With Sister Showing Way, Dood Doing Big Things to Elevate Grandville Volleyball
By
Dean Holzwarth
Special for MHSAA.com
September 20, 2023
GRANDVILLE – As an incoming freshman, Zoey Dood remembers the euphoria she felt when she found out her older sister had been given the position of head coach of the Grandville volleyball program.
“I was super excited because it was always a dream of mine to have my sister be my coach, and I never thought it would actually happen and it did,” Dood said. “I knew she could make me better right away.”
Almost four years later, that expectation has become a reality.
Now a senior, the 6-foot-2 Dood has developed into one of the top players in the state and was recently named a finalist for this season’s Miss Volleyball Award.
For Dood’s sister, Jessica Vredevoogd, the opportunity to coach her younger sibling was too much to pass up.
“That was a big reason why I stopped playing volleyball overseas, was to come back and try and be a part of Zoey and (younger brother) Jackson’s lives more because I didn’t want to be that older sibling that didn’t exist,” Vredevoogd said. “They grew up not getting to know me as well, so to step into that role as her coach at Grandville was nice because I’ve had the chance to spend more time with her and it has built our relationship even more.”
With a 10-year age gap between them, Dood was a young child when she watched her older sister become a two-time all-state setter at Grandville before enjoying a successful career at Oakland University.
Vredevoogd, 28, who recently married, finished her final season for the Golden Grizzlies in 2016 and became the seventh player in program history to surpass 1,000 career kills.
She played overseas before returning to Grandville.
Dood, 18, saw the path her sister took to reach an elite level and wanted to follow in her footsteps.
“I would not have been as successful as I am today if I didn’t have my sister as my coach because I look up to her and I respect her and all of her accomplishments,” Dood said. “It has motivated me to want to be just like her and have the same accomplishments as she’s had.”
Dood, also a setter, received Division 1 all-state second-team accolades last year with an impressive stat line of 380 assists, 168 digs and 176 kills while leading the Bulldogs to a winning record. She posted a match-high 35 kills against East Kentwood last season during the Ottawa-Kent Conference Red Tournament.
Dood is ranked the state’s top player by Prep Dig, and committed to the University of Virginia last year.
“I’m pumped for her,” Vredevoogd said. “I think she's going to do awesome things there, and I'm just happy that someone else sees her potential. While coaching her the last four years has been fun, I'm excited to see her play and be able to thrive at the college level, too.”
Dood’s vast improvement from her freshman year until now has been impressive.
A strong worth ethic and a desire to reach the highest level have pushed her.
“My freshman year I was horrible, but I've improved exponentially and I know my sister has been a big part of that,” Dood said. “We would go into practice 30 minutes early, and I would practice my setting every single day.
“From freshman to sophomore year was an extreme change already in my development, and from there she has helped me so much and she's helped me with my IQ as well.”
Vredevoogd has seen major changes in her sister’s game and is proud of the progress she’s made.
“It’s her ability to really be intent about what you are saying to her, and then she's able to put it into action,” she said. “She's super coachable, but she’s hard-working, too. She's going to keep trying to do what I’m telling her.
“Freshman to sophomore was a big mental growth for her, and then sophomore to junior year and now her senior year you see the physical growth in her game, too.”
The dynamic between the sisters has been one of mutual respect and navigating the boundaries of a sister/coach relationship.
“I feel it’s different from your average mom and daughter experience,” Vredevoogd said. “It's interesting because she's actually watched me play, so I think she can be coached by me because she respects me a little bit in the sense that she's like, ‘OK, she actually did do what I’m trying to accomplish,’ but we do have our sister moments where there is more sass behind the tone. It’s like, do you want a coach's opinion or do you want a sister's opinion?”
Said Dood: “There are times when she says, ’I’m your coach so you need to treat me as a coach,’ and other times when I'm playing club and she’s my sister and now I can talk to her. Points where I can talk to her about certain things and points when I’m not technically allowed to where I approach her as a coach or just act like she's my coach and not my sister.”
Dood was an accomplished basketball player in middle school, but hasn’t played in high school due to her volleyball aspirations.
“My parents kept going back and forth about it and we just didn’t know if I would have time for that,” Dood said. “I couldn't fully commit to that, and I also knew that I wanted to play Division I volleyball in a Power 5 (conference) and be one of the top volleyball players in the country – so I knew I had to give that up to be able to do that.”
Dood will graduate early to get a jump start at Virginia.
