LEWISTON, ID – Coach Katie Palmer and LC State Volleyball will begin its 50th season on Friday. The Warriors are coming off their most successful season under Palmer where the team hosted a portion of the Cascade Conference tournament for the first time in program history. Led by a strong senior core, the Warriors enter the new campaign receiving votes in the national poll.
LC State returns AVCA All-American Juliauna Forgach Aguilar after a record-setting 2024, as well as fellow fourth-year senior Esther Kailiponi. Six freshmen also highlight the roster for the Warriors in 2025.
“There’s real momentum with returning an AVCA All-American in Juliauna Forgach Aguilar after her record-setting 2024, pairing her with a seasoned setter in Esther Kailiponi, and layering in a deep newcomer class,” Palmer said. “We are opening the 50th season of LC State Volleyball at home on Aug. 15 and you can feel the support on campus and throughout the valley.”
In 2024, outside hitter Forgach Aguilar set the LC State single-season record in kills per set (4.60) and points per set (4.91) on her way to numerous postseason honors. Setter Kailiponi surpassed the 1,000-assist mark in her career last season and led all non-liberos in digs with 211. Middle blocker Abby Beaton rounds out the senior class that features a lot of talent and leadership. Beaton is a key piece at the net for the Warriors that brings experience and leadership.
“We’ve got an unbelievable senior trio that sets our standard every day,” Palmer said. “Juliauna is a proven headliner: two-time First-Team All-Cascade, AVCA All-Region and AVCA All-America Honorable Mention after a record-setting 2024. Abby anchors the middle with experience, and Esther brings poise and IQ as a four-year starter in the setting position and is a CSC Academic All-District honoree. They each lead on and off the court in their own way and I couldn’t be more excited to watch their continued growth going into their last season as Warriors.”
The Warriors have grown in experience in the back row with the progression of experience liberos. A former libero for LC State, Palmer is excited to see the skill the team brings to the court. The Warriors also saw growth in the setter position in sophomore Teagan Scott who will bolster the rotation along with Kailiponi.
“We like the growth of our ball-control core with Makenzie Stout, Ella Stosich and Hannah Dotson, and the setting depth with Teagan Scott,” Palmer explained. “All were part of last year’s group who helped us host a CCC postseason match last fall and creates a tough back court for 2025.”
Palmer and assistant coach Nick Bogar recruited a class of six freshmen that bring a variety of experience from around the country. The group includes Lewiston product Jordyn Albright. The recruiting class also includes fellow first-years Kendall Focht, Mikale Roy, Alba Carpena, Helena Stewart and Michaela Romine, along with transfers Ashlyn Watt, Kadence Moore and Annie Goetze.
“Our newcomers are a fun mix of size, arms and local ties,” Palmer explained. “Jordynn Albright is a local product that is going to provide our program depth immediately while also raising the level of competition in our practice gym.”
The Cascade Conference was undeniably the best overall volleyball conference in the NAIA last season with six teams in the national tournament. Four teams advanced to the final site and all four are ranked in the 2025 NAIA Volleyball Preseason Poll with Corban (Ore.) at No. 3, Eastern Oregon at No. 5, Southern Oregon at No. 6 and College of Idaho at No. 18. LC State, Oregon Tech and Bushnell (Ore.) are all receiving votes, with the Warriors ahead of OIT and Bushnell.
“In 2024 the CCC sent six teams to the NAIA National Championship, and the regular season ended in a three-way tie at the top, which is proof of the dog fight we’re in each week,” Palmer said. “Training and competing in that environment forces a postseason standard every weekend, accelerates player development and prepares all CCC teams for the national tournament.”
Along with LC State’s success on the court last season, the Warriors excelled in the classroom. The team posted a grade point average of 3.74, the highest in program history, and earned its fifth straight AVCA Team Academic Award. The future is bright for LC State Volleyball.
“Proud of our academic standard,” Palmer added. “We earned the AVCA Team Academic Award again this summer, our fifth straight while boasting a program record 3.74 team GPA. Also, I’m truly grateful for the community that strengthens us. We can’t wait to pack the P1FCU Activity Center on Aug. 15 and celebrate 50 seasons together. Go Warriors.”