Elizabethtown High School’s Jessica Smallwood has been named the 2025 Ms. Kentucky Volleyball by the Kentucky Volleyball Coaches Association (KVCA). Smallwood, a 6-foot-6 senior middle blocker/outside hitter, recorded impressive stats this season, including 708 kills (6.6 per set), 333 digs (3.1 per set), 127 blocks, and 121 aces. She played a key role in helping the Panthers achieve a 29-10 record and win the Fifth Region championship. Smallwood has committed to the University of Pittsburgh.
Assumption High School swept the other top postseason awards from the KVCA. Senior libero Emily Keiran was named Defensive Player of the Year, and Ron Kordes was honored as Coach of the Year. Keiran, an Auburn commit, led the Rockets with 422 digs (4.4 per set) and 47 aces. Kordes has guided Assumption to a stellar 37-4 record, earning a No. 1 state ranking and a No. 7 national ranking by PrepVolleyball.com. The Rockets also secured a spot in the state tournament quarterfinals, scheduled for Friday.
Emily Keiran was one of five players from Louisville to receive first-team All-State honors. She was joined by Assumption’s Jillian Bohannon, Sacred Heart’s Taylor Frey, Ballard’s Ella Grivna, and Mercy’s Mady Yaden.
The KVCA also recognized Players of the Year and Coaches of the Year for each region in the Louisville area:
**Players of the Year:**
– Mady Yaden (Sixth Region)
– Ella Grivna (Seventh Region)
– Jenna Kitchens (Simon Kenton, Eighth Region)
**Coaches of the Year:**
– Danielle Wiegandt (Holy Cross, Sixth Region)
– Richard Weaver (Manual, Seventh Region)
– Brian Jones (North Oldham, Eighth Region)
### All-State First Team
– Amirra Bailey (Bowling Green)
– Jillian Bohannon (Assumption)
– Emily Keiran (Assumption)
– Audrey Dyas (Notre Dame)
– Grace Portwood (Notre Dame)
– Taylor Frey (Sacred Heart)
– Ella Grivna (Ballard)
– Morgan Heater (Ryle)
– Kylie Kinner (Paintsville)
– Jenna Kitchens (Simon Kenton)
– Milyn Minor (Scott)
– Cameron Owens (Bryan Station)
– Charlotte Patton (Conner)
– Miley Riddle (Shelby Valley)
– Jessica Smallwood (Elizabethtown)
– Mady Yaden (Mercy)
– Brianne Stoff (Louisville Holy Cross)
– Klaire Warrell (Central Hardin)
### Honorable Mention
– Payton Avilez
– Charlotte Hall (Lexington Catholic)
– Taylor Baker (Knott County Central)
– Josie Blair (Adair County)
– Ashlyn Crutcher (West Jessamine)
– Skylr Estep (Beechwood)
– Piper Fulton (Manual)
– Ryann Grigsby (Scott)
– Lilly Hamilton (McCracken County)
– Anna Hickey (Calvary Christian)
– Teagan Kondik (Notre Dame)
– Naoma Noble (Wolfe County)
– Peyton Powell (Greenup County)
– Chloe Soukup (Webster County)
– Ella Whitledge (Henderson County)
– Teigh Yeast (George Rogers Clark)
For more on high school sports, read about Sacred Heart Academy’s star being named Kentucky Miss Field Hockey and see who made All-State teams.
*Contact Jason Frakes at 502-582-4046 or [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter: @kyhighs.*
https://www.courier-journal.com/story/sports/preps/kentucky/2025/11/07/kentucky-high-school-volleyball-ms-volleyball-kvca-all-state-teams/87122932007/
