Player of the Year
Rosana Hicks
SCHOOL Fayetteville
CLASS Senior
HEIGHT 6-1
POSITION Outside Hitter
THE SCOOP The Central Michigan signee carried a huge amount of the offensive load for the Class 6A state champions, even more after senior outside hitter Perry Flannigan was lost to injury in the middle of the season. Hicks was virtually unstoppable in the postseason, including a season-high 31 kills in the five-set win over Springdale Har-Ber in the semifinals.
DID YOU KNOW? Hicks is a voracious reader. She owns more than 200 books, an impressive library for a 17-year-old. She calls young adult her favorite genre, but she also enjoys memoirs. If she has a spare moment between matches at a summer tournament, Hicks will normally have a book in her hand and maybe reading while simultaneously listening to music.
QUOTABLE "I think this season was absolutely amazing. It just felt like we were a team with a purpose. It hadn't felt like that the last two years, having a purpose and drive from covid-19. We didn't know if it was going to be our last game. We just played with everything we had. This season meant the world because every single girl bought into playing for each other."
Coach of the Year
Bridget Freeman
SCHOOL Hackett
THE SCOOP Freeman, a 1997 Mansfield graduate, started the volleyball program at Hackett six years ago with a junior team then got a high school varsity program going the next season. That group of seventh-graders who started the program capped their high school volleyball careers with back-to-back state championships. Freeman led the Lady Hornets to the Class 2A title a year ago, then despite bumping up a classification this year won it in 3A as well. They finished this season 22-1 and a combined 51-3 over the two championship seasons.
DID YOU KNOW? Freeman was an all-state selection in three sports (basketball, volleyball and softball) in high school and went on to a standout volleyball career at Arkansas Tech. Her name is still in the record books at Tech in multiple categories, but she still ranks first in career hitting percentage (.325) and first in hitting percentage for a single season with an eye-popping .412 in 2000. She also earned the Gulf South Conference Commissioner's Trophy in 2001, which is the awarded annually to the student-athlete who combines outstanding performance in athletics with high academic achievement and significant community service and extracurricular activities.
QUOTABLE "Getting the job here at Hackett was a total Godsend. I thought it was crazy. Leaving Mansfield that have phenomenal girls athletics and we have three girls. I just did not understand how he was leading me to a school with no volleyball. I trusted God and he's blessed us for it. This was just an amazing group of kids. They were determined to make this their best year. It was so neat to see them progress over the six years."
Newcomer of the Year
Brooke Rockwell
SCHOOL Fayetteville
CLASS Sophomore
HEIGHT 5-9
POSITION Outside Hitter
THE SCOOP Rockwell was honored as a member of the All Arkansas Preps Underclassmen team. ... She was a solid all-around contributor for the Class 6A state champion Lady Purple'Dogs, finishing with 230 kills, 108 digs, 29 service aces and 304 serve receptions with just nine errors. .. She also stepped up offensively as year progressed especially following the loss of senior Perry Flannigan to injury and then again when Rosana Hicks went out in the state finals. ... Rockwell finished with 18 kills and 22 digs in that state finals victory over Fort Smith Southside.
DID YOU KNOW? Rockwell's grown literally and figuratively. Two years ago, Rockwell was just 5-foot-6 and only played back row. She's now grown to more the 5-9 and touching early 10 feet. Thanks to her physical growth, she became a key offensive contributor as a sophomore this season to help Fayetteville claim the Class 6A state championship. Rockwell is also hopeful to continue what's become a family tradition of taking a ski trip to Colorado. She's been making that trip annually since age three either at Christmas or Spring Break. But covid-19 has put that streak in jeopardy, Rockwell said.
QUOTABLE "This year was a little different for me because I have always mainly been a defensive player, but I have grown so much over the last several months that I have started hitting as well. It's fun to get to play different positions. Winning the state championship was great. We had several great seniors. players and when we had two out with injuries, it even become more important to win for them."
ALL NWADG VOLLEYBALL TEAM
Name; School; Position; Ht; Class; Notable
Player of the Year
Rosana Hicks; Fayetteville; Outside Hitter; 6-1; Sr.; Named All-Arkansas Preps Player of the Year this season, three-time all-state and a four-year starter for the Lady Purple'Dogs. ... was a force offensively for the Class 6A state champion logging 280 kills (4.5 per set) with a .325 hitting percentage.
Coach of the Year
Bridget Freeman; Hackett; Led the Lady Hornets to the Class 3A state title and finished 22-1 and that gave them back-to-back titles after winning the 2A championship a year ago.
Newcomer of the Year
Brooke Rockwell; Fayetteville; Outside Hitter; 5-9; Soph.; Came up especially big after an injury sidelined a starter for the Class 6A state champions. ... Finished with 230 kills and 208 digs for the season.
