Heard, Plano East; Giselle Gandara, Eastlake; Leila Ceaser, Oak Ridge; Jasmyn Walker, Manvel; Peyton Smith, Duncanville; Maddie Goin, Tyler Legacy; Elisa St. Rose, Katy Thompson; Halle Thompson, Grand Oaks; Gwen Koss, Stafford; Mary-Christine Crutcher, Mansfield

Setter: Olivia Pena, O’Connor; Maggie McCarroll, Austin; Tinsley Welker, Fort Bend Austin; London King, Manvel

Libero/Defensive Specialist: Kaylee Parker, Cy Ranch; Landry Tubb, Longview; Isabella Cordaway-Dreier, Round Rock; Lainey Monroe, Katy Tompkins; Kate Priest, Tyler Legacy

The Highland Park ISD board of trustees recognized the district’s history-making volleyball team at its Dec. 16 meeting.

Head coach Michael Dearman called the Class 5A Division I state champions “a very special team.”

“We, of course, were chock full of talent. You’re looking at several All Americans here. But that’s not the real story about this team. The real story about this team is about closeness, and the family, and the trust that we had with one another,” he said. “They played for each other. It was an amazing, amazing experience.”

Dearman recognized each Lady Scot and the team’s coaches individually.

Ruy, a 6-foot-2 outside hitter originally from Salt Lake City, Utah, spent the past season at Maryland, making 10 starts and appearing in 24 matches and 63 total sets. Ruy totaled 126.5 points last season, averaging 2.01 per set, and recorded 112 kills, 71 digs, 20 blocks and three aces. She posted a season-high 16 kills against Davidson, also clearing double-digits with 12 kills against Iowa. Ruy posted a season-high 13 digs against Coastal Carolina, narrowly missing a double-double with nine kills. 

Prior to Maryland, Ruy spent two years at Arkansas, redshirting in 2023 before making 24 starts and appearing in 25 games in 2024. As a redshirt freshman, Ruy ranked third on the team in total kills (221), kills per set (2.81) and service aces (13), also totaling 123 digs and 25 blocks. She recorded 11 double-digit kill matches and posted three double-doubles during SEC play, doing so with 11 kills and 10 digs against Florida, 12 kills and 11 digs at Ole Miss, 16 kills and a season-high 14 digs against Oklahoma. She earned SEC Co-Freshman of the Week honors on Nov. 11 after posting a career high 17 kills and .452 hitting percentage in the Razorbacks’ sweep of South Carolina.

Ruy was a four-year starting outside hitter for Woods Cross (Utah) High School where she was named to the All-State Team as well as All-Region in each of her four seasons. Ruy led the Wildcats in kills per set (4.0), overall kills (417) and aces (76) her senior season and led the team high in kills per set and aces per set in three of four seasons in high school. Ruy also played for Club V Volleyball, where she placed third nationally and was a three-time Under Armour All-American camp invitee.

Fans can follow the Aggie volleyball program on Twitter, @USUVolleyball, on Facebook at /USUVolleyball or on Instagram, @usuvolleyball. Aggie fans can also follow the Utah State athletic program on Twitter, @USUAthletics, Facebook at /USUAthletics and on Instagram, @USUAthletics.

 – USU –