North Allegheny
Head Coach: Heidi Miller (5th year as head coach, 18th year with program)
Returning Starters:
5-7 junior outside hitter/defensive specialist Erin Carmody
5-11 junior setter/right-side hitter Piper Morningstar
5-11 senior outside hitter Maria Mosbacher
Other Players to Watch:
5-4 senior setter Kellan Baldis
6-0 junior middle hitter Kayla Dinkins
5-9 junior middle/right hitter Mikayla Logan
5-9 senior setter/right hitter Emily Keiser
Season Outlook:
We will have a different group of players on the floor this year, but no lack of skill, athleticism, or experience. We are working on playing with an intensity and competitiveness that will help us in tough games which there will surely be many of!
Section Favorite:
I would think Shaler, Pine Richland, Seneca Valley, and North Allegheny will all be strong teams.
WPIAL Favorite:
In addition to the teams in our section, I expect Oakland Catholic and Upper St. Clair to have strong teams along with some other programs that always put a competitive group on the court like Mt. Lebanon and Baldwin.
Young Players To Watch:
5-11 sophomore middle/right hitter Anna Sprys
North Hills
Head Coach: Anna Sondergard (4th year at North Hills, 6th overall)
Returning Starters:
6-2 Senior Middle hitter Ingrid Spear
6-0 Senior Outside hitter Rachel Licastro
5-9 Senior Middle hitter Emily Quinn
5-6 Senior Opposite Anna Treser
5-8 Senior Outside/Right Hitter Trinity Ryan
5-4 Junior Setter Callie McClintock
Season Outlook:
North Hills volleyball is full of veterans with 9 returning varsity players. The team is led by a talented group of 6 seniors with height, talent, and drive. Competing in one of the toughest sections in the WPIAL forces North Hills to work hard and remain focused.
Section Favorite: North Allegheny.
Norwin
Head Coach: Mary Ellen Ferragonio
Returning Starters:
Senior outside hitter Taylor Ingel
senior middle hitter/defensive specialist Danielle McMaster
Senior outside/middle hitter Nicole Novak
Senior libero/outside hitter Maria Tomas
Penn-Trafford
Head Coach: Jim Schall (19 Years)
Returning Starters:
5-11 Junior Middle Hitter Jess Heiman
6-0 Senior Middle Hitter Taylor Wisniewski
5-7 Senior Outside Hitter Jess Edwards
5-6 Senior Libero Meghan Marasti
5-7 Senior Setter Sara Scanio
5-6 Senior Defensive specialist Emily Zuchelli
Season Outlook:
We have a good group of returning players. I think we can be a competitive team if we make some improvements throughout the year.
Section Favorite:
The section will be competitive with Hempfield being the favorite.
WPIAL Favorite: North Allegheny
Young Players To Watch:
We have two young players to watch: junior setter Samantha Kelly and sophomore outside hitter Stephanie O'Donnell.
Peters Township
Head Coach: Ashley Green (6th Year)
Assistant Coaches: Nicole Oakes, April Santavy
Returning Starters:
5-7 senior setter Sarah Neky
5-11 senior middle hitter Adianna Williams
5-9 junior outside hitter Brooke Hjerpe
5-8 junior outside hitter Clare Kovacs
Pine-Richland
Head Coach: Amanda Fetter (5th year)
Assistant Coaches:
This year we have had some wonderful additions to our staff in Hanna Muzzonigro and Julia McCabe. They join Cassie Muzzonigro-Pratte and Donna Pfeifer.
Returning Starters:
Nicole Kordenbrock 5-9 Senior
Emma Cottrill 6-1 Senior
Katie Dorundo 5-8 Senior
Hannah Cottrill 6-0 Junior
Callie Polce 5-10 Junior
Madelyn Schieder 5-3 Sophomore
Season Outlook:
This year we have a great mix of talent and a wonderful group of leadership among our girls. We have some strong players in important positions and we are looking forward to see how this year plays out for us.
Section Favorite:
I think that as always, our section is going to be a tight race. NA and Seneca are always very talented, and Shaler is very good as well. It should be really interesting to watch everything play out.
WPIAL Favorite:
Seneca Valley, Oakland Catholic, Upper St. Clair, Baldwin, I honestly am not sure who the favorite would be this year, but the teams listed should all be very good.
Young Players To Watch:
Anna Jurkovec (Pine RIchland), Dominique and Alanna Felix (Oakland Catholic), Katie Weston (Canon-McMillan).
Plum
Head Coach: Carly Bonk (1st year)
Returning Starters:
Brianna Bialota (5’10” Junior Outside Hitter)
Skyler Kuttner (5’11” Senior Middle Blocker)
Angela Mamatas (Senior 5’8” Setter/Right Side Hitter)
Season Outlook:
Our goal is to be a strong playoff contender with a mix of veterans and new upcoming varsity players.
Section Favorite:
The teams that made playoffs last season were Armstrong, Oakland Catholic and Fox Chapel in our section.
Shaler
Head Coach: Amanda O'Connor (2nd Year)
Returning Starters:
5-10 senior outside hitter Sydney Schmitt
5-8 senior outside hitter Bridget Nickel
5-6 senior defensive specialist Kara Bosilovich
5-4 senior defensive specialist Sydney Bostick
5-9 junior setter Leah Cunningham
Season Outlook:
Moving in to a new section which has a reputation of being dominant in girls volleyball, the Shaler Area Girls Volleyball team has been training twice a week with two strength and conditioning coaches from Allegheny Health Network and participating an additional two days a week with summer open gyms. This summer anticipated varsity players also committed and participated for 8 weeks in a high school summer league out of the Southpointe Court House. This team is eager to compete at a high level and have taken all the right steps to beat prepare them for the upcoming season. We are excited to welcome 13 new players this season to our program which includes 11 freshman and 2 sophomores to complete our 27 player JV/Varsity Roster. Each girl will play a significant role in the training and competition of the Shaler Area Girls Volleyball program as we see this group of young players with a lot of potential.
Young Players To Watch:
I expect Sophomore Oyinda Agbale to make a significant impact to our Shaler Varsity team this season.
Upper St. Clair
Head Coach: Alex Hinsey (3rd year)
Returning Starters:
6'2 Junior Outside Hitter Alex Amos
6'0 Junior Outside Hitter Isabelle Walsh
5'9 Senior Setter Kindler Norman
5'11 Senior Middle Hitter Elia Kallick
5'11 Junior Right Side Hitter Leslie O'Malley
5'8 Sophomore Defensive Specialist Maryn Foster
Season Outlook:
We return a large number of starters from our team last year that was the most successful in school history. We'll look to use that talent and experience to try and go even further this year.
Section Favorite:
I think Baldwin will be the pre-season favorite in our section because of their success the past few years but I also think Bethel Park and USC will be near the top. I think this is arguably the toughest section in the WPIAL from top to bottom.
WPIAL Favorite:
Baldwin has won the last 2 WPIAL championships and until they're beaten, they're the favorite in our eyes at USC. Seneca Valley, North Allegheny, and Pine Richland should have very good teams as well.
Young Players To Watch:
At USC, I would expect Freshman Emily O'Malley to make a big impact at Middle Hitter. She had a very good summer coming into her Freshman year with good showings in our summer league and at team camp.