Soo Line: Girls on the Go- Three Local Volleyball Players Spend Summer Chasing National Competition

By Soo Greiman  

For many athletes, summer means taking a break from the demands of the school year. For Natalie Rausch, Paige Davis and Briar Bowers, however, summer is one of the busiest times of the year.

Practices, tournaments, travel and national competition fill their schedules as they continue developing their skills through club volleyball. The three local athletes have dedicated years to the sport and are preparing to compete on one of volleyball’s biggest stages — the USA Volleyball Girls Junior National Championships in Indianapolis.

Three Involved in Club Volleyball Demonstrate It Takes Time, Practice and Sacrifice

Natalie Rausch knows all about juggling her schedule between school, family life and the activities she enjoys. The Hudson High sophomore, daughter of Nathan and Diane Rausch, has several activities that occupy her time, but first and foremost is her passion for club volleyball.

Since fourth grade, the now 14-year-old has dedicated countless hours to developing her volleyball skills and competing against other club teams around Iowa. Coached by Zach Fisher and Chris Mahi, that commitment means twice-weekly practices at the CIA (Club Iowa Juniors) facility in Cedar Falls, where she has spent six years working on spiking, setting, serving, teamwork and the technical aspects of volleyball.

“If it’s one thing I’ve learned,” the 6-foot-tall player nodded, “it’s that I always have to work hard because my spot on the team is not guaranteed next year.”
Since joining CIA, Natalie has grown just as competitive as her teammates. At the conclusion of fourth grade, her team qualified for the Junior Finals held in Las Vegas.

“Every year six to eight teams from Iowa qualify for USAV Girls Nationals,” Natalie explained. “Usually, about 60 teams from most states participate.”
More recently, when members of the club team were in seventh and eighth grades, they successfully qualified again for Nationals, which was then held in Dallas, Texas.

Beginning her freshman year at Hudson High School, Natalie was coached by Zac Ceresa. During the high school volleyball season, weekly club practices are postponed until after the state volleyball tournament concludes.

June 25 through July 3, Natalie and her team will compete at the USA Volleyball Girls Junior National Championships in Indianapolis’ sprawling Lucas Oil Stadium. Because the tournament is so large, it is divided by age groups and hosted at multiple sites across the country.

For someone like Natalie to commit to the rigorous schedule required by club volleyball, it takes supportive parents.
“And that’s my mom and dad,” she smiled, adding that her father, Nathan, plans to attend Nationals with her.
“When I look at other volleyball players as possible role models, I am happy to say I have one and she’s from Hudson. It’s Kylie DeBerg, who has been amazing for a long time.”

Another active teen with a busy schedule is Paige Davis. The 6-foot-tall daughter of Kim and Shane Davis is a sophomore at Hudson High School where, in addition to club volleyball, she competes in volleyball, basketball and soccer.

The club she plays for, 6-Pack, practices at Fit Courts in Cedar Falls.
“This is my second year playing club,” explained the 15-year-old. “We practice with coaches Amber Cooling and Meagan Witte twice weekly for two hours, Sundays and Wednesdays.”

Like many club players, Paige is excited about qualifying for Girls Nationals in Indianapolis.
“We made it to Nationals last year, in 2025, also,” she noted. “And we discovered that most years Iowa is lucky to send quite a few teams to the USAV National competition.”

This year, the 6-Pack team will compete in the USA Division, which includes 48 qualifying teams.
One of the biggest lessons volleyball has taught Paige is how to handle adversity.
“Playing volleyball has taught me that even if you make a mistake, just clear your mind and keep moving on to the next play. It’s so much more than just a sport. You can learn a lot from the people around you.”

Both of her parents will accompany her to Indianapolis for the tournament.
“Over those four days we’ll be there, I get to hang out with some of my favorite people. Some of my favorite memories come from playing with the 6-Pack,” Paige said.
When asked about role models, she was quick to mention two.
“Anna DeBeer, who used to play at Louisville, is one of my biggest role models. Now she is playing professional volleyball with the Indy Ignite. My other role model is my mom, Kim. She played at UNI when she was in college. She always pushes me to become the best player I can be and is very supportive of me and our team.”

Another athlete competing in the 6-Pack volleyball program is 14-year-old Briar Bowers.

An incoming freshman at Hudson this fall, the 5-foot-10 daughter of Ben and Allison Bowers has been playing club volleyball with passion and determination since she was 10 years old under the coaching of Zac Ceresa.
She is eagerly anticipating her first trip to Nationals.

“I’ve never attended Nationals before, but ever since we qualified at Regionals in April I’ve been excited thinking about it. Since there will be other divisions there, I heard there will be a huge number of teams at Nationals, 355 participating during the two weeks it is held. The dates we are scheduled to be on the courts are June 25-29.”Briar’s parents, Ben and Allison, will accompany her to Indianapolis.
Like many athletes, she has dealt with injuries. During her first season of volleyball, she suffered a broken wrist after falling on the ice. In addition to club volleyball and soon beginning high school volleyball, Briar also participates in basketball, softball, Kaos club softball and track.

Crediting her coaches for their positive training and encouragement, she is looking forward to having her 6-Pack coach, Zac Ceresa, also serve as her high school volleyball coach. Assistant coaches will be Averi Weichers and Grace Ceresa.
“A big thing club volleyball has taught me is to always give my best effort because it really matters and my teammates need me. Being a part of it has given me confidence and best friends.”

When asked about a role model, Briar quickly named Carter Booth, the 6-foot-7 middle blocker who is one of the most decorated collegiate volleyball players in the country. Booth now plays professionally for the Dallas PULSE.
“She is an amazing leader of her team and gives insane performances on the court.”