Stephenson, Watterworth named volleyball's best in Class AA

Oh, the spoils of success.

Philip Simmons High School girls’ volleyball coach Jay Watterworth and his squad know the feeling.

The Iron Horses won their first state championship in the school’s brief history, taking the Class AA crown with a 3-0 decision over Landrum High School last month. The conquest capped a 38-5 season to push the program’s record to 238-66 in its nine-year history.

Watterworth and standout McRae Stephenson were honored by the South Carolina Athletic Coaches Association. Watterworth was named the state coach of the year, while Stephenson was named the Class AA player of the year.

The 2025 season marked the fourth straight year the Iron Horses topped 30 victories in a season, while Watterworth earned his 400th career victory, including a victory over the eventual Florida Class AAAAAA state champion.

But what Watterworth will remember most is the state championship after going 0-5 in Lower State championship matches.

“Winning the state championship is something our program has been working toward for many years,” Watterworth said. “The foundation of Iron Horse volleyball was laid nine years ago in 2017 by remarkable players who took a chance on a new school. To see our program reach the pinnacle of high school volleyball this season was an amazing feeling, and one I'm still gleaming from.”

Watterworth said being named coach of the year, for all classifications, was a joint effort.

“To say I'm humbled to receive the coach of the year award is an understatement,” Watterworth said. “This recognition is possible because of so many people in my life, including my family, the other coaches at PSHS, my athletic director, my assistant coach, and of course the players. Coaching a talented and amazing group of young women makes my job so much easier.”

Stephenson was a major factor in the Iron Horses’ success. She was the Region 6-AA player of the year and was named all-state for the second season in a row after leading the state with a .518 hitting percentage. She tallied 69 blocks, 65 aces, 241 kills, and 86 digs.

“From the very moment McRae stepped into our gym five years ago, we knew she would be a special player,” Watterworth said. “To see her mature into the volleyball player and young woman she is now is awesome. She is a workhorse who strives for perfection. This award only solidifies what our program has known about her for many years. Congrats, McRae.”

The team will lose three seniors to graduation in May and could have 10 players from this year’s squad back for the 2026 campaign. Stephenson will headline the cast of returning players, which will also include Catherine Futch, Dani Gehringer, and Gabby Kakalev.

“Our goal as a program is to continue to work hard each year to strive to be the best versions of ourselves, both on and off the court,” Watterworth said. “We are a program whose players and coaches love to be around one another. Our program is family oriented and we will continue that standard.”