VOLLEYBALL PREVIEW: MHS more determined than ever after 2024 state championship loss

MORGANTOWN — The day after the Morgantown High volleyball team fell to Hedgesville in the state championship match, head coach Abbey Wolfe reached out to her players to help lift their spirits and encourage them to look forward after a tough defeat.

“I shared a couple of messages with some of the returning players just to make sure they were okay and to encourage them to look forward,” Wolfe said. “What I love about the team is that they get it, in that they care about the game and are competitive and give it their all. I’m most excited to see how this team tackles challenges this season. We have a tough schedule to start the season, and, as we learned last year, we never know what we might face. So, I’m just excited to see how everything develops.”

MHS will be led by a very experienced group of seniors who have reached the state championship in each of the past three seasons and who have all had varsity experience in those years as well.

“I think that playing in the high-level games has helped everyone be more confident through the years. We aim to challenge our team throughout the season and continually push our limits each year,” Wolfe said. “If we set up a schedule where we are winning every game, we aren’t doing a service to the program or the athletes, and it isn’t very fun to play games that aren’t competitive. I believe that creating a challenging schedule has helped us achieve sustained success. The athletes understand the expectations and want to rise to the challenge.”

Senior outside hitter and returning first-team all-state selection Paige Brink will be one of the names to watch for MHS in 2025. The Robinson twins, Grace and Beth, join Brink in the 2025 class and will undoubtedly have a say in the success of the Mohigans.

“We are excited to see what Paige does this year,” Wolfe said. “She has been such a dynamic player for us for the last few years and is one of the best out-of-system hitters that we have had in our program. She can rip the ball from anywhere. Also, she has put a lot of energy into her defensive play the last two years, so she is getting more opportunities to play six rotations. She will likely break the program kill record sometime this year.”

MHS will also enjoy the duo of Leah Greeny and Abby Paulsen up front at the net. Greeny, just a sophomore, is the daughter of WVU volleyball head coach Jen Greeny. Paulsen, a junior, is one of the better blockers in the state, and has her sights set on the record books as well.

“Abby is close to the block record and could get there late in the season,” Wolfe said. “With those two in the front row together, it is one of the more intimidating front rows and blocks in the state. Then you add in someone like Kelly Ryan or Emma Smith on the right side, and it is even bigger. Also, one of the more entertaining parts of the team is seeing those dynamic duos throughout the season. The kids just feed off one another, and often are more excited for the other person than themselves.”

Paulsen and Greeny spent the offseason playing together on the same AAU team in Pittsburgh.

“We were able to learn one another’s tendencies much better,” Paulsen said. “Just the drive of working hard is fun, knowing that someone is there to lean on and struggle through with you.”

“It’s always great having someone you know on the team,” Greeny said. “For 2025, I’m excited to have more home matches and be able to play in front of people we know more and in an environment we are familiar with. I also can’t wait to play Musselman in our home gym.”

The Mohigans’ home opener is Aug. 26 against North Allegheny, a powerhouse from the Pittsburgh area. North Allegheny outside hitter Molly Robertson is committed to Penn State, doing so before her junior season began.

“I think that we are particularly excited for the NA game and the schedule,” Wolfe said. “We have really high-level teams coming to Morgantown, so it will be fun for our fans to experience that in our home gym. We have great matches scheduled for August, Oakland Catholic in early September, and Musselman in October.”

MHS will open its season on the road at Shady Spring for a tri-match with the Tigers and Independence.

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