Girls volleyball: 2024 Northwest Herald All-Area Team

Meet the 2024 Northwest Herald All-Area girls volleyball team.

FIRST TEAM

Alex Hopp, Richmond-Burton, sr., S

Hopp ended her high school career as the Rockets' all-time leader in assists with 2,228. In her final season, the dynamic captain led the area with 701 assists along with 81 aces, 37 kills, 119 digs and 10 blocks. Hopp will play next year at Division III Wisconsin-Oshkosh.

Maizy Agnello, Prairie Ridge, so., OH

Agnello was the area’s top attacker with a school-record 483 kills, which broke her mom’s record of 411. The high-flying sophomore tied her season high with 20 kills in the Wolves' two-set win against Chicago DePaul Prep in the Class 3A state tournament third-place match. Agnello also ended her season with 38 aces and 65 blocks.

Elissa Furlan, Richmond-Burton, sr., OH

Furlan helped lead the Rockets to the second most wins in program history with a 36-2 record – and the team lost only five sets all year. The Division I Wright State commit was named Kishwaukee River Conference Player of the Year, recording 302 kills, a school-record 89 aces and 172 digs. She ended her career as the team’s all-time leader in aces with 257.

Morgan Johnson, Crystal Lake South, sr., OH

Johnson again was one of the area’s most impressive all-around players, helping lead the Gators to their first regional title since 2021 with a three-set win over crosstown rival Crystal Lake Central. Johnson recorded 312 kills, 262 digs, 36 aces and 26 blocks in her final season.

Devynn Schulze, Woodstock North, sr., OH

Schulze, who is only 5-foot-5, moved from libero to outside hitter to fill a big need for the Thunder and proceeded to put up a monster season. The Division I Illinois State commit led the KRC with 344 kills and added 282 digs and 46 aces. She ended her high school career with the second most kills in program history.

Georgia Watson, Huntley, sr., OH

Watson, the 2024 Northwest Herald Girls Volleyball Player of the Year, led the Red Raiders to their first state tournament appearance since 2001 and helped bring home the program’s first state trophy since 1997 with a fourth-place finish in Class 4A. The Division I Kentucky commit tallied 408 kills, 189 digs and more than 50 aces. Huntley won the Fox Valley Conference for the third year in a row.

Alli Rogers, Prairie Ridge, sr., L

Rogers was one of the area’s top defenders, and coach Hilary Agnello said the Wolves would not have made it as far as they did without their senior libero. Prairie Ridge made it to the state tournament for the first time since 2018, where it took third in Class 3A, with Rogers collecting 285 digs, 66 aces and 83 assists.

SECOND TEAM

Grace Jansen, Prairie Ridge, sr., S

Elizabeth King, Hampshire, jr., OH

Hadley Rogge, Marian Central, sr., OH

Jorah Rutter, Hampshire, sr., RS-S

Mykaela Wallen, Crystal Lake Central, sr., OH

Bobbi Wire, Crystal Lake South, so., OH

Alex Goritz, Huntley, sr., L

HONORABLE MENTION

Olivia Apt, Crystal Lake South, sr., S

Abriana Bruns, Johnsburg, jr., L

Adelaide Bruns, Johnsburg, fr., S

Lanee Cooley, Richmond-Burton, so., L

Jocelyn Erling, Huntley, sr., MB

Leah Freesemann, Burlington Central, sr., OH

Brianna Gritzman, Burlington Central, sr., L

Alexis Hadeler, Crystal Lake Central, jr., OH

Dani Hopp, Richmond-Burton, so., OH

Julia Laidig, Woodstock, sr., OH

Kylie Lambert, Hampshire, jr., S

Jordan Miller, Jacobs, sr., L

Maura Minogue, Dundee-Crown, jr., L

Alex Rewiako, Marian Central, sr., S

Sienna Robertson, Huntley, sr., OH

Mari Rodriguez, Huntley, sr., DS

Gabby Schefke, Woodstock North, jr., S

Siena Smiejek, Crystal Lake Central, sr., MB/RS

Peyton Strout, Burlington Central, jr., MB

Riley Ten Bruin, McHenry, sr., S

Tegan Vrbancic, Prairie Ridge, so., OH