It was a historic season for the Dawson Eagles a year ago, as they advanced to the UIL 6A Division I State Finals and finished with an impressive 42-5 record. This year's squad will have a different look following the graduation of standout seniors Jenna Thedford (Texas A&M) and Avery Koonsen (Stephen F. Austin).
Longtime head coach Lauren Leth has also moved on to become a middle school principal. Enter the Taylor Frederick era. The former Dawson player and Manvel assistant takes over as head coach, tasked with building upon one of the state's premier volleyball programs.
Leading the way for the Eagles will be returning first-team all-district setter Alexa Koonsen, outside hitter Marley Ifems (second-team), libero Jenna Hussein (honorable mention), and middle blockers Ariel McDonald and Aniyah Jackson.
"Reestablishing our culture is our top priority this season, as we return only four varsity players," Frederick said. "Confidence and a team mentality are paramount, while trusting the process and trusting each other will be key to our success."
Despite the turnover, Dawson has enough talent and leadership in place to remain one of the area's teams to watch in 2026.
