College-bound trio lead The Ledger's 2023 All-County Volleyball Team
Editor's Note: This story has been updated.
This was a strong year for top volleyball talent as three players signed with NCAA Division-I school. Three-time player of the year, McKeel's Juleigh Urbina, is headed to Georgetown, teammate Luci Lippelgoos signed with Austin Peay and Lakeland's Erin Miller is staying in the state with Florida Gulf Coast.
For the teams, McKeel and Winter Haven stood out as the top two teams. They split regular-season meetings and won district titles. McKeel reached the regional semifinals. Bartow was the most-improved team.
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Juleigh Urbina
McKeel, Senior
Setter
Urbina has led the Wildcats to the regional semifinals the three seasons, the farthest any team in Polk County went this year. With talented players around her, she was able to run a complete offense to get the best out of her hitters. She had a career-high 749 assists, 26 blocks, 76 Aces, 72 kills and 145 digs. For her career, Urbina, who signed with Georgetown, finished her career with 3,306 assists, 1039 digs, 141 blocks, 470 aces, and 387 kills.
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COACH OF THE YEAR
Leslie Roberts
Bartow
Roberts played volleyball for Bartow in the '90s and was an assistant under Marnee Cobb in the early 2000s. She took over as head coach last year. After a two-win season in 2022, she led Bartow to a 17-9 record, including a 3-1 record in a tournament in Alaska.
FIRST TEAM
Emily Drier
Winter Haven, Sophomore
Middle Hitter/Blocker
Finished with 153 kills, 66 Total blocks, 18 aces, 64 digs.
Luci Lippelgoos
McKeel, Senior
Middle Hitter
200 kills, 48 aces, and 62 blocks.
Erin Miller
Lakeland, Senior
Outside Hitter
Finished with 354 kills, 37 aces, 213 digs.
Ellison Saunders
Bartow, Senior
Outside Hitter
Finished with 221 kills, 36 aces, 233 digs, 24 blocks.
Mallorie Swartz
McKeel, Junior
Outside Hitter
Finished with 218 kills, 63 aces, 16 blocks, 157 digs.
Rylee Tanner
Winter Haven, Junior
Outside Hitter
Finished with 283 kills, 203 digs, 34 aces, 26 blocks.
SECOND TEAM
Dublin Fitzgerald
McKeel, Junior
Right-side Hitter
Aubree Hummel
All Saints, Senior
Libero
Hope Kimsey
McKeel, Senior
Middle Hitter
Maren Lausell
Santa Fe Catholic, Junior
Outside hitter/Defensive Specialist
Addie Lenderman
All Saints, Junior
Outside Hitter
Hannah Ogburn
Frostproof, Senior
Outside Hitter
Arianna Santos
Winter Haven, Senior
Libero
THIRD TEAM
Jaidan Adams
Winter Haven, Senior
Outside Hitter
Mac Ash
Lakeland Christian, Senior
Outside Hitter
Ajayia Hodges
Santa Fe Catholic, Freshman
Outside Hitter
Caroline Mank
Lakeland, Junior
Setter
Bailee Nelson
Lake Gibson, Junior
Outside Hitter
Leah Robles
All Saints, Sophomore
Outside Hitter
Sophi Whitaker
Lake Wales, Freshman
Setter/Middle/Hitter
HONORABLE MENTION
All Saints: S Hannah Kazmier, MB Madi Regan, S Paige Lenderman.
Auburndale: OH Tamsyn Talbot, RS Braelyn Freeman, L Haley Bradley, S Maria Camargo.
Bartow: L Zoe Bullock, DS Cailey Fredericks, MB Gracie Gibbs, S Misha Abraham, OH Toniah Patterson, RS Lexi Strickland, DS Lauren John, DS Kendall King.
Frostproof: OH Monica Alvarado, MH Abby Windham, S Hannah Windham
George Jenkins: MH Timiah Gallishaw, S Courtney Mullen, DS Elana McCall, OH Synia Sybliss.
Lake Gibson: L Mya Matos, S Peyton Hopkins, OH Dakota Saunders, MB Jordyn Harris, MB Kayla Starts.
Lake Region: MB Sanaya Pierre-Gilles, OH Cali Bowling, S Allona Turnbow, OH DeYona Stanley, MB Lyric Thompson.
Lake Wales: L Vallery Rodriguez, S Caydee Baker, MH/MB Mi’Kaila Walker, OH Angelica Capote, OH/RS Madison Teti, OH Morgan Watts, OH Piper Fennessy.
Lakeland: L Kate Marshall, MB Julia Black, DS Megan Rine, MH Sofia Holcomb.
Lakeland Christian: OH Emerson Valenti, L Lillian Jacobs, S Ashley Logan.
McKeel: OH Mariana Kleinhenz, L Sofia Burke, D Kendall Orme, D Cadence Applewhite.
Ridge Community: OH Amanda Monge, OH Amelia Fetzer, L Camila Roldan, S Sara Ungaro.
Ridgeview Global Studies: Arianna Lesch, MH/OH Victoria Mejia Nieves, Kiara Rene.
Santa Fe Catholic: MH/S Violet Hammen, OH Andrea Pollard, S Martina Panaguiton, OH MH Ansley Lausell, DS Payten Donnelly.
Victory Christian: OH Aubrey Bailey, OH/S Keely Ortiz, RS Payton Johnson, DS Ella Lewis.
Winter Haven: OH Elle Floyd, S Coryn Gilliam, MH Erin Rogers, S Kindyl Goff.
Roy Fuoco can be reached at roy.fuoco@theledger.com.
This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Meet The Ledger's 2023 All-County Volleyball Team
