Gia DeRose made the most of two seasons as a starter for a consistently successful program.
Platte County’s senior libero made the Missouri High School Volleyball Coaches Association all-state team — doing so in Class 5 this season after earning a spot on the Class 4 list as a junior. The Pirates were moved up after an enrollment bump, giving her a unique distinction in program history as a repeat honoree across classes.
Kate Brown was the first player for Platte County to make the Class 5 all-state team (2021) after being Class 4 the previous year, while Bryn McGhee, who continued her career at the University of Kansas, also earned all-state honors in Missouri’s largest classification in 2019, doing so in Class 4 before the addition of a fifth classification. She then repeated as a Class 4 pick in 2020.
DeRose put up 414 digs as a senior, the fourth-best single-season total in program history after she set a school record with 592 as a junior. She added 131 assists and 24 service aces and a team-best 97.7 serve percentage this past fall.
After seeing limited varsity time as a sophomore, DeRose finishes with 1,017 career digs, unofficially ranking third all-time at Platte County behind only Carli Hensley (1,212; 2016-2018) and Teryn Scott (1,081, 2011-2013). The Pirates finished this past season with an 18-11-2 record after bowing out of Class 5 District 8 play with a first-round loss to Liberty North.
Platte County just missed a ninth straight 20-win season during a stretch that has included four playoff appearances and three trips to the Class 4 state semifinals, finishing third in 2020 and 2022 and fourth in 2024. The Pirates have now had at least one all-state player every year since McGhee made the Class 4 team in 2019.
DeRose becomes the sixth player in Platte County history to earn all-state honors at least twice joining McGhee, Brown, Kendall Johnson and Morgan Johnson with two each, while Karlee Riggs became the first three-time honoree for the Pirates after making the Class 4 list in 2022, 2023 and 2024.
PLATTE COUNTY POSTSEASON HONORS
MHSVBCA CLASS 5 ALL-STATE
Libero — Gia DeRose, Sr.
MHSVCA ALL-CLASS 5 DISTRICT 8
First Team
Libero — Gia DeRose
Second Team
Outside Hitter — Malin Cole, Sr.
Honorable Mention
Setter/Right Side — Carissa Bacon, Sr.; Setter — Ella Cruce, So.; Middle Hitter — Emma Macaluso, Sr.
ALL-SUBURBAN CONFERENCE WHITE DIVISION
First Team
Libero — Gia DeRose
Second Team
Outside Hitter — Malin Cole, Sr.; Setter — Ella Cruce, So.
Honorable Mention
Setter/Right Side — Carissa Bacon, Sr.; Middle Hitter — Emma Macaluso, Sr.
