By Chris Parker
Conway volleyball broke through in a big way last year winning 24 matches and a district title. The Lady Bears came up one match short of the program’s first final four with a loss to Hermann.
This year, Conway is poised to make another run at breaking through to the program’s first final four with two all-state and two more all-district players returning. Just two players graduated from last year’s roster.
At the head of that group are seniors Gibby Beckler and Callie Cornelison. Both earned all-state honors in Class 2 last year.
Beckler, who is now a two-time all-state honoree, put down 459 kills on a .323 hitting percentage as a junior. She also was second on the team with 382 assists.
“Gibby has a powerful swing. She’s also a smart hitter and can find spots on the floor. She also has great teammates that tell her what shots are open,” Conway head coach Tammy Beckler said. “Gibby is starting to realize this is her last year. She and the other seniors have played varsity all four years so this one is pretty special as they all are aware of this being their last shot and knowing we were so close last year. I think she will be a good leader on the floor while also preparing her team for tough matches.”
While Gibby Beckler supplies much of the offense, Cornelison is a key cog of the defense at libero. She led the team with 578 digs and 543 serve receptions last year.
“Callie is just a natural passer. She has incredible instincts. She just works. She loves pressure situations. She has a great touch on the ball,” Beckler said. “I expect her to be solid defensively. She will show why she is a seasoned defensive player. I think she will be a lot of fun to watch.”
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Breanna Thompson, Katie Myers and Lauren Wissbaum all return after accumulating more than 100 kills each in 2021.
“We don’t have a very deep bench and we certainly aren’t blessed with height beyond our starters, so knowing I can have strong combinations of hitters in every rotation is exciting,” Beckler said. “Every hitter is hungry for the ball and they all can terminate from any position. They are also unselfish. It’s awesome to see the hitters will work hard to get another teammate open.”
Thompson had 280 kills last year, which was good for second on the team.
“Bre gets stronger every year,” Beckler said. “I am especially excited that her blocking game will be really strong and much improved. She hits with a ton of power and gets a lot of one-on-one opportunities, and she is really getting good at cutting around blocks or finding tips.”
Myers had 245 kills, which was good for third on the team. She also led the in assists with 531.
“Katie will be expected to do a little of everything this season,” Beckler said. “As a setter, she gets to the ball quickly and will run a fast offense. Her swing is solid, hitting a wide range of attacks and also gets good blocks. She will throw her body at the ball to keep it in play.”
Wissbaum will look to have even more of an impact in the offensive game this year after putting down 105 kills last year.
“Lauren Wissbaum will continue to improve,” Beckler said. “She put up good numbers this summer as a blocker while hitting off a quicker offense. I expect her to show maturity as a player now that she’s an upperclassmen.”
Senior Carlie Stark returns as a right side and defensive specialist. She is a versatile weapon for Conway.
Sophomore Quinncy Vestal and senior MaKenna Shifflett will each see more varsity action this year.
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“Quinncy Vestal will be a key front row player for us. She has adjusted well to the speed of varsity play and is a great learner of the game. She is athletic and a great jumper. I expect her to make a sudden impact as a hitter and blocker,” Beckler said. “MaKenna Shifflett will see action in the back row. She is a hard worker and great teammate.”
Conway’s seniors will be what makes this year’s team go.
“The seniors have played together since elementary school. They know what it takes to win. They thrive in pressure situations,” Beckler said. “We must be willing to keep improving certain areas throughout the season while staying healthy. We need to stay grounded when we struggle mentally. We need to find strength from our teammates and let them pick us up.”
Conway opens the regular season on Aug. 29 at home against Gainesville.
