BILLINGS — For the second consecutive year, the Circle Wildcats were crowned Class C state volleyball champions. It marked the fourth title in program history, and coach McKinna Yerbich has hand a hand in three, winning once as a player in 2015.
“Ten years later — that makes me feel really old. It feels just like yesterday," Yerbich said. "I'd like to keep racking these up. I have one as a player and two as a coach. It's a very special feeling, but I'm not finished, either."
The future looks just as bright for Circle, as they were anchored by their lone senior Madeline Moline and stud freshman Kate Nasner, who was quite impactful as an eighth grader, too. Nasner will return, along with Moline’s sister Charlie, who is the setter, which should keep things rolling over in eastern Montana.
“We’ve always been a volleyball town. That slipped away for a little bit. We had to get back to that and really get these girls to understand what Circle Wildcat volleyball is about,” Yerbich said. “Now that they’re in that mindset, we refuse to stay home. We want to be here every year."
Also coming back to the mix next year is senior-to-be Emma Murphy, who was dominant in Circle’s 2024 run. Murphy suffered a knee injury back in May and missed the whole season, but she’s been right by her teammates throughout the year and will be ready to go come next fall.
“That girl can see the floor like no other," Yerbich said. "She'll grab me and tell me exactly where they need to hit the ball. She'll tell me exactly where Charlie (Moline) needs to set the ball. She still contributed to this championship. It's just as much hers as it is the rest of the team in jerseys."
Back-to-back state titles, and it could be just the tip of the iceberg for Yerbich and the Wildcats.
