Senior volleyball player Breonna Goss received no break after Hamilton Southeastern High School won its second consecutive IHSAA Class 4A state title.
“The next day was tryouts, and we went right into club season,” said Goss, who plays for the Munciana Volleyball Club. “I would have liked a little break, but it does help to not get off your game.”
The 6-foot middle blocker helped the No. 1 Class 4A Royals complete a 33-0 season by beating No. 5 Castle in four sets Nov. 4 at Muncie in the state championship match. The Royals dropped only five sets all season. The team has a 67-match unbeaten streak as it won 34 straight after losing its 2022 season opener.
“It was amazing,” Goss said. “The beginning of my senior season it was our goal (as a team) to get back to the state championship match and win, so it was really exciting to complete our goal. Staying undefeated the whole year was another one of our big goals.”
The Duke University-bound Goss broke the school’s single-season hitting percentage record with a 0.476, breaking Hayden Huybers’ 2015 record of 0.470.
Goss, who didn’t start playing volleyball until seventh grade, became a starter during her sophomore year. She played basketball and competed in track and field. She competed in those three sports until her freshman year, when she chose to concentrate on volleyball.
“Her development has been exponential,” HSE coach Jason Young said.
After playing on the freshman team, Goss started out on the junior varsity team.
“But we ended up using her (on varsity) periodically throughout the year,” Young said. “It was her junior year where she made her biggest gains. She became a dominant force for us, and during our postseason run she was one of our best players. I believe it is on the big stage where Breonna shines the brightest. Her state final matches were spectacular both this year and in 2022.”
Young said Goss is a naturally gifted athlete.
“She is one of, if not the best, athlete I have ever had the pleasure of coaching,” Young said. “She is so fast and elevates so quickly it is hard to stop her. Breonna’s blocking has also been something we have been able to count on. Breonna is a quiet leader but when she speaks, others listen.”
Goss said she made the most improvement in her transition scoring.
“Scoring not just off serve receive, but blocking once or twice,” she said. “I think it’s something that is just continuously getting better each year I’ve played.”
She chose Duke because of its combination of athletics and academics, Goss said. She plans to major in biology and pursue a career in medicine, perhaps becoming a doctor, anesthesiologist or nurse.
Favorite subject: Biology
Favorite athlete: Allyson Felix
Favorite movie: “Legally Blonde”
Favorite TV show: “Grey’s Anatomy”
