Here are the Nebraska high school volleyball champions since 2015.
Following in her big brother’s footsteps may not be the easiest thing for Grand Island’s Tia Traudt.
But the sophomore is making a name for herself as one of the best Class A hitters in the state.
The 6-foot-1 sophomore played in the shadow of her brother Isaac last year at Grand Island, and her 6-foot-10 brother’s shadow was huge. Isaac capped off his four-year college basketball career by averaging 23.1 points and being named Nebraska Gatorade Player of the Year.
He is now a freshman at Virginia, leaving his little sister and only brother to carry on for the Islanders. She is third in Class A with 270 wins after finishing her first year with 355.
Coach Marcus Ehrke said he spoke to the second about the possibility of making a name for himself at school.
“Everyone knows her as Isaac’s little sister,” he said. “I told her she had to chart her own path.”
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Tia said she is working hard to achieve this.
“Being known as a little sister is kind of frustrating,” she said. “And I feel some pressure because he played at such a high level.”
Tia also played her big brother’s sport growing up, but she was more interested in volleyball. The 15-year-old is playing at a senior level in her current club team, VCN 16 Elite.
Ehrke, in his third season as Islanders coach, helped lead the team’s turnaround. Grand Island has struggled in recent years, but went 17-14 last year and 13-9 this season.
Traudt’s solid play helped the team’s upward trajectory.
“He told me to take my time with the recruiting process,” Tia Traudt said of her brother, Isaac. “But when it comes to volleyball, he doesn’t know much about it.”
JOSH SALMON, GRAND ISLAND INDEPENDENT
“I leaned on her a lot last year because she’s a good role model and a hard worker,” Ehrke said. “She’s matured even more this season and I’m counting on her to be more of a vocal leader.”
This can be a challenge for a fairly calm sophomore, but Tia said she tried to follow the coach’s orders.
“It’s a little out of my comfort zone,” she said. “But I feel like I have to take more responsibility this year.”
As the only two children of Brandon and Christy Traudt – she played volleyball at UNK – Tia and Isaac are naturally close.
“We text every day and we talk all the time,” Tia said. “He’s always been very supportive.”
This support is limited to advice on what awaits Tia on the recruiting front and not so much on the intricacies of her sport.
“He told me to take my time with the recruitment process,” she said. “But when it comes to volleyball, he doesn’t know much about it.”
Tia is too young for colleges to contact her directly, but Ehrke knows Division I programs are interested.
“They know her because of her last name,” he said. “And because of his volleyball skills.”
The coach added that she was successful despite being the opponents’ main defensive target.
“We know their reconnaissance reports start with how to try to stop it,” Ehrke said. “She has good size and good technique, and everything seems to come naturally to her.”
Traudt is already a six-rotation player for the Islanders and her goal is to do the same in college.
“I know I’ll have to keep working hard to get there,” she said. “I feel like I need to improve my blocking and overall defense, so that’s a goal.”
Another goal is the state tournament, although this one won’t be easy. Grand Island, a four-time finalist, has never won a state title and hasn’t reached the tournament since 2013.
“We held on last year and we’re doing even better this year,” she said. “Getting to the state would be nice but I know it’s really going to be a challenge.”
Photos: Volleyball teams from all over Nebraska over the years
2021

The 2021 All-Nebraska Volleyball Team: Gretna’s Skylar McCune, Omaha Skutt Abby Schomers, Lincoln Southwest Shaylee Myers, Papillion-La Vista South’s Ava LeGrand, Waverly’s Bekka Allick, Elkhorn South’ Kylie Weeks and Omaha Westside’s Destiny Ndam-Simpson at the Owen Sea Lion Shores Exhibition at Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and aquarium. Behind them, a sea lion named Chino investigates a volleyball.
CHRIS MACHIAN, THE HERald OF THE WORLD
2020

Led by Honorary Captain Lindsay Krause of Omaha Skutt at the head of the table surrounded by, clockwise from left, Whitney Lauenstein of Waverly, Elle Glock of Wahoo, Norah Sis of Papillion- La Vista, Rylee Gray of Elkhorn South, Allie Gray of Omaha Skutt and Kylie of Elkhorn South Semaines.
ILLUSTRATION BY MATT HANEY/THE WORLD-HERALD
2019

Led by honorary captain Marriah Buss, center, of Lincoln Lutheran, All-Nebraska’s first volleyball team. Left to right: Ava LeGrand of Papillion-La Vista South, Norah Sis of Papillion-La Vista, Lindsay Krause of Omaha Skutt, Kalynn Meyer of Superior, Allie Gray of Omaha Skutt, Izzy Lukens of Millard North.
BRENDAN SULLIVAN/THE WORLD-HERALD
2018

Left to right are Emily Bressman of Omaha Marian, Kalynn Meyer of Superior, Jaiden Centeno of Millard West, Lindsay Krause of Omaha Skutt, McKenna Ruch of Millard North and Marriah Buss of Lincoln Lutheran. Not pictured: Izzy Lukens of Millard North.
RYAN SODERLIN/THE WORLD-HERALD
2017

