MONTGOMERY, Ala. — All-star squads for the 2017 North-South Volleyball competition have been selected. Twenty-four outstanding junior volleyball standouts, 12 on each team, were chosen from nominations submitted by high school coaches from across the state to participate at the 21th annual AHSAA Summer Conference and AHSADCA All-Star Games competition in Montgomery July 19-22, according to an announcement by Alvin Briggs, Director of the Alabama High School Athletic Directors & Coaches Association (AHSADCA).

The volleyball all-star match will be at Auburn-Montgomery at 2 p.m. on Thursday, July 20.

The AHSADCA All-Star Games also include in-state all-star games in football, basketball, soccer, baseball, softball and for the first time, cross country. Soccer, softball and baseball all-star contests will be Tuesday, July 18.The 56th North-South All-Star football game will be played Thursday night, July 20, at Cramton Bowl. The boys’ and girls’ basketball games will be at Alabama State on Wednesday, July 19, and the inaugural North-South cross country competition will be held earlier that morning. 

The AHSAA Summer Conference is a week-long conference that includes sports specific clinics and special sessions for coaches, principals, athletic directors, cheerleading coaches and officials. Also, an All-Sports Equipment Expo and other related activities are scheduled throughout the week.

Among the conference’s highlights will be the Sportsmanship Luncheon honoring all schools that have not had an ejection or fine during the 2015-16 school year and the Championship Coaches Awards Banquet that includes the naming of the 2015-16 Making A Difference Award Recipients ,Coaches of the Year, and the AHSADCA Athletic Director of the Year.

Both banquets will be Friday, July 21.
 Concluding the week will be the annual Officials Awards luncheon set for Saturday, July 22.
 Coco Hughes, who guided Hazel Green to the Class 6A state championship in 2016, and Whitney Welch, who led Alexandria to the 5A state finals, are the coaches for the North Volleyball All-Stars. Randolph’s Sue Marshall is the administrative coach.
 South coaches include Bridgett Brantley of Geneva and Neysa Hernandez of Prattville and Carver-Montgomery’s Virginia Franklin is administrative coach. Brantley’s Lady Bobcats (17-12) reached Class 3A Super Regionals in 2016, and Hernandez’s Lady Lions (27-20) reached the 2016 Class 7A state tournament quarterfinals.
 The North team features two of Hughes’ own players on the North squad, middle hitter Tierra Porter and outside hitter Maci Battle. Taylor Spradley of Alexandria will also be joining her coach on the team. All three were named to the 2016 All-State Tourney squads. The North squad also features setter Libby Gann of 2016 Class 7A state champion Mountain Brook and middle hitter Abbie Chambless, who was named MVP of the Class 1A state tournament after leading the Bulldogs to the 2016 title.

Setter Ansleigh Dailey and outside hitter Brantley Rhodes, who helped Bayside Academy win its 15th straight Class 3A state championship last season, headline the South squad along with St. Paul’s Episcopal middle hitter Kelly Honkanen, who helped the Saints claim the 2016 Class 5A state title. Also selected is setter Reilly Vought of Class 6A runner-up Spanish Fort.

The South won last summer’s North-South match 3-0 with a 25-17, 25-16, 25-18 victory. The North holds a 13-6 lead in the series that got underway in 1997.
 The rosters are below.

2017 NORTH VOLLEYBALL ALL-STAR ROSTER

Player              School    Pos.Ht.

Abbie Chambless  Addison  M  5'9

Taylor Spradley  Alexandria  OH  5'11

Alexis Snow  Danville   L   5'2

Karlee Hale  Geraldine  MH  5'11

Reagan Harmon  Grissom  OH  5'11

Tierra Porter  Hazel Green  MB  6 '2

Maci Battle          Hazel GreenOH5'7

Annmarie Dunford  Huntsville  OH5'8

Kinsley Hanback  Lexington  MB   5'10

Libby Gann  Mountain Brook   S  5'8

Torie Denkers  Oak Mountain  OH 6'0

Anna Bryant  Pleasant Valley  S  5'4

NORTH COACHES

Player          School     Pos.  Ht.  

Abigail Allen  Baker       L    5'3

Ansleigh Dailey Bayside  S   5'6

Brantley Rhodes  Bayside OH  6'0

Abby Martin  Benjamin Russell OH 6'0

Lainey Wells  Brantley     MH   5'9

Sydney Omtvedt  Daphne  OH  5'8

Caroline Kirkham  Montgomery Acad. OH  5'11

Emorie Long   Pelham  MH  5'9

Elizabeth Skoneki  Saint James  RS 5'9

Reilly Vought    Spanish Fort   S  5'11

Natalie Bonner    St. Luke  MH  5'11

Kelly Honkanen    St. Paul's  MH  6'0

SOUTH COACHES

CoachSchool
Bridgett BrantleyOpp
Neysa HernandezPrattville
Virginia Franklin, Adm.Carver - Montgomery