ORDER GAME PHOTOS

 
What a week for volleyball!  This was a world-breaking record week for not just women's volleyball, but women's sports in general, thanks to the Nebraska Cornhuskers volleyball program.

The largest crowd to ever attend a women's sporting event took place last week as 92,003 fans packed Nebraska's Memorial Stadium, normally used for football, to watch the Huskers take on the University of Omaha.  This shows how volleyball is growing in so many ways and here in Idaho, we are fortunate to see vast growth in the sport over the past decade as well.

This amazing sport is growing rapidly and how awesome is it to see the number of athletes from Idaho going on to the next level in college to contribute to the overall growth and success of volleyball?

We are going to spotlight a couple of players this week that helped their teams to victories.  There's a good chance that these young women will not only contribute to the growth of the game this year, but for the next several seasons!

Addie Evans, Pocatello High School, Senior

This week, Addie Evans was chosen as the Idaho High School Activities Athlete of the Week in volleyball.  She earned the award by leading the Thunder in kills, including 24 in a win over Blackfoot.  Addie and her Thunder teammates also won another five-set thriller this week against Idaho Falls.  She is among Class 4A's kills leading, currently ranking second in the classification.

Addie has been playing on Pocatello High's varsity team and for Pocatello Elite Volleyball Club since she was a freshman, although her drive to success began much earlier, as she's played volleyball since the sixth grade.  Addie is near and dear to my heart, as I've had the honor of coaching, training, and seeing her grow for over three years now as a part of Pocatello Elite Volleyball Club.

She trains with us year round in the weight room, on the court, on the grass, and sometimes in the sand!  Her hard work has led her to a lot of success.  For example, Addie would rank in the 85th percentile among college outside hitters, thanks to her 9-foot-6 approach jump.

Addie is also the student-athlete you want leading your team, as she holds a GPA of 3.9, which means she is getting things done in the classroom as well as the court.  Addie is doing all she can to accomplish incredible goals with her Pocatello teammates this season, as the Thunder haven't been to the state tournament since 1993.  They are off to a great start and we are so excited for her future!

Addie has been going on several college recruiting trips at all levels since last season and is currently considering playing volleyball at several colleges in Montana, Utah, and Idaho, just to name a few.  Thank you for your hard work, passion, and love of the game Addie.  Keep going!

Abby McClain, Canyon Ridge High School, Senior

This week Abby McClain helped lead her team to sweeps over both Jerome and Mountain Home.  In the match against Jerome, Abby hit over .400 and she continuously retains a high hitting percentage.  Those are numbers you want to see at the next level and this is why Abby is a player who will see playing in college next year, continuing the trend of Idaho volleyball players putting their home state on the map!

Abby started playing volleyball in sixth grade, but she knew she really wanted to excel at the sport after watching her older sisters play.  Roles have changed for Abby as she is now doing the same, inspiring young girls all over the state as they see her play and want to be just like her!

Abby plays and trains for volleyball year round.  She played club for three years for Southern Idaho Volleyball Academy (SIVA).  She loved those years with SIVA and the success she foudn there.  Then, her hard work and determination led her to an opportunity to play for a top Idaho Crush team this past club season. 

Abby is so thankful for this program and her coaches as they helped her immensely improve her skill set and helped her learn how to compete at the the sport's highest levels.  She's excited to work together with her Canyon Ridge teammates to try and lead the Riverhawks to the Class 4A State Tournament, where she hopes to play against one of her Idaho Crush teammates, Alex Bower of Skyview.

Abby committed to Idaho State University this past April shortly after her visit.  She talked to many college coaches at all levels, but loved what coach Sean Carter is bringing to ISU.  She wants to help lead the Bengals to becoming Big Sky Conference champions.

Abby is very focused and determined with her academics as well as she wants to become a pharmacist.  She's forever grateful to all of her club coaches, and she can't wait to play for ISU.

We see Abby helping her Canyon Ridge team new heights in her senior season, as they won the Great Basin Conference for the first time ever a year ago.  This year, they hope to return to state and advance further in the bracket.  Thank you for your grit, love of the game, and perseverance Abby.  Keep going!


There are so many athletes statewide helping the game grow and we are so thankful for all of them!  As we continue to see more success from Idaho's volleyball teams and players, our excitement grows, as this is just the beginning!  We can't wait for Week 3!