Volleyball

The Williamsburg Volleyball team is getting a new head coach this season. Marissa Downs graduated from Williamsburg High School in 2024 and helped lead her team to the Elite 8 of the KHSAA State Volleyball Champion for two consecutive years. During her playing career, she was awarded All District and All Region multiple times and named 13th Region Player of the Year in 2023. She also received the Kentucky Colonel Award in 2024. “Coach Downs is excited to lead the sport she loves and continue the Williamsburg tradition of success in volleyball,” the school’s Facebook post said.

Corbin High School Volleyball Coach Krystal Jones said this year’s Lady Redhounds are entering the season with a focus that extends beyond wins and losses. “I try not to measure success of a season based on wins and losses,” said Jones. “When our girls leave this program, I’m far more concerned with the human they are than any stat they report or put up.” Jones said chemistry and accountability have become priorities throughout the program. “We’re competing here as one team, so that has been really fun to watch,” said Jones. “You can have the greatest players, but if you don’t have chemistry, it does not mean anything.” Jones said players use accountability...

For the fourth consecutive year, the Williamsburg Lady Jackets volleyball team will be representing the 13th Region in the All “A” Classic State Championship Tournament. The Lady Jackets, who came into this week with an overall record of 13 wins and three losses, defeated Jackson County, Pineville and Barbourville earlier this month to secure their latest regional All “A” crown. In the upcoming 2024 All “A” state tourney, Williamsburg will face a trio of capable opponents in pool play before hopefully making a run at a state title if they are able to make it into the championship bracket. Joining the Jackets in Pool C will be Region 4 champions Monroe County...

After a frustrating 2023 campaign that saw the team come up short in both the 50th District and 13th Region championship tournaments, the Corbin High School volleyball Hounds are eager to right the ship and get back on top under the guidance of first-year Head Coach Krystal Jones. “These girls are fighters, and they’re ready for a new season,” said Jones, who transitioned last year from coaching at the middle school level to serving as an assistant for the varsity team. The volleyball Hounds were hit hard by graduation last year, losing four very solid players in Darcie Anderson, Haleigh Black, Kallie Housley and Bailey Stewart, but Jones said that she...

On Monday, the 13th Region champion Whitley County Lady Colonels picked up their 35th win of the 2023 season, defeating Wolfe County 3-1 (27-25, 22-25, 25-17, 25-20) in the first round of the Kentucky High School Athletic Association State Volleyball Championship Tournament. The Lady Colonels had to travel to Wolfe County for Monday’s game, which is the same situation they found themselves in for round one of 2022’s state championship tourney. When it was all said and done, the outcome was exactly the same as 12 months ago as Whitley advanced to the Elite Eight with a 3-1 victory. After dispatching the 14th Region champs, the Lady Colonels now look ahead...

With their fifth victory over the Corbin Lady Hounds this season, the Whitley County Lady Colonels improved to 34-2 on the year and won their second straight 13th Region championship title. Tuesday’s regional final was contested inside the gym at Lynn Camp High School, which was standing room only as Corbin and Whitley County fans filled the stands to see their teams go at it one more time in 2023. Staying true to form, this latest encounter between the Colonels and the Hounds was ultra-competitive, but in the end the defending region champs were able to secure the 3-1 victory and earn a return trip to the Kentucky High School Athletic...

This Saturday, the defending 13th Region champion Whitley County Lady Colonels will be hosting their Annual First Priority Volleyball Classic at Whitley County High School and Whitley County Middle School. For those already familiar with the event, you know that it has become one of the premier high school volleyball tournaments in the eastern half of the state. This year, the Classic looks to continue to solidify that reputation as the Lady Colonels welcome in a talented field of 15 other squads. Making the trip to Whitley County this Saturday, Sept. 23, will be Pulaski County, McCreary Central, Adair County, North Laurel, Southwestern, Knott County Central, Shelby Valley, Cumberland Homeschool (CHAT),...

With victories over Oneida Baptist Institute, Jackson County and Pineville, the Williamsburg Lady Jackets volleyball team recently won its third consecutive All “A” regional championship title. The accomplishment means they will return to the All “A” state tournament later this week at Eastern Kentucky University in Richmond. For three senior Lady Jackets – Abigail Stephens, Lylah Mattingly and Allison Creekmore – this will be the last chance to go to state and secure a Kentucky All “A” Classic tournament victory. With the support of newcomer Lizzie Paulotto, a senior foreign exchange student from Italy, these ladies are hopeful of achieving that goal later this week. “Abigail, Allison and myself have all...

One of the most fierce rivalries in all of 13th Region sports is set to pick up right where it left off last year when the Corbin Lady Hounds and the defending region champion Whitley County Lady Colonels get their 2023 seasons underway next week. The Lady Colonels finished their 2022 campaign with 25 wins and 15 losses, winning 50th District and 13th Region championship titles and picking up a 3-1 (19-25, 25-21, 27-25, 25-14) victory over Wolfe County in the first round of the KHSAA state championship tournament. The team fell in the state tourney quarterfinals to Notre Dame, 3-0. The Lady Hounds, meanwhile, finished 2022 with 21 wins and...

The Whitley County Lady Colonels volleyball team just recently wrapped up a history-making season, winning 50th District and 13th Region championship titles and defeating Wolfe County in the opening round of the 2022 KHSAA state championship tournament. Now that the high school season is complete, the volleyball Colonels can turn their attention to the college scene, where one of their own is helping to make history of a different kind as a member of the Transylvania University Pioneers. Former Lady Colonel Alicyn Croley, currently a sophomore at Transy, is in Pittsburgh this week, where she and her teammates are taking part in Elite Eight competition in this year’s NCAA Div. III...