Team-by-team capsules for big school squads in the Pikes Peak region.

Class 5A

CSML

Coronado

Coach: Don Lash

2014 Record: 17-8 (lost in regionals)

Key players: Kaira Smith, sr., OH/S; Madison Brown, sr., OH; Allie Garcia, sr., L; Mara Abernethy, so., MH/MB

What to know: The Cougars showed that they can compete with the big schools after moving up to Class 5A last season. They lost Alexia Morey, the team’s leader in kills last season, to graduation but return another group of talented upperclassmen. Smith and Brown combined for 355 kills last season.

Doherty

Coach: Allison Krug

2014 Record: 7-16

Key players: Breanna York, sr., MB; Kiara Olsen, jr., OH; Gina Buorigiorno, jr., OH; Lyria Brook, jr., DS/L

What to know: Last year was a rebuilding year for Doherty in Krug’s first season. The Spartans will continue to build this season, but also return three of their top five servers from a year ago, as well as one of their top defenders in Brook. Brook had 181 digs last season. The Spartans will work a lot at building better blocks this season, according to Krug.

Fountain-Fort Carson

Coaches: Sergio Rangel and Jennifer Johnson

2014 Record: 5-18

Key players: Maria Maika, sr., OH; Jada Robbins, sr., L; Gina Coleman, jr., OH

What to know: The Trojans have two first-year coaches. This year’s team is young but has five seniors who will help provide leadership. Maika led the team with 118 kills last year and Robbins will be a key leader on defense.

Liberty

Coach: Stephanie Persichetti

2014 Record: 13-12 (lost in regionals)

Key players: Jenna McGuire, sr., OH; Dylann Bylund, sr. S; Abigail Garnhart, sr., MH; Kaley Hodges, sr. RS

What to know: Persichetti has helped coach the volleyball team at Liberty for three years but this will be her first as head coach. She inherits a team that last season posted its best record since 2010. The team returns a strong group of seniors, including McGuire, who finished second on the team with 218 kills last year. Bylund led the team with 49 aces.

Palmer

Coach: Adrianne Dettler

2014 Record: 7-16

Key players: Jenna Kindt, sr., S; Ellie Sullivan, sr., MB; Izzabella Vasquez, so., OH; Jordyn Hasbrouck, so., OH

What to know: Dettler enters the season as varsity coach for the first time and is also an alumnus of Palmer. The Terrors lost six seniors so this may be a bit of a rebuilding year for this young team. Sullivan and Kindt provide experience and will be depended on to lead the young group.

Pine Creek

Coach: Craig Allton

2014 Record: 18-8 (lost at state)

Key players: Bailey Peterschmidt, sr., OH/OPP/S; Jessica Mahan, sr., OPP/DS; Melissa Schambach, sr., MB/OPP; Lindsey Jin, jr., OH; Avery Nelson, jr., OH; Abi Wibbles, jr., OH;

What to know: Pine Creek went 6-0 in league play last season to earn the league title, but lost its top three scorers due to graduation. This year’s team is young but has a good group of upperclass leaders with Peterschmidt as captain.

Rampart

Coach: Nikki Kinzer

2014 Record: 23-5 (lost in state semifinals)

Key players: Jordyn Kinsey, jr., L; Taylor Sibert, so., S/OH; Kyra Parker, so., S; Josie Russell, jr., MB

What to know: The Rams lost six players to graduation, giving them a young team. The returning starters have valuable experience playing at a high level after making it to the 5A state semifinals last year. Kinzer considers this season a reloading year rather than a rebuilding year, adding young talent to help out the returning starters.

Class 4A

CSML

Canon City

Coach: Ken Cline

2014 Record: 16-9 (lost in regionals)

Key players: Whitney Boehm, sr., OH; Alexis Buckhaults, jr., OH; Alyssa Loveless, jr., MH

What to know: The Tigers graduated six seniors from last year’s team. This season, the Tigers have a young and inexperienced squad. Buckhaults had the second-leading number of kills last season with 237 and will provide the leadership this young team will need during the season.

The Classical Academy

Coach: Kiyo Greene

2014 Record: 15-9 (lost in regionals)

Key players: Chloe Storm, sr., MH; Emma Porter, sr., OH; Chloe Weeks, sr., L; Maggie Zielinski, sr., S

What to know: The Titans head into the season with an experienced team behind last season’s captains in Weeks and Zielinski. Porter led the team in kills with 304 and had 34 aces. Junior Marlo Masters could be a player to watch this season. Last year as a sophomore, Masters had the second-highest number of kills on the team with 120 and led the team with 24 solo blocks.

