La Salle-Peru junior Aubrey Duttlinger was a strong No. 2 hitting option on a regional championship team as a freshman.

As a sophomore last year, Duttlinger ranked second in the area in kills at 3.5 per set.

“Her first two years in the program, she was athletic, she jumped high and hit hard, but basically everything was down the line,” L-P coach Mark Haberkorn said.

This season, Duttlinger expanded her game and took it to another level.

Duttlinger went from 2.2 kills as a freshman to 3.5 last season to an area-leading 4.5 this fall. She did it with a .326 hitting percentage – up from .267 last year – and a 45.7 kill percentage, up from 39.4 last season.

“She played above and beyond what she did her first two years,” Haberkorn said. “This year, she developed all the shots in her repertoire. This year she hit angles, she could hit deep corner, sharp angle, cross, roll, tip. That made it difficult for teams to stop her.”

Duttlinger also became a six-rotation player this season.

She led the team in digs at 3.2 per set and served for 3.4 points and 0.3 aces per set.

“I was really fortunate to play back row this year,” Duttlinger said. “I was really excited for the opportunity. Back row, I’m always trying to stay on my toes. I think that’s something I matured in a lot was playing back row and serve-receive as well. It’s something you have to get experience with. I think I did a really good job with that at the end of the season. I think my serving has gotten so much better since the beginning of the season.”

Duttlinger led the Cavaliers to a 32-6 record, a share of the Interstate 8 Conference title, a regional championship and a sectional final appearance and was voted I-8 co-MVP.

For all her accomplishments this season, Duttlinger is the 2025 NewsTribune Volleyball Player of the Year.

“I think I had a really great season,” Duttlinger said. “I had a really good team backing me up. That’s why I was able to do so well, because I had so many people around me supporting me and pushing me. We have to have the passers and setters for me to be a great hitter. Overall, I think I played very well. I think I was really consistent, which is something I was really proud of myself for.”

Duttlinger consistently delivered all season, putting down five or more kills in 36 of 38 matches and recording double-digit kills in 19 matches.

“When teams are out there looking to stop you and you can still do what she did, I don’t think she could have done anything more for us,” Haberkorn said.

Duttlinger came on really strong at the end of the season with double-digit kills in the final seven matches. She had 10 kills at Kaneland when the Cavaliers locked up a share of the conference title, she put down 12 in the regional final and ended the season with 19 in L-P’s sectional final loss to Washington.

“When you’re looking at how do you judge her? How did she play in the biggest matches of the year,” Haberkorn said. “We’re at Kaneland to win the conference, and she had 10 kills in 18 attempts with no errors. Against Geneseo (in the regional final), she had 12 kills in 29 attempts with two errors. Against Washington in the sectional final, she had 19 kills in 38 attempts with two errors.

“If you judge her on what she did in the biggest matches, she really came up big for us. She had a great year. This is what we expected from her, and she didn’t disappoint.”

In the big matches, Duttlinger said she was motivated by her team.

“Just the fact that this could be my last time playing with this team, I just wanted to be there and show up for my team,” Duttlinger said. “And also knowing that all the teams are good, you just had to play loose. I think I did a really good job, and so did my team, playing loose.”

Haberkorn expects another big season from Duttlinger next year.

Duttlinger, who’s already committed to NCAA Division I Troy University, should eclipse 1,000 career kills next season as she already has 822.

“If she improves as much before next year as she did this year, it’s going to be unbelievable,” Haberkorn said.