First Team
Hannah Hogue; Fort Smith Southside; Setter; 5-9; Sr.; Arkansas signee who was a three-time all-state selection. ... Controlled the offense for the Class 6A state runner-up with 650 assists (9.4 per set) to go with 194 digs and 31 aces.
Avery Fitzgerald; Fort Smith Southside; Outside Hitter; 6-0; Sr.; Mississippi State signee was a force offensively for the Mavericks. ... Finished with 274 kills and hit .294 while adding 132 digs and 68 service aces to earn all-state honors for the third straight season.
Caylan Koons; Springdale Har-Ber; Setter/Outside Hitter; 5-9; Jr.; Earned all-state honors for the Class 6A state semifinalist. ... Finished with 529 assists (10.0 per set) to go with 92 digs and 27 blocks for the Central Arkansas commit.
Kat Cooper; Springdale Har-Ber; Middle Hitter; 6-2; Jr.; Was a force offensively, hitting .357 with 161 kills to earn all-state honors and lead the Lady Wildcats to the Class 6A state semifinals.
Hannah Watkins; Greenwood; Outside Hitter; 6-7; Sr.; Was an offensive force for the Lady Bulldogs, hitting an eye-popping .490 with 246 kills and 73 blocks. ... Central Arkansas signee helped lead the Greenwood to the Class 5A state title.
Trinity Hamilton; Bentonville; Outside Hitter; 5-7; Sr.; Was a dynamic all-around player to help the Lady Tigers advance to the 6A state semfinals. ... Earned all-state honors by rolling up 282 kills to go with 277 digs, 341 serve receptions and just four errors.
Jamie Myrick; Bentonville; Libero; 5-2; Sr.; Earned all-state honors and was the anchor of the Lady Tigers' defense, recording an incredible 739 digs (8.7 per set) and 556 serve receptions with just 10 errors to go with a team-high 42 service aces.
Second Team
Kennedy Phelan; Fayetteville; Setter; 5-7; Soph.; Was the quarterback for the Class 6A state champions, running a 5-1 offense. ... Finished with 800 assists (10.8 per set) to earn all-state honors to go with 125 digs, 42 service aces and 32 blocks despite her lack of height.
Madeline Freeman; Hackett; Setter/Outside Hitter; 5-9; Jr.; Earned state tournament MVP and all-state honors in helping the Lady Hornets to the Class 3A title. ... Filled up the state sheet to the tune of 328 assists, 205 kills, 200 digs and 71 service aces to help Hackett to a 22-1 finish.
Anna Johnson; Greenwood; Setter; 5-6; Sr.; Earned all-state honors at the controls of the Class 5A state champion Lady Bulldogs' offense. ... Accumulated 688 assists (9.3 per set), to go with 141 digs and 25 aces.
Emerson Traweek; Shiloh Christian; Outside Hitter; 5-11; Sr.; Helped the Lady Saints to the 4A-Northwest Conference title this season and earned all-state honors. ... Led Shiloh Christian with 257 kills and a .299 hitting percentage and also added 30 aces, 230 digs and 351 serve receptions.
Josey Goldberg; Pea Ridge; Outside Hitter; 5-11; Sr.; Earned all-state honors for a fourth straight season, finishing her high school career with more than 1,000 kills and 1,000 digs. ... Accumulated 301 kills, 31 aces and 265 digs this season.
Aleigha Johnson; Fort Smith Southside; Middle Hitter; 6-0; Sr.; Was a force in the middle for the Mavericks, hitting .422 with 150 kills and 45 blocks. ... Was a three-year starter and three-time all-conference selection.
Gracyn Spresser; Fayetteville; Libero; 5-8; Sr.; Earned state tournament MVP honors and was the anchor defensively for the Lady Purple Bulldogs. ... Headed to Missouri State to play beach volleyball. ... Finished with a team-best 341 digs to go with 281 serve receptions and 29 service aces.
All-State Volleyball
Class 6A
Jamie Myrick, Bentonville; Trinity Hamilton, Bentonville; Hailey Fairchild, Cabot; Abby Masters, Conway; Karis Scott, Conway; Kennedi Wyrick, Conway; Kennedy Phelan, Fayetteville; Rosana Hicks, Fayetteville; Caylan Koons, Springdale Har-Ber; Kat Cooper, Springdale Har-Ber; Catalina Williams, Mount St. Mary; Chloe Festervand, North Little Rock; Jada Lawson, North Little Rock; Althea Bishop, Fort Smith Northside; Avery Fitzgerald, Fort Smith Southside; Hannah Hogue, Fort Smith Southside.
