NEW PALESTINE — Three years in, New Palestine boys volleyball coach Amy Schreiber-Roan likes the way her team is coming together.
A club sport in 2022 and an emerging IHSAA sport in 2023 and 2024, boys volleyball interest continues to grown at New Palestine High School. The sports is on schedule to be an IHSAA sport for 2025.
Schreiber-Roan said she has gone from teaching kids that are brand new to the sport to having a number of players that are playing club volleyball in the off-season.
“The progress has actually been a little bit faster than anticipated because we’ve had so many guys that started playing club volleyball,” Schreiber-Roan said. “Some of them are playing year-round. Their volleyball IQ has increased quite a bit. It’s helped us get to a higher level faster.
“We still have a lot of growth, but we’ve improved quite a bit from year to year. It’s been really impressive.”
The volleyball team opens its schedule next week. They’ll be busy early with three home matches.
The Dragons open play Monday against Covenant Christian, are back at it Tuesday against Southport and wrap up the week Thursday against Franklin Community. All matches are scheduled to start at 6 p.m.
“We had to teach them from the very basics from how to hold their hands to pass the ball, or how to hold their hands to serve the ball,” Schreiber-Roan recalled during the team’s inaugural season in 2022. “With some of the younger and newer guys, we’re still doing that, but we’re not spending near the amount of time teaching that. We’re working in more strategic aspects of the game. That’s where we’re seeing some of that growth.”
Schreiber-Roan now has players that are considered veterans at the varsity level.
Six juniors, all returning from last year’s roster, are expected to be some of the top contributors in outside hitter Jaxon Hinkle, setter Kameron Engle, libero Eli Martin, middle hitter/outside hitter Daysen Wood, defensive specialist Maguire Gross and middle hitter Eli Greene.
Wood and Hinkle are the top returning hitters with 73 and 63 kills, respectively, from last year’s 12-16 team. Wood was also last year’s top blocker with 30 total blocks.
Martin led last year’s Dragons with 290 digs, averaging 3.7 per set and 11.6 per match. Engle had 338 assists, averaging 4.1 per set. Among returnees, Engle was tops in service aces with 24.
Seniors Matthew Everett (outside hitter/defensive specialist) and Cade Rodgers (right-side hitter) and junior Dontae Thompson (right-side/middle hitter) are newcomers that could contribute quickly.
“It’s hard to have clear expectations,” Schreiber-Roan said of the upcoming season, noting the newness of the sport to the entire state. “You just don’t know walking into a match like, Covenant Christian on Monday, I don’t quite know what to expect. Boys volleyball, in general, is growing so much. It will be interesting to see.
“I do think, just seeing what we’ve been able to do the last couple of week, we will be able to maybe win and compete in some matches that we wouldn’t have last year. I think we’ll be more competitive, but then again, everybody should be a little more competitive this year.”
The Dragons will field varsity, junior varsity and a full freshman team this season. Ashley Ralph is the program’s assistant coach.
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2024 New Palestine Boys Volleyball Schedule
Date;Opponent;Time
Mar. 11;vs. Covenant Christian;6 p.m.
Mar. 12;vs. Southport;6 p.m.
Mar. 14;vs. Franklin;6 p.m.
Mar. 19;at Beech Grove;6 p.m.
Mar. 21;vs. Westfield;5:30 p.m.
Apr. 3;vs. Noblesville;6 p.m.
Apr. 4;at Lawrence North;6 p.m.
Apr. 9;at Martinsville;6 p.m.
Apr. 11;vs. Franklin Central;6 p.m.
Apr. 12;vs. Bishop Chatard;5:30 p.m.
Apr. 15;at Heritage Christian;6 p.m.
Apr. 16;vs. Herron;6 p.m.
Apr. 18;at Lutheran;6 p.m.
Apr. 22;at Shelbyville;6 p.m.
Apr. 25;vs. Whiteland;6 p.m.
Apr. 30;vs. Cardinal Ritter;6 p.m.
May 1;vs. Lawrence Central;5:30 p.m.
May 2;at Park Tudor;6 p.m.
May 7;at Warren Central;6 p.m.
