Minnesota’s top-rated volleyball seniors Elena Hoecke, Rayna Christianson finish club careers shining on national stage

Centennial’s Elena Hoecke didn’t waste any time after college volleyball coaches were first allowed to be in contact on June 15 after her sophomore year.

Hoecke, the No. 1 prospect in Minnesota’s 2026 class, committed to Gophers coach Keegan Cook only a few days after her recruitment started a year ago.

Cook, who last week coached the 19-and-under United States national team in the World Championships, was an assistant on Hoecke’s U.S. team last year.

“The [Gophers] coaching staff is great because they know a lot about volleyball but are great people,” Hoecke said. “I did talk to five other schools and heard them out, but in the end, Minnesota felt like home.”

Early college decisions for top recruits like Hoecke and Lakeville North’s Rayna Christianson, a Creighton recruit, allowed them to focus on the end of their high school club careers instead of recruiting this summer.

“It’s been just a super fun season competing with these girls one last time,” Hoecke said. “It’s a really competitive group, and we all wanted to win. So just being a part of that has been cool. I’m really thankful.”

Two of the state’s top senior volleyball players ended club play last week by reaching the finals in respective divisions at the USA Volleyball junior national championships in Dallas. Christianson’s Northern Lights 17-and-under team finished first.

“It’s definitely bittersweet,” Christianson said. “I’m super close with all the girls and talk to them outside of volleyball. I’ve noticed throughout my career, the closer you are with the team, the better you play together on the court.”

Northern Lights and Minnesota Select never faced each other at the 17s level at nationals this year. There were, however, some heated battles in past matches.

“I love Elena and she’s so sweet,” Christianson said. “But obviously on the court we’re a little feisty. It’s the two biggest volleyball programs in Minnesota.”

Every in-state player on the Gophers’ current roster played for either Minnesota Select or Northern Lights in club volleyball, including Star Tribune All-Minnesota Girls Volleyball Player of the Year Carly Gilk from Champlin Park and McKenna Garr from Rush City.

Christianson plays with Eagan’s Madeline Kraft, another Gophers recruit, on Northern Lights. Hoecke built a bond off the court with Kraft on their U visit before they joined Cook’s 2026 recruiting class last year.

“They are definitely our biggest rivals,” Hoecke said of Northern Lights. “We’re competitive on the court, but a lot of us are friends off the court, too. I got to know Madi really well after we were both committed.”

Christianson won MVP honors after her Northern Lights squad won the American Division 17-1 title in Texas. Hoecke’s Minnesota Select team finished runner-up in the National Division.

What is Christianson’s secret to finishing her volleyball season strong?

“Never focus on the actual outcome goal,” she said. “Always focus on your process and how you get to that big goal. It’s about how you get there and how you grow.”

Northern Lights’ top 16s also finished 11-0 to win the title at junior nationals in Dallas last week. That came after placing second at the AAU nationals in Orlando the week prior.

“I know they’re all very talented,” Christianson said. “They have a lot of versatility on that team.”

Juniors Kacie Schulte from Maple Grove (Arizona State commit), Kaelyn Bjorklund from Lakeville South (Clemson) and Lauren Bunge from East Ridge (Texas Tech) received All-American honors in Orlando. Bunge won MVP honors in the tournament in Texas.

Bjorklund is ranked as the No. 1 player in Minnesota’s 2027 class by Prep Dig, a recruiting website. Arguably the best prospect in the state’s 2028 class is Park of Cottage Grove’s 6-3 middle/outside hitter Mesa Jameson, who plays for Northern Lights 15s.

“She is a great jumper and has a very good arm swing,” Northern Lights club director Curt Glesmann said. “I would consider her one of the top recruits at that age level.”

Northern Lights is stacked with talent in the younger divisions, but all nine players from Minnesota Select’s top 17s group committed to play Division I volleyball, including Hoecke, Anoka’s Hayden Reader (Arizona), Prior Lake’s Sidney Burley (Kentucky) and St. Thomas commits Bryn Lunski of Chanhassen and Kira Brundage of New Prague. Willmar’s Ellery DeBoer, the team’s setter and only junior, also committed recently to Michigan State.

Last month, Minnesota Select’s ninth-place finish was highest among the local 17U teams in the top division at the AAU girls national championships in Orlando. Vital (22nd), Northern Lights (31st) and Kokoro (45th) were other Minnesota teams to finish in the top 50.

Like Christianson, Hoecke has put her AAU days in the past, but she will play for the U-19 national team in August at the U-21 World Championships in Indonesia.

“She’s worked really hard to find the success she’s having now,” Minnesota Select club director Scott Jackson said. “Elena is a force to be reckoned with, but she’s a really great kid, too. No one has a bad day around Elena.”