LHS volleyball returns experienced core with high hopes for 2026

With a veteran roster, strong chemistry and a clear goal of returning to the state tournament, the Lennox High School volleyball team enters the 2026 season with plenty of experience and high expectations.

The Orioles finished last season with a 24-8 record but saw their season come to an end in the regional playoffs with a loss to perennial powerhouse Sioux Falls Christian. This year, Lennox will look to take the next step and make a return trip to the state tournament.

Head coach Vanessa Gabel, who took over the Lennox program in 2023 after coaching the junior varsity team in 2022, has plenty of experience to draw from. Gabel began coaching high school volleyball in 1989 at Eielson Air Force Base in Fairbanks, Alaska, before coaching at Kenai High School. She also directed the Peninsula Midnight Sun Volleyball Club and later coached college volleyball at College of the Ozarks. Over the years, she has coached at multiple volleyball clubs.

Gabel will be assisted by Mel Gabel, who is entering his fourth season as Lennox’s JV coach, while Brooklyn Fauth will coach the C team. Fauth is new to the district and comes to Lennox from the Hill City volleyball program. She will also teach kindergarten at Worthing.

The Orioles enjoyed a successful 2025 campaign, finishing 24-8 and earning several Dakota XII Conference honors.

Libby Kranz, then a sophomore, was named to the DAK XII All-Conference First Team. Andie Peters, then a senior, earned second-team honors, while Mallorie Bittner and Sydney Johnson received honorable mention recognition.

Lennox will have to replace four graduates from last year’s roster: Peters, the team’s libero and captain; Addison Martz, an opposite; Hannah Adney, a setter; and Amelya Meiers, a middle blocker.

Despite those losses, Gabel said the Orioles return a core group with significant varsity and club experience.

Returning starters include Bittner, a senior middle blocker; Rylee Hedin, a senior outside hitter; Johnson, a senior middle blocker; Jersie Hostetler, a junior opposite; Kranz, a junior outside hitter; and Catie Sherard, a junior setter.

Also returning are senior defensive specialist Peyten Wright and junior libero Addy Stucky.

Bittner and Johnson were both named DAK XII honorable mention last season, while Kranz earned first-team All-Conference honors and served as a team captain.

“It seems like every year I say we have a ‘young team’. This year that is not the case,” said Gabel. “We’ve got a bunch of players with a ton of experience, both at the Lennox program and their respective clubs.”

While the Orioles have plenty of familiar faces, several players will take on expanded or different responsibilities this season.

Stucky will move from her defensive specialist role into the six-rotation libero position.

Sherard, who shared the setter responsibilities last season, will take over as Lennox’s lone setter while running the team’s 5-1 offense.

Hostetler also will have an expanded role. Last season, she played opposite primarily in the front row. This year, she will transition into a six-rotation opposite.

Gabel believes the combination of experience and versatility gives the Orioles plenty of options.

“We are really strong across the board this season,” Gabel said.

One of Lennox’s strengths entering the season will be its ability to receive serve.

Gabel points to Hostetler, Kranz, Stucky and Wright as four strong serve-receive passers, giving the Orioles flexibility during matches.

The team also returns a talented group of hitters. Hedin and Kranz will provide options on the outside, while Bittner and Johnson return in the middle and Hostetler will attack from the right side.

“These girls have fantastic chemistry going on this pre-season, having a great time on the court together while staying focused on their work, roles and goals,” Gabel said.

That chemistry will be important as the Orioles look to navigate a challenging schedule and conference.

Even with an experienced roster, Gabel said there are areas the Orioles will continue to emphasize.

Serve receive and defense will remain major points of focus.

“In volleyball, it doesn’t matter how good your hitters are if you can’t pass the ball well and consistently to the setter,” Gabel said.

Sherard will also continue to adjust to her new role as the team’s sole setter, with an emphasis on controlling the tempo throughout a match.

At the net, Lennox will need to continue developing its blocking against some of the state’s strongest offensive players.

“Lennox plays in the toughest conference in the state against some phenomenal hitters, which makes taking care of the net with strong blocks always something to work on,” Gabel said.

The Orioles’ biggest goal for 2026 is straightforward: return to the state tournament.

Bittner and Kranz are the only two players on this year’s roster who were also part of Lennox’s 2023 state tournament team. Bittner saw court time as a freshman when Carli Kuyper was injured, while Kranz started for the Orioles as an eighth-grader.

The rest of the team is looking to earn its own opportunity on the state tournament stage.

One significant change this season could help Lennox’s postseason path. The Orioles have been moved into a new region, away from Sioux Falls Christian and Dakota Valley, two teams they have traditionally faced in the regional playoffs.

Lennox is now in Region 5 with Bon Homme, Wagner, Parker/Marion, McCook Central/Montrose and Mount Vernon/Plankinton.

“Last season, the team had an amazing run and were undefeated well into the season,” Gabel said. “However, when we came up against the perennial powerhouses, we fell short. This season, we won’t face that scenario until the SoDak 16 round and then at the state tournament,” Gabel said.

The Orioles’ 2026 roster includes Mallorie Bittner, senior, middle blocker; Rylee Hedin, senior, outside hitter; Sydney Johnson, senior, middle blocker; Peyten Wright, senior, defensive specialist; Jersie Hostetler, junior, opposite; Libby Kranz, junior, outside hitter; Catie Sherard, junior, setter; Addy Stucky, junior, libero; Allegra Vanderwerf, junior, middle blocker; Maren Juffer, sophomore, outside hitter; Tatum Wright, sophomore, middle blocker; and Alivia Martz, freshman, setter.

With a veteran core, new roles and a new postseason path, Gabel believes the 2026 Orioles have the pieces to make the season an exciting one.

“This year’s team looks very exciting,” she said. “We’ve got some girls that can really bang the ball and we’ve got defense that gets some amazing ups.”

Lennox opens the season Tuesday, Sept. 1, at Vermillion. The Orioles will play their first home match on Labor Day against Canton.

Home match days will begin with C team at 4:30 p.m., followed by JV at approximately 5:30 p.m., with varsity typically beginning around 7 p.m.

“I think the crowd will have a fantastic time coming out to watch the team, especially at our home matches,” Gabel said.