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College Park Sr. Setter Caroline Prihoda
SETTING THE TONE: Prihoda, College Park Aim to Silence Doubters in 2025
History isn't made by accident -- and incoming senior Caroline Prihoda knows that better than most.
As the setter for College Park, Prihoda was a driving force behind one of the program’s most memorable seasons, helping lift the team to its first-ever UIL State Tournament appearance last fall. But she isn’t finished yet.
Now, entering her final year with the Cavaliers and committed to play for the University of Kentucky, Prihoda is focused on demonstrating that last season wasn’t a fluke.
“Because we’re in such a competitive district to begin with, I feel that the team is going to enter each match knowing that something is at stake,” Prihoda said. “After finishing third at State last year, we need to know that each point is going to be a battle and nothing will be given to us moving forward.”

That battle-tested mentality comes from experience. In 2024, Prihoda earned Co-Setter of the Year honors in District 13-6A and was named a GHCVA First-Team selection in Class6A.
Her consistency and court awareness were vital to College Park’s playoff push, which ended in a State Semifinal loss to eventual 6A-Division II champion Byron Nelson. Still, last year’s run wasn’t a one-player show.
Defensive anchor Morgan Madison—the district’s Defensive MVP and an All-Tournament pick at State—was widely regarded as the team’s backbone. With Madison now at Baylor University, Prihoda and her fellow veterans know it’s up to them to sustain the program’s momentum.
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“The torch isn’t just going to be passed to me,” said Prihoda. “We have four seniors this year who are returning varsity players, and most of us have played together since we were in about second grade. It honestly comes down to all of us.”
That shared history, she believes, will be key—especially in a season where external uncertainties may start to surface.
“It’s going to be our responsibility to ensure that the chemistry remains strong, since we might face doubts, now that we have to compensate for Morgan’s absence,” she said. “As long as we can get that confidence back again, I’m sure we can make a similar run.”

Confidence, for Prihoda, has never been an issue. In February, she announced her commitment to Kentucky, where she’ll soon join former Cinco Ranch star Kassie O’Brien and a respected SEC program. Her decision, she acknowledged, was about more than volleyball.
“When I went on my official visit, their coaching staff was easily the best I had come to know,” Prihoda explained. “Coach [Craig] Skinner emphasized that Kentucky doesn’t just recruit exceptional players—they intend to bring on exceptional individuals.
“That led me to meeting the team, and I just fell in love with them—the type of people they are, how they carry themselves, and the fact that they lead by example. The unity of it all really stood out to me.”
As her closing year begins, Prihoda isn’t just setting the ball—she’s setting the tone.
With a deep understanding of the game, a loyal core of teammates, and a drive to build on last year’s tremendous success, she enters her senior season not as a follower of history—but as a leader shaping it.
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Cinco Ranch's Kassie O'Brien
MAGICAL: Cinco Ranch's O'Brien one for the ages
Ask anyone around the volleyball landscape from high school coaches to elite club directors, who is the best volleyball player in Houston?
It’s Cinco Ranch senior Kassie O’Brien
She is an uber-talent, but like any great setter… she makes everyone around her incrementally better.
She’s Tom Brady, wrapped in Magic Johnson.
For those who don’t know Magic Johnson, he is the best point guard in the history of the NBA with a Hollywood smile and lovable personality.
Everyone’s bestie with a killer competitive side… that’s Kassie O’Brien.
The 6-foot quarterback led Cinco Ranch to the State Final last season, before falling to juggernaut Grand Oaks. The awards came pouring in as expected for the University of Kentucky-commit throughout the offseason, and her game has only sharpened since we’ve last seen her.
So, now what?
…
VYPE: After reaching the State Final a year ago, what’s the mentality moving forward?
O’BRIEN: “This year is going to look a little different, just from the aspect that we only have six returning varsity players. I don’t want to just settle from last year. I think we still have lots of talent in this program. It's going to take plenty of determination, teamwork, and staying positive if we want to make another deep run in the playoffs, which I do believe we can do again. You just never know, right?”
VYPE: Who has been the most influential person in your life and why?
O’BRIEN: “My parents. They were the ones that laid the foundation and taught me everything I know today. They are always supporting and pushing me to be the very best. With my Mom always setting such an amazing example on what it takes to be successful and my Dad teaching me many valuable lessons, I firmly believe that they have shaped me into the person I am.”
VYPE: What is about Kentucky that made you love the place?
O’BRIEN: “From the minute I stepped onto campus, I fell in love and could picture myself there. The campus is beautiful, but the coaches were even more welcoming and made me feel at home. The interaction between the team and coaches and the culture of the program was huge for me. Everyone was so nice and everything aligned with what I wanted in a school and program.”
VYPE: What’s the most cherished item you have and why?
O’BRIEN: “My scrapbook that my mom made me when I was younger. It has so many pictures from when I was just born to going into kindergarten. This is very special to me because I can look back at all the pictures and it reminds me of my childhood. It brings back so many memories and even some moments I don’t even remember. It is something I will keep forever and hopefully show my own family one day.”
VYPE: Who would be your celebrity dream date?
O’BRIEN: “Gavin Casalegno.”





























