Arkansas
Arkansas high school volleyball: Meet the state’s top setters
A football team has a quarterback. A basketball team has a point guard. A volleyball team has a setter.
If there is one thing in common with those positions, it is that they are the one who is largely responsible for making decisions on the floor and making sure the other playmakers get a chance to be successful.
With volleyball season around the corner, here is SBLive’s list of the top 25 setters in the state of Arkansas. Statistics are from the 2023 season and comments are from coaches when they nominated their players for the 2023 SBLive all-state team.
Players are listed in alphabetical order.
Audrey Adair, 5-5 senior, Bentonville
Adair had 728 assists on the season with 59 aces and 207 digs while earning all-conference honors and being named to the Bentonville High School Early Bird all-tournament team.
Hayden Allen, 5-9 senior, Rogers
Allen had 419 assists for the Lady Mounties a year ago. She had a season-high 28 assists in a 3-1 victory over Rogers Heritage.
Piper Batie, 6-1 junior, Fayetteville
Batie, who transferred from Gravette, has committed to Missouri. At Gravette, she had 482 assists with 370 kills, 270 digs and 113 aces. She had a season-high 32 assists in a 3-1 victory over Lincoln, 22 kills in a 3-2 victory over Prairie Grove, 19 digs in a 3-1 victory over Clarksville and a season-high six aces in victories over Siloam Springs and Seneca, Mo.
Laura Cathey, 5-6 senior, Little Rock Central
Cathey had 394 assists, 23 aces and 137 digs for the Lady Tigers a year ago. She had a season-high 24 assists in a 3-2 victory over North Little Rock and had 16 digs in a 3-1 victory over Bryant.
Laila Creighton, 5-7 senior, Shiloh Christian
Creighton had 1,092 assists, 88 kills, 21 blocks and 225 digs while earning all-state and all-state tournament honors. “Laila took control of the offense this year after running a 6-2 last season. She showed maturity with her decision making and led our offense extremely well. This team had the highest hitting percentage in a while for Shiloh, and that speaks to the decision making of Laila (as well as how productive our hitters were). She was steady this year and also made it look easy,” said Shiloh Christian head coach Nathan Bodenstein.
Sydney Crowder, 5-9 junior, Little Rock Central
Crowder had 327 assists and 118 digs a year ago for the Lady Tigers.
Mattyx Cureton, 5-6 junior, Jonesboro Westside
Cureton had 671 assists, 285 digs and 23 blocks for the Lady Warriors, who reached the Class 4A state tournament.
Presley Curry, 5-9 senior, Mansfield
Curry had 600 assists, 45 aces, 115 digs, 20 blocks and 28 kills while earning all-conference honors.
Sunnie Davis, 5-5 senior, Sheridan
Davis had 577 assists for the Lady Yellowjackets, who finished 25-5 a year ago.
Loren Eckhart, 5-11 senior, Greenwood
Eckhart had 870 assists with 41 kills, 61 aces, nine blocks and 246 digs while earning all-conference honors for the Lady Bulldogs.
Addie Fielder, 5-8 senior, Baptist Prep
Fielder earned all-state and all-state tournament honors with 918 assists, 215 digs and 76 aces. She had a 37 assists in a 3-0 victory over Hackett in the Class 3A state championship match. She had a season-high 19 digs in a 3-0 victory over Bryant and a season-high seven aces in a 3-0 victory over Jessieville.
Brennan Holland, 5-6 senior, Valley View
Holland, who is the second setter for the Blazers in a 6-2 set, had four kills, 39 aces, 404 assists and 188 digs.
Drew Hudspeth, 5-6 senior, Benton
Hudspeth had 602 assists in a 6-2 offense with a season-high 42 assists in a 3-2 victory over Shiloh Christian. She added 70 aces, 44 kills and 208 digs.
Rachel Krafft, 5-7 senior, Fort Smith Northside
Kraft had 334 assists a year ago as a backup to Caroline Snow. She is expected to be the Lady Grizzlies’ starter at setter. She had a season-high 39 assists in a 3-1 victory over Bentonville West.
