SportsJanuary 20, 2016
2015 All-Southeast Missourian Volleyball Team
Meet the 12 members of the 2015 All-Southeast Missourian Volleyball Team
Southeast Missourian
Katie Verseman, sr., St. Vincent
Plans after graduation: I am going to Maryville University to study physical therapy and I will be playing volleyball
Club team: NSSC
Favorite place to play: Show Me Center
Favorite warmup song: "Remember the Name" by Fort Minor
Favorite pregame meal: Any pasta
Favorite memory from the season: Taking Pius (Festus) to three games when we were expected to lose
Favorite locker room pep talk: Before the pIus game, play your hardest and you have already won
Favorite volleyball player: Karch Kiraly
What has been your greatest accomplishment as an athlete?: Going to State junior year and signing to play at a Division II school for college
What has been your greatest disappointmwent as an athlete?: Hitting the last two balls in the net at sectionals, ending my team's season and my three fellow seniors' high school careers
I started playing volleyball because: It was a part of my family and a part of me
One thing many people don't understand about volleyball: The game is more mental than physical in the end end
Coach Darren (my dad) has taught me: To play your best no matter what and be a good teammate
Volleyball is: A part of me
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Jackie Verseman, soph., St. Vincent
Club team: Perryville Block Party
Twitter handle: @j_VERSEMAN27
Favorite place to play: Show Me Center
Favorite warmup song: Hannah Montana
Favorite pregame meal: Pasta con broccoli
Favorite memory from the season: Taking St. Pius (Festus) to three sets
Favorite locker room pep talk: Before the St. Pius game
Favorite volleyball player: Haleigh Washington (Penn State), Karch Kiraly and Stacy Sykora
What has been your greatest accomplishment as an athlete?: To be able to play and compete in three sports
What has been your greatest disappointment as an athlete?: Not being able to play with a good attitude
I started playing volleyball because: My parents got us started when we were little and we really liked it
One thing many people don't understand about volleyball: That it isn't easy. You have to work really hard
Coach Cissell has taught me: To jump, never give up and defense wins your championships
Volleyball is: My life
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Emily Seiler, sr., Leopold
Plans after graduation: Attending Saint Louis University in the pre-med program, studying investigative and medical sciences
Twitter handle: @emily_lyn_
Favorite place to play: Leopold's gym, because it's home to me
Favorite pregame meal: Pizza rolls
Favorite memory from the season: Decorating Coach Davis' house for Christmas with my teammates...in October
What has been your greatest accomplishment as an athlete?: Working to become a team leader and becoming best friends with my teammates
I started playing volleyball because: It's in my blood -- my mom, aunts and cousins all played. Plus it's been a blast for me
One thing many people don't understand about volleyball: The strategy it takes to be a successful team, or that momentum is everything
Coach Sandy Davis has taught me: A mental toughness like no other that has carried into real life
Volleyball is: Blood, sweat, tears, happiness, pure joy and dedication
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Allie Sprink, soph., Saxony Lutheran
Club team: Perryville Block Party
Twitter handle: @allie_renee11
Favorite place to play: Saxony gym! Duh
Favorite warmup song: "My House" by Flo Rida
Favorite pregame meal: Pasta and garlic bread
Favorite memory from the season: Trying to sing "Pitch Perfect" songs on the bus ride to districts
Favorite locker room pep talk: Be the hammer, not the nail
Favorite volleyball player: Destiny Hooker
What has been your greatest accomplishment as an athlete?: Getting to be a part of Saxony volleyball varsity and getting All-State
What has been your greatest disappointment as an athlete?: Losing in districts with our five seniors, and seeing everyone cry when we lost in the championship
I started playing volleyball because: My mom wanted me to go to a beginner camp in the third grade
One thing many people don't understand about volleyball: It's not as easy as it looks, we just make it look easy
Coach Brandemeyer has taught me: To never stop trying to get better, even after I achieved my goal
Volleyball is: My passion and a way to get my mind off everything and focus on something I love
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Alanis Below, soph., Advance
Club team: NSSC 171s
Twitter handle: @alanismarie6
Favorite place to play: Advance gym
Favorite warmup song: "Hit the Quan" by IHeartMemphis
Favorite pregame meal: Beef jerky
Favorite memory from the season: Team Olympics
Favorite volleyball player: India Phillips -- "We take over the back row"
What has been your greatest accomplishment as an athlete?: Being named All-State
What has been your greatest disappointment as an athlete?: Not winning districts
I started playing volleyball because: ... of my older sister
One thing many people don't understand about volleyball: Why you only can have three hits
Coach Hoffman has taught me: To never give up and always have a smile
Volleyball is: The best!
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Ahnie Hoff, Sr., Perryville
Plans after graduation: Continue playing volleyball at John A. Logan College and studying to be an engineer
Club team: NSSC Volleyball
Favorite place to play: Perryville High School gymnasium
Favorite warmup song: "Clear Eyes, Full Heart" by T. Powell
Favorite pregame meal: Subway
Favorite memory from the season: Playing a tiring game against Farmington and winning in three sets out of five
Favorite locker room pep talk: "Where's my hairspray?"