Mesa Ridge

Coach: Kirstin Fish

2014 Record: 15-10 (lost in regionals)

Key players: Kylee Shook, sr., MB; Precious Itugbu, sr., MB; Audrey Scott, jr., S; Jessie Scott, jr., L

What to know: First-year coach Fish will look to lead the Grizzlies to a league championship after finishing last season as co-league champs. Shook led the team with 354 kills and had 212 digs. Mesa Ridge lost star setter Jordan Hoffman, who led Class 4A in aces last season, to graduation, but Audrey Scott is another talented setter who the Grizzlies will depend on.

Sierra

Coach: Alex Depa

2014 Record: 2-22

Key players: Amber Wilkerson, jr., OH/S; Malaynah Palaroan, jr., L; Tanaya Bland, jr., MH

What to know: The Stallions return six varsity players from last year’s squad, including Palaroan at libero. Wilkerson was one of the captains last season and will provide valuable leadership to a young team.

PPAC

Air Academy

Coach: Shelley Small

2014 Record: 16-11 (lost at state)

Key players: Ashley Pagan, sr., OPP/OH; Lauren Petty, sr., OH; Marissa Miller, sr., S; Sierra Ball, jr., DS/L; Victoria Lambos, so., DS/L

What to know: The Kadets lost three seniors but a good core of talented players return. Pagan had 242 kills last season and led the team with 32 aces. Miller, a transfer from Thompson Valley, will help provide senior leadership and experience for the Kadets. Miller led the Eagles with 31 aces last season and provided 360 assists.

Cheyenne Mountain

Coach: David Barkley

2014 Record: 22-5 (lost in state semifinals)

Key players: Mika Dickson, sr., L; Holly Huffman, sr., S; Elizabeth Wayne, sr.; Bethany Cullity, sr., OH; Ellie Gubser, jr., MB/RS; Casey Ahrendsen, jr., OH

What to know: The Indians retain much of the talent they had last season, including Cullity who had 225 kills and led the team with 55 aces. Although they lost some talented seniors, they come back loaded with another talented senior class. Gubser has committed to play for Colorado State next year. The Indians look well equipped with talent and depth to make another deep run in the playoffs this season.

Lewis-Palmer

Coach: Susan Odenbaugh

2014 Record: 29-0 (won 4A state championship)

Key players: Mariah Evans, sr., S; Nicole Mack, sr., OPP/OH; Emily McCurley, sr., L; Tylar Fugate, sr., DS; Lydia Bartalo, jr., OH/MH; Elizabeth Reich, jr., MH; Michaela Putnicki, jr., OH

What to know: The Rangers only lost two seniors but they were two of the best volleyball players in the state in Alexa Smith and Nicole Montgomery. Replacing them won’t be an easy task but there is a lot of talent on this season’s team. Evans, who was a captain along with Smith and Montgomery last season, had 76 kills and 51 aces last year. With the amount of talent and depth this team has, winning the state championship for a third consecutive season is not a stretch.

Palmer Ridge

Coach: Jessen Miller

2014 Record: 9-14

Key players: Abby Thorne, sr.; Kori Woods, jr.; Jenna McGann, jr.; Emily Plott, jr.

What to know: The Bears lost five seniors from last season but return talented senior Thorne, who was last season’s leader in kills (203) for Palmer Ridge. She also had 223 digs. Miller enters as first-year varsity coach.

Sand Creek

Coach: Kayondra Hood

2014 Record: 6-17

Key players: Kayli Adams, sr., MB; Jenna Herzog, sr., S; Shayla Armstrong, sr., OH; Moriah Ceballes, sr., OH

What to know: The Scorpions lost seven seniors from last year’s team, but this year’s senior class provides great leadership skills and energy, according to Hood. Adams led all players with 55 kills last season for the Scorpions and Armstrong was second with 45. Working as a team will be a big focus this year.

Vista Ridge

Coach: Greg Monck

2014 Record: 7-16

Key players: Bayli Monck jr., S; Morganne Eppard, jr., L; Cammi Morton, jr., MB; Breanna Bader, sr., RS; Lily Ainsworth, so., OH

What to know: The Wolves lost four seniors from last season’s team. Monck, Eppard and Morton will be playing together for the third season, which could prove beneficial in terms of experience this season. Ainsworth will be a player to watch this season. She was second on the team with 89 kills last season as a freshman and had 164 digs and 38 kills.

* Teams not listed did not report