Watauga Volleyball

We love celebrating our amazing girls any day but Happy National Girls and Women in Sports Day!!! 🫶🏼🏐

🏐 2025 NW Conference Player of the Year Awards

🏆 Player of the Year: Emma Pastusic
• 598 kills — single-season school record
• Ranked #2 in NC, #1 in 6A
• 1,250 career kills

🏆 Offensive Player of the Year: Lainey Gragg
• 1,076 assists — single-season school record
• #1 in NC total assists
• 1,983 career assists

🏆 Defensive Player of the Year: Caroline Childers
• 546 digs — single-season school record
• Ranked #7 in NC, #1 in 6A
• 859 career digs

Three amazing athletes. Even better teammates. They didn’t just shine — they raised the standard. So proud of these girls and the legacy they’re building. 🩵🔥🏆

💥 We are excited to announce our players selected to the 2025 NW All-Conference Team 🏐

🔥 Lilli Combs
🔥 Kora Knight
🔥 Emma Pastusic
🔥 Lainey Gragg
🔥 Ashlyn Smith
🔥 Caroline Childers
🔥 Addie Stough

🏆 Conference Highlights:
✅ Undefeated Regular Season Conference Champs
✅ Conference Tournament Champs

Championships and awards will fade, but the way this entire team showed up for each other will last forever. So incredibly thankful for this special group!! 🩵

is getting the BEST 🤩! we are so proud of you! This journey has been nothing short of amazing! We wish you all the best! 🩵🫶

A huge congratulations to senior, Emma Pastusic for being named the NCVBCA 6A 25-26 Player of the Year! We’re so proud of you Emma!! Keep striving ahead! You’re not done yet! 🩵🫶
6A - Emma Pastusic, Watauga High School
6’0” Senior | 0H
College Commitment: Citadel Military College of South Carolina
Honors: NCHSAA 6A State Championship Finalist (2025), Northwestern 6A/7A Player of the Year, All-Tournament Team and Conference Tournament MVP (2025), Northwestern 3A/4A Offensive Player of the Year (2024), Northwestern 3A/4A All-Conference Team (2023, 2024, 2025), NCBCA All-State First Team and All-Region (2025), AVCA All-Region (2025)
High School Head Coach: Kim Pryor

A huge congratulations to Kim Pryor for receiving the NCVBCA Coach of the year award for class 6A. We are thankful to call you Coach and friend!
6A - Kim Pryor, Watauga High School
Watauga High School Volleyball Head Coach Kim Pryor has built a legacy of excellence and opportunity. In 2025, she led WHS to a 21-2 record and the NCHSAA 6A State Championship Finals. During her earlier tenure at WHS (2001-2010), her teams won five Northwestern Conference titles, made eight playoff appearances, and reached the state quarterfinals twice. A multi-time Conference Coach of the Year (2006, 2007, 2023), she’s expanded volleyball access by founding the App State Volleyball Club, WHS boy’s volleyball program and a freshmen team. Her impact reaches beyond the court, inspiring young coaches and athletes. She is a featured guest at the 2025 Watauga Women in Leadership Gala, honoring her legacy in sport
and community.

Signing day for 🖋️🏐 🩵.

Join us Wednesday, November 19th, to celebrate Emma Pastusic’s commitment to further her volleyball career at The Citadel! We are so proud of you Emma!!! Big things ahead at for this amazing young lady!

It’s taken us a minute to soak it all in… what a ride! 27-2
Undefeated regular season conference champs. Conference tournament champs. Regional champs State runners-up.
But the real story? A group that was selfless, fierce, relentless, and unbreakably connected.
A season we’ll never forget — and a team we’ll remember for a lifetime. 💙🏐

🏐 At the NCHSAA State Championship…
Ashlyn Smith 🩵 was recognized as the NC Farm Bureau Sportsmanship Award WINNER! 🏆
Leadership. Heart. Integrity. The top sportsmanship honor in NC volleyball!
🩵 We’re so proud of you, Ashlyn — your hard work, dedication, and kindness inspire us all!

💥 1st TEAM ALL-STATE 💥
Congrats to Emma Pastusic and Lainey Gragg on being named to the NCVBCA 1st Team All-State!
So thankful for the recognition — but even more thankful for the passion, work ethic, and leadership these two bring every single day! 🩵🏐

💥 2025 keeps getting better for EMMA PASTUSIC!! 💥
She’s been named to the AVCA All-Region Team! 🏐🔥
Another huge honor for one of the best to do it — way to represent, Emma!! 🩵🙌