Meet the 2024 All-Observer volleyball team, honoring the best in the Charlotte region
Gaston Day senior Anne Bradley Bing and Marvin Ridge coach Brook Hammers have won the top honors this year in the 2024 All-Charlotte Observer volleyball team.
It was a year of close competition, as Nation Ford senior Julie Nzambele and three area coaches also received strong consideration.
Bing, an outside hitter and a South Carolina commit, led a young and inexperienced Gaston Day team to the N.C. High School Athletic Association’s 2A championship. She averaged 8.5 kills per set, which was first in North Carolina and second in the country, and her 748 kills also ranked first in the state and 14th nationally.
She finished her career with 1,650 kills and 2,083 digs, playing on state championship teams in both her freshman and senior seasons.
Bing earned all-state honors all four years at Gaston Day.
Hammers, voted 4A Coach of the Year by the N.C. Volleyball Coaches Association, guided Marvin Ridge to a 34-4 record. The Mavericks won the Southern Carolina 4A and Western 4A regional championships and lost to Cardinal Gibbons in the state championship match.
Also receiving consideration for top honors were Nzambele, a second-team all-America selection; and coaches Craig Brown (Nation Ford), Catherine Glass (Davidson Day) and Derek Bing (Gaston Day).
Brown’s team lost in South Carolina’s 5A state finals, while Glass and Bing coached their teams to NCISAA state championships.
First team
Karsyn Baylog, Marvin Ridge, Sr.: An outside hitter, Baylor earned first-team all-state honors with 245 kills, 297 digs and 34 aces.
Anne Bradley Bing, Gaston Day, Sr.: She played a variety of positions at Gaston Day and a six-rotation outside hitter this season. Bing’s career totals include 339 aces and 72 blocks.
Kaydan Flowers, North Iredell, Sr.: A middle blocker, Flowers (an Anderson commit) led a 3A state semifinalist team in kills (417), hitting percentage (41.0) and blocks (85).
Jordin Glass, Davidson Day, Sr.: A Chattanooga commit, Glass had 256 kills and a 35.5 percent hit ratio. She also had 76 blocks and 73 digs.
Jordyn Gray, Cox Mill, Jr.: An Observer second-team pick last season, Gray had a 31.2 hitting percentage, 483 kills and 280 digs. She is a Louisville commit.
Ansley Keel, Community School of Davidson, Sr.: An outside hitter and a Loyola (Maryland) commit, Keel totaled 279 kills and 45 aces.
Anya Lee, Myers Park, Jr.: A first-team all-Observer pick for the second straight year, Lee totaled 117 blocks (first in the SoMeck 4A) and 49 aces as a middle blocker.
Arianna Lopez, Cannon School, Sr.: A setter, she earned all-state honors with 120 kills, 41 aces, 224 digs and 522 assists. Lopez, a Tampa commit, finished with more than 2,000 career assists..
Jumana Martin, Nation Ford, Sr.: A libero who has committed to Charleston, Martin had 532 digs and 147 assists as a defensive leader.
Alisa Mayers, Highland Tech, Sr.: A Ferrum commit, Mayers had a 25.3 hitting percentage, 383 kills, and was a two-time Southern Piedmont 1A-2A Player of the Year.
Madison McIlwain, Palisades, Sr.: She was at or near the top of most statistical categories for the Pumas, and coach Lrostem Zabalavicius said McIlwain, a Juniata commit, played a key role “as a great teacher.”
Sanaa Mohammed, Charlotte Country Day, Jr.: The Buccaneers reached the NCISAA 4A finals, and Mohammed, an outside hitter, led the effort with 278 kills, 213 digs and 32 aces.
Julie Nzambele, Nation Ford, Jr.: A Wake Forest commit, Nzambele totaled 419 kills and 44 blocks, and the Falcons scored 270 points off her serves.
Isabella Perkins, Marvin Ridge, Sr.: A first-team all-state pick and Appalachian State commit, she had 497 digs, 94 assists and 46 aces.
Emersyn Reiter, Lake Norman, Sr.: A first-team all-state selection who is headed to Charleston Southern, Reiter totaled 250 kills.
Addison Saunders, Butler, Jr.: A setter, Saunders had 443 assists, 57 kills and 54 service aces. She is an Appalachian State commit.
Lia Skufca, Myers Park, Sr.: A Princeton commit, Skufca had 632 assists (second in the region), 73 blocks, 63 aces and 223 digs.
Second team
Mia Clyburn, Nation Ford, Sr.: A Gonzaga commit, Clyburn had 57 aces, 263 kills and 86 blocks. The Falcons scored 234 points off Clyburn’s serves.
Allison Fischtal, Community School of Davidson, Sr.: A libero, she totaled 373 digs for a 2A quarterfinalist team.
Caitlin Fowler, East Mecklenburg, Jr.: She totaled 216 kills and 169 digs for the Eagles.
Megyn Gaither, North Iredell, Sr.: A setter, Gaither led the team in assists (876) and digs (310) and was a first-team all-state selection.
Clarke Henry, Independence, Sr.: A Kansas City commit, she was Southwestern 4A Player of the Year.
Halle Horton, Davidson Day, Sr.: She totaled 350 kills, 99 digs and 27 blocks.
Sofia Janowicz, Ardrey Kell, Sr.: An outside hitter who was SoMeck 4A Player of the Year.
Danielle Lewis, Lake Norman Charter, So.: A libero, she already has offers from several Division 1 colleges after a season with 465 digs (5.7 per set).
Lila Martin, Nation Ford, Fr.: The youngest player on this team, Martin totaled 56 aces and 440 kills.
Kacie Moore, Cox Mill, Sr.: At 6-2, Moore was a force at the net, with 226 digs and 102 blocks. She is a Furman commit.
Gwyn Neels, East Lincoln, Sr.: A second-team all-state selection, she totaled 357 kills (4.2 per set).
Caroline Noonan, Charlotte Christian, Sr.: A Charleston commit and CISAA Player of the Year, she averaged 5.0 kills per set.
Taylor Paul, Christ the King, Sr.: A setter, Paul totaled 698 assists, 230 digs and 43 aces.
Sadie Prinz, Westminster Catawba, Jr.: She earned second-team all-state honors and is getting interest from a number of Division 1 schools.
Isabelle Sandoval, Lake Norman, Sr.: An outside hitter, she was Greater Metro 4 4A Player of the Year and totaled more than 1,000 kills in her career.
Sophie Sherer, Westminster Catawba, Jr.: A second-team all-state pick, Sherer was a defensive stalwart with 465 digs.
Madison Thompson, Highland Tech, Sr.: An Oglethorpe commit, Thompson totaled 363 kills and 57 blocks for a state quarterfinalist team.
This story was originally published December 23, 2024 at 7:00 AM.