Photo by Samantha Davis: The 2025 Canby volleyball team includes Emily Nelson, Brynn Kockelman, Emily Verhelst, Karlie Wollum, Addison Driessen, Grace Hansen, Rhilyn Anderson, Jayda Namkin, Karli Weber, Amya Verhelst, Alexa Vernlund, Courtney Antony, Rachel Jelen, Shyanna Stoll and Jaryn Houseman. The Lancers are coached by Jenai Wright.

CANBY — The Canby volleyball team will be competing with a talented senior-heavy group for the 2025 season and is returning all its players that led in nearly every major statistical category from a year prior, as it looks to make yet another deep playoff run. 

The Lancers, who are continuously a dominant threat in the loaded Section 3A region, are looking to break through to the section championship this year and earn a state tournament berth with its eight seniors. 

“Our Lancer program, we just have very high expectations this season,” head coach Jenai Wright said. “A Conference Championship, and we need to go to St. Paul [for the state tournament], and the girls are just very hungry for it. It’s [been] a very productive fall camp.” 

Canby has fallen to top-ranked Minneota the past two seasons in the section semifinals, one win away from a championship and two away from state. The Lancers finished last year 26-7 overall, starting the season taking eight of its first 10 matches including a six-game win streak to begin. 

“I think we’re really hungry for more,” senior setter and rightside hitter Emily Nelson said. “Just remembering how that [season-ending loss] hurt us as a team … How sad we were after we lost. We are ready to get to work and actually win it [this season].” 

In returning fashion, Canby was selected No. 6 in the Class A preseason poll by the Minnesota Volleyball Coaches Association, along with three other teams from Section 3A in No. 1 Minneota, No. 5 Russell-Tyler-Ruthton and No. 10 Wabasso. 

“We don’t really drive on the preseason polls, and really if you do look at it all, there’s four teams from our section. What does that say about Southwestern Minnesota volleyball?” Wright said. “I wouldn’t want it any other way. We love the competition. We have teams now that are just after everybody, and we’re just ready to compete.” 

Canby graduated seniors libero Aliyah Rangaard, rightside hitter Audrey Hentges and outside hitter Haley Noyes. 

Amongst the experienced group of returning seniors is Nelson, setter and rightside hitter Brynn Kockelman, outside hitter Karlie Wollum, libero Jaryn Houseman and outside hitter Grace Hansen. 

Nelson and Kockelman will return as the team’s primary setters, who led Canby last year in set assists with 548 and 483, while Houseman will be moving to the starting libero position after Rangaard graduated.  

Rangaard led the Lancers last season with 379 digs, who also recorded 25 service aces. 

Houseman last year had 159 digs, along with 43 aces. 

“She [Houseman] is looking really good in the offseason,” Wright said. “Very proud of her for that, and a very good leader in all of our seniors.” 

Nelson, Kockelman and Wollum were Canby’s top-three leaders in kills last year. 

Wollum finished with a team-high 373 kills, while Nelson and Kockelman followed with 254 and 167, respectively. Nelson also had a team-high 69 service aces.

Hansen had 52 aces along with her 114 kills and led Canby with 42 blocks on the season. 

Following behind Rangaard on the defensive end, Wollum and Nelson recorded 265 and 223 digs, while Kockelman also had 191. 

“Definitely getting far and going a further run to the playoffs than last year [is the goal] … Just really working as a team, and even if we lose, knowing that it’s not the end of the world,” Nelson said as to the team’s approach this year. “We can always come back and learn from it, instead of being down ourselves. I think just always having a good mindset and a good attitude about everything, no matter if it goes our way or not.” 

Nelson noted that now with her class being seniors, they also want to take this season to continue installing the Canby pride front-hand to those under them. 

“I think [we are] really teaching the younger underclassmen how it rolls here, and making sure to teach them good work ethic,” Nelson said, who has been on varsity since the eighth grade. “Making sure that once we leave, they know what to do.” 

“The leadership is there, and they are taking it by the reigns, but we will have some new faces on the court,” Wright added. “Volleyball is a game where you just can’t have one rock star. You have to have all the [players] working together, and that’s why I think fall camp is really productive. There’s a lot of kids fighting for spots.” 

Wright said all players will report healthy to start the season, except for Wollum who will miss some time due to rehabbing a foot injury she obtained over the spring during the track and field season. She is expected to play this season, and has been doing light work at preseason practices. 

No. 6 Canby will open the season today on the road at Murray County Central at 7:15 p.m. 

“We want practices harder than the games,” Wright said. “We’re ready to take the charge, and get rolling.”  

The Lancers will then travel to Pipestone on Thursday, and make their home debut when they host No. 5 RTR next Thursday with a 7:15 p.m. first serve. 

“I think having high energy will be really good, and just coming out on fire [rather than] starting off slow,” Nelson said as to how the team wants to set an early tone. “Sometimes last year we did that, we started off slow and kind of got in a hole. Just really coming out and showing what we’re all about, and how we’re going to play this year.”