Berkshire coach Joni Prots opens her 20th season guiding the Badgers with four returning starters from a squad that finished 18-5 overall and 9-1 in conference play last fall.
The Badgers, who shared the Chagrin Valley Conference Valley Division title with rival Kirtland, also return five others with varsity experience.
“They will go as far as they allow themselves to go,” Prots said of her 2024 squad. “It will be about discipline and being mentally tough. We have the skills to do very well but they need to work together as a team and have a next-play mentality.”
Berkshire’s biggest challenge in the offseason is replacing four-year starter Maddie Smetana, the 2023 Valley Division Co-Player of the Year, as well as two other mainstays of the program over the past four seasons.
“Losing Maddie Smetana leaves us some big shoes to fill both offensively and defensively,” Prots said. “She led the team in kills for two years and was our go-to hitter. We will need to be more well-rounded on offense to replace her output. Hayley Stoddard led the team in blocks so we need someone to step up there, and Sammi Winter was just so consistent and steady, we will need a leader to do the same for us there. All three were four-year letter winners and leave a need for someone to step up and lead this year’s group.”
The good news for the Badgers is they return four players who earned all-conference honors last fall.
Junior setter/right-side hitter Marissa Rish was a first-team All-CVC and second-team all-district selection after recording 409 assists, 123 kills, 195 digs, and 44 aces last season.
“Marissa will be running a 6-2 offense for us again this year and will be one of our top hitters, as well,” Prots said. “She is 242 assists away from 1,000 for her career as a junior running a 6-2 offense, which shows she can get the ball to the hitters to help us score. She will be someone we need to be a leader on the floor.”
Junior outside hitter Kate Miller earned second-team All-CVC and third-team all-district honors as a sophomore when she recorded 334 digs, 64 aces, and 61 assists.
“Kate will be making a position change for us this year. She will be a six-rotation outside hitter,” Prots said. “She will need to push herself to embrace her new role, but I have no doubt she will get the job done and done well. She led the team in digs last season and I look for her to continue to cover the floor on defense. Kate will also need to be a floor leader for us.”
Junior middle hitter Jill Smetana and senior middle hitter Kirsten Shaffer were honorable all-conference selections last fall.
Smetana recorded 129 kills, 79 digs, 29 blocks, and 27 aces while Shaffer posted 135 kills and 48 blocks.
“After two years of hitting wherever we asked her to, Jill will be hitting out of the middle this season. She will be a six-rotation player for us and has done a good job all around in the preseason,” Prots said. “We are looking Kirsten to step up and play a big part in our offense this year. Her height and blocking will also be an asset to our defense.”
Competing for the remaining starting roles and providing depth for the Badgers are seniors Hannah Hutchinson, Amber Zeiler, and M.J. Hernandez, juniors Ava Chuha and Delana Kellogg, and sophomores Maddie Bower and Whitney Davis.
Hutchinson is an outside hitter who recorded 45 kills and 70 digs off the bench last season, Zeiler is a right-side hitter, and Hernandez is a defensive specialist.
“We are looking for Hannah to be a consistent threat for us on the outside this season,” Prots said. “We will look to Amber to provide a big block for us on the right side and extra offense from that position. M.J. brings great energy to our team and works hard to make herself and others on the team better.”
Chuha is a setter while Kellogg is a defensive specialist.
“We will need Ava to step into the role of our second setter this year. She has been working hard to get more consistent,” Prots said. “Delana will be an asset to us with her consistent serve receive and scrappy defense. She saw some varsity action last year so hopefully that experience will help her this season.”
Bower is a defensive specialist and Davis is a right-side or middle hitter.
“Maddie will see her first consistent varsity time this season. We will look for her to add consistent serve receive and aggressive defense for our team this year,” Prots said. “Whitney has made great strides in only her second year of volleyball. We will look to use her versatility to help our offense and her block on the right side will be a key for our defense.”
Berkshire has the potential to make another run at the CVC title, but it will take hard work and commitment, as well as the offense finding its groove.
“We need to show up every day and work hard every day both mentally and physically,” Prots said. “We will need to spread out our offense, get more touches at the net and be scrappy on defense. Ball control is a key.”
