Girls volleyball: 5 storylines to watch in Kendall County in 2024

The Record Newspapers girls volleyball preview will appear later this week, with info on every local team. Until then, here are five storylines to look out for in the 2024 season.

Can Oswego build on history?

It was quite a 2023 season for the Oswego volleyball program. The Panthers won their first 11 matches, best start in program history. Oswego went 29-7 to smash a program win record, came a win away from the school’s first volleyball conference title and then won just the program’s fourth regional title – first since 2011.

What do the Panthers do for an encore?

The pieces, at least, are in place for Oswego to be right back in the same position this fall. Long Beach State recruit Sidney Hamaker, the 2023 Record Newspapers Player of the Year who smashed a single-season school record 392 kills as a junior, leads a great core of returning talent. Also back is senior setter Ava Flanigan and senior outside and Western Michigan commit Mia Jurkovic, both All-Area picks as juniors, as well as right-side Kelsey Foster. Oswego’s top three pin hitters, its setter and libero last year were all juniors.

Oswego is primed to win its first conference championship and perhaps play even deeper into the postseason.

Can new-look Newark sustain program success?

Newark has enjoyed quite a run of sustained success. The Norsemen have topped 30 wins in six consecutive seasons in which a full schedule was played, and have topped 20 wins in every season a full schedule was played since 2006. Newark is coming off a 33-5 season, unbeaten Little Ten Conference championship and its sixth straight regional title.

But it will be a new look in Newark this fall.

All-Staters Lauren Ulrich and Kiara Wesseh were among nine seniors that graduated, and newcomers will replace those key positions lost. Adrianna Larson and Addison Ness are the top returning hitters and Elle Norquist is back at libero.

Recent track record would suggest that Newark will keep it rolling, but this group could take some time to jell as the season progresses.

Youth served at Yorkville

There will be a learning curve for a young Yorkville team this fall.

The Foxes graduated four starters from last season. But the biggest loss was the transfer of dynamic outside hitter Joelle Pye-Blacknard, an incoming sophomore, to Naperville North. That leaves senior outside Charlee Young and junior Lili Casbarian as the top returning players from a 13-23 team. Yorkville likely will fight to be a middle-of-the-pack team in a challenging Southwest Prairie Conference.

Can Plano and Sandwich move up in the KRC?

Plano and Sandwich’s first volleyball season in the Kishwaukee River Conference was a challenging one. Plano took sixth in the league, Sandwich seventh.

But both have reason to believe they can move up.

Plano has shown steady improvement the last three seasons, from three wins in 2021 to seven in 2022 to 10 in 2023. There is a good dose of experience returning, led by third-year varsity players Rita Lauro and Kalia Young. The Reapers are shooting for at least fifth in the league, and 13-15 wins or more.

Sandwich, meanwhile, returns all but two starters from last year’s 7-win team, with senior libero Brooklyn Marks in her third year on varsity. The Indians are aiming to break into the top four in the league.

Can Oswego East get back on track?

Oswego East, to no surprise, took a step back last season after a historic 2022. The Wolves two years ago won the program’s first conference and regional titles, and broke a program win record with 27 wins. But with two varsity returners, Oswego East went 4-26 last season.

Can the Wolves get back on track this fall?