By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
State tournament teams Seaman, Washburn Rural and Hayden combined to put 10 players on the TopSports.news 2024 All-Shawnee County volleyball first team, led by Seaman two-time player of the year Maegan Mills.
Seaman senior Maegan Mills (23) has been named the TSN Shawnee County volleyball player of the year for the second straight season. [Photo by Jesse Bruner/Special to TSN]
Seaman's Tatiana Dowling has been named the Shawnee County coach of the year for the second straight season. [File photo/TSN]
Seaman, which finished second in Class 5A this fall after winning the state title in 2023, put a county-high four players on the all-county first team, with Mills joined by fellow Viking seniors Campbell Chabot, Ava Esser and Kinley Wilhelm while Viking coach Tatiana Dowling, a Seaman grad, was named the coach of the year for the second straight season after leading her team to a county-best 41-3 record and a county-best state tournament finish.
Hayden freshman Hailey Schmidtlein has been named the Shawnee County co-newcomer of the year. [File photo/TSN]
Hayden freshman Blakely Walter has been named the Shawnee County volleyball co-newcomer of the year. [File photo/TSN]
Hayden, which placed third in the 4A state tournament, is represented on the first team by senior Reagan McGivern and freshmen Hailey Schmidtlein and Blakely Walter, who were named co-Shawnee County newcomers of the year. McGivern is a first-team all-county repeat pick after earning first-team honors at Seaman as a junior.
Washburn Rural is represented on the all-county first team by seniors Layla Collins and Kate Hinck and junior Karsyn Horyna after helping the Junior Blues win the Centennial League championship and advance to the 6A state tournament.
Collins is a first-team All-Shawnee County repeat pick after being a second-team pick as a sophomore.
Shawnee Heights put seniors Kaydence Torrez and Taylor Brees on the first team while Silver Lake is represented by senior Ella Bolan, Rossville by sophomore Nora Burdiek and Topeka High by senior Jo'Mhara Benning.
Torrez and Bolan are first-team repeat picks while Burdiek was named the county newcomer of the year as a freshman.
All-Shawnee County first-team capsules:
Jo'Mhara Benning (23), Topeka High
JO'MHARA BENNING, Topeka High
A senior setter, Benning moves up to the All-Shawnee County first team after being a second-team pick as a sophomore and junior.
Benning was a first-team All-Centennial League selection this fall for the 17-19 Trojans.
Benning had 505 assists, 193 digs, 149 kills, 34 blocks and 63 service aces as a senior while serving 92 percent and finishing her career with more than 100 aces.
Ella Bolan, Silver Lake
ELLA BOLAN, Silver Lake
Bolan, a senior outside hitter, earns All-Shawnee County first-team honors for the second straight season after helping Silver Lake win a Class 3A regional championship.
Bolan earned second-team 3A All-State recognition from the Kansas Volleyball Association and was a first-team All-Big East selection.
She has signed a letter of intent to play collegiately at Butler County Community College.
Taylor Brees, Shawnee Heights
TAYLOR BREES, Shawnee Heights
Brees moves up to the All-Shawnee County first team this fall as a senior after earning second-team recognition as a junior.
Brees was also named to the All-United Kansas Conference first team this fall.
She has signed a softball letter of intent to play collegiately at Washburn University.
Nora Burdiek, Rossville
NORA BURDIEK, Rossville
A sophomore, Burdiek moves up to the All-Shawnee County first team after being named the county newcomer of the year and earning second-team honors as a freshman.
Burdiek was named Class 2A All-State first team by the Kansas Volleyball Association and was a second-team All-Big East selection.
She finished her season with 491 kills, 368 digs and 22 blocks.
Campbell Chabot, Seaman
CAMPBELL CHABOT, Seaman
Chabot, a senior, was named to the Class 5A All-State Tournament team this fall and also received first-team 5A All-State honors from the Kansas Volleyball Association after helping lead the Vikings to a 41-3 record and a runnerup state finish.
Chabot was also a first-team All-United Kansas Conference pick this fall and moves up to the All-Shawne County first team after being a second-team pick as a junior.
She has signed a letter of intent to play collegiately at Johnson County Community College.
Layla Collins, Washburn Rural
LAYLA COLLINS, Washburn Rural
A senior hitter, Collins is an All-Shawnee County first-team repeat pick after being a second-team pick as a sophomore.
Collins was named the Centennial League player of the Year after helping lead the Junior Blues to the league championship, was named to the Class 6A All-State Tournament team and was named second-team 6A All-State by the Kansas Volleyball Association.
She has signed a letter of intent to play volleyball at Washburn University.
Ava Esser, Seaman
AVA ESSER, Seaman
Esser, a senior, moves up to the All-Shawnee County first team after being a second-team selection as a junior.
Esser was also a Class 5A All-State Tournament pick, a second-team 5A All-State selection by the Kansas Volleyball Association and a second-team All-United Kansas Conference honoree this fall.
She has signed a volleyball letter of intent to play collegiately at Johnson County Community College.
Kate Hinck, Washburn Rural
KATE HINCK, Washburn Rural
A three-sport standout for the Junior Blues, Hinck was named to the All-Centennial League first team and received Class 6A All-State honorable mention by the Kansas Volleyball Association after helping lead Rural to a league title and a state tournament berth.
Hinck, a senior, moves up to the All-Shawnee County first team after being a second-team selection as a junior.