Lauren Latham, 5-9 senior, Hot Springs Lakeside
Latham, who committed to Kansas State, earned all-state and all-state tournament honors for the Lady Rams, who shared the 5A-South Conference title with 5A state champion Benton. She had 45 aces, 181 kills, 64 blocks and 718 assists in a 6-2 set with 224 digs.
Riley Owens, 6-2 senior, Valley View
Owens had 91 kills, 60 aces, 445 assists, 225 digs and 11 blocks for the Blazers, who ran a 6-2 set.
Maggie Miller, 5-7 senior, Marion
Miller had 888 assists, 54 aces, 16 blocks and 328 digs while earning all-state honors and being selected as AVCA Phenom. “We ran a 5-1 with Maggie again this season,” said Marion head coach Lisa Beasley. “Although tiny, she is mighty. Maggie had a great season. She set a school record for career assists with 1,774 so far. Maggie is a wonderful teammate and leader; she works her tail off. I have seen her do amazing things with a volleyball. What she lacks in size, she more than makes up with her heart. I can’t say enough about this young lady; she has already left a legacy in this program and school, and she isn’t finished yet.”
Mileah Neal, 5-9 senior, Fort Smith Southside
Injuries limited Neal’s playing time as a junior to 23 matches, where she finished with 279 assists playing on a team that uses a 6-2 set. She had a season-high 23 assists in a 3-0 victory over Springdale Har-Ber. She had 112 digs with a season-high 10 against Fort Smith Northside and 25 aces with a season-high seven against Har-Ber.
Lily Roark, 5-5 senior, Mayflower
Roark had 763 assists, 285 digs and 24 aces a year ago for the Lady Eagles. She had a season-high 45 assists and 25 digs in a 3-2 loss to Central Arkansas Christian. She had a season-high four aces in a 3-0 victory over Little Rock Southwest.
Chloe Rodriguez, 5-11 senior, Brookland
Rodriguez had 1,057 total assists, 109 kills, 269 digs, 52 aces and 31 blocks for the Bearcats, who repeated as Class 4A state champions. She also earned all-state and all-state tournament team honors and recently committed to Northwest Mississippi Community College. “Chloe excelled in many areas outside of being a setter,” said Brookland head coach Nancy Rodriguez. “She ran a very efficient and balanced offense and was key to our success this season.”
Emma Schnackenberg, 5-8 junior setter, Episcopal Collegiate
Schnackenberg earned all-conference honors with 505 assists and 192 digs and 40 aces. She had a season-high 33 assists in a 3-2 victory over Mayflower. She had a season-high 19 digs and 6 aces in a 3-1 loss to Central Arkansas Christian.
Haley Thomas, 5-7 junior, Siloam Springs
Thomas had 48 aces and 84 kills while hitting .218 with 755 assists and 199 digs on the season. She had a season-high 54 assists against Mountain Home and had 46 assists against Russellville. She earned all-state honors and was named setter of the year in the 5A-West Conference. “Haley’s one of the hardest working players you’ve ever met. She is constantly pushing herself to meet new goals. Her teammates would frequently turn to her to ask questions about the strategy of the game, and she knew how to adjust the offense to put our team in situations to score. She was also an attack option for us by finding the right time and places to score on a dump, and she led our team in aces. She is a well-rounded, smart, coachable, and hungry young athlete, and I am so grateful to have her as a part of our program,” said Siloam Springs head coach Carrie Thammarath.
Emerson Traylor, 5-9 senior, Bryant
Traylor had 299 assists playing in a 6-2 offense with 116 digs and 32 aces while earning all-conference honors and committing to Louisiana Tech. “Emerson is one half of a 6-2 offense that had over 700 assists for the season,” said Bryant head coach Leigh Ann Back.
Emma Kate Vertz, 5-7 senior, Prairie Grove
Vertz had 45 aces, 100 kills, 242 digs and 815 assists for the Lady Tigers, who reached the second round of the Class 4A state tournament where she earned all-state honors.
