The Rams, led by Freeport’s Evie Tola, won this year’s Queens of the ‘Burgh girls high school volleyball tournament July 25 at the All-American Field House in Monroeville.
Tola is a unique volleyball player, a 5-foot-4 junior outside hitter at Freeport. There aren’t too many 5-4 outside hitters in high school.
She was named MVQ (Most Valuable Queen) for the Rams off her performance in the two-day event.
“It was difficult to choose just one player as our MVQ,” said Seneca Valley grad Bria Stepp, the Rams coach and a junior setter at West Chester.
“I nominated Evie, a six-rotation outside hitter, for the award. She is a very explosive, athletic player and was a huge asset for us.
“She was constantly finding ways to score even from the back row, handled serve receive with confidence and was someone we could always count on at the net. She had a huge impact on our playoff run.”
Tola has a 4.2 GPA at Freeport and volleyball is the only sport she plays.
“With so many skilled athletes at the Queens event, I was honored to be named MVQ for the tournament.” Tola said. “I was very excited and proud when I found out about the honor. I am fully committed to volleyball and put all my time into it.
“My team, the Rams, was especially talented, and I was so grateful to be able to pull out the win with them. It was my first time competing in the Queens tournament, and I hope to get the chance to play in it again next year.”
The coaches for each team in the tournament are current college volleyball players. After their last pool play match, they select their MVQ option.
“It’s really interesting to see who gets picked,” said John Skarupa, the tournament’s founder, “as it’s not necessarily the best player but the one who exemplifies a true leader, energy, selflessness and mainly representing the game.”
The Rams edged Princess Colussy, 26-24, in the tournament’s championship match after defeating Princess Penny, 25-23, in the semifinal round.
North Catholic’s 6-2 sophomore OH Jillian Kalis and Oakland Catholic’s 5-6 sophomore setter Kate Hartman were named MVQ for Princess Colussy and Princess Penny.
“Each team was very competitive, especially the Princess teams,” Tola said. “My team and I battled very hard against the two Princess teams in both the semifinals and the championship. Both had great athletes with very bright futures ahead of them.
“We had a rough start, finishing 2-4 in sets in pool play. When the playoffs started, our team started to click. We developed chemistry throughout the day and worked together to pull off the win. I was really proud to wear the No. 5 jersey in honor of my aunt, Ellen Jane Toy. I want to continue to carry on her love and passion for volleyball.”
Another top player at the tournament was Baldwin’s 6-foot junior MH Chelsey Weber, the MVQ on the Panthers team.
“I am very honored to have received this accolade,” Weber said. “It means a lot because I know how talented my teammates were, and I look up to them. To be able to be recognized alongside them is really special to me.
“I was honestly very shocked but really grateful. I was probably one of the last people I expected to get it, but I was eternally thankful that other people can see the hard work that I put in behind the scenes pay off.”
Weber was joined on the Panthers team by Thomas Jefferson senior Viola McNeil, a 5-10 outside hitter.
“The competition was really strong this year,” Weber said. “Every single match had long but great rallies and was extremely competitive. Having experienced this event before, I realized how much of a difference a year can make. The competition was solid last year, but I feel like it was on a whole other level this time around.
“I would like to thank John and all of the Queens of the ‘Burgh staff for working so hard to make this event special for all of us.”
Weber also was a track athlete at Baldwin but has opted to focus strictly on her No. 1 sport, volleyball.
“I do not compete in track anymore,” she said. “I ultimately decided to step away from it so I could focus all my time and energy on volleyball and really take my game to the next level.”
Weber said she has firm hopes for a playoff run by the Baldwin girls volleyball team this fall.
“I think we have a lot of potential this season,” she said. “We had nine seniors graduate last year, so all of us have been working really hard to step up and continue to develop a strong program within our team.”
The Queens of the ‘Burgh event is four years old and had 75 registrants for its 2026 edition.
“This unique event features the best of local high school volleyball talent in the Pittsburgh area,” Stepp said. “It provides an exciting weekend for players who come from different schools and different clubs to come together on one team and play in a competitive environment.
