Performance: Notre Dame Prep's Maddy Chinn
September 14, 2017
Maddy Chinn
Pontiac Notre Dame Prep junior - Volleyball
Notre Dame Prep, one of the elite programs in Michigan with two Class B titles over the last decade, is ranked No. 1 again with a record of 24-2-2. The Fighting Irish have played 12 state-ranked teams – 10 ranked in Class A – and Saturday downed Class A No. 7 Temperance Bedford in the semifinal and then reigning Class C champion and top-ranked Bronson in the final to win the Battle Creek Lakeview Invitational. Chinn had 14 kills in the two-set semifinal and 21 in the three-set championship match to earn the first Michigan Army National Guard “Performance of the Week” of the 2017-18 school year.
The 6-foot-3 outside hitter has been on varsity since freshman year, participating in three rotations starting out, five last season and now all six. She made the Class B all-state second team as a freshman and the first team last season – and this fall she’s averaging 4.3 kills per game with a .339 hitting percentage and .453 kill percentage. But she contributes all over the floor, serving for 105 points and 36 aces in 63 games so far, with 48 blocks and 167 digs as well. Her 682 kills as a sophomore qualified for the MHSAA record book for a single season, and her 1,484 career kills through Wednesday already make that list as well although she has the better part of two seasons to play. Chinn should finish as one of the most celebrated players to take the court for longtime coach Betty Wroubel, the third-winningest volleyball coach in MHSAA history.
Chinn has earned national recognition as well and committed to sign next year with Purdue University, currently ranked No. 15 by the American Volleyball Coaches Association. She carries a 4.0 grade-point average and plans to major in dentistry when that time comes; in the meantime, she’ll try to lead Notre Dame Prep to its first MHSAA title since 2013 and after the Irish fell in a Regional Semifinal last season to eventual champion North Branch.
Coach Betty Wroubel said: “Yes, being 6-3 helps in volleyball, but height alone isn’t going to get it done. She’s a student of the game, she works hard in the game, and it’s so much more than stats. Her leadership on and off the court is exemplary, up there with the top kids I’ve worked with. And it’s not just hitting; she wants to be the best defender, she wants to be the best server, she wants to do it all. She has a high volleyball IQ, and her biggest improvement has been her ability to read what the other team is doing offensively, what they’re trying to do to stop her … for someone so young to be able to see that, it’s pretty special.”
Performance Point: “In practice, we've been putting a lot of work in, not just calling the ball, but letting each other know what spots are open and analyzing the other side of the net to find and expose the other team's weaknesses,” Chinn said. “We've been working really hard on that, and I thought that came together a lot to help us be in the finals. My (biggest contribution is) communication, to deliver the information that I see to each individual teammate in a unique way which is best for them … I want to be someone they can look to for calmness and confidence in us as a team, especially in pressure situations. The Bronson game, I think we mentally and physically prepared ourselves to play them. I thought we just really performed well and were in sync.”
Time to lead: “As my role has expanded on the court, I’d say my vocalization on the court has expanded too. The more I’ve been on the court, the more I can express to my teammates some shots they can hit, what we can be reading, and I feel like the more I’m on the court, the more I can help my teammates – which is really important to me. Being a good teammate, I think, includes putting them in the most successful position they can be in.”
Another year wiser: “The game is slowing down even when we play high-level competition. For example, the Mercy game I saw things I wouldn’t have seen a year ago, like reading their shoulders and their arms and where they’re facing and their hips and anticipating what’s going to happen next. And being there before they even know where they’re going to put the ball.”
Learning from a legend: “Honestly, it's an honor to be an athlete and to have (Wroubel) as my coach. I've learned so much over the three years already I've been here. I can't say I go a day without learning something new or adjusting something that will help me now and in the future.”
Paging Dr. Chinn: “I’m going to major in dentistry. I think it would be really interesting, and I could do some good things in that area. I’ve always been into the medical field, and I think being an orthodontist – I’m really into math and sciences – I think that would be a great place for me.”
