11 local volleyball stars named to All-State teams – Post Bulletin

Rochester Mayo’s Jadyn Lester is among 11 southeastern Minnesota volleyball players who have been selected to the Minnesota Volleyball Coaches Association All-State teams.

Lester, who was chosen in Class 4A, is a senior outside hitter/setter. She helped guide her team to a 20-9 record and a second-place finish in the Big Nine Conference.

An incredibly versatile player, Lester finished the regular season with 270 kills, 42 blocks, 348 assists, 213 digs and 32 ace serves. Lester will play next year at Division II Minnesota State University, Mankato.

Chosen to the Class 3A All-State team were Byron’s Lauren Fjerstad and Lexi Nelson, and Kasson-Mantorville’s Abby Distad and Ellie Ask.

Seniors Fjerstad and Nelson — an outside hitter and a middle hitter, respectively — have been driving forces in pushing the 23-4 Bears to their first state tournament since 2009. Fjerstad entered the quarterfinals with 265 kills and 281 digs. The 6-foot Nelson, who will play next year at Division II Augustana University (Sioux Falls, S.D.), had 292 kills and 234 digs.

Distad was a setting machine for the KoMets. The senior ended the regular season with 667 assists. She also had 150 digs and served at 97%. K-M finished 21-5, losing to Byron in the Section 1, Class 3A title match. Ask, a senior outside hitter, finished with a dazzling 225 kills, 214 digs and 23 blocks.

In Class 2A, Chatfield’s Harper Goldsmith and Jaelyn LaPlante were chosen All-State, as was Caledonia’s Logan Koepke.

Goldsmith, a sophomore rightside hitter/setter, was a big piece for a Chatfield team that was ranked No. 2 in Class 2A much of the season. Goldsmith finished with 202 kills, 501 assists, 76 service aces and 200 digs.

LaPlante, an athletic junior outside hitter, had 378 kills and 193 digs.

Caledonia’s Koepke has guided the 27-5 Warriors to their first state tournament since 2016. The senior outside hitter has been outstanding, with 420 kills and 267 digs. She will play next year at Division II Concordia University, St. Paul.

In Class 1A, making All-State were Mabel-Canton’s Kinley Soiney and Sahara Morken, and Fillmore Central’s Kammry Broadwater.

No. 2-ranked Mabel-Canton got massive seasons from sophomore middle hitter Soiney and junior setter Morken en route to reaching the state tournament for the second-consecutive year. Soiney has totaled 520 kills, 81 blocks and 51 service aces for the 35-1 Cougars. Morken, who was also All-State last year, is credited with an almost-unheard-of 1,076 assists this season. She also had 313 digs and 85 service aces.

Fillmore Central senior outside hitter Broadwater also put up big numbers this season on an excellent Falcons team (23-8). She finished the regular season with 348 kills, 229 digs and 30 ace serves.

Not making the All-State team was prior two-time selection Madison Burr of Cannon Falls. The 6-foot-1 senior outside hitter played in just a…