Crittenden County tops the Second Region volleyball coaches’ poll with defending champion Heritage Christian Academy checking in at No. 4.
The Lady Rockets lost six seniors to graduation but return a couple of key starters from last year’s 19-6 team, which won the All A Classic region title and was the 5th District champion. Also returning is Bayley McDonald as head coach. She guided the Lady Rockets from 2019 to 2023 and was the region coach of the year in 2021.
Crittenden County will host Marshall County in Tuesday’s season opener.
Christian County is ranked second by the region’s coaches. The Lady Colonels graduated two starters from last year’s team but have added transfer Katie Cansler from Heritage Christian Academy. The Lady Colonels are awaiting approval on two other players who also transferred to the school.
Christian County was 13-19 last year and was ousted in the semifinals of the region tournament by Union County.
The Lady Colonels open their season on August 25 against Henderson County.
Speaking of Henderson County, they are ranked third in the preseason poll and coming off a 15-17 season. They graduated three seniors but return one of the top hitters in the region in Sarah Loffland.
Henderson County will open its season on Thursday against University Heights Academy.
HCA, the defending region champions, lost team MVP Mya Goodwin to graduation, Cansler to transfer, and one other starter did not return. Former Lady Warrior player Ashton Craft took over as head coach two weeks ago and has a solid nucleus returning from last year’s 24-6 squad that won the district and region.
HCA will open its season on Tuesday at Madisonville-North Hopkins.
Caldwell County is ranked No. 5 in the preseason poll and will debut former Lady Tiger Emily Oliver as head coach when they open the season on Tuesday against Union County. Caldwell County was 19-10 last year and lost to Heritage Christian Academy in the region tournament semifinals.
The Lady Tigers return two starters from a year ago.
McCracken County, Graves County, and Marshall County are the top three teams in the Region One poll.
Owensboro Catholic and Apollo are ranked 1-2 in the Third Region, with Breckinridge County and Daviess County tied for third.
Defending region champion Bowling Green is the No. 1 team in the Fourth Region Poll, followed by Greenwood, South Warren, Warren East, and Logan County.
