It’s going to be a different looking year for sure.”

Head Coach Amy Johnson

It’s going to be a different looking year for sure.”

Head Coach Amy Johnson

A star-studded cast of almost all seniors led Park to volleyball glory last season.

But all but one of those standouts have since departed.

Park’s seniors during the 2024 volleyball season set the season bar very high. The Wolfpack went 24-6 overall, finished second in the always competitive Suburban East Conference and then advanced to the Section 3 semifinals before falling at rival East Ridge.

Park must replace no less than 10 graduated seniors: Carly Slusser, Sonja Lind, Rainna Jameson, Hannah Maxwell, Peyton Moerke, Jenna Katlack, Jazzlyn Collier, Aspyn Offenhauser, Emma Sachs and Isabella Vang.

Lind and Slusser will be especially hard to replace. A two-time all-conference selection, Lind signed to play volleyball at Central Connecticut. She is second on the school’s all-time list for digs. Slusser will play volleyball at Butler University. Also a two-time All-Conference selection, she set the school record for career kills her senior season.

It was expected that two starters would be back for the Wolfpack this season, but that was cut in half when star sophomore middle hitter Mesa Jameson transferred to Eagan.

That leaves returning starter and senior hitter Ameenah Alowonle as the lone holdover who saw much varsity time a year ago. The rest of the lineup will be mostly new faces up from the JV, B-Squad and ninth grade.

“It’s going to be a different looking year for sure,” said head coach Amy Johnson, who has directed the Wolfpack for some 20 seasons overall.

“I think this year we have a group of girls who are very similarly talented, which is a little but new for us,” Johnson continued. “We’ve always had this pretty standout group. So, this year I think there will be more sifting of positions, like hey let’s give this person a look, let’s give that person a look. I think really this first non-conference part of the season is really going to be playing with the lineup, quite a bit to see what really sticks.

“So, when we hit conference season, I think that’s where we really want to focus in, so by conference season, we want to make sure we’re pretty solid by then,” Johnson added.

Some of the players Park will be counting on this season to fill key roles include sophomore hitter and setter Hanna Weis, eighth grader Amiah Delos Santos, senior hitters Sophia Field and Ameila Nieman.

Unlike the last few seasons where the Wolfpack won with strong offenses, defense will likely be a key to success this fall, Johnson said. “We have some girls who are just tenacious on defense and won’t give up on a ball and that will rbi ng us a long way.

“This group of girls are so much fun, and we’re just really excited to see what they can do,” Johnson added.

Park opens the season with a pair of scrimmages, including at Hastings Thursday with a 4 p.m. start. The home season opener is Tuesday, Aug. 26 against Apple Valley. Home games will start at 7 p.m.

Tuesday, Aug. 26 Apple Valley

Thursday, Aug. 28 Rosemount

Tuesday, Sept. 2 at Eastview

Friday, Sept.5 at Apple Valley tourney

Saturday, Sept. 6 at Apple Valley tourney

Tuesday, Sept. 9 St. Paul Central

Friday, Sept. 12 at New Life Academy

Tuesday, Sept, 16 at White Bear Lake

Thursday, Sept.18 at Forest Lake

Monday, Sept. 22 East Ridge

Wednesday, Sept. 24 at Woodbury

Saturday, Sept. 27 Park tournament

Tuesday, Sept. 30 Roseville

Thursday, Oct. 2 at Mounds View

Tuesday, Oct. 7 Cretin-Derham Hall

Wednesday, Oct. 8 at Irondale

Saturday, Oct. 11 at Bloomington Jefferson tourney

Monday, Oct. 13 Stillwater