St. Mary Volleyball is coming of a 17-10 record from a season ago. After falling to Bridgewater-Emery in the region quarterfinal last year, St Mary’s will have an almost new lineup. After graduating four seniors, and a preseason injury to 2026 senior Jenna Miller, Lady Cardinal volleyball will look to reload
Returning Keys
Even with the big losses the Lady Cardinals have to regroup from, they return many players who were on varsity and many who played roles to the Cardinals success. Those names of girls who appeared on the varsity roster include four seniors, Stephenie Geraets, Makyla Buchholz, Madelyn Klein, and Lucy Vargas. Joining them are juniors Paige Geraets, Reagan Griffin, and Emy Herber alongside sophomores Maddyn Lebrun, Natalie Gilbert, and Harper Werdel. As mentioned before, Senior Jenna Miller will be leading from the bench due to injury.
This team will also feature some new names on varsity of course, these players include Junior Carley Roiger, 8th Grader Layla Hanson, Freshman Kate Leibl, and Sophomores Allie Hansen and Ellee Deranleau.
Head Coach Kristina Hinrichs will return for year number two at St Mary’s. I was able to get ahold of her to ask the questions we all want to know. When asked about which players are going above and beyond to be leaders on this team, Hinrichs said,
“Our senior class, as always, has taken on the responsibility of setting the tone in practice. Stephenie Geraets, Madelyn Klein, Lucy Vargas, and Jenna Miller have really embraced the leadership role, not just vocally but through work ethic and consistency. They are setting a great example for the younger athletes coming up.”
I asked her about the loss of key players from last season. As well as who she expects to step into a bigger role this season, Hinrichs had four names in mind.
“We definitely have some shoes to fill, but that also creates opportunities for growth. I expect Harper Werdel, Maddyn Lebrun, Natalie Gilbert, and Paige Geraets to step into some larger roles. They showed flashes of their potential last year, and now it’s about bringing that same energy and consistency every game. We are challenging them to embrace that responsibility and right now they look confident and determined on the court.”
Of course, winning isn’t the only goal in high school sports. When I inquired about what she hopes to teach her team, not just on the court, but in the community as well, Hinrichs responded,
“Even though this is just my second season with the program, I am hoping that our program is bigger than just wins and losses. I want our players to understand the importance of respect, hard work, and accountability to not only oneself but also their teammates. Whether it is through supporting younger athletes or just being role models in the community and in their classrooms, we stress that their impact goes beyond the court. We want them to leave here as better people, not just better athletes.”
Hinrichs made things incredibly clear with how she and her team are entering this season.
“We’ve got a good mix of returning players who gained valuable experience last season and some younger athletes who put a lot of time in during the off season and are eager to prove themselves. Our impact players will likely be Stephenie Geraets, Emy Herber, and Harper Werdel but what I am really proud of most is the depth we have across the roster. This team is gritty, hardworking, and never gives up. We pride ourselves on energy, effort, teamwork, and discipline and hopefully that is what will carry us through this season.”
Cardinal fans can definitely be excited for the way this season is shaping up to look. The amount of potential mixed in with the senior leadership should make for a fun year. The season for your Lady Cardinal Volleyball will start on August 26 in Hendricks, MN where they will take on the Estelline/Hendricks Redhawks. The full schedule for the Cardinals is available on SDHSAA at https://gobound.com/sd/sdhsaa/volleyball/2025-26/dellrapidsstmary/v/schedule
