EOU To Welcome State’s Best Volleyball Players

LA GRANDE – The Mountaineer gym will be filled on June 18, not with collegiate volleyball players from Eastern Oregon University, but with the best of high school volleyball players from around the state as EOU hosts the Oregon All-Star Match.

Those players heading to La Grande have all been previously honored as first or second-team selections in their own leagues. Upon arrival, the volleyball all-stars will be split into teams with the action starting at 9 a.m. and continuing throughout the day in a round robin format. Admission for the day is $5.

Eastern Oregon volleyball will be well represented led by hometown player Shelby Burgess of La Grande. Burgess was an outside hitter for the Tigers, a team finishing 8-7 for the season with a first-round playoff loss to Cascade to end the season.

As the teams take to the court, three Prospectors’ jerseys will be on display. Grant Union, after placing fourth in the state 2A tournament, will send Paige Gerry, Lauren Pettyjohn and Carson Weaver to the All-Star Match.

Both Weaver and Gerry picked up second-team honors from the 2A Blue Mountain Conference while Pettyjohn was named a first-team libero.

South Wasco will send two players to EOU for the day. Hailey Anderson, a senior outside hitter and Holly Miles, also a senior outside hitter will represent the Redsides.

Elgin senior Erika Adams will take to the court representing the Huskies after coming off a season as a first team 1A Old Oregon honoree.

Cove will be represented by senior Rachel Baird, one of three team captains for the Leopards this past season. Like Adams, Baird was also named first team for the Old Oregon League.

The 2A Bobcats of Union will be represented by senior Kaylin Nowak at outside hitter. After a 17-16 season for the Bobcats, Nowak was named second team for the 2A Blue Mountain Conference.

Imbler’s Jeolle Treat will make the trip for the Panthers after wrapping up the volleyball season as team captain and a first-team setter from the Old Oregon League.

Last to represent eastern Oregon, but certainly not least, Klickitat’s Laney Tuthill will jump the Washington/Oregon border to hit the floor of EOU. Tuthill, a senior outside hitter and middle blocker, was a member of the 9-6 Vandals’ team.     

Eastern Oregon Players

Erika Adams (Elgin)

Hailey Anderson (South Wasco)

Rachel Baird (Cove)

Shelby Burgess (La Grande)

Paige Gerry (Grant Union)

Holly Miles (South Wasco)

Kaylin Nowak (Union)

Lauryn Pettyjohn (Grant Union)

Joelle Treat (Imbler)

Laney Tuthill (Klickitat)

Carson Weaver (Grant Union)

Remaining Oregon Players

Sophie Biehler (Tualatin)

Cydni Dill (North Douglas)

Ainsey Goughnour (St. Paul)

Kloee Harris (Pleasant Hill)

Josie Kasberger (Crook County)

Fiona Ketchem (Days Creek)

Olivia Lewis (Molalla)

Jenny McKinnon (Crook County)

Samantha MacDowell (North Douglas)

Kendall Maykut (Crook County)

Lainie Mead (Molalla)

Hayden Muller (Siuslaw)

Megan Netter (North Marion)

Delaney Northem (Central Linn)

Ashlei Ramirez (Central Linn)

Chloe Riger (Tillamook)

Makayla Roginski (Gresham)

Michelle Ruedas (Lost River)

Jamie Seward (Sweet Home)

McKenzie Syphard (Country Christian)

Sydney Thompson (Molalla)

Natalie VanderPloeg (Mohawk)

Hallie Vaughn (North Douglas)

Kendal Vivkers (Yamhill Carlton)

Hope Witham (Cross Christian)