“It was a very tough decision because I didn’t know if I wanted to miss out on my senior year, and I thought I would miss out on big senior events – and then I found out I wouldn’t,” Dood said. “What really sold me on it was my major (education), and they told me that I could get my master's degree in four and a half years if I graduated early. And I’ll have that extra semester, so my coach can develop me in the way she wants me to.”
As a team, the Bulldogs are striving to gain respectability in a difficult O-K Red.
They recently finished second at the Traverse City Invitational and lost a thrilling five-set match to Division 1 honorable mention Jenison to open conference play.
“I think Grandville volleyball always gets overlooked because we’ve always been the underdogs, but their drive to work hard is going to help us get more unexpected wins than anticipated,” Vredevoogd said. “And with Zoey being an offensive threat for us in the front row and being able to get a touch on every rally because she is a setter, I think that only helps us. She is one of our top scorers, and if we’re not able to use her then we have a hard time winning.”
Dean Holzwarth has covered primarily high school sports for Grand Rapids-based WOOD-TV for five years after serving at the Grand Rapids Press and MLive for 16 years along with shorter stints at the Ionia Sentinel and WZZM. Contact him at [email protected] with story ideas for Allegan, Kent and Ottawa counties.
PHOTOS (Top) Grandville's Zoey Dood is a recently-announced Miss Volleyball Award finalist this season. (Middle) Dood sets for the Bulldogs as a junior. (Top photo by Tully Chapman; middle photo courtesy of the Grandville volleyball program.)
Block Party: 2025 Girls Volleyball Regional Preview
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
November 10, 2025
After just a week, our list of MHSAA Finals hopefuls has whittled down to 128 who hoisted District title trophies – and they will have an opportunity to raise another Mitten in just a few days as they continue their march to Battle Creek.
Up next are Regional Semifinals on Tuesday, and all Regional Finals on Thursday. Links to interactive brackets for all four divisions plus information on purchasing tickets is available on the Girls Volleyball page, and a list version of this week’s slate is posted on the Scores page – with green TV icons linked to broadcasts on the NFHS Network.
See below for a look at District Finals that were among the biggest headliners, and glances at three Regionals in each division that should generate the most buzz. Records, results and schedules below are those posted for teams on MHSAA.com, and rankings reflect polls posted by the Michigan Interscholastic Volleyball Coaches Association.
Week in Review
The countdown of last week’s five most intriguing results:
1. Bloomfield Hills d. Bloomfield Hills Marian (18-25, 26-24, 25-20, 25-21) There’s no understating the significance of this win for No. 2-ranked Bloomfield Hills (39-6-1), as Marian (44-6-0) had made at least the Semifinals four of the last five seasons and won three-straight Division 1 titles from 2020-22.
2. South Lyon d. South Lyon East (27-25, 17-25, 18-25, 25-23, 15-6) The honorable mention Lions (35-10-0) hung on through the end of what could have been a match-clinching fourth set for No. 5 East (38-8-1), then dominated the fifth to avenge two regular-season losses with a Division 1 District title victory.
3. Romeo d. Utica Eisenhower (19-25, 18-25, 25-21, 25-18, 15-9) Unranked Romeo (27-10-1) claimed a Division 1 District championship by avenging a pair of regular-season losses to the Macomb Area Conference Red rival Eagles (33-5-3), who entered the postseason ranked No. 7 and won the first two sets of this match.
4. Parma Western d. Marshall (25-18, 25-21, 30-28) These Interstate 8 Athletic Conference opponents met for the third time, unranked Western (40-9-3) getting the win in this Division 2 District Final after No. 9 Marshall (32-12-5) won the first meeting and they played to a draw at the league tournament.
5. Grand Rapids Christian d. Grand Rapids South Christian (15-25, 25-20, 25-15, 25-22) The No. 3-ranked Eagles (24-8-0) locked up a Division 2 District championship, adding to a Sept. 2 win over the No. 8 Sailors (24-9-0).
Regionals at a Glance
These could be among our most competitive brackets. Host sites are in bold, and top two seeds at each are noted.
DIVISION 1
Hartland
South Lyon (35-10-0) vs. Brighton (32-7-2)
Orchard Lake St. Mary’s (28-6-3) vs. Farmington Hills Mercy (21-4-2)
Mercy has been considered one of the statewide favorites all season and entered the playoffs ranked No. 3. The Marlins have regular-season wins over South Lyon and Brighton but will see honorable mention St. Mary’s for the first time this fall. The Eaglets have won 21 straight matches and like Mercy are Catholic High School League division champions. Like St. Mary’s and South Lyon – the latter coming off its big win over No. 5 South Lyon East noted above – Brighton entered the postseason an honorable mention in Division 1 as well and has won 12 of its last 14 matches.