- Geoff Kimmerly, Second Half editor
Every week during the 2017-18 school year, Second Half and the Michigan Army National Guard will recognize a “Performance of the Week" from among the MHSAA's 750 member high schools.
The Michigan Army National Guard provides trained and ready forces in support of the National Military Strategy, and responds as needed to state, local, and regional emergencies to ensure peace, order, and public safety. The Guard adds value to our communities through continuous interaction. National Guard soldiers are part of the local community. Guardsmen typically train one weekend per month and two weeks in the summer. This training maintains readiness when needed, be it either to defend our nation's freedom or protect lives and property of Michigan citizens during a local natural disaster.
PHOTOS: (Top) Pontiac Notre Dame Prep's Maddy Chinn receives the ball during a match this fall. (Middle) Chinn rises to begin her swing on a kill attempt. (Photos by Kim Bucchi.)
Block Party: 2025 Girls Volleyball Week 5 Report
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
September 24, 2025
Few sports dominate school-year weekends like girls volleyball does with its Saturday tournament schedules each fall.
This past week's again included several events, most notably the East vs. West Challenge (won by the East 11-9) at Brighton's Legacy Center. This weekend could be even bigger with teams from all four divisions locked up in elite competition; see below for plenty of notes referencing some of the best matchups to come.
Records and results are based on what is submitted to MHSAA.com for Michigan Power Ratings (MPR) that determine seeding of the top two teams in every District. Rankings referred to below reflect the latest polls posted by the Michigan Interscholastic Volleyball Coaches Association (MIVCA).
Week in Review
The countdown of last week’s five most intriguing results:
1. South Lyon East d. Rockford (25-22, 25-22) Although South Lyon East (21-5-1) did also lose to Jenison at the East vs. West Challenge, the Cougars made the biggest wave by handing Rockford (20-1-0) its lone loss this season – and moved up to No. 8 in Division 1 this week.
2. Flat Rock d. Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central (25-20, 22-25, 22-25, 25-22, 15-11) Flat Rock (18-4-0) has won 15 of its last 16 matches and now owns its first win – ever – over Monroe St. Mary (13-2-1).
3. Farmington Hills Mercy d. Bloomfield Hills Marian (14-25, 25-22, 25-22, 27-25) These rivals should meet at least a few more times this fall, but Mercy (8-2-1) handed Marian (23-2-0) just its second match loss and despite falling in the first set.
4. East Grand Rapids d. Grand Rapids Christian (25-19, 25-20) The Pioneers (20-5-0) finished 5-0 at the Lake Odessa Lakewood Invitational, with this win over last week’s No. 2 team in Division 2 likely helping to jump them onto the Division 1 honorable mention list.
5. Brighton d. Northville (25-16, 25-22, 25-22) In a matchup of Division 1 honorable mentions, Brighton (18-3-0) defeated reigning champion Northville (6-6-0) for the first time since 2019.
Watch List
With an eye toward November, here are two teams in each division making sparks:
DIVISION 1
Farmington Hills Mercy (8-2-0) The Marlins – Division 1 champions most recently in 2023 and ranked No. 3 this week – are again among the elite coming off a 2-1 run at the East vs. West Challenge. Mercy defeated Division 1 honorable mention Lowell and Muskegon Mona Shores and lost to top-ranked Rockford there, but its only other defeat came to Division 1 No. 2 Bloomfield Hills a month ago. Mercy opened last week with the big Marian victory noted above.
Jenison (19-2-0) A 4-0 run through the East vs. West Challenge included sweeps of Brighton, Northville, South Lyon East and Grosse Pointe South as Jenison moved up to No. 5 in Division 1. The Wildcats – Regional finalists last season – also have downed Division 1 honorable mention Byron Center and Division 2 No. 8 Grand Rapids South Christian and split with Division 1 No. 9 Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern, the other defeat coming to Division 2 No. 3 Grand Rapids Christian.
