Preseason top 10
(Last season's record in parenthesis) 1. Brookfield Central (36-9):
The Lancers split the Greater Metro Conference title and bring back their top hitter (Mckenna Wucherer), setter (Tatum Kebisek) and blocker (Morgan Daugherty). Wucherer is the consensus top player in the state.
The Division 1 state runners-up the last two years, the Raccoons graduated their all-state setter and libero but boast a deep, young team with five returning players who each had at least 200 kills in 2019.
A balanced attack and veteran lineup that reached the sectional semifinals is ready to make a run this fall.
Last year's Division 1 champions graduated lots of talent but return five seniors, including four starters, and have program depth built up to reload each year.
The 2019 GMC cochamps return all-conference outside hitter Jacque Stegmeyer and middle blocker Clare Wellenstein, as well as three other starters. And as one opposing coach put it: "Never, ever think DSHA will have a down year, because they don't."
The consensus pick to win the Woodland by conference coaches, the Pirates return nearly everyone from a team that won the conference a year ago.
Few programs are as consistent as Burlington, which has reached state each year but one since 2009. The Demons have the depth to make up for last year's strong senior class graduating, including libero Sam Naber and outside hitters Morgan Klein and Mackenzie Leach.
The Lasers return seven key contributors from a state team that is still very young.
Could the Warhawks be poised to make a run in the GMC? Few teams can match their combo at the net of Tatum Catalano, Lily Wagner, Lauren Sitter and Sophia Brown, and top setter Maddie Connor is also back.
2. Oconomowoc (40-4):
3. Sussex Hamilton (31-14):
4. Arrowhead (42-3):
5. DSHA (31-13):
6. Pewaukee (29-3):
7. Burlington (40-5):
8. Kettle Moraine (29-14):
The Wolverines fell in the sectional final to Kettle Moraine last year and return allstate libero Anna Holland and two-time all-conference middle hitter Alexis Boling.
Players to watch
Boling was a first team all-conference pick as an outside hitter each of the last two years. In 2019, she had 438 kills and a .287 hitting percentage.
The outside hitter has had more than 200 kills in each of her first three seasons and earned honorable mention all-state honors last year.
An honorable mention all-state pick as a sophomore in 2019, Gillen averaged 3.5 kills and 2.9 digs per set.
Graves hit .414 and led the Chargers with 254 kills as a junior en route to a spot on the all-conference first team.
Part of an exciting young core at Kettle Moraine, Grocholski had 371 kills and a .278 hitting percentage as a
freshman.
9. Germantown (31-12):
10. Waukesha West (23-21):
Alexis Boling, sr., Waukesha West:
Bella Bratzke, sr., Kenosha Indian Trail:
Elise Gillen, jr., Slinger:
Lakyn Graves, sr., Sussex Hamilton:
Grace Grocholski, soph., Kettle Moraine:
Anna Holland, sr., Waukesha West:
One of the best defensive specialists in the state last year, Holland had 608 digs to go along with a conference-best 83 aces. She was named second team all-state in Division 1 as a libero.
Tatum Kebisek, jr., Brookfield Central:
Kebisek was second in the state in assists last year with 1,176, averaging just under 10 per set as the distributor for one of the best teams in Wisconsin.
Playing for the D1 state runner-up, Koch was named honorable mention all-state with 203 kills on a .301 hitting percentage, but her blocking was her strong suit. She had 132 blocks to lead the Raccoons and finish sixth in the state in the category.
Haley Koch, jr., Oconomowoc:
Sammy Seib, sr., Catholic Central:
The biggest offensive threat on a team that has been to the last two Division 4 state championship matches, Seib had 542 kills and 4.8 per set last year. Seib was also fourth in the state with 573 kills as a sophomore in 2018.
Jade Stefan, sr., Arrowhead:
The setter is the key piece back for the defending D1 state champs, coming off a season in which she led the state in assists and was named honorable mention allstate.
Kadi Stigler, sr., Menomonee Falls:
A game-changer at libero, Stigler's seven digs per set was the highest average in the state last fall.
Mckenna Wucherer, jr., Brookfield Central:
A Minnesota recruit and one of the top prep prospects in the nation, Wucherer's 592 kills as a sophomore were second in the state.
Mark Stewart and Curt Hogg