Hudsonville
Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern (39-8-1) vs. Grand Haven (36-10-0)
Hudsonville (31-8-1) vs. Rockford (43-1-1)
All four entered the postseason ranked – Rockford at No. 1, Forest Hills Northern No. 6, Hudsonville at No. 9 and Grand Haven No. 10. The Rams have defeated Hudsonville three times, although the Eagles forced a fourth set in both league matches, and Rockford swept Grand Haven in their two Ottawa-Kent Conference Red meetings. Rockford and Forest Hills Northern last met in a Regional Semifinal last season, when the Rams won in four sets. The Huskies may get the chance to avenge but can’t look past Grand Haven; they’ve defeated Grand Haven twice this season but also lost in three sets when the teams met in early September.
Portage Northern
Mattawan (22-18-0) vs. Byron Center (34-5-2)
Caledonia (24-18-0) vs. Battle Creek Lakeview (38-8-7)
Byron Center entered the postseason as an honorable mention in the final coaches poll and also won its District a year ago before falling to Lakeview in a Regional Semifinal. The Bulldogs have a win over Mattawan and a pair over Caledonia this season but have not faced Lakeview this fall. The Spartans have a five-set win over Mattawan but will be seeing Caledonia for the first time this season as well. Lakeview did go on last season to reach the Division 1 Quarterfinals and avenged its only loss over the last month by defeating Portage Central in their District Final last week.
DIVISION 2
Charlotte
Parma Western (40-9-3) vs. Niles (16-16-0)
Battle Creek Harper Creek (30-21-1) vs. Tecumseh (53-2-0)
Tecumseh is ranked No. 6 and the presumed favorite this week after also finishing Division 2 runner-up a year ago, although Harper Creek also reached the Semifinals last season and should provide a challenge. Tecumseh has defeated Western twice and Harper Creek once this fall and not seen Niles to this point. But Western and Niles both are coming off what would be considered upsets last week, Western defeating No. 9 Marshall (see above) and Niles clinching its District title against honorable mention Edwardsburg after falling to the Eddies just two weeks before.
Grand Rapids South Christian
Grand Rapids Christian (24-8-0) vs. Holland Christian (26-8-0)
Grand Rapids Catholic Central (34-12-1) vs. Lake Odessa Lakewood (22-22-0)
As noted above, Grand Rapids Christian is ranked No. 3 and is seeking its first Division 2 championship since winning three straight from 2018-20. The Eagles own one win this fall over all of the other three teams competing at South Christian this week, but this Regional is loaded with Grand Rapids Catholic Central ranked No. 4 and Holland Christian ranked No. 5. If Holland Christian were to get past Grand Rapids Christian and see the Cougars, it would be a first meeting this fall between those two. Lakewood and Grand Rapids Catholic Central also are meeting for the first time.
Yale
Marysville (31-13-1) vs. Detroit Country Day (19-8-0)
Pontiac Notre Dame Prep (31-14-2) vs. North Branch (40-8-0)
This Regional is anchored by the reigning Division 2 champion Yellowjackets and top-ranked North Branch, which overtook now-No. 2 Country Day in the final coaches poll. They have not faced each other this season, but Country Day won their Quarterfinal match a year ago in five sets. There is plenty of intrigue in this bracket because of the two unranked teams as well. Marysville and Notre Dame Prep also are among the most successful programs in MHSAA history, and the Fighting Irish won the Division 2 title just four years ago. Both Regional Semifinals are first-time meetings this season. Marysville did win its lone matchup this fall with NDP, at the latter’s invitational in September.
DIVISION 3
Centreville
Kalamazoo Christian (26-12-3) vs. Bangor (28-5-2)
Constantine (27-10-3) vs. Bronson (28-17-6)
Kalamazoo Christian defeated Bangor and Bronson at last year’s Regional on the way to reaching the Division 3 Semifinals in Battle Creek. The No. 8-ranked Comets haven’t faced either this season but do have a win over Constantine. Bronson, an honorable mention heading into the postseason, hasn’t faced any of this week’s possible opponents but has taken all but one of its losses this season from Division 1 and 2 teams. Bangor is 15-2-2 since the start of October, and Constantine has won 11 of its last 13 matches – although Bangor dealt the most recent defeat.
