Marion Athletics -

Following a 28-2 regular season, including a 16-0 mark in the 5A East for the fourth conference title in five seasons, and the Class 5A state championship, 11 Marion Patriot volleyball players earned postseason honors from league coaches and the Arkansas Activities Association.

Seniors Kaitlyn Austin, Kennedy Bullins, and Abbigale Simmons, and junior Kendall Brown earned All-state awards for their excellent individual seasons. Bullins also earned the Class 5A state finals MVP, while Brown and Simmons earned all-state all-tournament team nods. Austin, Bullins, Simmons, and Brown were also all-conference picks. 

Seniors Taylor Chamness, Aynslee Coad, and Reese Goodwin, and juniors Claire Brinkley, Jaida Sturdivant, Annabelle White, and Marlee Williams each earned 5A East all-conference honors.

Veteran Marion head coach Lisa Beasley earned 5A East Coach of the Year honors, as well as All-Star head coach honors.

Austin capped her four-year varsity career with 1,529 career digs. She racked up 225 kills in her senior season, with 34 aces served, 318 digs, and 23 assists. Austin twice earned all-state honors in her career and was a three-time all-conference honoree.

Bullins wrapped her Marion volleyball career with her third all-state nod in four varsity seasons, and she earned all-league honors in 2024, when she played in about half of the games. The senior amassed 1,018 career kills in four seasons, including 300 in 2025. The Class 5A state final MVP also blocked a team-high 38 kills, served 31 aces, and racked up 86 digs in her final varsity season.

Simmons led Marion in digs for the third season in a row, finishing 2025 with 351 on the back line. The two-time all-conference honoree was second on the team with 36 aces served. The all-state performer finishes her Marion career with 1,193 career digs, and she appeared in four state tournaments for the Patriots.

Brown earned her second consecutive all-state honor this fall, with her third All-5A East nod, after tallying a team-high 347 kills. The Mississippi State commit added 224 digs, 24 aces served, and 14 blocks. Brown racked up 20 kills in Marion's five-set victory over Farmington in the state final.

Chamness wrapped her fourth varsity season for Marion volleyball by handing out a team-high 445 assists. The senior added 165 digs and 23 aces to close out an excellent all-around season. Chamness paced the Patriots with 23 assists in the final.

Coad, another four-year letter winner, stacked 41 kills in 2025, with 46 digs, and 10 digs. She recorded four kills and two assists in the final against Farmington.

Goodwin produced her finest all-around season, serving a team-high 50 aces to go along with 89 kills and 129 digs. The senior multi-sport athlete logged five kills, two assists, and two aces in the final match.

Brinkley finished second on the Marion assist chart this fall with 379. She added five aces served and 131 digs as a junior. She handed out 17 assists with six digs in the final.

Sturdivant finished fourth on the Marion kills chart this season with 120, and she was second in blocks with 17. The junior handled 32 digs and handed out 16 assists. Sturdivant stacked eight kills against Farmington, with a pair of blocks.

White amassed 113 digs in 2025, and she served 13 aces. The junior performer finished with two digs in the final.

Williams logged 47 kills this fall, with 29 digs and six assists, her second season as a varsity rotation player.

Beasley capped her 30^th season as Marion's head volleyball coach by passing 600 career victories at the school. Her 2025 outfit advanced to the state finals for the eighth time in school history (all since 2006), and they won the fourth state volleyball championship (2010, 2011, and 2015) in program history