2025 Clutch Sports Media All-Area Volleyball Team: 62 Central Illinois players earn honors

Volleyball winners are made in Central Illinois and the 2025 season further proved why, with several area teams making state berths and Normal U-High winning the Class 3A state title. 

The Bloomington/Normal area was once again a factory of volleyball talent as Normal U-High and Bloomington Central Catholic advanced to state title games, Normal Community won a Class 4A sectional title and Normal West won a Class 3A regional title despite being hampered with injuries all season. 

The Peoria area didn’t fare too shabby either, as over half of the Mid-Illini jockeyed closely together in the conference title race and Tremont’s magical run to state proved the depth of the Heart of Illinois Conference. 

Clutch Sports Media’s volleyball All-Area team, which features a total of 62 honorees, is composed of athletes from the 39 schools in the CSM coverage area surrounding Peoria and Bloomington/Normal.

Clutch Sports Media will also have a Coach of the Year and a Volleyball Player of the Year, which will both be announced shortly. All of the All-Area nominees below are listed by position, then in alphabetical order. 

Clutch Sports Media All-Area First Team 

Mia Lamberti, junior Limestone - outside hitter 

Lamberti continued to build on her incredible career with a 400-kill, 400-assist season for the Rockets, who won the Mid-Illini Conference title and went 34-3. The junior and University of Illinois commit earned first team all-Mid Illini, IVCA Class 3A first team all-state and AVCA third team All-American honors while putting up 406 assists, 402 kills, 137 digs, 67 aces and 13 blocks. Lamberti, who split time between setter and outside hitter, played her way onto four all-tournament teams during the season and has surpassed the 1,000 career kills and 1,000 career assists milestones with one varsity season to go. 

Kampbell Niepagen, junior, Bloomington Central Catholic - outside hitter 

Niepagen helped power BCC to a Class 2A state runner-up finish for the second consecutive season. The junior, who is committed to Auburn, led the Saints in kills (395), digs (241) and aces (60) while adding 42 blocks and 17 assists. She was one of the most efficient attackers around and owned a hitting percentage of .311. Her skill landed her on the Illini Prairie Conference’s and IVCA’s Class 3A All-State first teams and was recognized on the national level as an AVCA all-region pick and All-American honorable mention. Niepagen also surpassed 1,000 career kills at the IHSA State Finals. 

Alana Whitfield, senior, Normal Community - outside hitter 

Normal Community’s leading attacker put up 415 kills, 276 digs, 34 blocks, 27 aces and 26 assists while helping the Iron to a Big 12 crown and its first Class 4A sectional title since 2016. Whitfield is committed to Michigan State and was a unanimous first team all-Big 12 selection, as well as an IVCA Class 4A first team all-state pick. 

Anna McGlasson, junior, Midland - middle 

McGlasson provided plenty of offense and defense to an improved Timberwolves team that set a new program record for wins in a season (24) and advanced to its first regional title game since 2012. McGlasson put up 358 kills to go with 88 blocks, 34 aces and 32 assists in 35 matches. Although she spends most of her time in the front row, McGlasson was impactful in the back row as well with 270 digs. She earned IVCA Class 1A second team all-state honors as well as first team all-conference and all-conference tournament team awards from the Tri-County Conference. 

Nora Parsons, sophomore, Tremont - middle 

Parsons headlined a Tremont team that captured the attention of many after going 17-17 in the regular season before making its first-ever run to the Class 1A State Finals. The sophomore notched a school-record 67 blocks to go with 292 kills, 83 digs and 73 aces against a competitive schedule in the Heart of Illinois Conference. Parsons was a first team all-HOIC pick and made it onto the IVCA’s all-tournament team at the state finals, one of three such all-tournament awards that she accumulated during the season. 

Bryn Williamson, junior, Limestone - setter 

Williamson was a big part of a high-powered Limestone lineup, playing at both setter and outside hitter and earning IVCA Class 3A second team all-state honors. A Division-I prospect, she impacted each rotation for the 34-3 Rockets and put up 404 assists, 279 kills, 163 digs, 41 aces and 26 blocks. Williamson was a first team all-Mid Illini pick and earned three all-tournament team nods. 

Khloe Stear, senior, Limestone - libero 

Stear capped a standout career in the blue and white by leading all of Class 3A in digs with 587. She also notched 101 assists and 26 aces for Limestone, which won 123 games during her four years in high school. The senior earned a unanimous first team all-Mid Illini nod for the second straight year and was named to the Class 3A IVCA all-state second team. Stear will play at Parkland College and has goals of transferring to a Division I school afterward. 

Clutch Sports Media All-Area Second Team 

Carly Dawson, junior, Washington - outside hitter 

Washington’s University of Iowa commit on the outside led the charge in her team winning a Class 3A sectional title for the first time since 2003. A team captain as a junior, Dawson led the Panthers with 308 kills, coupled with 190 digs, 29 aces, 25 blocks and 20 assists. She was a first team all-conference selection in a highly-competitive Mid-Illini Conference for the second straight season and was a two-time all-tournament team honoree.

