The 3A State Finals match will pit the Trojans from New Castle against the Brebeuf Jesuit Braves.  The 29-9 Braves, led by Head Coach Brian Murray, return five starters from last years squad and will making their second appearance in class 3A in five years.  The #1 ranked Trojans come in with a record of 33-6 and are led by Head Coach Matt Curts.  New Castle returns 3 starters from last years squad and have defeated five of the top ten teams in their tournament run to the finals.

Notables provided by the IHSAA:

BREBEUF JESUIT BRAVES (29-9)
IndianaPrepVolleyball.com Poll: Not ranked
Brebeuf Jesuit making its second appearance in 3A
state championship match in five years following its
2013 championship season.
With a victory, Braves would become sixth school
with five or more volleyball crowns.
With a victory, 17th year coach Brian Murray would
become fifth coach with four or more state titles.
Junior Reagan Hopp is 11th in the state with 538 kills
(4.8 per set). Classmate Taila Trabue rates 13th with
105 service aces (0.9 per set) and is also among the
top 50 with 406 kills (3.4 per set). Sophomore Abbey
Richman is among the state leaders with 514 digs (4.8
per set).
Upset two ranked teams in last two outings –
defeating #9 Northview 3-2 for the regional crown
on Oct. 21 and #7 Silver Creek 3-1 for the semi-state
title last Saturday. The victory over Silver Creek also
avenged a 3-1 loss in the regular season fi nale on Oct.
7.
Five starters returned from last year’s 21-10 squad.
Braves finished second in Circle City Conference with
3-1 record.
Volleyball State Tournament History
IHSAA Membership: 1964-present
First Volleyball State Tournament Appearance: 1977
State Champion (4) 2003 (3A), 2005 (3A), 2009 (3A),
2013 (3A)
Runner-Up (1) 2010 (2A)
State Finals Appearances (8) 2003 (3A), 2005 (3A), 2007
(3A), 2008 (3A), 2009 (3A), 2010 (3A), 2013 (3A), 2017
(3A)
Semi-State Championships (3) 2010 (3A), 2013 (3A),
2017 (3A)
Regional Championships (10) 1992, 2003 (3A), 2005 (3A),
2007 (3A), 2008 (3A), 2009 (3A), 2010 (3A), 2013 (3A),
2014 (3A), 2017 (3A)
Sectional Championships (17) 1982, 1983, 1985, 1990,
1991, 1992, 2003 (3A), 2004 (3A), 2005 (3A), 2006
(3A), 2007 (3A), 2008 (3A), 2009 (3A), 2010 (3A), 2013
(3A), 2014 (3A), 2017 (3A)
School’s IHSAA State Championship History (17)
Boys Basketball (1) 2000 (3A)
Girls Basketball (2) 2004 (3A), 2007 (3A)
Boys Golf (2) 2010, 2011
Girls Golf (1) 2006
Girls Soccer (1) 2015 (2A)
Boys Tennis (1) 1973
Girls Tennis (5) 1979, 1980, 1981, 1983, 1984
Volleyball (4) 2003 (3A), 2005 (3A), 2009 (3A), 2013 (3A)

NEW CASTLE TROJANS (33-6)
IndianaPrepVolleyball.com Poll: #1
Top-ranked New Castle making its fourth appearance
in volleyball state fi nals and fi rst since 2007 4A state
championship season.
School seeking second volleyball crown and fourth
overall.
According to MaxPreps.com, sophomore Melani
Shaffmaster ranks 10th in the state with a .432 hittng
percentage and also rates among the state leaders
with 443 kills (3.9 per set) and 928 assists (8.2 per set).
Freshman sister Mabrey Shaffmaster also ranks among
the state leaders at .364, 426 kills (3.8 per set) and 98
service aces (0.9 per set).
Senior Merissa Hanning is also among the state
leaders with 115 total blocks (1.0 per set) as is
freshman Bailey Cox with 642 digs (5.7 per set).
Defeated five Top 10 teams in its six state tournament
matches including three in the loaded Delta Sectional
– def. #10 Muncie Burris 3-0, #4 Wapahani 3-2 and
#2 Delta 3-0. Followed with 3-1 wins over #3 Fort
Wayne Bishop Dwenger in the regional semifinal and
#6 Mishawaka Marian in the semi-state.
Trojans won the Hoosier Heritage Conference title
this season with a 7-0 record.
Team returned three starters from last year’s 27-9
squad.
New Castle fell to Class 4A state finalist Avon 2-0 on
Sept. 23.
Volleyball State Tournament History
IHSAA Membership: 1906-present
First Volleyball State Tournament Appearance: 1972
(first year of the state tournament)
State Champion (1) 2007 (4A)
State Finals Appearances (4) 1981, 2001 (4A), 2007 (4A),
2017 (3A)
Semi-State Championships (1) 2017 (3A)
Regional Championships (5) 1981, 2001 (4A), 2007 (4A),
2011 (4A), 2017 (3A)
Sectional Championships (26) 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979,
1980, 1981, 1982, 1985, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991,
1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2001 (4A), 2004 (3A),
2005 (3A), 2006 (3A), 2007 (4A), 2011 (4A), 2012 (4A),
2013 (4A), 2017 (3A)
School’s IHSAA State Championship History (3)
Boys Basketball (2) 1932, 2006 (3A)
Volleyball (1) 2007 (4A)