By 605 Sports Staff

Gabi Zachariasen and Josalyn Samuels of state champion Harrisburg headline this year’s South Dakota Class AA volleyball all-state first team. 

Zachariasen, a senior hitter, and Samuels, a sophomore setter, were instrumental in Harrisburg’s historic run on the volleyball court. The Tigers recently won their fourth straight Class AA state championship, a feat no other program has achieved in the state’s largest class. 

The nationally-ranked Tigers (35-2) have compiled a 125-5 record in the past four years, and have not lost to a South Dakota team since Sept. 22, 2022 against Sioux Falls Lincoln. 

Zachariasen, a future University of South Dakota volleyball player, tallied 523 kills, 215 digs, 81 aces and 40 blocks this season. She closed out her career with 1,802 kills, 924 digs, 171 aces and 122 blocks. The 6-foot Zachariasen is an All-American and a two-time South Dakota Gatorade volleyball player of the year. 

Samuels orchestrated Harrisburg’s high-powered offensive attack, totaling 1,050 assists on the season. She added 215 digs, 93 kills, 58 blocks and 35 aces. Samuels, a 6-foot-2 setter with Division I interest, has 2,974 assists, 491 digs, 246 kills and 127 aces in her career. 

The rest of the Class AA all-state first team includes: Lincoln’s Julia Blom, Brandon Valley’s Abby Gruber, Jefferson’s Sienna Sabers and O’Gorman’s Lauren Venenga and Makenzie Walsh. 

Blom led the Patriots (21-6) to a consolation championship at the Class AA tournament. A 5-foot-7 senior libero, Blom totaled 401 digs, 106 assists and 38 aces this season. Blom tallied 1,112 career digs. She will play college volleyball at Augustana University. 

Gruber powered the Lynx (27-4) to a third-place finish at the Class AA state tourney. A 5-foot-11 senior middle-outside hitter, Gruber registered 262 kills, 42 blocks and 33 aces this season. Gruber racked up more than 500 kills and 100 blocks the past three seasons. She will play college volleyball at Augustana University. 

Sabers led Jefferson (13-14) to a seventh-place finish at the Class AA tournament. A 5-foot-9 senior outside hitter, Sabers recorded 397 kills, 34 aces and 32 blocks this season. She will play college volleyball at Minnesota State University-Moorhead. 

Venenga and Walsh paced O’Gorman (26-5) to a Class AA runner-up finish. A 5-foot-10 senior outside hitter, Venenga totaled 362 kills, 223 digs and 70 aces this season. Venenga will play college volleyball at Division II Palm Beach Atlantic University in Florida. 

A 6-foot-3 senior outside hitter, Walsh recorded 238 kills and 50 blocks this season. She will play college volleyball at Southwest Minnesota State University. 

The complete Class AA all-state volleyball teams are listed below: 

CLASS AA

First Team

Julia Blom, Sioux Falls Lincoln, 5-foot-7, Sr., Libero (38 aces, 106 assists, 401 digs)

Abby Gruber, Brandon Valley, 5-11, Sr., Middle-Outside Hitter (262 kills, 33 aces, 42 blocks)

Sienna Sabers, Sioux Falls Jefferson, 5-9, Sr., Outside Hitter (397 kills, 32 blocks, 34 aces)

Josalyn Samuels, Harrisburg, 6-2, So., Setter (93 kills, 166 digs, 58 blocks, 1,050 assists)

Lauren Venenga, O'Gorman, 5-10, Sr., Outside Hitter (362 kills, 70 aces, 223 digs)

Makenzie Walsh, O'Gorman, 6-3, Sr., Outside Hitter (238 kills, 50 blocks)

Gabi Zachariasen, Harrisburg, 6-0, Sr., Outside Hitter (523 kills, 81 aces, 40 blocks, 215 digs)

Second Team

Lauryn Burckhard, Aberdeen Central, 6-1, Jr. (323 Kills, 34 Aces, 294 Digs)

Lindsay Langner, Harrisburg, 5-8, Sr., Libero-Defensive Specialist (50 Aces, 445 Digs)

Logan McGuire, Brandon Valley, 5-8, So., Setter (890 assists, 205 digs, 115 kills, 60 aces)

Andi Olson, Watertown, 5-6, Jr., Libero-Defensive Specialist (23 aces, 486 digs)

Mallory Schneider, Sioux Falls Lincoln, 6-1, So., Setter (717 assists, 211 digs, 55 blocks, 48 aces, 152 kills)

Addie Siemsen, Mitchell, 5-8, sr., Setter (198 kills, 54 aces, 76 blocks, 263 digs, 623 assists)

Mya VanWesten, Brandon Valley, 5-5, jr., Libero (393 digs, 107 assists, 29 aces)

Repeat Selections — 2024: Zachariasen, first team; Gruber, Samuels and Burckhard, second team. 2023: Zachariasen, first team; Samuels, second team.