* Kelly Smith, Atholton, senior, hitter -- A three-year starter and a second-team selection last year, Smith, with one of the county's top all-around performances, led the Raiders to a 9-6 season that included three-game sweeps over Glenelg and Mount Hebron. At 6 feet, she was an intimidating hitter at the net, where she collected 37 point blocks and most of her #F team-high 172 kills. She also had a 94.6 service success rate and 58 aces. Smith also performed admirably as Atholton's No. 2 setter with 139 assists. Rutgers, James Madison, Maryland and Towson State are among the schools pursuing her.
* Marisa Davidson, Glenelg, junior, hitter -- Davidson was the key player in the county's most dramatic turnaround, as the Gladiators (6-9 last year) went 13-5 and made their first trip to the state playoffs. A dependable player in either row, she led the team with 159 kills and 111 passing points. She also had 45 aces and 29 point blocks, and she followed a strong regular season with 30 kills in regional playoff victories over Liberty and Allegany. "I had high expectations. She definitely fulfilled them, and then some," said coach Marlene Janis.
* Kai Scott, Mount Hebron, senior, setter -- The county's premier setter, Scott wound up her second year as a starter by leading the Vikings to their third straight state championship. She led the county with 530 assists, including 48 in Hebron's five-game state-title victory over North Caroline. She also could be an offensive force, as her 83 kills attest. And Scott possessed one of the county's wicked serves. After struggling with her serve early in the season, she came on to record a team-high 95 aces. In the season's last two weeks, she had 10 aces each in a regular-season victory over Atholton and a playoff victory over Loch Raven.
* Sezin Omer, Centennial, senior, setter -- One of the smaller, more underrated players on a team full of tall stars, Omer (5 feet 7) has been the county's steadiest server and setter over the past three years as a starter. She made only 15 service errors in 296 attempts -- a 95 percent success rate -- and she recorded 87 aces for a team-high 29.4 ace percentage. While splitting the setting duties with Carrie Shadrick, Omer had 297 assists, including four regular-season matches with at least 20. In addition, she also took advantage of her opportunity to play in the front row by recording 38 kills with an 84 percent hitting success rate.
* Kelly Quinn, Mount Hebron, sophomore, hitter -- The county's brightest young star, Quinn carried the Vikings to their third consecutive state title with superb play in the front and back rows. She led Hebron with 242 kills -- nearly 13 per match -- and she came up big in the regional title game against Towson (17 kills) and the state title victory over North Caroline (20 kills). She also had 15 kills in a defeat against Centennial. And Quinn might be the best defensive player Hebron has ever had, as her team-high 130 passing points indicate. "She's a machine in the back row," said coach Jeannine McCrumb. Quinn also served 87 aces, including 11 against North Caroline.