Left to right: Fallon Stutheit of Johnson-Brock, Lily Heim (Honorary Captain) of Omaha Marian, Kalynn Meyer of Superior, Lindsay Krause of Omaha Skutt, Emily Bressman of Marian and Taliyah Flores of Papio South. Not pictured: Jaela Zimmerman of Malcolm.
SARAH HOFFMAN/THE WORLD-HERALD
2016

Back row from left: Jaela Zimmerman, Malcolm; Taliyah Flores, Papillion-La Vista; Elise Baumann, Millard North; Fallon Stutheit, Johnson-Brock. Front row from left: Sarah Swanson, Elkhorn South; Alli Schomers, Omaha Skutt; Brooke Heyne, Omaha Skutt.
RYAN SODERLIN/THE WORLD-HERALD
2015

From left to right: Olivia Nicholson, North Platte; Raegan LeGrand, Papillion-La Vista South; Allison Schomers, Omaha Skutt; Brittany Witt, Omaha Marian; Elizabeth Loschen, Omaha Marian; Hali McArdle, Gretna; Sarah Swanson, South Elkhorn.
BRENDAN SULLIVAN/THE WORLD-HERALD
2014

From left to right: Priscilla O’Dowd, Papillion-La Vista; Jessica Peters, Butterfly-La Vista; Raegan LeGrand, Papillion-La Vista South; Megan Wickey, Omaha Concordia; Carley Remmers, Freeman; Tiani Reeves, Gothenburg; Brittany Witt, Omaha Marian.
BRENDAN SULLIVAN/THE WORLD-HERALD
2013

The All-Nebraska football and volleyball teams got together for a photo op, and the cover was designed to look like a Facebook page with the teams taking a big selfie.
RYAN SODERLIN/THE WORLD-HERALD
2012

Left to right: Lexi Elman, Omaha Marian; Kelly Hunter, Papillion-La Vista South; Amber Rolfzen, Papillion-La Vista South; Sydney Townsend, Lincoln Pius X; Alyssa Frauendorfer, Humphrey; Michaela Mestl, Catholic from Kearney; Kadie Rolfzen, Papillion-La Vista South.
KENT SIEVERS/THE WORLD-HERALD
2011

Left to right: Kelly Hunter, Papillion-La Vista South; Kadie Rolfzen, Papillion-La Vista South; Amber Rolfzen, Papillion-La Vista South; Lauren Sieckmann, Elkorn South; Katie Brand, Catholic from Grand Island Central; Cassie Effken, Lincoln Pius X; Kate Elman, Omaha Marian.
REBECCA S. GRATZ/THE WORLD-HERALD
2010

Left to right: Emily Wilson, Omaha Gross; Kadie Rolfzen, Papillion-La Vista South; Amber Rolfzen, Papillion-La Vista South; Sara McClinton, Millard North; Chelsea Albers, Papillion-La Vista; Kelly Hunter, Papillion-La Vista South; Lauren Sieckman, Omaha Marian.
JEFF BEIERMANN/THE WORLD-HERALD
2009

Standing left to right: Emily Wilson, Omaha Gross; Kadie Rolfzen, Papillion-La Vista South; Sarah Kemp, Bellevue East; Amber Rolfzen, Papillion-La Vista South; Tenisha Matlock, North Platte. Front row from left: Lauren Sieckmann, Omaha Marian; Julianne Mandolfo, Omaha Marian.
KENT SIEVERS/THE WORLD-HERALD
2008

Left to right: Natalie Braun, Lincoln Pius X; Chelsey Feekin, Papillion-La Vista; Hayley Thramer, Ewing; Jamie Straube, Johnson County; Gina Mancuso, Papillion-La Vista; Lauren Cook, Lincoln Pius X.
REBECCA S. GRATZ/THE WORLD-HERALD
2007

From left to right: Tali Fredrickson, Catholic from Grand Island Central; Caitlin Mahoney, Omaha Marian; Chelsey Feekin, Papillion-La Vista; Keelin Bourne, Millard North; Gina Mancuso, Papillion-La Vista; Lauren Cook, Lincoln Pius X.
JEFF BEIERMANN/THE WORLD-HERALD
2006

Top from left: Catie Wilson, Omaha Gross; Brooke Delano, Bellevue West; Lauren Cook, Lincoln Pie X. Bottom left to right: Gabi Ailes, Bellevue West; Ann Armes, Grand Island; Gina Mancuso, Papillion-La Vista.
JEFF BUNDY/THE WORLD-HERALD
2005

Left to right: Katie Swenson, Omaha Gross; Angela Hlavaty, Lincoln Lutheran; Brooke Delano, Bellevue West; Gabi Wings, Bellevue West; Brooke Bartek, Lincoln North East; Erica Burson, Omaha Gross.
MATT MILLER/THE WORLD-HERALD
2004

Front row from left: Amanda Gates, Columbus; Jordan Larson, Logan View; Alison Jacobs, Elkhorn; Rachel Schwartz, East Lincoln. Back row from left: Kyla Roehrig, Papillion-La Vista; Korie Lebeda, Omaha Marian.
KENT SIEVERS/THE WORLD-HERALD