VERITAS PREP VOLLEYBALL CONTINUES TO DRIVE FOR FIRST REGION TITLE

PHOENIX – The Veritas Prep Academy volleyball team enters region play Tuesday as it chases its first championship banner in the gym since 2017.

Tuesday’s match against Arizona Lutheran Academy (7-14) begins the final 11 games of 2025 and a quest for the 2A Valley Region title, but afternoon practice routines remain unchanged. In fact, onlookers would be hard-pressed to realize the Falcons (15-10) eye their first title in years.

“It’s always business as usual,” head coach Brooks Dockter said as his team prepares for the 6 p.m. home game.. “If we're going to play to our potential, we know the results are going to follow.”

After five years in the Metro Region, Veritas Prep transitioned to Valley competition, finishing third. Dockter expressed confidence in 2025, but measures his team’s success by the postseason.

“We play, in my opinion, in the toughest region in the state and Arizona Lutheran is always successful,” Dockter said. “I've watched a lot of film on them, and they're ready to play.”

After returning two players from 2024, Dockter employed senior Mary Hamann as a rebuild template. The outside hitter sits third or higher in eight of nine statistical categories for the team.

“Mary is close to her 1,000th career kill, which is probably happening next week,” Dockter said. “She doesn't know that yet, but it's likely going to happen.”

Mary may be unaware of the milestone, but not what’s at stake for Veritas Prep.

“I'm really excited to play Arizona Lutheran,” Mary Hamann said after suffering two losses against the team in 2024. “We know their strengths and we know their weaknesses,” Hamann said.

Mary is ranked fourth in Arizona for kills at 281 this season, only 19 away from her milestone. While confident in her team’s performance thus far, Hamann acknowledged the road ahead.

“I'm excited to play some tougher teams and beat ALA,” Hamann said. “I think we could take them.”

Another element that contributed to success in 2025 was sophomore Grace Hamann, Mary’s sister. Playing at both middle blocker and outside hitter, Grace is a key cog for the Falcons.

Grace contributed the second-most kills behind Mary while also serving as the team’s lead blocker. A total of 44 blocks across 70 sets places Grace as the 18th-best athlete in the state.

“We all have more effort to give,” Grace Hamann said. “We've played really hard sometimes.

“I just think we need to figure out how we can keep it there, instead of dropping back down to playing not as well.”

As for Arizona Lutheran, the reigning 2A Valley runner-ups are off to a slow start. The Coyotes program scored only seven wins after 21 matches thus far, down from a 30-13 record a year ago.

However, the Coyotes are anchored by their own set of sister-power; senior twins.

Libero and outside hitter Emma Drexler and setter and right side hitter Elie Drexler top the charts for Arizona Lutheran. Emma leads the team in digs with 279, while Elie boasts 227 assists.

Tickets are $6 for adults and $3 for students, located on the GoFan app under Veritas Preparatory Academy.

“It's just how much this team, how much we want it,” Grace said. “That's going to have to be what separates us from the other teams.”