It’s the dawn of a new era of South Hamilton volleyball as 2023 marks the beginning of the Shannon Skartvedt era in Jewell. Skartvedt takes over for Kayla Schafenbuel, who stepped down following a 13-19 season in 2022. The Hawks depart a sizeable senior class with some stout athletes, but the youth is promising for a Hawks team looking for their first winning season since 2018.
There’s going to be some holes to fill in the front line for the Hawks, as they graduate their top 3 kills-leaders in Zoey Duns (164), Hallee Feaker (124) and Kate Barkema (110). Barkema also led the team in assists with 220 last season, but look for senior Tanna Thompson to step in as the full-time setter in 2023. In terms of outside hitters, South Hamilton will likely look to someone who wasn’t on the varsity roster a season ago to fill out the vacated spots from Feaker and Barkema.
In the middle, South Hamilton returns a pair of middle hitters in Grace Neuberger and Ashlyn Erickson, who were top 2 on the team in blocks in 2022. It is feasible that one of these two could slide to the outside, but the Hawks will have quality in the middle. The backrow will return libero Kailyn Northrop, while incoming seniors such as Taylor Swanson, Lauren Vold and Savanaha Runge will all vie for time to improve the Hawks backrow.
South Hamilton will open their season with quad at Roland-Story, where they’ll face the rival Norsemen, Webster City and Central Springs on August 21st.