Two Fairfield senior volleyball players have been selected to compete in the 33rd Annual Southeast Iowa Volleyball Classic, set for Saturday, November 7th at 7:00 p.m. at the Burlington High School.
Leah Helmick and Natalie Steele were chosen to represent Fairfield after being nominated by their coach and voted on by varsity volleyball coaches across the Southeast Conference and Southeast Iowa Super Conference. The Classic, which has recognized outstanding senior volleyball talent since 1993, features top senior players from across southeast Iowa from both conferences. The duo served as Fairfield’s one-two punch this season, finishing as the Trojans’ top two hitters. They also served as key contributors on Fairfield’s 2025 squad from last season, which went 22-13 — the program’s most wins in a season since going 31-5 in 2018.
Fairfield head coach Vicki Rebling said she is thrilled for both players being selected. Rebling is also one of four coaches who will lead the all-star teams, joined by Erin Steffener of Mediapolis, Kenna Greiner of Wapello and Ashlei Venghaus of Winfield-Mt. Union.
Helmick wraps up her career with 500 kills, 276 digs, 25 blocks and 24 aces. She posted 200 kills, 185 digs, 11 blocks and 17 aces in her senior season. As a junior in 2025, she earned All-Conference Second Team honors, recording 216 kills, 61 digs and five blocks.
Steele finishes with 437 career kills, 99 digs, 55 blocks and 66 aces. She had 209 kills, 47 digs, 37 blocks and 28 aces this season with a .224 kill efficiency. Steele earned All-Conference First Team honors as a junior in 2025, when she posted 217 kills, a .204 kill efficiency and 38 aces. Both Helmick and Steele are expected to earn All-Conference recognition again as seniors in 2026.
Fairfield’s Isabel McCready represented the Trojans in last year’s Classic.
The full list of 2026 Classic participants includes players from Burlington, Fairfield, Holy Trinity Catholic, Louisa-Muscatine, Mediapolis, Mt. Pleasant, Burlington Notre Dame, Wapello, Washington, West Burlington and Winfield-Mt. Union.
Burlington: Meilah Ertz, Gemma Plummer, Sela Rascon, Sophia Young
Fairfield: Leah Helmick, Natalie Steele
Holy Trinity Catholic: Elizabeth Griffin, Adalyn Kruse
Louisa-Muscatine: Kaylee Nguyen
Mediapolis: Avery Bandy, Avery Crear, Madden Thie
Mt. Pleasant: Jenna Schwartz
Burlington Notre Dame: Meadow VanZee
Wapello: Annaka Greiner, Macey Kuntz, Kyndall Stigge, Mya Wagner
Washington: Layla Green
West Burlington: Lydia Armstrong, Emersyn Hopkins
Winfield-Mt. Union: Josie Ford
