Albuquerque Journal's All-Metro volleyball teams for 2023
Dec. 17—Arguably the most dynamic volleyball player in the metro area for the 2023 season was, in a rarity, somebody whose primary responsibility didn't involve spending time at net.
Cibola High's Makayla Martinez, the Cougars' ferociously talented libero, served as practically a dare to teams that faced the Cougars. Find a way to put a ball down without Martinez getting her hands on it, was the constant challenge.
Her defensive skills were as special as any of the offensive-minded players that have been chosen to the Journal's 2023 All-Metro Volleyball team.
Martinez, who registered a whopping 544 digs last season, is one of two players from Cibola, the Class 5A runner-up to Las Cruces, to receive first-team recognition this season by the Journal.
The other is 6-foot senior hitter Ella Parker, the St. John's signee who finished with 354 kills and a .329 hitting percentage.
Cleveland also has two players among the top six.
Senior setter Marian Hatch, who is headed for the University of New Mexico, had over 10 assists per set this year for the Storm, and finished with 970 assists and also 232 digs.
There was near universal agreement that the Storm's 6-2 senior, Kelsey Heffner, was Class 5A's best middle blocker. She also has been chosen to the first team.
Heffner registered 251 kills, but it really was her defensive skills at net that set her apart from the other middle blockers in the metro area. She had 110 blocks.
In addition to Cibola's Parker, the other two first-team hitters also had terrific seasons, and both are also, like Parker, headed to Division I.
La Cueva senior Tea Kalajdzic, who has signed with St. Louis, had 357 kills and a nice .354 hitting percentage.
Albuquerque Academy 6-1 senior Emma Eden's situation is unique; she is advancing to the next level, but not on the hard courts.
Eden has signed to play beach volleyball at Pepperdine. She had an even 400 kills, a 46.1 kill percentage, and a .350 hitting percentage.
Setter proved to be an enormously difficult choice this season; Hatch and La Cueva's Karyna Werley earned the first- and second-team honors, just ahead of Los Lunas' very effective Mia Mendoza.
ALL-METRO VOLLEYBALL TEAMS
FIRST TEAM
Hitters: Tea Kalajdzic, La Cueva, sr.; Ella Parker, Cibola, sr.; Emma Eden, Albuquerque Academy, sr.
Middle Blocker: Kelsey Heffner, Cleveland, sr.
Setter: Marian Hatch, Cleveland, sr.
Libero: Makayla Martinez, Cibola, sr.
SECOND TEAM
Hitters: Reese Russell, Eldorado, sr.; Mellody Chavez, Los Lunas, jr.; Riley Luther, Los Lunas, sr.
Middle Blocker: Maya Baca, St. Pius, jr.
Setter: Karyna Werley, La Cueva, jr.
Libero: Maya Perea, St. Pius, soph.
