Catholic’s Cassie Kuerschen keeps the ball alive against Briarcrest during the 2019 Division II-AA State Volleyball Championship at MTSU. Kuerschen is the 2019 5Star Preps Player of the Year. (Photo: Charles Pulliam)
Here are the members of the 2019 All-5Star Preps Volleyball Teams.
Players are selected by our personal evaluations, coach nominations and input, statistics, character and team success.
FIRST TEAM
Cassie Kuerschen, junior, Catholic
Position: libero
College: Committed to Tennessee
Kuerschen led Catholic (27-8) to the Division II-AA state championship match where it lost to Briarcrest Christian, one of two instate teams to beat the Lady Irish. She was a Division II-AA East Region first-team player and is the 5Star Preps Player of the Year for 2019.
Maya Alves, senior, Catholic
Position: outside hitter
College: Committed to Morehead State, beach volleyball
Alves was a member of four Catholic teams that reached state championship matches, including her freshman year when the Lady Irish won the Class AA state title. She was selected to the Division II-AA East Region first team as Catholic (27-8) reached the Division II-AA state title match.
Emma Whitehead, senior, Heritage
Position: outside hitter
College: Tennessee (academics)
Whitehead was selected to the All-District 3-AAA first team as the Lady Mountaineers (21-13) advanced to the District 3-AAA elimination semifinals. She was a key player on the 2018 Heritage team that advanced to the Class AAA state tournament, a first in program history.
Meg Mersman, senior, Maryville
Position: middle blocker/right-side hitter
College: Lipscomb
Mersman was the District 3-AAA blocker of the year and a member of the all-district first team as the Lady Rebels advanced to the Region 2-AAA elimination semifinals.
Lauren Loveday, senior, Farragut
Position: outside hitter
College: Undecided
Loveday was selected to the All-District 3-AAA first team as the Lady Admirals (22-17) advanced to the Class AAA state sectionals before losing to Daniel Boone.
Annabelle Sulish, sophomore, Concord Christian
Position: outside hitter
College: Undecided
Sulish amassed almost 600 kills this season as Concord Christian School (30-10) reached the Division II-A state championship match for the second consecutive season.
Morgan McMurray, junior, Anderson County
Position: outside hitter
College: Undecided
McMurray was the co-District 4-AA MVP with teammate Hannah Freeman as the Lady Mavs (37-13) went 8-0 in the district regular season and reached the Class AA state tournament for the first time since 2008.
Sophie Cain, senior, West
Position: setter
College: Appalachian State
Cain was MVP of District 4-AA as the Lady Rebels (24-9) reached the Region 2-AAA championship match and state sectionals, where they lost to Dobyns-Bennett in Kingsport.
Ainsley Patrick, junior, Oak Ridge
Position: outside hitter
College: Undecided
Patrick was voted team MVP and was the District 4-AAA offensive player of the year and district tournament MVP as the Lady Wildcats (33-5) went unbeaten in the district (12-0) and reached the Region 2-AAA semifinals.
Megan Turner, senior, Gibbs
Position: libero
College: Middle Tennessee State University
Turner was the District 4-AA defensive player of the year as the Lady Eagles advanced to the Region 2-AA championship match and the Class AA state sectionals, where they lost to Sullivan South in Blountville.
Kolbie Green, junior, The King’s Academy
Position: setter
College: undecided
Greene posted 763 digs, earned all-district honors, and was MVP of the Division II-A East Region tournament won by The King’s Academy (22-11), which reached the Division II-A state quarterfinals.
SECOND TEAM
Baylee McDowell helped the Gatlinburg-Pittman Highlanders reach the 2019 Class A state tournament. (Photo by Danny Parker)
Baylee McDowell, senior, Gatlinburg-Pittman
The District 2-A Player of the Year and Libero of the Year led the Lady Highlanders back to the Class A state tournament. She has committed to Berea College.
Jenna Forster, senior, William Blount
An outside hitter, Forster was the co-hitter of the year in District 3-AAA and has signed with East Tennessee State University.
Leoni Kunz, senior, Webb
The outside/right-side hitter came back from an early-season injury in 2019; she signed with Stony Brook University.
Zephanie Snyder, junior, Heritage
The outside/right-side hitter was MVP of District 3-AAA for the regular season.
Mikayla Profeta, junior, Concord Christian School
A middle hitter, Profeta had 247 kills and a .319 hitting percentage as the Lady Lions reached the state title match.
Carlee Hart, junior, Catholic
The outside hitter/right-side hitter was on the All-East Region first team for Division II-AA.
Olivia Snyder, senior, Hardin Valley Academy
An outside hitter, Snyder was co-hitter of the year in District 3-AAA.
Alexa Austin, junior, The King’s Academy
The middle hitter earned all-district honors during the regular season and all-tournament honors in postseason.
Lauren Patterson, junior, Seymour
The six-rotation player was player of the year in District 2-AA regular season and MVP of the district tournament won by Seymour.
Reese Schroeder, junior, Farragut
A libero, Schroeder was selected as the District 3-AAA passer of the year for the regular season.
Paige Halcrow, junior, Oak Ridge
The setter was District 4-AAA offensive player of the year with teammate Ainsley Patrick and the team’s offensive player of the year.
Hannah Freeman, junior, Anderson County
A setter, Freeman was Co-MVP of the District 4-AA tournament with teammate Morgan McMurray and was chosen to the Region 2-AA All-Tournament team.