High school volleyball coaches Lonnie Morken of Mabel-Canton, Scott Koepke of Caledonia reach milestones

Mabel-Canton's Morken won his 800th, and Caledonia's Koepke won No. 600. You can find both of their teams in the current state rankings.

September 20, 2023 at 6:15PM
Mabel-Canton's Kinley Soiney (23) celebrated a point with Hope Erickson during the Class 1A state tournament last season. They are part of a 17-1 team this season.Soiney They are back and (20) in the first set of a Class 1A semifinal volleyball game between Mabel-Canton and Mayer Lutheran Friday, Nov. 11, 2022 at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minn. ] ANTHONY SOUFFLE • anthony.souffle@startribune.com
Mabel-Canton’s Kinley Soiney (23) celebrated a point with Hope Erickson during the Class 1A state tournament last season. They are part of a 17-1 team this season. (Anthony Soufflé, Star Tribune/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Two southeastern Minnesota coaches, Lonnie Morken of Mabel-Canton and Scott Koepke of Caledonia, continue to climb the list of the state's biggest volleyball winners.

Morken recently became the fourth coach in state history to accumulate at least 800 wins, and Koepke became the 14th to reach 600.

Morken reached his milestone in a tournament at Floodwood. A loss to Floodwood in the title game is the only loss of the season for Mabel-Canton, 17-1 and ranked second in Class 1A. Koepke's No. 600 was over Lewiston-Altura. Caledonia is 12-0 this season and ranked fourth in Class 2A.

Morken stands third in Minnesota history in all-time victories. Here are the top five, with their victory totals:

John Dzubay, Stewartville, 1,033*

Gail Nucech, Hibbing, 884

Lonnie Morken, Mabel-Canton, 812*

Milan Mader, Lakeville North, 806

Ruth Hayden, Ada-Borup, 730

*active

State rankings

By the Minnesota Volleyball Coaches Association

Class 4A

1. Wayzata; 2. Champlin Park; 3. Eagan; 4. East Ridge; 5. Lakeville South; 6. Lakeville North; 7. Rogers; 8. New Prague; 9. Maple Grove; 10. St. Michael-Albertville.

Class 3A

1. Marshall; 2. Rocori; 3. Northfield; 4. Kasson-Mantorville; 5. Detroit Lakes; 6. Holy Angels; 7. Byron; 8. Delano; 9. Alexandria; 10. St. Peter.

Class 2A

1. Pequot Lakes; 2. Southwest Christian; 3. Belle Plaine; 4. Caledonia; 5. Albany; 6. Cannon Falls; 7. Rush City; 8. Chatfield; 9. Annandale; 10. Wadena-Deer Creek.

Class 1A

1. Minneota; 2. Mabel-Canton; 3. Mayer Lutheran; 4. Russell-Tyler-Ruthton; 5. Fillmore Central; 6. Canby; 7. Wabasso; 8. BOLD; 9. Bethlehem Academy; 10. Renville County West.

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about the writer

Ron Haggstrom

Prep Sports Reporter

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Six players plus head coach Garrett Raboin and assistant coach Ben Gordon are from Minnesota. The tournament’s games will be televised starting Monday.

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