Reese Wilburn, 5-4 senior, Bryant
Wilburn had 442 assists, playing in a 6-2 offense with 29 aces and 181 digs while earning all-conference honors and committing to TCU. “Reese is one half of a 6-2 offense that had over 700 assists for the season,” said Bryant head coach Leigh Ann Back. “She is a calming influence on the court.”
– Jeff Halpern | @SBLiveARK
Bismarck, Ark. (KATV) — If your idea of a perfect summer getaway includes a clear lake, plenty of elbow room and enough activities to keep the whole family busy for days, DeGray Lake might be calling your name.
In the run-up to America’s 250th birthday, DeGray Lake is being highlighted as Arkansas’ only resort state park — a place designed to be a one-stop vacation spot where guests can settle in and stay put.
“We are Arkansas’s only resort state park, and with that, we have enough to keep a guest and their family busy for really a whole week,” a park representative said.
The park’s setup is meant to keep everything in one place, from the lodge and pool to the restaurant and swim beach. Visitors can also find trails, four stables, golf, disc golf, fling golf and interpretive programs held every day during the summertime.
“So really, the whole package is designed so that people, they would never leave, never need to leave the park while they’re here on vacation, they can be here all week,” the representative said. “We’ve got your food, we’ve got your lodging, we’ve got plenty to keep you busy and having a good time. That’s what makes us Arkansas’s only resort state park.”
Water sports are a big summertime draw, and the park also offers a range of ways to stay overnight — whether you want comfort, something in-between, or a more traditional camping experience.
“If you like getting in the outdoors, but you don’t like staying in the outdoors, you can come stay in our comfy lot,” the representative said, noting the lodge has 96 rooms. For a “step up from camping,” the park also has three yurts available, described as a more glamorous option with bunk beds, a sky dome and a door that locks. Campsites are also available, ranging from RV hookups to simple tent sites.
For anglers and lake lovers, the park representative said the fishing is great and the water is clear, with options that include line fishing, spear fishing and scuba diving.
“It’s a beautiful lake,” the representative said. “We’re nestled right here in the foothills of the Ouachita Mountains.”
The park is described as a little off the beaten path — but that’s part of the charm.
“I tell people all the time it’s kind of like the best kept secret, because you look out there at that lake, not too busy,” the representative said.
For more information on planning a visit, click here.
LITTLE ROCK, AR (KATV) — Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders has joined a new national artificial intelligence initiative that launched Thursday, June 25.
RAISE US, started by former Governor Eric Holcomb of Indiana and Gina Raimondo, former U.S. Secretary of Commerce is a nonpartisan national organization that will partner with governors, employers, workers and training organizations to help the workforce transition to an AI economy.
“As artificial intelligence transforms America’s economy, we have one clear message: technology should empower people, not replace them. By leveraging our Arkansas LAUNCH initiative, and with the resources and expertise provided by RAISE US, Arkansas will turn that mission into reality. We want the Natural State to be a leader on education, workforce training, and up-skilling, and this new partnership gives us the tools we need to build a model for the entire nation.”
The organization will design and pilot incentives to retrain workers, new approaches to support job transitions, and training models tied to employer demand.
RAISE US launches with more than two dozen American companies and philanthropies and initial state partnerships in Connecticut, Maryland and Utah.
“America has a technology strategy for leading the global AI competition. It does not yet have a people strategy — and we cannot lead without one,” Raimondo, who will serve as CEO of RAISE US, said.
“If we build the best AI systems in the world and leave millions of Americans behind, we won’t have won anything; we’ll have automated our own decline. I believe AI will create new jobs and industries over time, but the transition could be disruptive, and it’s already underway. We shouldn’t fearmonger, but we can’t pretend our training and worker support systems are ready either. It’s time for innovative and practical solutions. This moment demands ambition, urgency, and creativity. We’ve assembled the country’s top companies, best economists, and bipartisan governors at a scale rarely seen — all to advance new ideas and incentives, pilot them with governors and business, and scale what works.”
Governor Sanders is partnering with RAISE US to support Arkansas LAUNCH, an AI-powered career navigation platform that connects students and jobseekers to personalized learning and employer-linked career pathways.
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