Laney Snow, senior, Normal U-High - outside hitter 

Snow ended her career as a Class 3A state champion and was the dominating force behind the 38-4 Pioneers, who closed the season on a 30-game win streak. The Ferris State commit was named the Class 3A state tournament MVP by the IVCA and earned second team all-state honors from the association as well. She put up 329 kills — giving her 949 in her career — to go with 298 kills, 34 blocks, 18 aces and 14 assists. She helped Normal U-High to an undefeated season in conference play and was a first team all-Central State Eight selection. 

Lyla Tate, senior, Heyworth - outside hitter 

Tate was a feared presence on the court and led Heyworth to a Class 1A regional title and a sectional championship berth. A first-team all-Heart of Illinois Conference outside hitter, she put up a whopping 415 kills and 282 digs in 38 matches — leading the team in both categories — along with 28 aces and 21 blocks. 

Rosie Krenz, senior, Bloomington Central Catholic - middle 

Krenz was an indispensable part of BCC’s Class 2A state runner-up team, locking down opponents with 71 blocks while adding 249 kills and 28 digs. The Saints’ senior showed remarkable efficiency by hitting at a remarkable .394 clip. Krenz’s accolades include first team all-Illini Prairie Conference and IVCA Class 2A second team all-state. She is committed to play collegiately at Ferris State. 

Abby VanMeenen, junior, Morton - middle 

VanMeenen was at the core of a Morton squad that went 33-4, finished second in the Mid-Illini and advanced to the Class 3A sectional finals. Her year included a team-high 213 kills, .305 hitting percentage and 82 blocks and all-tournament selections in all three tournaments that she played in. The junior, who is also a basketball standout for the Potters, garnered IVCA Class 3A first team all-state and unanimous first team all-Mid Illini laurels. 

Ella Miller, junior, Metamora - setter 

Metamora’s offense was in good hands with Miller running the show as she put up 668 assists in 34 matches. The Redbirds’ team leader was a first team all-Mid Illini and second team IVCA Class 3A all-state pick who supplemented her season stats with 156 digs, 37 kills, 37 blocks and 36 aces. 

Anja Nelson, junior, Brimfield - libero 

Nelson was one of the area’s top defensive players again but also stepped into a hitting role when Brimfield needed her to. She led her Indians team, which won a Class 1A regional for the second straight year with 364 digs — reaching 1,000 digs in her career —and 60 aces while registering 127 kills and 55 assists as well. Nelson accumulated first team all-conference honors in the Prairieland and Inter-County conferences before landing a spot on the IVCA Class 1A all-state second team. 

Clutch Sports Media All-Area Honorable Mentions 

Outside hitters 

Hayden Alwerdt, junior, Tremont

Tessa Arnott, senior, Dunlap

Campbell Brown, junior, Metamora

Ava Crabtree, senior, Normal U-High

Addison Duncheon, sophomore, East Peoria

Emerson Eeten, sophomore, Illini Bluffs

Aubrey Fair, senior, Bloomington Central Catholic

Madison Funk, senior, Normal U-High

Eden Hafermann, junior, Normal West

Aidan Maloney, senior, Peoria Notre Dame

Pru Mangan, senior, Fieldcrest

Maggie Michaels, senior, Normal Community

Kayt Miller, junior, IVC

Isabelle Mueller, junior, Morton

Presley Shanahan, junior, Tri-Valley

Grace Small, junior, Olympia

Kennedy Teubel, senior, Brimfield

Olivia Ziemer, senior, Normal West 

Middles

Isabelle Axelson, senior, Eureka

Annabelle Bischoff, junior, Tri-Valley

Cheyenne Burge, junior, Elmwood

Aubrey Hurckes, senior, Tremont

Sam Matheny, senior, Dunlap

Taylor Penn, junior, Normal U-High

Londyn Sommerville, junior, Richwoods

Jordyn Tomlinson, junior, Roanoke-Benson

Kayleigh Toombs, senior, Farmington 

Setters 

Kadie Bishop, senior, Washington

Chloe Eeten, senior, Illini Bluffs

Addison Fisher, junior, Delavan

Mady Gibson, senior, Peoria Notre Dame

Macy Gochanour, senior, Fieldcrest

Caroline Holmes, senior, Dunlap

Sam Lakamp, senior, Normal Community

Taylor Langland, senior, El Paso-Gridley

Ellie Payne, junior, Eureka

Morgan Petelin, senior, Normal U-High

Payge Ryan, junior, Elmwood 

Laine Thompson, junior, Normal West

Katie Whitson, senior, Dee-Mack

Liberos

Krissa Agnew, sophomore, Eureka

Regan Baker, sophomore, Bloomington Central Catholic

Kami Barth, senior, Washington

Claire Ceresa, junior, Morton

Lilly Dries, junior, Peoria Notre Dame

Wren Kellenburger, junior, Elmwood

Audrey Sanders, senior, Peoria Christian 

Carly Whitcomb, sophomore, Tremont