DIVISION 2
Lansing Catholic (13-1-1) The Cougars received an honorable mention in the Division 2 poll this week coming off a 4-0 run through the Mt. Morris Invitational. Lansing Catholic also went 3-0-1 at the Bay City Western Tournament to start the season – getting a win over Midland after previously tying the Chemics that day. Lansing Catholic suffered its first loss Tuesday, to Portland.
North Branch (21-2-0) The 2022 and 2023 Division 2 champion reached the Quarterfinals last year and is blasting through another tough schedule in preparation for another potentially big run. The Broncos moved up a spot to No. 2 in the rankings this week after defeating Mona Shores, Lowell and Grand Rapids Northview at the East/West, and their only losses this season were to Northville and Bloomfield Hills the weekend before. They’ve downed Division 2 No. 7 Frankenmuth and Division 3 top-ranked SMCC among several others.
DIVISION 3
Hanover-Horton (16-1-1) A 6-0 run through the weekend’s Spring Arbor University Invitational was topped off by the No. 7 Comets sweeping Division 2 honorable mention Parma Western in the clincher. That actually also avenged Hanover-Horton’s only loss, in three sets, during the season-opening Chelsea Invitational where the Comets went 2-1-1 against Division 1 and 2 teams. They also count a pair of wins over Division 4 Concord among their most notable.
Plymouth Christian Academy (18-5-0) The Eagles are holding steady at No. 3 in Division 3 coming off a 4-1 run against Division 1 and 2 opponents at the weekend’s Portage Northern Invitational. A Regional finalist as well a year ago, PCA opened this season with a championship at the Leland Invitational against a field that also included Division 2 honorable mention Marshall, and got more valuable matches against Division 1 and 2 opponents at two more tournaments.
DIVISION 4
Lake Linden-Hubbell (17-2-0) The Lakes have won the Copper Mountain Conference Preseason Tournament and finished second at the Baraga Invitational on the way to already approaching last season’s 22-12-0 record. The lone losses came to No. 10 Hancock in four sets and Chassell at the Baraga event, and they’re set to see both again at least once more – home against Chassell next Monday and at Hancock on Oct. 21. All three are in the same District as well.
Ubly (10-2-2) The Bearcats jumped three spots to No. 2 in Division 4 this week as they seek to build on last season’s 37-8-0 finish and Quarterfinal run. Ubly went 4-0-2 at the weekend’s Eaton Rapids Tournament, twice defeating then-No. 2 Fowler plus honorable mention Adrian Lenawee Christian, which jumped to No. 4 this week. The defeats this season were solid as well, both coming during the opening weekend at the Cadillac Invitational to the Division 2 Vikings and Division 3 No. 8 Traverse City St. Francis.
Can’t-Miss Contests
Be on the lookout for results of these matches and tournaments coming up:
Thursday – Onekama (12-4-0) at Suttons Bay (13-0-0) – Both are honorable mentions in Division 4, and the winner could push for a spot among the top 10.
Saturday – Motor City Power Series at UWM Sports Complex in Pontiac – A total of 28 teams will play as the Power Series reconvenes, including a pool with Division 1 No. 3 Mercy, No. 6 Utica Eisenhower, honorable mention Brighton, Traverse City Central and Division 2 No. 2 North Branch.
Saturday – D3 & D4 Showdown at Schoolcraft College in Livonia – This bracket will feature Division 3 No. 5 Pewamo-Westphalia and honorable mention Cass City, and Division 4 top-ranked Mendon and No. 2 Ubly among others.
Saturday – Battle Creek Lakeview Invitational – Division 2 No. 6 Grand Rapids Catholic Central might be the headliner, but host Lakeview, Detroit Renaissance, Otsego and Coldwater are among other intriguing teams in the field.
Tuesday – Hancock (14-2-2) at Negaunee (11-4-2) – These two split at the season-opening Kingsford Invitational, and this matchup will mean more with Western Peninsula Athletic Conference ramifications.
PHOTO Bloomfield Hills Marian and Farmington Hills Mercy faced off last week for the first time this season. (Photo by Kristina Sikora/KMS Photography.)