Yamhill-Carlton High School’s volleyball program got an entirely new coaching staff during the 2022 season. Head coach Jess McGraw, JV coach Jake McGraw, and the varying JV2 coaches have been building up the program as people and as athletes during their reign. This year’s coaching staff were all YCHS alums; head coach Jess McGraw, JV coach Jake McGraw, and JV2 coach Kelie Coxen. Assisted by Kaia Ellis and Julie McGraw. 

The 2024 varsity volleyball team hacked their way through the season with a number of ups and downs. Going into the second round of state against Burns, they finished off their good season. Placing second in the league and nearly undefeated with their 10-2 wins and losses. YCHS Volleyball placed 12th on the overall OSAA rankings.

YCHS’s biggest competitor over the last three years had been the Corbett Cardinals. Corbett consistently has tall players and a highly effective offense. They’ve led the league not without competition from YCHS. Even with the fight, Corbett remained undefeated in league. 

The undersized varsity team may have been just that in height but not in numbers. The 2024 season led YCHS’s varsity team to hold onto fourteen players, eight of which are a part of the graduating class of 2025. Leaving six non-seniors to guide varsity up in the rankings their 2025 season. 

With varsity having so many seniors this season, it’s left all three captains to be seniors. Natalie Frey, Dakota King, and Cecelia Petraitis led their team through this year. When the captains were asked to give advice to their predecessors, Frey jumped at the opportunity. 

“I would say my biggest advice as an athlete is to focus on the effort, not the outcome. You can’t always control the outcome of a practice, game, or season, but you can control how hard you work. It is so much more fulfilling to walk away knowing you gave your all and nothing less, rather than stressing about what the result was,” said Frey to her younger peers.