When Edina made its second-ever trip to the State Volleyball Tournament last fall, two players that everyone noticed were playmakers Paola Contreras-Diaz and Caroline Banks.
Contreras-Diaz wore bruises and floor burns as badges of honor on the courts at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. Even though the Hornets lost both of their state matches, they showed they belonged under the bright lights.
Banks brought her ‘A’ game to state as a hitter and setter, mirroring many of the skills displayed by Wayzata captain Stella Swenson, who won the Ms. Baden Award for 2023 as the state’s most outstanding high school player.
With Contreras-Diaz and Banks returning this season, Edina is seeking upward mobility in the Lake Conference and another trip to state.
“We are dialed in,” Banks said following a captains’ practice the week of Aug. 5 at Edina High Activity Center. “I think we are going to do really well. Everyone on our team loves the game.”
“We want to play with the same energy that we had last season,” Contreras-Diaz said. “Our coach [Mark Nelson] always tells us what we need to do to get better.”
“Mark cares about his players and gives us good feedback,” Banks said.
Edina prospered by having two play-making setters on the court last season. There were times when coach Nelson sent Banks and captain Greta Granberg onto the court together, giving the Hornets more avenues on the attack. Granberg is back for her third season as a starter.
Contreras-Diaz and Banks advanced quickly through the Hornet program to become varsity players. This is Contreras-Diaz’s final year of high school volleyball. Banks is a junior this year.
Edina returns 10 letter winners and the only players missing from last year’s varsity are graduates Sophia Prins and Norah Smith.
The captains of this year’s squad are Granberg, senior Emmie Bireley and junior Liv Peterson.
Fall tryouts began Monday, April 12, at Edina High Activity Center.
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