Northern Kentucky volleyball coaches announce their all-region teams

Cincinnati Enquirer

The St. Henry volleyball team celebrates a state championship after a win of Mercy in the state final Nov. 6.

The Northern Kentucky Girls Volleyball Coaches Association (NKGVCA) released its All-Opponent awards for the 2021 season Wednesday night.

The association splits Northern Kentucky into three classes for its awards to mirror the Northern Kentucky Athletic Conference alignment.

The association named three players of the year in Ryle senior Lucy Trump (Division 1), St. Henry senior Taylor Preston (Division 2) and Lloyd Memorial senior Jalyn Ballman (Division 3).

The coaches of the year are Ryle’s Tasha Lovins (D1), St. Henry’s Maureen Kaiser (D2) and Villa Madonna’s Sandi Kitchen (D3).

Kaiser and Preston led the Crusaders to the KHSAA state championship earlier this month, the second in a row by a Northern Kentucky and St. Henry’s second all-time, first since 1981.

St. Henry's Alivia Skidmore during their volleyball tournament game against Letcher County, Monday, Nov. 1, 2021.

St. Henry finished 36-8 overall and won its third state championship all-time in a non-classified sport after winning in girls soccer in 2010.

Preston, a University of Oklahoma signee, had 67 kills in 10 sets in the three state tournament matches. She stepped it up in the state semis and final, posting 27 kills and hitting .302 against Sacred Heart, and knocking down 25 kills with only four errors in 44 attempts (.477 average) against Mercy.

She was named MVP of the state tournament and the Ninth Region Tournament.

For the season, she had 460 kills and 42 blocks, finishing her career with more than 1,300 kills and 250 blocks.

St. Henry's head coach Maureen Kaiser with Natalie Noll during their volleyball tournament game against Letcher County, Monday, Nov. 1, 2021.

Kaiser, St. Henry’s longtime head coach, directed her team to a Ninth Region final win over Notre Dame and then wins over two Louisville powers, Sacred Heart and Mercy, on the final day of the tournament.

Lovins and Trump led Ryle to a 28-9 record, 33rd District championship before losing to Notre Dame in the 9th Region semifinals.

Trump, who has signed with Notre Dame, was named Ms. Volleyball in Kentucky by the state coaches association.

Trump had 464 kills this season while also recording 333 digs, 33 blocks and 43 aces.

Lovins has been Ryle’s coach for 20 years.

Kitchen led VMA to the NKAC Division III title. The Vikings finished 17-10, finishing runner-up to St. Henry in the 34th District Tournament and advancing to the 9th Region Tournament.

Ballman, a senior, led Lloyd with 173 kills and 47 blocks.

Ryle senior Lucy Trump hits a shot during the KHSAA 9th Region volleyball semifinals Oct. 27, 2021, at Conner High School, Hebron, Ky. Notre Dame defeated Ryle 3 sets to 1, and St. Henry beat Cooper 3-0 to advance to the finals.

Division 1

Player of the Year: Lucy Trump (Ryle).

Coach of the Year: Tasha Lovins (Ryle).

First team: Buchi Ajaezu (Cooper), Emily Bentley (NDA), Lilly Hamburg (Conner), Ava Kidd (Ryle), Maia Long (Dixie Heights), Sydney Nolan (NDA).

Second team: Ellee Depenbrock (Conner), Kiana Dinn (Ryle), Chloe Fortner (Cooper), Naomi Hayes (Simon Kenton), Rylee McKinney (Campbell County), Kamden Schrand (NDA).

Honorable mention: Audrey Griffin (Scott), Emma Manser (Campbell County), Azaria Sweet (Boone County), Brittney Tackett (SK), Alexis Woolf (Ryle).

Ryle senior Lucy Trump, middle, congratulates St. Henry seniors Abby Schaefer, left, and Taylor Preston as St. Henry defeated Notre Dame 3-1 (25-21, 25-22, 16-24, 25-22) in the KHSAA 9th Region volleyball championship Oct. 28,, 2021, at Conner High School, Hebron, Ky.

Division 2

Player of the Year: Taylor Preston (St. Henry).

Coach of the Year: Maureen Kaiser (St. Henry).

First team: Julia Hunt (Holy Cross), Maya Hunt (Holy Cross), Kori Reckers (Newport Central Catholic), Abby Schaefer (St. Henry), C.C. Shick (Highlands), Cora Taylor (St. Henry).

Second team: Kyissa Baccus (Newport), Lauren Buemi (Highlands), Maggie Buerger (Walton-Verona), Maddie Kremer (Brossart), Katie Rolf (Beechwood), Alivia Skidmore (St. Henry).

Honorable mention: Jadyn Barnett (Holmes), Corrine Blackburn (Brossart), Megan Camden (Beechwood), Laney Johnson (Holmes), Camryn Kohrs (NCC).

Lloyd Memorial senior Jalyn Ballman gets the ball over the St. Henry block during the KHSAA 34th District volleyball semifinals Oct. 19, 2021, at St. Henry District High School, Erlanger, Ky. Dixie Heights defeated Villa Madonna 3-1 and St. Henry beat Lloyd Memorial 3-0 to advance to the district final.

Division 3

Player of the Year: Jalyn Ballman (Lloyd Memorial).

Coach of the Year: Sandi Kitchen (Villa Madonna).

First team: Mylee Garrett (Ludlow), Portia Kohls (Calvary Christian), Jenna Lillard (Ludlow), Camdyn Meier (VMA), Grace Ransdell (VMA), Ashley Shields (Calvary Christian).

Second team: Arianna Graber (Lloyd), Deja Joseph (Bellevue), Maddie Mitchell (VMA), Haylee Reynolds (Dayton), Savannah Ryan (Calvary), Ally Stone (Heritage).

Honorable mention: Ella Boyers (Dayton), Isabel Enzweiler (Covington Latin), Calah Jackson (Cov. Latin), Ella Mulling (Calvary), Chloe Velasquez (Ludlow).

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