Meet the DNJ's 2023 All-Murfreesboro area volleyball teams, including player of the year
McKenna Shotwell admits the 2022 volleyball season didn't go as well as she would have liked, so she changed her mindset entering her senior season.
"This year was mainly for me to have fun," the Providence Christian Academy outside hitter and four-year starter said. "We had kind of a tough year last year. My main focus was to have fun and enjoy my last year of high school. This year was going to be a year of stress-free playing."
As it turns out, Shotwell's philosophy paid off in more ways than one.
She certainly had fun. Winning a state championship will do that. Perhaps that mentality was a big key to the Lady Lions finishing 36-3 and capturing the Division II-A state championship.
She also has been named the Daily News Journal's Player of the Year on the 2023 all-area volleyball team.
The versatile Shotwell was the catalyst of PCA's state title. She had 500 kills, 20 blocks, 78 aces, 33 assists and 499 digs, playing all over the court for PCA.
"My biggest thing, since I was younger, was being on the court no matter what," she said. "Even if I wasn't needed at hitter, I wanted to be on the back row playing. If I'm not on the court, I'm not happy. I really trained myself in every area of volleyball since I was young."
Shotwell will continue her playing career at Merrimack College in North Andover, Massachusetts.
The DNJ's 2023 all-area team includes:
First team
Taylor Baron
Oakland, Sr.
Position: Libero
Why chosen: The Austin Peay signee had 585 digs and a team-leading 74 aces in leading the Lady Patriots to the Class AAA sectional.
Elisa Fries
Oakland, Sr.
Position: Utility
Why chosen: The 8-AAA MVP was a force all over the court in leading the Lady Patriots to the Class AAA sectional. She had a team-leading 316 kills and was second with 472 assists and third with 51 aces.
Haley Hudson
MTCS, Sr.
Position: Setter
Why chosen: Hudson's 1,438 assists this season are fifth-most in TSSAA history for a single season. She added 378 digs, 74 aces and 35 kills. The district co-MVP helped the Lady Cougars to a 42-5 record and third-place finish in the state in DII-A.
Sadie Kroeger
Providence Christian, So.
Position: Outside hitter
Why chosen: Kroeger had a big sophomore season and turned it on in the postseason. The state tournament finals MVP had 437 kills, 361 digs, 55 aces, 42 blocks and 15 assists in leading the Lady Lions to the DII-A state title.
Noella Obi
Central Magnet, Sr.
Position: Outside hitter
Why chosen: The Mississippi State signee had 382 kills, 29 blocks, 42 aces and 127 digs in leading the Lady Tigers to the Class AA sectional.
Cate Schroer
Siegel, Sr.
Position: Middle hitter
Why chosen: The Freed-Hardeman signee had 547 kills, 41 blocks, 81 aces, 304 digs and 83 assists in leading the Lady Stars to the region tournament.
Anna Clay Shirley
MTCS, So.
Position: Outside hitter
Why chosen: The district co-MVP had 515 kills, 444 digs and 41 aces to lead the Lady Cougars to 42 wins and a third-place finish in the DII-A state tournament.
McKenna Shotwell
Providence Christian, Sr.
Position: Outside hitter
Why chosen: The all-area Player of the Year led the Lady Lions to the DII-A state championship. She had 500 kills, 499 digs, 78 aces, 20 blocks and 33 assists.
Second Team
Outside hitter: Madison Lansdown, Siegel, Sr.
Outside hitter: Ashlee Smith, Riverdale, Jr.
Outside hitter: Molly Teague, Blackman, So.
Outside hitter: Adison Winterbauer, Rockvale, Sr.
Middle hitter: Amelia Keating, Oakland, Sr.
Setter: Audrey Tribble, Eagleville, Sr.
Libero: Addison Burks, MTCS, So.
Utility: Lillie Meinhart, PCA, Jr.
Coach of the Year
Mary Ruth Jones, Providence Christian
Why chosen: Jones led the Lady Lions to a postseason run in which they didn't lose a match, rolling all the way to the Division II-A state championship. PCA finished 36-3.
This article originally appeared on Murfreesboro Daily News Journal: TSSAA volleyball: 2023 Murfreesboro all-area teams, player of year