Clinton
Hanover-Horton (41-1-1) vs. Jackson Lumen Christi (16-16-1)
Grass Lake (25-13-4) vs. Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central (23-4-1)
Reigning champion Monroe St. Mary prepped for this run with another schedule of nearly all Division 1 and Division 2 opponents. In addition to facing tough competition, the added significance of that for this week is the Kestrels and Hanover-Horton haven’t met since SMCC won their Quarterfinal a year ago. The Comets opened this season going 2-1-1 at the Chelsea Invitational – falling to Parma Western and tying Milford – and have won every match thereafter. They entered the playoffs ranked No. 4, with St. Mary at No. 5. Grass Lake has won 11 of its last 12 matches, the lone defeat to Hanover-Horton in the Cascades Conference Tournament. Lumen Christi has won seven of its last eight, the defeat coming against Grass Lake.
Houghton Lake
Roscommon (45-2-0) vs. Kingsley (52-4-1)
Beal City (34-9-1) vs. Breckenridge (36-6-3)
This Regional arguably packs as much punch as any in any division. Top-ranked Roscommon has lost only to No. 7 Traverse City St. Francis and Division 1 Caledonia, and has two wins over No. 3 Kingsley and defeated No. 10 Beal City in their lone meeting two weeks ago. The Bucks have lost only eight sets all season. Kingsley’s defeats were only to Roscommon and Division 2 Flat Rock and Tecumseh, and the Stags are on a two-month winning streak with only one tie mixed in. Kingsley has defeated Beal City three times, but all of the Aggies’ losses were to either ranked teams or Division 2 opponents. Breckenridge is unranked but 12-2 since the start of October and avenged its most recent loss by defeating St. Louis in their District Final.
DIVISION 4
Carson City-Crystal
Fowler (31-8-2) vs. Mason County Eastern (19-12-1)
Grand Rapids Sacred Heart (29-2-0) vs. Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart (25-8-6)
Fowler and Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart have bounced around the top 10 in Division 4 all season, settling in at Nos. 2 and 5, respectively, heading into District play. Sacred Heart actually won their lone meeting, in four sets Sept. 11. Fowler hasn’t faced Mason County Eastern this season, and the Cardinals are on a nice 8-2-1 run over the last month after a couple of rough patches earlier this fall. Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart defeated Grand Rapids Sacred Heart in four sets on Sept. 25, but Grand Rapids Sacred Heart’s only other loss was to Division 3 Fennville.
L’Anse
Crystal Falls Forest Park (39-1-0) vs. Hancock (26-4-2)
Norway (18-8-2) vs. Ishpeming (22-5-2)
This Forest Park/Hancock matchup has been one of the Upper Peninsula’s most anticipated all season after Hancock won last year’s Regional Final meeting and ended a two-year string of Trojans trips to the Semifinals. Hancock advanced instead, ending last fall at Kellogg Arena, but Forest Park avenged in their only match this season Sept. 13. The Trojans’ only loss this fall came during the first tournament of the season to Division 3 No. 6 Saginaw Valley Lutheran, and Hancock’s only other defeats came to Division 2 Kingsford and Negaunee and Division 3 Calumet. Norway is on a 15-3-1 run since mid-September and will take on an Ishpeming team that hasn’t lost in nearly a month – most recently falling to Hancock on Oct. 16.
Mendon
Mendon (34-6-1) vs. Martin (16-11-0)
St. Joseph Michigan Lutheran (28-7-3) vs. Battle Creek St. Philip (24-14-5)
Mendon is seeking its first Regional title since its most recent Division 4 championship season of 2019, and the top-ranked Hornets started a 14-3 run on Sept. 30 with a four-set win over No. 8 St. Philip. If they meet again, it will mean the Tigers ended Michigan Lutheran’s 10-match winning streak, during which the Titans have lost only one set. St. Phil last week won its District for the 26th-straight season and is seeking its first Regional title since its Division 4 title-winning season of 2021. Martin has won four straight District titles and nine of its last 11 matches this fall, with both losses during that run to teams still alive.
PHOTOS (Top) Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern’s Isabel Ayars (12) gets to a ball during her team’s Division 1 District Final win over East Grand Rapids on Thursday. (Middle) Davison’s Darby Crystal (14) winds up for a hit during the Cardinals’ sweep of Lapeer on Wednesday. (FHN/EGR photo by Michigan Sports Photo. Davison/Lapeer photo by Terry Lyons.)