Montezuma volleyball coach Katie Dunlap knew she would go into the coming season without Riley Gatton, who graduated as the school’s career leader in kills, hitting percentage, service aces and digs, as well as seven other graduated seniors. But she wasn’t expecting to be without senior Shateah Wetering, whose play at middle blocker also helped the Bravettes make the Class 1A state volleyball tournament last year.

“Shateah ended up having a stress fracture this summer.  After healing and taking time for that, she had to make some pretty tough calls for her future. Obviously, our volleyball family knows that basketball is future.  As much as we all cried together, she had to make the best call for her future.”

Wetering has verbally committed to play basketball at the University of Iowa in the fall of 2020.  Dunlap will have senior setter Waverly Roorda and sophomore Ash Krousie returning as starters. And she says the Bravettes’ cupboard of talent isn’t bare.

“I’ve been uncovering some hidden talents of our sophomore class and juniors.  I think we’ve got some tall girls, we’ve got height. We’ve just got to pick up that intensity that Shateah and Riley are leaving in our team.”

Montezuma opens its volleyball season September 12 at Keota.