By Michael Cignoli (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
The Mt. Vernon volleyball team has high expectations for the 2024 season.
The Mountaineers graduated just one player from last season’s district-title-winning team — and return eight who earned varsity letters. They hope to improve on last fall’s 20-12-4 record, repeat as district champions and make a deep run in the state playoffs.
“We have some experience this season,” Mt. Vernon coach Bridgett Schmutz said. “We return a great group of players, but they aren’t satisfied with being a flash in the pan. They have chips on their shoulders, and I think they plan to attack this season like they have more to prove.”
Four returning members of Mt. Vernon’s rotation earned postseason honors last fall, including sophomore Ziah Schmutz. The coach’s eldest daughter was one of just two Missouri freshmen to make a volleyball all-state team – in any class – after leading the Mountaineers with 325 kills. She also ranked second on Mt. Vernon with 346 assists and 48 aces.
“The postseason honors that Ziah, or any other player gets for that matter, are great but ultimately what I’m most proud of is the work that she consistently puts into her game,” coach Schmutz said. “She doesn’t get a lot of praise from me; it’s typically the opposite — challenges to her game, input on what she has to do better for our team to be successful. The focus has never been on her individual accomplishments, it’s always been on what she needs to do for our team to be more successful. She takes that in stride. She wears a heavy load on her shoulders, but she really looks at that pressure as a privilege. The goal for 2024 isn’t another all-state award — it’s another championship.”
And the Mountaineers have plenty of talent to make that a possibility. They’re led by a four-player senior class – Macie West, Teagyn Huver, Rae Downing and Madison Rinker – who should all see significant time on the court this fall.
“We have a great group of seniors that are hungry to make the most out of their last season,” coach Schmutz said. “I think that our focus has to be on the process, just as it was last year. We have to control what we can control. There are so many outlying factors that can change from season to season, but one thing that I love about this group is that they see adversity and an opportunity. They don’t make excuses. If anything, it makes them all the more determined to see their goals through.”
West and Huver are both coming off all-district seasons.
West has recorded 1,260 assists in her two years as the team’s primary setter.
“Macie is the epitome of what you want your setter to be,” coach Schmutz said. “She is a student of the game, smart and a competitor. She was such a huge piece to running our offense last season. She demands the best out of her teammates — a true leader — and we need her to continue her level of play from a season ago.”
Huver, a middle blocker, led the Mountaineers with 63 blocks.
“Teagyn has come a long way in the past two seasons,” coach Schmutz said. “She is long and agile and has so many natural qualities to make herself a great volleyball player. I am confident that this season will be her best yet.”
Rae Downing, an opposite, had 290 receptions last fall – good for third on the team.
“I can’t say enough good things about Rae,” coach Schmutz said. “She epitomizes what it means to be a team player; she is the strongest girl in the weight room, she excels in the classroom, she’s an incredible softball player and she comes in and gives her team every ounce of herself day in and day out. I am extremely grateful to get to coach her.”
The Mountaineers are excited to welcome back Rinker, who missed all of her junior year recovering from an ACL injury and two associated surgeries.
“She has quick reflexes, makes very few errors and is an extremely hard worker,” coach Schmutz said.
Juniors Camryn Cornell and Averee Swillum also return.
Cornell, a six-rotation outside hitter, will be entering her third year on varsity. She led the Mountaineers with 58 aces, ranked second with 404 receptions and 312 digs and earned all-conference and all-district honors.
“She has the athleticism to take over a game and I’ve been so impressed with the maturity that I’ve seen in her over the summer,” coach Schmutz said. “She’s competing harder than she ever has before and I see a new sense of hunger in her play.”
Swillum, a defensive specialist/outside hitter, ranked fourth on the team with 282 receptions.
“Averee has great touch on the ball with her first contact,” coach Schmutz said. “She’s smooth in everything she does. Her serve is high point scoring and she has put a lot of focus into making it even better.”
Sophomores Savannah Dampf and Claire Hale are also back after letter-winning seasons.
Dampf, a middle blocker, played her way into the starting lineup as a freshman — and will transition into an even larger role this fall.
“She is quiet, kinda flies under the radar but you see in her build and athleticism that she has the makeup to do some pretty incredible things,” coach Schmutz said. “This season, she will be moving from a pin to a middle and she will be a huge determining factor in just how good we will be.”
Hale, a defensive specialist/libero, appeared in just over half of Mt. Vernon’s sets as a freshman. She’s poised to see some additional time on the court this season.
“Claire is fast and gritty and has a great instinct for the ball,” coach Schmutz said. “She sees the floor well and communicates with our attackers in transition.”
Juniors Mya Bray and Olivia Jones give the Mountaineers some additional depth.
“They bring energy and passion to the court,” coach Schmutz said. “They both have the potential to earn some varsity reps in the back row while being the leaders of our JV team.”
The Mountaineers will travel to Carl Junction for an August 27 jamboree against the Bulldogs, Webb City and Clever. They will open the regular season on Aug. 31 at the Branson Tournament, then return home to face reigning Class 2 champion Fair Grove on Sept. 3.
“I know that each and every one of these players will give our team everything they have and all of the logistics will work itself out,” coach Schmutz said. “They are such a selfless group of young women so coaching them is easy. They put the team well before themselves.”