“The tournament provides an opportunity to showcase their skills in front of college coaches, friends and family.”
Thomas Jefferson product Delaney Concannon coached the Panthers squad in this year’s tournament. Concannon is a senior outside hitter at IUP.
“I’m extremely excited for the (2026) season,” she said. “With only graduating one senior from last fall, I have big expectations for the team. I would love to win another PSAC championship and at least make it to the Elite 8.
“After I graduate in December, I’m staying at IUP to get my masters in speech pathology. Hopefully, during grad school, I can keep volleyball in my life by assisting the team in any way I can. I would love to eventually coach somewhere once I am all finished with school.”
At TJ, Concannon set single-season records in kills, blocks and hitting percentage. She received postseason honors from the PIAA, WPIAL and section.
“I really enjoyed the tournament,” Concannon said. “It was a great way to connect with more volleyball girls from the Pittsburgh area and hopefully get some of them noticed. That way, they can play at the next level. This is a great opportunity for high school girls and something that I was proud to be a part of.
“I was honored to be asked to coach a Queens team this year, and I absolutely loved being involved in an event like this. I hope this tournament continues to grow and I get to play a role in it each year moving forward.”
Along with Weber and MacNeil, players on Concannon’s Panthers squad were Shenango’s Adrianna Campoli (S) and Josie Offie (OH), Mars setter Gabi Weidemann, North Allegheny OH Ella Lange, Serra Catholic MH Ryleigh Carper, Woodland Hills MH Niyah Brown and Pine-Richland DS Juliet Rand.
“Overall, I thought my team was great,” Concannon said. “We competed in every match we played, and the girls were able to play loose while also having fun. My pins got to play all around and get some right-side experience, which was different for some of them.
“During pool play, I believe we only lost two sets out of the six we played. Everyone played great no matter what lineup I put on the court. The Princess team that we lost to was extremely good. Unfortunately, we lost in the first round of playoff bracket play. That game did not show how well we played earlier in the morning.”
Other MVQs at the high-profile event were Bella Dinkel (Thunder), a 5-5 junior setter at Greensburg Salem; Raina Lewandowski (Muskies), a 5-11 senior OH at Butler; Frankie Schlatterer (Hawks), a 6-foot senior MH for Our Lady of the Sacred Heart; and Teagan Orga (Knights), a 5-6 senior DS at Shaler.
The Thunder team was coached by Bethel Park product Brooke Kessler, a DS/L at IUP. A third IUP player who coached in the tournament was Kyra Schmidt from North Allegheny. Schmidt is a junior OH for the Crimson Hawks.
Skarupa, who has coached the Avonworth girls volleyball team since 2020, has been in charge of the tournament since its inception.
“Obviously, a big thank you to all the colleges, sponsors, players, parents and our own staff and coaches,” Skarupa said. “Chartiers Valley coach Cullen Vereb helped a lot behind the scenes, and Amanda Fetter as always for helping lead the draft so we can make sure the teams are even as possible.
“Bailey Rafferty who served as our social media manager and as Princess Colussy coach, did an amazing job with all the posts and the event’s program.”
Skarupa’s attachment to the sport of volleyball is striking, and contagious.
“This event truly is a labor of love and a gift back to the sport and Pittsburgh,” Skarupa said, “and it’s incredibly rewarding to have all the players and parents show their appreciation and all the new friends we heard laughing and cheering all day. It’s great when you see these new connections unfold and some double takes of who made a play.”
The tournament was created and is structured as a nonprofit entity.
“We are here to help these girls grow not only through the support but personally as well,” Skarupa said, “and I am grateful that we have continued to have that trust every year.
“I am still proud to say that every dollar that we get for this event goes right back into the event or into the community.”
How important was the need to fulfill commitments in this high-profile event by both coaches and players alike?
Wilson, the Albert Gallatin grad and Lynn University team member, admirably coached the Knights despite lugging around what appeared to be a cast on her sprained ankle.
On display was the definition of “determination and dedication” to the sport of volleyball.