JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Mari King first set foot on the volleyball court in sixth grade and had no idea where it would take her.
By the time King put a bow on her career at Trinity Christian, the journey had had stops in the state semifinals, the top of the record books in Florida, and now to Marquette University on a scholarship.
if that ride seems like a blur for King, the Varsity 4 All-News4JAX volleyball player of the year, it’s because it came fast and furious for the 5-10 outside hitter.
“I think I hit 1,000 kills in my freshman or sophomore year so then we knew that I could probably get 2,000 by the end of my career,” she said. “And we didn’t even know what the record was, and then one day, someone looked it up and told me. And then me and my parents were like, ‘I can definitely beat that.’”
King did just that.
Seacrest Country Day’s Breanah Rives, like King, started playing on the varsity level in middle school. She racked up a state-record 2,130 career kills from 2017-22, and that was the bullseye for King.
That came in a Sept. 9 match against Oakleaf. She sailed past Rives and ended her career with 2,299 kills.
“During the season, like when I actually did it, I feel like I wasn’t really focused on that, I was too focused on getting to the next part of the season,” she said. “But now that I can sit back and just look at it; it’s just amazing. All my work has definitely paid off.”
King’s torrid march to become Florida’s attacking leader felt like it was destined to happen just because of the rapid-fire frequency of her success. King got her first full season of varsity work in 2019 when she had a staggering 296 kills as a seventh grader. Things picked up significantly in King’s freshman season when she started putting up big offensive numbers and the Conquerors began rolling as a team. Trinity won 20 games and reached the regional final. That number grew to 25 wins and a regional final in 2022, followed by another 25-win season and a state semifinal berth in 2023.
“Honestly, Trinity volleyball was a really fun part of my life and I really enjoyed the whole thing and just playing with my best friends, especially my junior year,” she said. “Getting to state with all of my friends, it was the most fun thing ever.”
Varsity 4 All-News4JAX volleyball players of the year
2024: Mari King, Trinity Christian
2023: Connor Rahn, Middleburg
2022: Zeta Washington, Ponte Vedra
2021: Zeta Washington, Ponte Vedra
2020: Amy Burkhardt, Ponte Vedra
2019: Zeta Washington, Ponte Vedra
Varsity 4 All-News4JAX volleyball team
Position, Player, School, Class, Notable
OH Brooke Forkum, Middleburg, Sr.
Two-time Varsity 4 All-News4JAX selection. Helped Broncos win state title in 2023 and followed that with 368 kills and career highs in kill percentage (46.8) and hitting percentage (.358). Had 232 digs and 45 aces. Finished career with 1,120 kills.
OH Adriana Jeanpierre, Beachside, Jr.
Second-team Varsity 4 All-News4JAX selection last year. Mississippi State commit is early contender for 2025 player of the year. Helped lead third-year Barracudas to 19-4 season and regional final. Had team-best 321 kills and career-bests in kill percentage (42.7) and hitting percentage (.250). Added 227 digs. Up to 909 career kills.
OH Mari King, Trinity Christian, Sr.
Varsity 4 All-News4JAX player of the year. Four-time all-area selection. Marquette signee. Had 451 kills in her final season. Finished with state-record 2,299 career kills. Put up career-best 365 digs in 2024.
S/RS Ryan Murphy, Ponte Vedra, Sr.
Sharks’ most versatile player is 6-3 setter who can lay it down at the net, too (159 kills). Played all around and shined. Had 143 digs, 303 assists and team-best 35 aces for 15-6 playoff program. Florida State commit.
OH Camden Rahn, Middleburg, Jr.
The 6-2 hitter stepped up big this season. Boosted output across the board, going from 183 kills to 313. Had 217 digs and 39 aces. Her sister, Connor, was the top player in 2023. Committed to West Virginia.
L/S/OH Ariel Ross, Trinity Christian, Sr.
Part of varsity program since eighth grade, she had career year in kills (181), aces (48) and digs (264). Had 285 assists and often the first player touching the ball in the serve-receive game. Signed with Florida State.
OH/RS Olivia Ryno, Bishop Kenny, Sr.
Saint Francis University signee was the latest big hitter in a long line of powerful Crusaders. Had 324 kills, 231 digs and 51 aces.
S/RS Mollie VanDeusen, Beachside, So.
Had 185 kills and had hitting percentage of .316. Team-best 48 aces and had 291 assists, 192 digs. Already has superb career numbers (91 aces, 340 digs, 567 assists, 278 kills) for a team that enters 2025 as a legitimate state semifinalist threat.
Second team
Position, Player, School, Class, Notable
S Olivia Callipo, Middleburg, Jr.
Big part of Broncos team that has gone 49-10 the last two seasons with a state championship in 2023. Had 746 assists, 177 digs, 77 kills and 32 aces. USC Upstate commit.
S Erica Duffy, Beachside, Jr.
Ran the Barracudas offense very well, dishing out 318 assists and adding 227 digs. Strong at the net (146 kills) and service line, too (33 aces) for regional finalist. Committed to Old Dominion.
OH Molly Fitzpatrick, Bartram Trail, Jr.
Massive jump in attacking production this season. Had 255 kills, doubling what she did in her first two years. Georgia College & State commit.
