Volleyball Coverage, presented by ARCH Orthodontics: All The Pieces Are In Place For Wolverines in 2026

There’s a new coach leading the Westwood High School volleyball program this fall, but Emily Bishop didn’t need much time to figure out what she inherited. The Wolverines are loaded.
 
Westwood returns a deep and talented group from last year’s team that once again qualifed for the MIAA Tournament. Senior captains Veronica Reeves and Avery Herlihy, along with junior captain Lulu Fenton, are being leaned on to lead the way, but there’s talent up and down the roster – and frankly throughout the program.  Cuts were tough, and Bishop believes the Wolverines have everything they need to make some noise in the Tri-Valley League and then the MIAA Division 2 State Tournament.
 
“They really can go as far as they want to go,” Bishop said. “I think the sky is the limit for them.”
 
Bishop is in her first season coaching at the high school level, but she brings years of club volleyball experience to Westwood. She was familiar with a number of Westwood’s players and understood the caliber of volleyball being played here, which made the opening especially appealing.
 
“I know that it’s a high level,” Bishop said as she acknowledged a run to the Final Four in 2024. “I was really hoping to get in and help elevate it even more, whether at varsity or not. So getting varsity, it was like, ‘This is actually happening.’”
 
Bishop called the opportunity “huge” and said she felt honored that Westwood Athletic Director Richkaard Verrier believed she was the right person for the job. One selling point as Bishop went through the hiring process was her role as a social worker, which allows her to fully understand what her players are going through each day. 
 
“They are dealing with a lot more than just the pressure to be good athletes,” she said.
 
Her coaching philosophy reflects that. Bishop wants the Wolverines to take ownership of their program, particularly the team’s leaders.
 
“I’m a little bit more laid back and want them to take a little bit more of the reins and tell me what they need from me versus me telling them what I need from them,” Bishop said. “I’m trying to open up more avenues for the leaders to lead and tell me what they want their program to look like, because it’s for them at the end of the day.”
 
She certainly has the leadership to make that work. Fenton, the team MVP as a sophomore last season, is already attracting attention from college programs. Despite being undersized compared to many top hitters, Fenton is an explosive player who can impact virtually every aspect of a match.
 
“She is very good in the back row. She’s very good hitting,” Bishop said. “Her volleyball IQ is off the charts.”
 
Fenton’s presence also provides confidence for her teammates.
 
“Her skill is so high that she is really relied upon and trusted by her teammates when she’s on the floor,” Bishop said. “There’s a different level of, ‘Okay, we got this.’”
 
Reeves brings a different dynamic, providing emotion and intensity in the front row.  When you’re looking for an energy boost on the court, it’s typically Reeves delivering.
 
“She’s definitely that hype person, whether she’s making the play or she’s hyping up other people that are making the play,” Bishop said. “I know when she’s out in the front row that she’s going to be as aggressive as possible. Her blocking has been really, really strong. She’s a force.”
 
Herlihy completes a captain trio whose personalities complement each other. Bishop describes Avery as thoughtful and mature, particularly when teammates need someone to help navigate a difficult situation.
 
“She’s able to look at it from multiple perspectives,” Bishop said. “She doesn’t just see, ‘Oh, you’re upset,’ and label it. She wants to figure out what’s going on and how she can help.”
 
The talent extends well beyond the captains. Bishop believes players from the sophomore class through the seniors will play significant roles, and she has been struck by the depth throughout the entire program.
 
Mia Steinmetz was a key contributor as a freshman last year and returns with a year of experience under her belt. Haily Chen returns from a knee injury, along with Jennifer Lin and Lyla Hayes, who both logged plenty of playing time last year. Kate Innis stepped up when needed as a midseason injury replacement in 2025 and assumes a more prominent role this year as a sophomore. The staff is taking a conservative approach to the rehab of Narintra Kamolratanapiboon, who is working her way back from a knee injury and still isn’t cleared for game action.
 
The level of competition was so strong during tryouts that cuts often came down to tiny details, with Bishop believing some players who didn’t make Westwood’s teams could have earned spots at other schools. A coaching friend visited a Westwood practice and delivered a memorable assessment before leaving.
 
“He was like, ‘Have fun at states,’” Bishop said with a smile, though she knows there’s a long way to go and many matches to be played between now and then.
 
Bishop had a similar reaction watching her team at the Medway Playday.
 
“It was our best that they’ve all played together,” she said. “My face hurt from just smiling at how they were playing.”
 
As focused as Bishop is on 2026, she is equally enthusiastic about the players developing on the freshman and junior varsity teams and believes the future is bright.
 
“Yes, this year is super strong, but I think that we also have a very healthy pool coming up as well,” Bishop said.  “I think Westwood is going to be a problem in the TVL for some years to come.”
 
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