Suttons Bay volleyball is returning to the court after a remarkable 2025 season that led to a share of the Northwest Conference championship and a near district championship.
“This team is awesome. We have been playing together for a long time, which is the cool part of small schools. They put in the work in practice to make sure they get the most out of it,” Suttons Bay coach Olivia Dohm said. “These girls have some fire under their butts after losing in districts last year. We’ve got maturity, and we’ve got some more game experience, which hopefully will show this season in our play.”
Suttons Bay senior Leah Clark already eclipsed 1,000 career assists during the first tournament of the season. Clark was celebrated before a quad against TC Home School, Mesick and Bear Lake Tuesday. Clark racked up more than 500 assists last year, steering the Norsemen to a 24-3 regular season and a share of the Northwest Conference title with Buckley and Onekama.
“We want to make it past regionals.
I love my team. We’re all friends. We have a great time,” Clark said. “We need to keep trusting each other even more than we already do.”
The Norse will be hoping to make a solid run again and won’t want to share a conference championship this season in a tough league with the likes of Buckley, Glen Lake, Onekama, and others that will be hunting for the top spot again.
“I’m staying confident in that when we go down we have to get back up and not let the little mistakes get to us,” Suttons Bay junior Ava Anderson said. “My favorite part about volleyball is playing with this team that I’ve been playing with for my whole volleyball career … I remember how we felt last year and wanting to go further and thinking that we can and believing that we can.”
Suttons Bay didn’t lose until late September last season. That loss didn’t stop Suttons Bay from clinching a share of the Northwest Conference championship — its first since 2007 — with a three-set win over Bear Lake.
The run recalled Suttons Bay volleyball’s dominant stretch in the early 2000s, when the Norse won back-to-back conference titles in 2006-07 and four straight district championships from 2003-07.
“We played to our level the whole time instead of stooping down, depending on what team we were playing,” Suttons Bay junior Olivia Craker said. “I’m ready to win some games and have a good season and go far past districts. We are trusting our teammates, and we’re trusting ourselves, and we’re being confident in every game that we play.”
The Norse host Grand Traverse Academy on Sept. 1 and Buckley on Sept. 10 at 7 p.m.
Eagles competing with new coach and new leaders
Lake Leelanau St. Mary is flying through the season with intentions of improving after a 4-27-3 record last season.
The Eagles fell to Leland in a volleyball district semifinal to end its 2025 campaign.
“I’m really excited to play with a new group of girls,” Lake Leelanau senior Adrienne Kelenske said.
“We need to continue working together as a team; it’s going to be an exciting year.”
The Eagles started competing against Harrison, McBain NMC, and Gaylord St. Mary during preseason matches. St. Mary will be playing a majority of its games on the road at Central Lake Sept. 10 at 6:30 p.m. before a home opener against TC Home School Sept. 17.
“We have to focus on knowing our position, since we’re a young team. Being good at getting the ball up,” Lake Leelanau St. Mary junior Elizabeth Grant said. “I love having those team bonding moments in between games.”
First-year coach Sarah Orth will lead the Eagles.
Comets ready to improve from a year to forget
Leland volleyball is ready for improvement throughout the 2026 campaign with returning experience and a drive to get better.
The Comets finished last season with a 13-28-1 record and lost their first eight of nine games before finding their serve.
Travis Baker is the secondyear coach for the Comets.
Leland nearly pulled off the upset against Suttons Bay in the district semifinal last season, pushing the rising Norse to a four-set thriller: 23-25, 19-25, 25-22, 20-25.
Leland seniors Jocelyn Martinez and Bri Diaz are ready to show what the Comets can do this season.
“My mom played here; we’ve been playing ever since we were young … I’m excited to have our last season together,” Diaz said, and Martinez added. “I really like coming together as a team. It’s really fun to be able to collaborate with others that … We are focused on communicating with each other and growing as a team.”
The Leland program is rich in history and will look to resume its climb after decades of success.
“Our volleyball program is really good.” Diaz said.
“I like that we get to work with different age groups, then we work to build each other up constantly. I really love my team,” We are keeping that competitive energy, which is something we worked on all summer, along with keeping each other accountable.”
The Comets fell to Marshall and Elk Rapids during an early season tournament Saturday.
The Comets hit the road Sept. 8 against Traverse City Christian before hosting its first primetime game against Frankfort Sept. 9 at 7 p.m.
GL looking for title with experience
Glen Lake volleyball is entering the 2026 season with familiar faces and a new coach.
The Lakers started strong at the Reed City Invitational. They finished third overall after the Lakers tied Sparta in a two-set game before defeating Inland Lakes, North Muskegon, and Benzie Central, and losing against D1 opponent Greenville during the final game of the day.
The Lakers spike the regular season off tonight against Lake City at 7 p.m. before traveling to Traverse City St. Francis Tuesday, Sept. 8 at 7 p.m.
The Lakers are returning several experienced players, led by four seniors: Lydia Fosmore, Nora Ciolek, Avery Flores, and Olivia Reed.
The Lakers will be looking to capture the Northwest Conference championship and return to championship.
“It’s a crazy feeling being a senior. I feel like it went by really fast, but it’s exciting because I want to leave my mark, and it’s my last year to do it, so gotta get after it,” Fosmore said. “Most of our group is com- ing back from last year. We’ve all been together and working together for such a long time that I feel like we’re really meshing, and the chemistry has been great.”
For senior Olivia Reed, the feeling that this is her last volleyball season doesn’t feel real. But with a group of seniors, she wants to help return the competitive fire to the Glen Lake volleyball program.
“I’m very excited for the season because we’re all coming together as a whole, it feels like my family, and I’m so excited to be a leader in this team, and be someone that genderclassmen can look towards … All of my teammates have grown so much already, so I’m so excited to see what the rest of season brings us,” Reed said. “It’s never going to be an easy game, so I want us giving it our all every time we step out on the court this season.”
The Lakers are hoping to improve upon a 17-14-2 2025 season, which ended with a district quarterfinal loss to Traverse City St. Francis.
Glen Lake will be led by firstyear coach Ashley Newman, who says the team has set high goals.
“Our team goal is to put 2026 banner up,.” she said.
“We started in the summer, and we’re building towards that together all season.
I want them to gain confidence in our new systems, our new defense. I want them to be confident in each other … My four seniors are definitely my leaders.”
They bring a lot to the table. They all, you know, lead in their different ways. But they definitely are the glue of my team right now.”
Glen Lake standout Delanie Dembowske will be returning for her junior year with kills and blocks on her mind. The Lakers will have several other tall girls right at the net with Nadia Ihme, Avery Flores, and even freshman Faith Herman.
“It feels like I’ve come a long way since being a freshman. There’s been some struggles throughout, but I’ve grown from them … The biggest thing this season is getting our blocking and our defense to be able to run our offense strongly,” Flores said.
The top goal for the Lakers is to hang a banner this season in the Northwest Conference and beyond. Glen Lake senior Nora Ciolek, a defensive specialist, is excited to lead the new defense that will be forced to communicate loudly.
“We are focused on having good relationships with each of our teammates, holding each other accountable,” Ciolek said. “My favorite thing about volleyball is playing with my best friends and being able to connect on the court.”