OH Isabela Lopez, Providence, Jr.
Third straight season of being a dominant presence at the net. Had 346 kills, 183 digs for Stallions. Has 874 kills in three years.
OH Katie Issendorf, Fletcher, Sr.
Program’s all-time kills leader, she had 333 of her 875 career kills in her final season.
OH/DS Victoria Rushing, Fernandina Beach, Sr.
Career-best season at the net with 313 kills for Pirates. Added 58 aces, 233 digs and 253 receptions in serve-receive game.
L Avery Webb, Ponte Vedra, Jr.
Had team-best 305 digs and 34 aces as the Sharks’ do-it-all defensive star. Has 776 digs in her career. Committed to Virginia Tech.
OH Paige Wind, Mandarin, Sr.
Four-year player for the Mustangs. Had breakout final season (298 kills, 131 digs) for Gateway Conference champs.
Honorable mention
Position, Player, School, Class
S Mae Abernathy, Wolfson, Fr.
S Lily Adams, Bolles, Jr.
OH Elina Adhikari, Harvest Community, Jr.
OH Sophia Albaugh, Bolles, So.
OH/DS Morgan Ansley, Oakleaf, Jr.
MB Myla Barker, Clay, Jr.
MB Julianna Baskin, Providence, Jr.
OH Kailee Borgmeyer, Bartram Trail, Sr.
OH/L Keerstin Brady, Nease, Sr.
L/DS/OH Killian Burnett, Creekside, Sr.
S Payton Cannon, Ridgeview, Jr.
OH Emmy Carpenedo, Atlantic Coast, Sr.
S Olivia Clark, St. Johns Country Day, So.
MH Sally Cleland, Bolles, Sr.
OH/MH Katie Cole, Ridgeview, Sr.
MB Hadley Dantzler, St. Johns Country Day, Sr.
RS/MB Jasmine Douglas, Yulee, So.
OH Macy Dubois, Mandarin, Sr.
OH/RS/DS Lillie Eason, Fleming Island, Fr.
S Mylie Fernandez, Columbia, Jr.
OH Alexis Galani, Episcopal, So.
OH Ava Galani, Episcopal, So.
RS Kayla Goodloe, Columbia, Sr.
OH/DS Grace Gottberg, Baldwin, So.
OH Leah Grall, Ponte Vedra, Jr.
OH/RS Sadye Harvey, Baker County, Sr.
OH/DS Kaveri Harris, Yulee, So.
DS Olivia Hartung, Baldwin, Jr.
MB Natalie Harvey, Bishop Snyder, Sr.
S/DS Emma Hernesman, Nease, So.
OH/DS Nova Hewlett, Nease, So.
L Marie Hillman, Yulee, Sr.
L Addison Hilton, Fletcher, Sr.
OH Kyla Hollis, Mandarin, So.
S Lindsey Hopkins, Creekside, Sr.
OH Sarahbelle Jameson, Creekside, Sr.
L Bella Johnson, Union County, Jr.
S Abby Johnson, Bartram Trail, Sr.
DS/L Penelope Kavalieros, Bolles, Sr.
MB Lily Keely, Ponte Vedra, So.
S Faith Kennedy, Bishop Snyder, Sr.
OH/DS Kaylee Kirkland, Fleming Island, Sr.
OH Noelle Kirkland, Christ’s Church, Sr.
MB Jewela LaRosa, University Christian, So.
OH Ella Levy, Menendez, Jr.
RS Kate Lowery, Middleburg, Jr.
L Ava Marlow, Baker County, Sr.
MB Taylor Marts, Harvest Community, Jr.
S Kaleigh Marquart, Keystone Heights, So.
OH/DS Loralie McSwain, Christ’s Church, Sr.
L Avery Meide, Ponte Vedra, Sr.
S Rylan Miller, Matanzas, Jr.
L Bailey Montgomery, Fleming Island, Sr.
OH Sofia Muino, Bishop Kenny, Jr.
L/DS Morgan Padgett, Middleburg, Sr.
L Kate Piekarczyk, Bartram Trail, Sr.
S Keely Pou, Fletcher, Jr.
S Lacey Reed, Episcopal, So.
S Jiyanna Rivera, Oakleaf, Jr.
OH/DS Madison Roach, Ridgeview, Sr.
OH Ryanne Robinson, Orange Park, Sr.
L Rylynn Robinson, Orange Park, Jr.
MB Vivian Scuteri, Creekside, Sr.
OH Bella Shafer, Wolfson, Fr.
S Vanessa Shevchenko, Tocoi Creek, Sr.
L Alexis Sowers, Bishop Kenny, Jr.
OH/MB Leilani Smith, Orange Park, Sr.
OH Jailyn Simmons, Union County, Jr.
S Caroline Snyder, Bishop Kenny, Sr.
MB Mckayla Stockwell, Tocoi Creek, Sr.
L Isabella Taveras Seda, Beachside, So.
MB Emily Topp, Fleming Island, Sr.
OH Joya Welch, Oakleaf, Sr.
S Hazel Williams, Fleming Island, Jr.
MH Tyauna Williams, Trinity Christian, Sr.
OH Sinei Wood, Columbia, Jr.
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