Volleyball 704 Watch List: Deep talent pool in Charlotte area as 2023 season begins
HighSchoolOT is previewing the upcoming volleyball season with its annual watch list across the state's six area codes.
The 704 area code refers to the greater Charlotte counties of Mecklenburg, Cabarrus, and Union as well as Iredell, Lincoln, Gaston, Stanly, Rowan, and Cleveland. In our preseason rankings, Marvin Ridge is the top-ranked team in the 704. The Mavericks also start the year fourth in the overall state rankings.
Here's what you need to know about HSOT Watch Lists:
- Unlike previous years, there was no set number of athletes on each one.
- The Watch List organizes athletes by county and then lists them alphabetically.
- Being on the HSOT Watch List does NOT factor into future awards, like HSOT All-State and HSOT Honors.
- Last year's all-state team and final rankings are listed at the bottom of this story, as is this year's preseason rankings.
- Each player has a quick list of accomplishments from this past season. Accomplishments from previous seasons are noted by what year they occurred in.
- Sometimes transfers happen in the offseason and we are unaware. If that's the case with any athlete below, please notify us at jmbpreps@gmail.com
The 704 volleyball HSOT Watch List features a returning second-team all-state player: Kings Mountain's Melie Songaila.
North Iredell enters the year as the reigning 3A champ and Union Academy the defending 1A champ while Sun Valley finished runner-up in 4A.
Rowan and Iredell counties
Brooke Aeschliman, South Iredell (senior)
- 364 kills (3.8/set, 44.2 kill%)
- 53 aces
- 26 blocks
- 249 digs (2.6/set, 9.2/match)
Emma Clarke, West Rowan (senior)
- 245 kills (3.4/set, 47.9 kill%)
- 31 aces
- 50 blocks
- 118 digs (1.6/set, 4.7/match)
- Tennessee softball recruit
Maggie Cross, Jesse Carson (junior)
- 33 kills
- 65 aces
- 829 assists (8.9/set) -- 29/2580 BHE
Ava Morris, Salisbury (junior)
- 272 kills (3.4/set, 37.0 kill%)
- 76 aces
- 234 digs (2.9/set, 9.8/match)
Ashley Yang, Salisbury (junior)
- 74 kills
- 84 aces
- 269 digs (3.3/set, 11.2/match)
- 603 assists (7.4/set)
Lincoln, Cleveland, and Gaston counties
Anne Bradley Bing, Gaston Day (junior)
- 393 kills (4.1/set, 26.9 kill%)
- 40 aces
- 569 digs (5.9/set, 16.3/match)
- 50 assists
Megan Brown, Gaston Day (senior)
- 390 kills (5.6/set, 37.6 kill%)
- 68 aces
- 250 digs (3.6/set, 9.3/match)
Myracle Davis, Kings Mountain (senior)
- 412 (4.7/set, 52.3 kill%)
- 55 blocks
- 37 digs
Kensley Haneline, Crest (junior)
- 452 kills (4.8/set, 39.4 kill%)
- 46 aces
- 34 blocks
- 232 digs (2.5/set, 8.6/match)
Giselle Little, Mountain Island Charter (senior)
- 234 kills (2.9/set, 52.3 kill%)
- 20 aces
- 64 blocks
- Winthrop recruit
Meile Songaila, Kings Mountain (senior)
- HSOT 2nd team all-state
- 476 kills (5.4/set, 48.0 kill%)
- 43 aces
- 21 blocks
- 308 digs (3.5/set, 10.6/match)
Madison Thompson, Highland Tech (junior)
- 261 kills (3.1/set, 51.6 kill%)
- 40 blocks
- 30 digs
Stanly and Cabarrus counties
Shayln Bell, North Stanly (junior)
- 255 kills (3.9/set, 40.8 kill%)
- 18 aces
- 142 digs (2.2/set, 7.9/match)
Jordyn Gray, Cox Mill (sophomore)
- 476 kills (4.8/set, 40.0 kill%)
- 39 aces
- 33 blocks
- 200 digs (2.0/set, 7.4/match)
Arianna Lopez, Cannon School (junior)
- 46 kills (45.5 kill%)
- 74 aces
- 18 blocks
- 198 digs (2.8/set, 7.9/match)
- 643 assists (9.1/set)
Ava Lowder, Mount Pleasant (senior)
- HSOT 3rd team all-state
- 353 kills (3.9/set, 39.4 kill%)
- 44 aces
- 45 blocks
- 275 digs (3.0/set, 10.6/match)
- 291 assists (3.2/set) -- 29/1114 BHE
Maria Nix, Cannon School (junior)
- 360 kills (4.9/set, 44.7 kill%)
- 54 aces
- 22 blocks
- 128 digs (1.8/set, 5.1/match)
Anson and Union counties
Riley Parker, Sun Valley (sophomore)
- 239 kills (2.4/set, 42.5 kill%)
- 65 aces
- 226 digs (2.3/set, 7.1/match)
Laine Svonovec, Marvin Ridge (senior)
- 36 aces
- 410 digs (4.1/set, 13.7/match)
Josie Zettlemoyer, Marvin Ridge (senior)
- 352 kills (3.6/set, 35.5 kill%)
- 26 aces
- 37 aces
- 303 digs (3.1/set, 9.8/match)
- 34 assists
Mecklenburg County
Ryan Hunter, Mallard Creek (junior)
- HSOT 3rd team all-state
- 338 kills (3.9/set, 43.2 kill%)
- 72 aces
- 54 blocks
Ashley Malone, Charlotte Latin (senior)
- 341 kills (4.1/set, 40.4 kill%)
- 65 aces
- 27 blocks
- 205 digs (2.4/set, 7.9/match)
Charlie Meadoweal, Palisades (senior)
- HSOT 3rd team all-state
- 251 kills (3.2/set, 43.0 kill%)
- 72 aces
- 11 blocks
- 195 digs (2.5/set, 8.5/match)
- 241 assists (3.1/set) -- 26/689 BHE
Camryn Shelton, Ardrey Kell (senior)
- HSOT Honorable Mention all-state
- 41 kills
- 34 aces
- 29 blocks
- 261 digs (3.2/set, 10.0/match)670 assists (8.2/set) -- 29/1868 BHE
- UCF recruit
Arielle Walker, Davidson Day (senior)
- HSOT Honorable Mention all-state
- 455 kills (4.4/set, 50.2 kill%)
- 49 aces
- 22 blocks
- 225 digs (2.2/set, 6.6/match)
Ella Whittington, Hough (senior)
- 200 kills (2.9/set, 45.2 kill%)
- 43 aces
- 145 digs (2.1/set, 5.6/match)
