Over the weekend, Haven Enselman of Marist reached a significant achievement by surpassing the 1,000-assist milestone in her high school volleyball career. Remarkably, she accomplished this early in her sophomore season, barely six matches in. Her aspirations extend further, as Enselman expressed her desire to achieve 2,000 or even 3,000 assists. As Saturday ended, her tally reached 1,034.
In a dominating performance, Enselman recorded 25 assists, alongside eight digs and four kills, as Marist defeated Lockport with scores of 25-8 and 25-11 in the 32-team Mizuno Crimson Classic at Plainfield North’s Great Lakes Volleyball Center in Aurora.
Marist teammates Maggie Kurpeikis, committed to Michigan, and Taylor Berg, committed to Western Michigan, each contributed eight kills. The pair were named co-MVPs of the tournament and joined Enselman on the all-tournament team.
For Lockport, Natalie Bochantin led with seven assists and was named to the all-tournament team alongside Hutsyn Timosciek and Kyla Mitchell. Lockport advanced to the finals after defeating Benet with scores of 21-15, 25-13, 19-17 in the semifinals, while Marist prevailed over Lincoln-Way East 25-13, 25-16.
Despite the swift achievement, Enselman’s milestone went largely unnoticed. Marist coach Jordan Vidovic expressed his amazement at her rapid progress, highlighting the setter’s quick and efficient delivery on the court. The way Enselman passes confidently influences her team positively.
Taylor Berg, one of Enselman’s hitters, acknowledged her importance to the team, emphasizing the tempo and energy she brings. Without her presence, Berg believes the team’s success would be diminished.
Looking forward, Enselman’s trajectory suggests she could challenge the Illinois High School Association record for career assists. Currently, Sandburg’s Sarah Kwasigroch holds the record at 3,659 assists from 2001 to 2004. Molly Murrihy holds Marist’s record at 3,075 from 2015 to 2017. Enselman amassed 938 assists in her freshman year alone. Maintaining this pace places her on track to finish with 3,752 assists.
“That is fast,” Vidovic remarked about Enselman’s achievement, emphasizing her rapid play on the court.
Haven Enselman reflects the tenacity of her coach, Vidovic, who accumulated 3,704 assists during his time at Brother Rice from 2002 to 2005, ranking second all-time among boys volunteers in Illinois. Vidovic embraces fostering Enselman’s talent, challenging her intensely in practice.
Enselman appreciates these challenges, confirming she thrives under pressure, improving as a player, teammate, and person. She likens her style to Bergen Reilly of Nebraska, admiring how easily Reilly handles gameplay.
Marist’s players celebrated Enselman’s achievement, and her continued dedication holds promise of further records and victories.