Three Miss Volleyball finalists are among 10 senior volleyball players from the Grand Rapids area on the reader ballot. Voting is open through 11:59 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 4, and the winner will be announced Monday.
Three Miss Volleyball finalists are on the ballot, along with several all-state selections and college commits. The 10 seniors also bring strong numbers from highly ranked teams.
Voting is unlimited through 11:59 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 4. The results will be announced Monday.
The ballot is limited to seniors. Top juniors, sophomores and freshmen will be featured over the next two weeks.
This is an editorial reader-choice feature. It is not a municipal or school-board award. Readers looking for public notices, meeting agendas or district decisions should use the proper government and school channels, including the City of Farmington Hills website and Farmington Public Schools Board of Education information.
Three Miss Volleyball finalists
Grace Goodyke of Grand Rapids Christian, Mallory Johnson of Byron Center and Riley Loehfelm of Forest Hills Northern are among the area's strongest senior candidates.
Goodyke was a first-team all-state middle hitter last year. She became a star outside hitter for the Raiders. The 6-foot University of Dayton commit has helped Grand Rapids Christian reach an 18-2 record. She is one of 10 finalists for Michigan's 2026 Miss Volleyball award.
Grand Rapids Christian has kept drawing attention as the season moved along. The school's athletics report on Sept. 24 recorded a sweep of Lansing. Goodyke and her teammates posted 46 kills, 43 assists, 10 aces and a .398 hitting percentage in that match.
A later USA TODAY Sports-AVCA Super 25 listing placed the Raiders at No. 18 nationally with a 19-1 record. Rankings and records can change as teams play more matches.
Johnson brings both production and versatility. She started her career as a standout libero, then moved to outside hitter as a junior to fill a team need. After earning first-team all-state honors at the new position last season, the Nebraska commit has recorded 120 kills, 169 digs and 54 aces for the 24-3 Bulldogs. Byron Center is ranked No. 4 in Division 1.
Nebraska volleyball also drew attention in late-September regional coverage through player press conferences and match previews. USA Volleyball reported that Nebraska opposite Callie Schwarzenbach helped the U.S. Women's National Team defeat host Mexico in a thriller at the 2026 Final Six. That gives some wider context to the attention around Nebraska-linked athletes. Johnson's college commitment adds interest, but her Byron Center season provides the local evidence.
Loehfelm has been a steady contributor during Forest Hills Northern's two straight district-title seasons. The 6-foot-1 outside hitter and Villanova commit was a second-team all-state selection last year. Through 27 matches this season, she has 130 kills, 84 digs, 21 aces and 12 blocks. The Huskies are 20-7 and ranked No. 8 in Division 1.
Numbers at the net
Megan Glass has given Hudsonville a strong middle presence during a 20-2 season. The 6-foot Aquinas College commit leads the fifth-ranked Eagles in kills with 152. She also leads the team in hitting percentage at .479 and blocks with 44 through 22 matches. Her 27 aces rank second on the team.
Lizzie Risdon has one of the ballot's highest kill totals. The 5-foot-9 Zeeland East outside hitter and Ohio University commit leads the 20-2 Chix in kills with 259. She also leads the team in hitting percentage at .312 and digs. Her 45 aces rank second, while her 10 blocks rank fourth.
Aubrey Reynolds carries a broad statistical load for Caledonia. The 5-foot-10 outside hitter and University of Findlay commit leads the Fighting Scots in kills with 207 and hitting percentage at .191. She ranks second in digs with 157 and blocks with 29. Her 25 aces rank third.
Ava Bush-Nelson has kept the form that earned her honorable-mention all-state recognition as a junior. The 6-foot-1 Jenison middle hitter and Bowling Green State commit has 106 kills, 59 blocks, 31 digs and 13 aces through 19 matches. The Wildcats are 18-7-1 and received honorable mention in the latest Division 1 rankings.
Those figures need context.
Team records, rankings and individual totals come from different match dates. Senior statistical roundups published in other states during the same week use the same approach. The ballot uses the latest figures available when the selections were assembled.
More senior leaders
Allison Lamer gives Holland Christian a six-foot right-side presence and another returning all-state honoree. The Calvin University commit earned honorable-mention recognition as a junior. This season, she has 126 kills with a .311 hitting percentage, along with 71 digs, 16 aces and 11 blocks. The Maroons are 11-8 and an honorable-mention team in the latest Division 2 rankings.
Markie Marsman is a four-year starter for Allendale. She is coming off an honorable-mention all-state season in 2025. The 5-foot-8 outside hitter has helped the Falcons reach a 15-6 record, including 12 wins in their last 13 games.
Avery Walcott has anchored Calvin Christian from the back row. She earned honorable-mention all-state recognition as a libero last season. The multisport athlete helped the Squires win a district title in 2025 and has contributed to their 11-5 start this year.
The area has a strong recent record. Grand Rapids-area teams have won three state championships and finished as runners-up seven times in the last 10 years. Ten area teams appear in the 2026 state rankings. Grand Rapids Christian has held the No. 1 position in Division 2 since the start of the season.
That makes the ballot unusually competitive.
The volleyball coverage here is separate from the public work of the City of Farmington, the City of Farmington Hills, the Farmington Public Schools Board of Education and Oakland County administration. Those agencies handle municipal services, school governance and county records. This feature covers an independently presented reader vote involving teams from the Grand Rapids region.
How to cast a vote
Readers can vote for Ava Bush-Nelson, Megan Glass, Grace Goodyke, Mallory Johnson, Allison Lamer, Riley Loehfelm, Markie Marsman, Aubrey Reynolds, Lizzie Risdon or Avery Walcott.
There is no limit on the number of ballots. Voting remains open until 11:59 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 4. The results are scheduled for Monday.
This is a reader-choice contest, not a replacement for all-state honors or the Miss Volleyball process. The ballot reflects the evidence presented here, including championship-level team performance, individual production, defensive work, versatility and recognition already earned by these seniors. One statistic cannot settle the choice. That is why this group deserves a vote.
