You've already seen the VYPE Austin preseason private school volleyball rankings, so it's time to learn about the contenders. Check out the team breakdowns below, and learn about the sleepers and dark horses in the coming days!
No. 1 Austin St. Michael's Catholic Academy Crusaders (Reached 2018 TAPPS 5A state final)
Austin St. Michael's Catholic Academy advanced to last year's TAPPS 5A state final, and will be in contention for the ultimate prize in 2019. The Crusaders will lean on senior Kathryn Morton and junior Nora Carlson because they're coming off second-team all-state seasons. Juniors Jillian Bruegging and Alexis Threadgill will also play a big role, as evident by their 2018 second-team all-district seasons.Additional leadership will come from 2020 athlete and district honorable mention Olivia Muth.
No. 2 Austin Waldorf School Roadrunners (Reached 2018 TAPPS 2A state final)
Austin Waldorf School suffered a hard-fought five-set loss in last year's TAPPS 2A state final, so it's hungry to finish on top in 2019. The Roadrunners return a lot of talent and experience, so the sky's the limit.Charlotte Brenner, Risa Olson, Daisy Palmer and Miranda Sekel will lead the charge because they earnedfirst-team all-state honors in 2018 and are back for their senior season. Ruby Tunney is also a Class of 2020 member and leads fellow second-team all-district honorees Ruby Bledsoe (junior) and Eva Maguire (sophomore). The team depth continues with district honorable mentions Mabel Andrae and Clara Pickens, who are back for their senior and junior years respectively.
No. 3 Round Rock Christian Academy Lady Crusaders (Reached 2018 TAPPS 3A state semifinal)
Round Rock Christian Academy won TAPPS state volleyball championships in 2012 and 2017, and finished two wins short at last year's TAPPS 3A state semifinal, so it's gunning for the season's ultimate prize in 2019. Luckily for the Lady Crusaders, they will lean on a dominant lineup again. Senior Lydia Headley and junior Natalie Womack lead the pack as all-state players, but don't forget aboutfirst-team all-district junior Juliana Rodriguez. In addition to them, Kaitlyn Vasquez provides depth as a second-team all-district honoree, and district honorable mention seniors Makaila Beardmore and Katie Snyder round out the notable talent.
No. 4 Texas School For The Deaf Rangers (Reached 2018 TAPPS 4A regional final)
Texas School for the Deaf is coming off a trip to the TAPPS 4A regional final, and has the necessary group of talents to stay on course in 2019. First-team all-district Ashlene Etkie will have a big role this season, but she's not alone. Fellow seniors Ashley Harlicker and Kaci Ketchum are second-teamers like junior Jayne Taylor. Other members of the Class of 2020 include district honorable mentions Michaela Kelley and Brianne Leiker, and another 2021 prospect is Zara Thompson, so there's plenty of experience to go around.
No. 5 Regents School of Austin Knights (Reached 2018 TAPPS 5A area round)
Regents School of Austin leaned on a strong senior class to reach last year's TAPPS 5A area round, but still has enough talent to clinch another playoff berth in 2019. Senior Carrie Christian will play a big role because she's coming off a second-team all-district season like 2022 prospects Abigail Daehler and Ava Patton.Juniors Tayler Rood and Sydney Spradley will also be asked to step up because they're coming off district honorable mention campaigns.
For more sports coverage, follow Thomas (@Texan8thGen) and VYPE (@VYPEATX) on Twitter.
Looking to get more involved? Check out ShopVYPE for fresh gear that supports local schools and the VYPE U Ambassador Program. To sign up for the VYPE U Program, apply at VYPEU.com.