Volleyball: Long way back to state for this NLS Wildcat

Nov. 11---- Brooke Barney's heart was full on Saturday night.

She and the New London-Spicer volleyball team defeated Jackson County Central in four sets to claim the Section 3AA championship and earn their third consecutive state berth.

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Saturday's state tournament berth was not a given — JCC is the only team that has beat the Wildcats this year — and neither was Barney's senior season.

Barney is a multi-sport athlete who tore both her ACL and meniscus in her right knee while playing basketball over the summer in June.

She thought her prep career was over.

"I scheduled surgery before the season started and was prepared to be out this year — I'm gonna sit on the bench and it's gonna be what it is," Barney said.

Barney's doctor later told her other athletes — in some cases — have delayed surgery and battled through pain to play for their teams.

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It was all she needed to hear.

"I was like, 'OK, I should try. I need to try. If I don't try, I'm gonna be mad at myself. Like, let's just see,'" Barney said.

Her mindset checked out.

Barney was anticipating a big year in her second season as the libero on an NLS team with state aspirations.

She was on the 2024 state team and was key in helping the Wildcats get to the state Class AA tournament last season.

The only thing left to do was to help the Wildcats chase another state bid.

Check.

"I think I got cleared the week volleyball started," Barney said.

Barney — with the help of an ACL knee brace — has not missed a single match.

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Her back row presence has been everything for the Wildcats, who are the fourth seed and play fifth-seeded Dover-Eyota in the state Class AA quarterfinals at 1 p.m. Thursday at Grand Casino Arena in St. Paul.

"It's remarkable what she's been able to do," Wildcats head coach Andy Regnier said. "Brooke has the heart of a champion — it just shows the love she has for the team — because she knows there's a risk to it and there's a daily pain to it."

She has rarely been off the court, too.

Barney has a team-high 291 digs and her 517 serve receptions on a team-best 1.81 serve-receive account for nearly half of the team's receptions into the state tournament.

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She leads a back row featuring senior setter Ezri Boelter, sophomore outside hitter Kennedy Goracke, senior outside hitter Addie Olson and sophomore defensive specialist Reagan Regnier.

They all have contributed largely to the Wildcats' 26-1 record this season.

"That first time stepping back on the court was one of the scariest things I've ever done," Barney said. "But it was one of the best decisions I've ever made because we're here and I'm so grateful."

Ahead of Saturday's section championship, Barney had a minor setback earlier in the playoffs.

She tore part of her meniscus.

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"The meniscus has been causing me pain all season, but it's been minimal," Barney said. "But this whole week, I've just been icing, icing — just trying to do anything I can to get it to feel good — and once I step on the court, the adrenaline kicks in and it all goes away.

"I just know I need to play for this team."

Barney can now look forward to capping off her prep career on a high note: chasing hardware.

NLS, which is in the state tournament for the seventh time in school history, has not won a state match since 1998.

Barney and the Wildcats have the opportunity to change that this week.

"It means a lot because this is a season that I didn't think I'd get," said Barney, who will undergo surgery following the conclusion of the state tournament.