She has signed a college letter of intent to play college soccer at Washburn University.
Karsyn Horyna (right), Washburn Rural
KARSYN HORYNA, Washburn Rural
Horyna, a junior, makes the All-Shawnee County team for the first time and also received All-Centennial League second-team recognition.
Horyna helped Washburn Rural win the Centennial League championship and advance to the Class 6A state tournament.
Reagan McGivern, Hayden
REAGAN McGIVERN, Hayden
A senior middle hitter, McGivern earns All-Shawnee County first-team honors for the second straight season after helping lead Hayden to a third-place finish in the Class 4A state tournament this fall.
McGivern was an All-4A State Tournament pick, a first-team 4A All-State pick by the Kansas Volleyball Association and a first-team All-Centennial League selection after registering 347 kills and 87 blocks.
She has signed a letter of intent to play collegiately at Division I Villanova.
MAEGAN MILLS, Seaman
A senior outside hitter, Mills was named the Shawnee County player of the year for the second straight season after helping lead Seaman to a 41-3 record and a second-place finish in Class 5A. Mills was also named the United Kansas Conference offensive player of the year for the third straight season and is a three-time all-county first-team pick after being named the county newcomer of the year as a freshman.
Mills earned All-5A State Tournament recognition for the second straight season and is also a Kansas Volleyball Association 5A All-State first-team repeater.
She has signed a letter of intent to play college volleyball at Division I Tulsa.
HAILEY SCHMIDTLEIN, Hayden
A freshman middle and outside hitter, Schmidtlein earned All-Shawnee County first-team recognition and was named the county co-newcomer of the year after helping lead the Wildcats to a third-place finish in the Class 4A state tournament.
Schmidtlein was named to the 4A All-State Tournament team, was a first-team All-Centennial League selection and received second-team All-4A All-State honors from the Kansas Volleyball Association.
Schmidtlein led the Wildcats with 440 kills and had 242 digs.
Kaydence Torrez, Shawnee Heights
KAYDENCE TORREZ, Shawnee Heights
A senior, Torrez is an All-Shawnee County first-team selection for the second straight season after receiving honorable mention as a sophomore.
Torrez also earned first-team All-United Kansas Conference honors for the second straight season.
She is headed to Division I Wichita State for her collegiate carer.
BLAKELY WALTER, Hayden
A freshman setter, Walter earned All-Shawnee County first-team recognition and was named the county co-newcomer of the year after helping lead the Wildcats to a third-place finish in the Class 4A state tournament.
Walter was named to the 4A All-State Tournament team, was a first-team All-Centennial League selection and named the league newcomer of the year and received second-team 4A All-State honors from the Kansas Volleyball Association.
She registered 1,043 assists this fall and also had 358 digs and 36 service aces on the season.
Kinley Wilhelm, Seaman
KINLEY WILHELM, Seaman
A senior libero, Wilhelm moves up to the All-Shawnee County first team after being a second-team selection as a junior.
Wilhelm received 5A All-State honorable mention from the Kansas Volleyball Association and was a second-team All-United Kansas Conference honoree this fall.
ALL-SHAWNEE COUNTY VOLLEYBALL
First team
Name, school Class
Jo'Mhara Benning, Topeka High Sr.
Ella Bolan, Silver Lake Sr.
Taylor Brees, Shawnee Heights Sr.
Nora Burdiek, Rossville So.
Campbell Chabot, Seaman Sr.
Layla Collins, Washburn Rural Sr.
Ava Esser, Seaman Sr.
Kate Hinck, Washburn Rural Sr.
Karsyn Horyna, Washburn Rural Jr.
Reagan McGivern, Hayden Sr.
Maegan Mills, Seaman Sr.
Hailey Schmidtlein, Hayden Fr.
Kaydence Torrez, Shawnee Heights Sr.
Blakely Walter, Hayden Fr.
Kinley Wilhelm, Seaman Sr.
Second team
Stephanie Carlos-Oliveros, Topeka High Sr.
Campbell Dawson, Topeka High So.
Ella Foster, Hayden Jr.
Kylie Hanni, Silver Lake So.
Karsyn Hastert, Cair Paravel Jr.
Reese Huscher, Hayden Jr.
Stella Kelly, Washburn Rural Jr.
Maggie Moulden, Seaman Sr.
Bella Reid, Hayden Sr.
Dayne Shriver, Washburn Rural Jr.
Sydney Sumner, Rossville Sr.
Sydney Van Dyke, Topeka West So.
Jaylie Whitehead, Silver Lake So.
Avery Willey, Shawnee Heights Jr.
Jaiden Wise, Silver Lake Jr.
Honorable mention
Cair Paravel: Claire Everhart, so. Highland Park: Justine Johnson, so.; Koralee Jones, jr.; Mallory McReynolds, sr. Rossville: Ady Henry, so.; Madelyn Kenney, sr. Seaman: Harper Hafenstine, jr.; Kinsley Smith, jr. Shawnee Heights: Reianna Vega, jr. Silver Lake: Alana Brewster, sr.; Paige Heiman, jr. Topeka West: Aniyah Sanders, sr.
Player of the year -- Maegan Mills, Seaman.
Co-newcomers of the year -- Hailey Schmidtlein and Blakely Walter, Hayden.
Coach of the year -- Tatiana Dowling, Seaman.
