ROCKINGHAM — A trio of volleyball players at Richmond Senior High School was named to the inaugural Mid-South All-Conference team following the conclusion of the 2025 season.
Senior J’Nasia Neal, along with juniors Riley McDonald and Kenley Smith, were among the 18 players selected by the MSC’s coaches this year.
It was the second straight selection for Smith, Richmond’s libero, who also made it last season as a sophomore. McDonald, who plays middle hitter, returned to the postseason roster with her second career accolade and her first since her freshman season.
Capping a breakout senior campaign at outside hitter, Neal earned her first career All-Conference selection.
Jack Britt High School’s Karson Ives was named the MSC’s Player of the Year, while Hoke County’s Lashonda Huey was tabbed Coach of the Year.
McDonald, Neal and Smith helped the Lady Raiders collect a 12-9 overall record this season and a return to the state playoffs. Against conference opponents, Richmond went 5-5 and finished fourth in the final standings.
“I’m proud of the hard work all three have put in this season,” Larsen said. “Their accomplishments allowed them to be noticed by other coaches in the conference to make this team.
“KG (Smith) held down the back court for us, as well as at the serving line. Riley continued to be a force at the net on offense and defense. J’Nasia was able to step up in her senior year to achieve this recognition from her all-around effort on the court.”
J’Nasia Neal, senior outside hitter
Playing at the varsity level for her second season, Neal had a breakout year for the Lady Raiders at outside hitter. A hard-hitting attack from Neal was complimented by her strong defensive play along the back row.
Behind McDonald, Neal was second on the team with 144 kills in 77 sets played. Neal ranked second on the team in the following offensive categories: kills per set (1.9), kill percentage (30.3%), attack attempts (476) and hit percentage (12.8%).
Neal’s 56 total aces trailed only Smith, while she was also the second-best on the team in total digs (230) and digs per match (11.5). Returning 453 serves, Neal led the team in that category, and averaged 22.7 returns per match.
Across the MSC, Neal was ranked fifth in service aces, seventh in digs and ninth in total kills.
“It felt really good knowing that I made All-Conference for the first time,” Neal shared. “My teammates’ effective passes to our setter really helped her and me get a good touch on the ball. I also feel like I got better defensively, so that also contributed to me achieving All-Conference.
“I’ve enjoyed being able to spend quality time and creating memories with my teammates. The program has helped me grow a lot as a person and my coaches taught me a lot of lessons that I will definitely use later in life.”
Riley McDonald, junior middle hitter
Anchoring the middle of the court for the Lady Raiders, McDonald had a bounceback junior campaign that saw her rise to the tops of several offensive categories in the MSC. A dual-threat at the net, she scrambled opposing defenses with hard hits and also posed a problem for other hitters with her blocking.
Leading the Lady Raiders in every major offensive category, McDonald’s totals this season were: 278 kills, 3.6 kills per set, a 41.9 kill percentage, 663 attack attempts and a .288 hitting percentage.
Third on the team in service aces (44), McDonald led Richmond’s blocking efforts with 59 total blocks, including 33 solo blocks. She averaged 3.0 blocks per match.
Compared to the conference as a whole, McDonald’s 278 kills led the way, a total of 45 more kills than second-place Ives. She was tied with Ives for second in the MSC in total blocks, was second in kill percentage, and McDonald’s hitting percentage was third-best.
“It feels great to be back on the All-Conference team,” McDonald said. “I feel like my effort all around is what helped me achieve All-Conference again. I try to do the best I can every season and hope that my team can feel like they can rely on me on and off the court.
“I hope next season I can improve my coordination around the court. My expectations for the next season are lots of wins in our favor and hopefully winning our conference.”
Kenley Smith, junior libero
Cementing herself as a defensive staple along the back row for the third straight season, Smith’s calmness and precision on the court helped Richmond’s offense rack up the points. In addition to being the Lady Raiders’ leader in several defensive categories, Smith proved to be among the best servers in the MSC.
Richmond’s go-to player in the service rotation, Smith led the team with 395 service attempts and racked up a team-leading 71 service aces. She also had a service percentage of .911, ranked third on the team.
Holding down the defense, Smith led the team with 304 total digs, 3.9 digs per set and 15.2 digs per match. She was second on the team with 50 assists and had zero ball-handling errors. Smith’s 390 service returns and 19.5 returns per match were second only to Neal.
Smith led the MSC with 71 aces, three more than Hoke County’s Aaliyah Carter. She finished the season ranked fourth in digs per set and fifth in total digs.
“It feels amazing to make All-Conference again,” Smith commented. “It’s an honor to be recognized for the work I’ve put in, especially knowing how competitive our conference is. I think consistency, staying disciplined and trusting my teammates really allowed me to perform at a high level all season.
“This season I focused on becoming a smarter player — reading plays better, improving my communication and being more confident under pressure. Those things helped me succeed individually, but they’ll also help me be a stronger leader for our team next year.”