Class 5A
Jalise Stewart, Batesville; Layla Wilson, Beebe; Abigail Lagamann, Benton; Hannah Brewer, Benton; Laci Bohannan, Benton; Morlee Vanover, Greenbrier; Zoie Lee, Greenbrier; Anna Johnson, Greenwood; Hannah Watkins, Greenwood; Jurnee Hicks, Hot Springs; Alicia Shaw, Jacksonville; Abby Johnson, Jonesboro; Rosalind Lutes, Jonesboro; Taylor Abernathy, Jonesboro; Audri Winfrey, Lake Hamilton; Cassidy King, Lake Hamilton; Daylee Aiken, Lake Hamilton; Katie Ballard, Hot Springs Lakeside; Maddie Trusty, Hot Springs Lakeside; Wesley Divers, Hot Springs Lakeside; Abigail Jansen, Little Rock Christian; Hallie Martin, Little Rock Christian; Harper Stokes, Little Rock Christian; Anna Caroline Fesmire, Marion; Daedrianna Cail, Marion; Kora Wilson, Marion; Kylee Sabella, Mountain Home; Ruthie Jacimore, Russellville; Madison Taylor, Sheridan; Makenna Thomas, Siloam Springs; Brooke Moore, Van Buren; Presley Crader, West Memphis.
Class 4A
Lindsey Cross, Bauxite; Lauren Compton, Berryville; Abbey Hammons, Brookland; Ashton Hamrick, Brookland; Rachel Mooneyham, Brookland; Skyler Maynard, Brookland; Landry Cates, Fountain Lake; Patience Campbell, Fountain Lake; Presley Hamric, Fountain Lake; Sophie Skinner, Fountain Lake; Jasmine Armer, Harrison; Olivia Didmanson, Harrison; Reese Ricketts, Harrison; Chelsea Wilson, Joe T. Robinson; Greacic Lyle, Mena; Lauren Sikes, Mena; Morgan Puckett, Mena; Kennedy Reel, Morrilton; Josey Goldberg, Pea Ridge; Lauren Langley, Pulaski Academy; Lauren Whitehead, Pulaski Academy; Ryleigh Beckemeyer, Pulaski Academy; Avery Porter, Shiloh Christian; Emerson Trayweek, Shiloh Christian; Rylee Odell, Shiloh Christian; Alexia Matthews, Batesville Southside; Callie Jo Robbins, Batesville Southside; Lexie Dale, Batesville Southside; Ashley Lamkin, Valley View; Michayla Mears, Valley View; Natalie Supine, Valley View; Reese Owens, Valley View
Class 3A
Porsha Randle, Ashdown; Caitlyn Isely, Atkins; Allison Jackson, Baptist Prep; Brooklyn Zarlingo, Booneville; Reagan Jones, Central Arkansas Christian; Gracie Koch, Charleston; Charlie Reddel, Dover; Hannah Jackson, Episcopal Collegiate; Jalie Tritt, Episcopal Collegiate; Mary Jewel Janes, Episcopal Collegiate; Jamye Durham, Hackett; Madeline Freeman, Hackett; Rain Vaughn, Hackett; Ally Murphy, Harding Academy; Becca Dugger, Harding Academy; Brooks Faulkner, Harrisburg; Jadyn Hesse, Harrisburg; Ellery Gillham, Hoxie; Jaedyn Brown, Hoxie; Kailey Moody, Hoxie; Callie Pederson, Jessieville; Autumn Fuller, Mayflower; Akira Robinson, Paris; Alyssa Komp, Paris; Brailey Forst, Paris; Annalee Massey, Piggott; Claire Bellers, Piggott; Macey Williams, Piggott; Kacilyn Bishop, Rose Bud; Kyanna Poole, Rose Bud; Haylie Fry, Valley Springs.
Class 2A
Megan Bean, Abundant Life; Eden Bristeer, Conway Christian; Emily Dather, Conway Christian; Rachel Mohr, Conway Christian; Ashley Garay, Cotter; Kate Cheek, Cotter; Mai Tathong, Cotter; Brenna Metts, Flippin; Madi Hopson, Flippin; Allison Newman, Izard County Consolidated; Alyssa Weaver, Lavaca; Anna Davis, Lavaca; Anna Todaro, Lavaca; Tori Kelly, Lifeway Christian; Brooke Wright, Mansfield; Madelen Jones, Mansfield; Natalie Allison, Mansfield; Allison Holzwarth, Maumelle Charter; Kayla Jackson, Maumelle Charter; Taylor Hooten, Quitman; Erica Tudor, Salem; Maggie Mooney, St. Joseph; Savannah Mooney, St. Joseph; Molly O'Dell, Thaden; Skylee Clayton, Crowley's Ridge Academy; Mallory Hollis, Crowley's Ridge Academy; Traca Bolin, Cedar Ridge; Kate Rovence, Cedar Ridge; Jenna Primm, Ridgefield Christian; Jenna Berny, Ridgefield Christian; Alexis Jones, Barton.