MARSHFIELD – The 2025 Columbus Catholic High School volleyball team had high hopes of returning to the WIAA State Tournament after its run to the championship round the year prior. But an early playoff exit in the Regional Finals abruptly ended the Dons’ season.
“We knew we were a strong team, but we knew that our Sectional was the toughest one in the state,” Head Coach Kat Egle said, in a recent interview with Hub City Times. “I think the worst part about losing is the season’s over, to know that the seniors don’t get to put another jersey on. That’s tough. When the girls don’t want to leave the locker room because they know it’s over once they do, that means a lot that it was a really good season. Just too short for what we wanted.”
A return to the Resch Center this year won’t be any easier, with five key seniors now missing from a season ago.
“We’re young this year,” Egle added. “We lost some core players last year, so finding younger players to step in and take that role has been exciting. We have a lot of talent, but we’re young, so those young mistakes happen. We have to work on court awareness and playing together as a team.”
The Dons have one senior on this year’s squad, setter Sophie Wilczek.
“This will be her third year as a setter, so she played on the State team,” said Egle, now in her 14th season as head coach of the Dons.
Junior Abby Kibbel is back as a middle blocker.
“She was a freshman when we went to State and was our middle blocker then, so she’s grown over the years and has gotten stronger,” Egle told us.
Also returning is junior Izzy Holz, an outside hitter.
“She played six rotations last year, so she’ll be a nice player with that experience coming back,” said Egle.
Sophomore Kenly Hilgemann is a 5’11” middle blocker who will also fill a setter role this season.
Sophomore Cardyn Blenker is back as an outside hitter.
“She was three rotations last year and she’ll be a full six rotations this year.”
Liv Beccera, a 5’6” junior, will serve as the Dons’ libero this season.
“She’s been trying to fill those shoes of that senior, Delia Trader, last year,” said Egle. “That’s always hard to do, but she’s doing a really great job and stepping up.”
Maddie Bernick, a 5’10” junior, will serve as a right-side middle blocker.
“She’s a great blocker, good hitter and she’s going to be great for us,” Egle added.
A pair of freshmen, Gwen Wieland and Xoey Bluth, will also see some playing time – Wieland as a right-side middle blocker and Bluth as an outside hitter.
Sophomore Lucy Walter and junior Sydney Willman will also fill various roles at times this season.
There are 23 student-athletes out for volleyball at Columbus this year, including 11 on the varsity roster.
“We’re able to put the ball away,” said Egle. “Our serving is really good. Our receiving’s good. It’s really just that team aspect – a new team trying to play together, figuring out whose ball it is and who’s going where. Once we figure that all out, I think we’re really going to be a strong team.”
The Dons are going for their tenth consecutive Eastern Cloverbelt Conference championship.
“Our conference has gotten so much better throughout the years,” Egle told us. “I mean, those games are so exciting.”
Columbus Catholic is scheduled to open conference competition on Sept. 10 at Greenwood. The Dons will host Owen-Withee Sept. 15, then travel to Spencer on Sept. 17 to face the Rockets.
Kat Egle’s coaching assistants are Gerald Seydel, Whitley Behm and Courtney Zalizniak.
Team managers are Cat Apfelbeck, Emma Mayer and Vashali Sinha.
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