As a freshman two years ago, Piper Mickenheim was a starting defensive specialist for the Argyle volleyball team. She played in 103 out of 133 sets that season and finished with 197 digs, helping the Eagles to a 31-13 record and trip to the Class 4A Region 1 final. It was Argyle’s final match in Class 4A as the Eagles moved up to Class 5A when Mickenheim was a sophomore.
The Eagles needed to replace starting libero Jada Price who graduated and is now at the Colorado School of Mines.
Mickenheim was called on and she put together one of the top seasons in program history as a defender.
She would finish with 937 digs – ranked in the Top 10 in the country and second most among returners this season in the DFW metroplex.
She finished with nearly 20 digs per match in 146 sets played. Argyle played in one of the toughest districts in the state – 7-5A. The Eagles finished in fourth place, but then upset 8-5A champ Midlothian in the first round. They would take district foe and eventual state champ Colleyville Heritage to five sets in the regional quarterfinals.
“Class 4A and 5A are completely different. Last year our preseason was brutal not because we did bad, but we just hadn’t played any teams like that before,” Mickenheim said. “Coach wanted to prepare us for what was coming. So when it came to district, we were mentally ready for any situation and that’s why we took Colleyville Heritage to five sets every time we played them.
“So it’s definitely a big difference, but it’s a good change.”
Mickenheim, who’s a junior this season, has been playing volleyball for nearly nine years.
She loves the team aspect.
“You can’t do it alone. You always need each other. You always count on each other and help each other and hype each other up. That’s my favorite thing about volleyball,” she said. “I moved to Argyle whenever I was in the second grade. So I’ve been here for almost 10 years. My whole team has also been here since like kindergarten. So we’ve all been here for nearly our entire lives. That’s pretty cool.”
Following her terrific sophomore season, the accolades starting pouring in for Mickenheim. She was voted first team all-district, Texas High School Coaches Association All-Elite Team, Texas High School Coaches Association Defensive Player of the Year, Fort Worth Star Telegram all-area, Texas Sports Writers Association All State and Denton Record Chronicle Libero of the Year.
Mickenheim went on to play club ball with Excel National Red 16U and later capped her summer with a first place finish as a 2023 USAV NTR All Star in Fort Lauderdale, FL.
She also won first place after her freshman year with the Excel 15U team in Tulsa, OK.
“It’s super fun every single year. We have great coaches and a great team. Everyone is good and you could count on anyone to do anything,” she said. “Getting to know new people and representing North Texas was great.”
Mickenheim wants college coaches to know she thrives on communication alongside playing stellar defense. She has enjoyed her recruiting journey so far.
But she’s taking it slow. She wants to find the right fit.
“I’m just trying to find a good school that I love. I want to get to know the coaches really well because coaches play a huge role obviously,” she said. “I’ve been sending emails, trying out all these camps. The whole summer was based on a lot of camps. I’m just trying to see what I like the most because I definitely don’t want to go anywhere I don’t like either.”
As the volleyball season is just over a month, Mickenheim and Argyle is No. 3 in the latest Class 5A state rankings by the TGCA. The Eagles are 24-7 overall and 2-0 in District 7-5A while playing a very competitive schedule.
“We came into the season knowing we have the most potential to become state champions. We only lost two seniors and we really had to replace one of our outsides. I just think we can do and have done so many great things. We’re a great team with so many great people and we’ve played together so much that we just know how we roll and know what we need to become better,” Mickenheim said.
“Everyone is determined to going to state this year and that mindset sets us up for success. We’re all just ready to take on whatever it takes to get up to that position. We want to prove to everyone that we can do things that no one can.”
PIPER MICKENHEIM’S RECRUITING WEBSITE CLICK HERE
