Riverside Lady Rebels volleyball: A season of growth, grit, and great potential

Riverside Head volleyball coach Nikki Hopkin reflects on the 2026 season. The team finished it season in Riverton at the Regional Tournament last month. 

“What a tremendous season of growth for the Riverside Lady Rebels volleyball team. While our record may not reflect all that this team accomplished, the growth we witnessed throughout the season went far beyond the scoreboard. These young athletes made tremendous strides not only in their volleyball skills but also in their physical strength, mental toughness, confidence, and understanding of what it truly means to be a team.” 

Hopkin added, “Our girls put in countless hours of hard work and dedication throughout the season. With two-a-day practices twice a week, they committed themselves to becoming stronger, quicker, and more skilled athletes. Just as importantly, they learned to push through challenges, trust one another, adapt to changes on the court, and recognize the importance of communication and teamwork. Growth doesn’t always come easily, but these girls continued to show up, put in the work, and challenge themselves to get better”. 

 As the team headed to Regionals, Hopkin noted, “The Lady Rebels knew they had an opportunity to put everything they had worked on throughout the season onto the court. Our first-round matchup was against Cokeville. The girls competed with heart, determination, and a willingness to fight for every point. While the outcome wasn’t what we had hoped for, they continued to battle and represent Riverside with pride.” 

Round two at Regionals was against Little Snake River. Hopkin said the match was a true reflection of how far this team had come. “The girls laid everything on the line, competed with tremendous determination, and played what may have been their best match of the season. They fought for every point, supported one another, and demonstrated the grit and resilience they had worked so hard to develop. Although the match did not end in a victory, I could not have been prouder of the effort, integrity, heart, and capability these athletes displayed. They showed just how much potential this group has when they play together and believe in themselves.”

Team captain Hadley Hopkin reflected on the season as well. “We all grew in mental toughness, and we had a lot of fun together, even though we may not have had a winning season.” Her words capture what this team was all about. The friendships, memories, lessons, and personal growth these girls experienced are accomplishments that cannot be measured by a win-loss record.”

Though the season is done, Coach Hopkin said their work is far from being finished. “We already have plans in place for the offseason to continue building strength, improving our volleyball skills, and developing the confidence and chemistry that will carry us into next season. We are also looking forward to beginning that process with our incoming freshmen while continuing to develop our returning players. Building a strong program takes time, commitment, and a shared belief in what we can accomplish together. 

“I am incredibly proud of this group of young women. They have shown me their willingness to learn, their ability to overcome challenges, and their determination to keep pushing forward. We may not have finished the season with the record we wanted, but we have laid an important foundation for the future of Riverside Lady Rebel Volleyball. The potential of this program is tremendous, and I am excited about what lies ahead. This is just the beginning! Go Rebels!

Regional Match Statistics vs. Cokeville:

Aces: Hadley Hopkin and Hannah Suiter each with 1

Kills: Hannah Suiter and Cachelynn Forshee each with 3, Tenley Zierlein - 2, Evalynn Olsen and Brianna Landis - 1 each

Assists: Hadley Hopkin - 9 and Cachelynn Forshee - 1

Digs: Brianna Landis led with 11, Cachelynn Forshee - 8, Evalynn Olsen - 7, Hadley Hopkin and Cynthia Olsen - 6 each, Tenley Zierlein - 4, and Kaydee Brown and Hannah Suiter - 1 each 

Regional Match Statistics vs. Little Snake River:

Aces: Evalynn Olsen led with 4, Brianna Landis - 3, Cynthia Olsen - 2, Hadley Hopkin and Cachelynn Forshee - 1 each

Kills: Cachelynn Forshee - 3, Kaydee Brown - 2, Hadley Hopkin, Evalynn Olsen, Hanna Suiter, and Tenley Zierlein - 1 each

Assists: Hadley Hopkin - 6, Evalynn Olsen - 2

Blocks: Hannah Suiter - 1

Digs: Cachelynn Forshee led with 9, Kaydee Brown - 8, Tenley Zierlein - 7, Brianna Landis - 6, Hadley Hopkin - 5, Evalynn Olsen - 4, Hannah Suiter 3, Cynthia Olsen - 2, and Whitley Godfrey - 1