What has been your greatest accomplishment as an athlete?: Winning All-Conference Player of the Year
What has been your greatest disappointment as an athlete?: Never being able to play with the same girls again
I started playing volleyball because: My sister inspired me with her talent
One thing many people don't understand about volleyball: It is a huge mental game
Coach Mirly has taught me: My mental game and how to use it to help my team
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Volleyball is: My life
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Kayla Buxton, Sr., Perryville
Plans after graduation: I am playing volleyball for the Lewis and Clark Trailblazers at Lewis and Clark Community College
Club team: Team Elite St. Louis 18 Red
Twitter handle: @kayla_buxton21
Favorite place to play: My home court at Perryville High School
Favorite warmup song: "Remember the Name" by Fort Minor
Favorite pregame meal: Subway or something light
Favorite memory from the season: Making best friends out of my teammates
Favorite locker room pep talk: "Give it all you got" and "do your best to forget the rest"
What has been your greatest accomplishment as an athlete?: Watching how far I've come and receiving a college scholarship to play volleyball
What has been your greatest disappointment as an athlete?: Last Perryville volleyball game with my teammates, knowing we won't play together again
I started playing volleyball because: The first camp I went to in second grade I was hooked!
One thing many people don't understand about volleyball: How tought you have to be
Coach Mirly has taught me: To be mentally tough. Coach Jessie taught me to believe in myself and my abilities and never underestimate myself
Volleyball is: My happy place
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Autumn Reid, sr., Jackson
Plans after graduation: Attending SEMO
Twitter handle: @Autumn72Reid
Favorite place to play: Home court (Jackson)
Favorite warmup song: "My House" by Flo Rida
Favorite pregame meal: Subway
Favorite memory from the season: Winning districts for the first time since 2009
Favorite locker room pep talk: To always play for ourselves and to leave a legacy
What has been your greatest accomplishment as an athlete?: Being the second to be selected for All-State
What has been your greatest disappointment as an athlete?: Sitting out the last three weeks of the regular season due to a foot injury
I started playing volleyball because: I got asked to manage the junior high team my sixth-grade year
One thing many people don't understand about volleyball: It's a lot harder than it looks
Coach Robinson has taught me: To have confidence in everything I do
Volleyball is: My favorite sport to play
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Hannah Hunt, jr., Jackson
Club team: NSSC 171s
Favorite place to play: In our home gym
Favorite warmup song: "1, 2 Step" by Ciara
Favorite pregame meal: Pepperoni pizza from Subway (one of my superstitions)
Favorite memory from the season: Dancing in the locker room with my team before each game
Favorite locker room pep talk: Leave your own legacy of what you want to be remembered as
Favorite volleyball player: My teammates! I couldn't do what I do without them!
What has been your greatest accomplishment as an athlete?: Winning the 2015 district title with my team and winning the Carbondale Tournament, where I received an MVP award
What has been your greatest disappointment as an athlete?: Not cheering on my teammates enough when they get discouraged
I started playing volleyball because: Hitting a ball over the net really hard is fun!
One thing many people don't understand about volleyball: That it takes three good contacts to make one great play
Coach Robinson has taught me: Not to hold on to my mistakes. Once a play has happened, let it go and make the next play batter
Volleyball is: A team sport
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Krista Rhodes, soph., Woodland
Club team: NSSC
Twitter handle: @_kristarhodes_
Favorite place to play: Woodland Gym
Favorite warmup song: "Single Ladies" by Beyonce
Favorite pregame meal: Reese's concrete
Favorite memory from the season: Winning the Woodland Invitational
Favorite locker room pep talk: Chelsea Cureton telling us all what we were going to do
Favorite volleyball player: Kacie Patton
What has been your greatest accomplishment as an athlete?: Getting All-State freshman and sophomore year
What has been your greatest disappointment as an athlete?: Losing to Saxony in districts
One thing many people don't understand about volleyball: That it is a mental game and takes hard work and dedication
Coach Patton has taught me: There is always room for improvement and hard work pays off
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Sam Feeney, sr., Notre Dame
Plans after graduation: Go to college, become a nurse
Club team: NSSC
Favorite place to play: Show Me Center
Favorite warmup song: "Shell Shocked" by Juicy J and Wiz Khalifa
Favorite pregame meal: Subway
Favorite memory from the season: Winning districts and breaking my own assist record
Favorite locker room pep talk: Coach Stroup's talk before districts
Favorite volleyball player: Misty May
What has been your greatest accomplishment as an athlete?: Breaking the Notre Dame assist record both my junior and senior year
What has been your greatest disappointment as an athlete?: Breaking my ankle before my seniors season
I started playing volleyball because: My dad, sister and I used to play around in the driveway and it developed my love for the game
One thing many people don't understand about volleyball: That it's a very team-oriented sport
Coach Stroup has taught me: To persevere through tough situations
Volleyball is: The best part of my life
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Abbie McAlister, sr., Notre Dame
Plans after graduation: Play college volleyball
Twitter handle: @abbiemcalister1
Favorite place to play: Show Me Center
Favorite warmup song: "My House" by Flo Rida
Favorite pregame meal: Chick-fil-a
Favorite memory from the season: Breaking a school record (493 kills) and winning districts
Favorite locker room pep talk: Pep talk before our district game
Favorite volleyball player: Misty May
What has been your greatest accomplishment as an athlete?: Breaking Notre Dame's single-season kill record that stood since 2006
What has been your greatest disappointment as an athlete?: Losing sectionals by two points and not being able to go to State as a senior
I started playing volleyball because: My mom played and I wanted to follow in her footsteps
One thing many people don't understand about volleyball: How much work it takes to be a great volleyball player and how hard it really is
Coach Stroup has taught me: That if you put your mind to something you can accomplish anything
Volleyball is: Something I can't imagine my life without
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