Julie Gordon has coached a lot of excellent setters in her 45 years at Montgomery Academy, but she’s never coached one quite like Addi Vinson.

“She’s the best,” the Hall of Fame volleyball coach said. “We’ve had great ones. We’ve had great athletes, we’ve had great teams. But, overall, the general play of volleyball has been elevated by the commitment of these girls, especially the ones who want to play at the next level. And Addi does. She is truly the coach on the court.”

Vinson headlines the 2023 All-Capital City Conference volleyball team chosen by the five CCC coaches and is joined on the team by her two outside hitters, fellow juniors Caroline McDaniel and Elle McBride.

Gordon was chosen as the coach of the year after leading Montgomery Academy to its sixth finals in the last seven years and its sixth consecutive South Super Regional title. The Eagles (53-6) finished one game shy of the school record for wins and won its fourth state championship (in three different classifications) in the last six years. Montgomery Academy also compiled a 14-0 record against River Region teams this past season.

The Eagles were 24-1 in sets during the 2023 postseason, dropping only a set to Arab in the 5A finals. Gordon, who coached her 2,000th match during the 2023 season, picked up her 1,590th win by beating Arab.

Vinson recorded 1,461 assists this past season, including 57 assists and 17 digs in the championship win over Arab to earn player of the year honors.

“She’s the quarterback of that team,” Trinity coach Sarah Dubberley said. “And don’t get me wrong, she is surrounded by significant talent but none of them can do what they do if they didn’t have her. She delivers the ball so well and she’s a natural leader and people follow her.”

The best news for Gordon is that her trio of stars will return for the 2024 season, led by a setter who is already in a league of her own.

“She’s got the mentality of a college setter right now,” Gordon said. “She delivers the exact set that all of our hitters want and she’s very specific -- you say get it one inch higher or one inch closer to the net, she can do that.

“The setter has to learn every separate hitter and how they perform at their best. Addi knows that and we practice that and spend time on it. They might leave this practice at MA, then they’ll spend an hour training one-on-one, the hitter and the setter. Her precision and her volleyball IQ is incredible.”

2023 ALL-CAPITAL CITY CONFERENCE

VOLLEYBALL TEAM

Addi Vinson              Jr.      S        Montgomery Academy

Caroline McDaniel   Jr.      OH     Montgomery Academy

Harper Howell          Jr.      MB     Catholic

Elle McBride            Jr.      OH     Montgomery Academy

Mally Barranco        Sr.      L        Catholic

Ava Card                  Sr.     OH      Saint James

Player of the Year: Addi Vinson, Jr., Montgomery Academy

Coach of the Year: Julie Gordon, Montgomery Academy

Honorable mention: Kaylin Corley, So., OH, Saint James; Isabel Hill, Sr., L, Trinity; Isabella Johnson, Sr., MB, Montgomery Academy; Anna Moore, Jr., OH, Trinity; Anna Prempramot, Sr., DS-S, ACA; Kathryn Reardon, Sr., OH, Catholic; Zaria Rudolph, 8th, OH, Catholic; Maria Schwarz, Jr., S, Catholic; Taegan Scott, Jr., OH, ACA; Tatiana Shuford, Jr., S, Saint James; Maddie Smith, Jr., S, Trinity; Morgan Springer, Fr., MB, Montgomery Academy; Holland Williams, Jr., MB, Trinity.