Story by J.T. Elliott, Ed.D.
Photo courtesy of Ashley Barnett
The most successful sports coach of all time, UCLA’s John Wooden, once said, “Winning takes talent; to repeat takes character.” The girls’ volleyball team at Madison Christian Academy (MCA) proved that truth this past weekend in Elizabethtown, repeating as Kentucky Christian Schools Athletic Association (KCSAA) state champions. Twenty-two teams competed in the KCSAA volleyball league this season, with the top eight, based on RPI, earning a spot in the state championship tournament.
The Lady Knights of MCA entered the tournament as the number three seed. They opened the quarterfinal round with a victory over Landmark Christian Academy of Louisville (25–19, 25–23). In the semifinals, MCA upset the number two seed, the FAITH Defenders of Elizabethtown (25–21, 25–9). The Lady Knights then defeated Northside Christian Academy of Louisville in the championship match (25–10, 25–17) to secure the program’s back-to-back state title. This marks Madison Christian Academy’s third state volleyball championship overall.
Junior setter Ely Conner was named MVP of the State Championship. Senior Hailey Riley and eighth grader Lillianna Watson were also named to the All-Tournament Team. In addition, Riley was named the 2026 KCSAA Miss Volleyball. All three players also earned All-State and All-Star honors. Senior Julianna Wells and freshman Aly Riley earned All-Star selections.
