HS Volleyball: James Monroe looks to turn tough lessons into a championship

The Lady Mavs have the potential to win the AA state championship, but the road will be filled with contenders

The excitement around the James Monroe Volleyball program is extremely high going into the 2025 season.

However, the Lady Mavericks have been here before, only to see their state championship dreams fade away.

Convinced those tough outcomes over the last few years have taught the team valuable lessons, James Monroe is hoping to turn the clock back to 2014 when the Lady Mavs stood on top of the Class AA volleyball mountain in West Virginia.

The Monroe County net titans will need to replace three dynamic seniors lost to graduation, but the Mavericks are still loaded with talent and guided by a solid senior core.

Charleston Southern commit Ava Pitzer and fellow-senior Aliyah Clarkson will provide heavy firepower at the net, along with basketball all-stater Mya Dunlap who will frustrate opposing hitters.

Senior Sadie Mann will anchor the back row and senior Skylar Clarkson will set the table for the James Monroe hitters.

A talented, and highly successful, freshman group will add depth and could be a key factor when the postseason rolls around.

Although the Mavericks clearly have the potential to win a state championship title, the road will be far from easy.

Only two teams will advance to the state tournament from regional play which also includes Wyoming East, Independence and Liberty who are all very talented.

Lurking on the state scene will be AA powers Philip Barbour and Oak Glen.

Head coach Julie Bradley talked about her team and managing the high expectations for 2025.