Columbus North’s Morgan Osborn, left, and Karen Dutro are The Republic co-Volleyball Players of the Year. They are pictured in the gym at Columbus North High School in Columbus, Ind., Monday, Oct. 27, 2025.
Mike Wolanin | The Republic
There was no doubt that Karen Dutro and Morgan Osborn were anchors to the Columbus North volleyball team the past few years.
Having wrapped up their senior seasons in October, Osborn and Dutro made a huge impact on turning around the program with success it hadn’t seen since before they were born. The seniors are The Republic co-Volleyball Players of the Year.
Dutro recalled attending many of the school’s team camps when she was younger, and by the time she got to the fourth grade, she played on her first volleyball team with Foundation For Youth. By the time she reached sixth grade, Dutro knew volleyball was going to be the sport for her.
“I started falling in love with learning about volleyball and all the aspects of it, and that’s when I decided this is what I want to do for the rest of my life,” Dutro said. “I love it so much. Since then, it’s just been all I’ve wanted to do.”
Dutro honed in on her skills and proved herself as a freshman and earned a spot in the varsity rotation for the Bull Dogs.
“I remember my very first game as a freshman very vividly, and one of my coaches said, ‘Are you ready for your first big girl game?’” Dutro recalled. “But I think that from freshman year to senior year, I personally have had a very big change in not only how I play ball, but just how I act and how I lead and how I respond to hardship, and so it’s been an adventure every single year, but it’s been great to see how I’ve been able to prove myself for the past four years.”
Osborn has been involved with volleyball her entire life, spending much time practicing and playing in the gym, which is understandable considering her mother Jessica Robertson was the former head coach at Brown County.
Robertson spent the previous two years as an assistant at North and just wrapped her first year as an assistant coach at East. Morgan’s sister Payten just finished her freshman season with the Olympians.
“My whole family was big into volleyball. That took a big part in it, as well, but it’s been my whole life. I love every bit of the game,” Osborn said.
Following Osborn’s freshman year at Brown County, she went to North beginning her sophomore year. Robertson also went to North as an assistant coach for Osborn’s sophomore and junior seasons.
It was a change for Osborn going to a bigger school. She is thankful for her teammates to making her feel at home and become a defensive force on the back line.
“Coming into North, it was really scary because I didn’t know anybody. It was really nerve-wracking, especially playing that first game here my sophomore year,” Osborn said. “It was a big difference compared to Brown County, but I feel like my teammates helped me adapt from going to a small school to a big school. They were all very open and bringing me in and making me feel I was part of their atmosphere and friends group, even though it was very short. Without them, it would have better a much harder transition, but I felt like it was a good transition.”
Dutro and Osborn both set multiple career school records for the program. Dutro has the school records for kills (1,118) and blocks (482), and Osborn owns the school records for digs (1,454) and aces (177). Counting her freshman year at Brown County, Osborn finished with 1,683 total digs and 220 total aces.
Following the season, Dutro and Osborn both were All-Conference Indiana selections and on the Class 4A South District team selected by the Indiana High School Volleyball Coaches Association.
Both were co-captains of the Bull Dogs this season. They played different leadership roles on the court, with Dutro anchoring the front line and Osborn leading the back line.
“They showed leadership not only with the players, but also as captains in terms of on the court. I knew I could trust them to have a high volleyball IQ to be able to speak to the upper official on my behalf,” North coach Sarah Stair said. “With regards to leadership of younger players, both of them really took the younger players under their wing. They showed patience and were really encouraging. Even though they were in different roles, both took that leadership in the front row and back row seriously.”
North finished the year 19-12. It was the most wins in a season since 2014. They only thing that eluded Osborn and Dutro was a sectional title, but the duo will have a lasting impact on the program.
“It was a wonderful season. This was definitely a historic year for Columbus North. It was so much fun with all these girls. We bonded and grew together as a team, and I’d say that’s one of the biggest reasons why we were successful and why I was successful was because I had so much support from my teammates and my coaches, and it was a wonderful environment that we were able to prosper in,” Dutro said. “I feel like it’s a great turning point in the program. We had so many great wins this season, not only in the number, but just individual games that we played so well in, and showed what type of a hard working team we are.”
Dutro and Osborn aren’t done with their respective volleyball careers. Dutro will be playing at Butler next year, while Osborn will be at Indiana Wesleyan.
“I’m unexplainably excited. I can’t wait,” Dutro said. “I love the girls and the coaching staff. I’m excited to be a part of a program that is like Columbus North, continuing to grow every single year and make progress and show the grit and the hard work they put in practice. I think that culture of tenacity and wanting to learn and grow every single year is exactly what they have there, so I’m excited to be a part of that.”
“Being here (at North), the transition from not knowing anybody to meeting new friends is that at Indiana Wesleyan. I think this prepared me to do it in a different format. Now that I’ve done it once, it’ll be an easier transition,” Osborn added.
Osborn and Dutro leave big voids on the team for next year.
“I was really blessed to be the coach of them,” Stair said. “They were really invaluable. They will be absolutely, incredibly missed next year. They really both took that role very seriously and very much showed their leadership throughout the entire year in front row and back row.”
The 2025 Republic All-Area Volleyball team:
Karen Dutro, Columbus North: The senior led the Bull Dogs with 340 kills and 120 blocks and added 80 digs and 30 aces.
Morgan Osborn, Columbus North: The senior led the Bull Dogs with 500 digs and 92 aces and added 19 kills and 69 assists.
Lexi Denny, Columbus North: The junior led the Bull Dogs with 785 assists and added 37 kills, 34 blocks, 281 digs and 34 aces.
Tania Maldonado, Columbus North: The junior recorded 234 kills, 22 blocks and 47 digs.
Krea Martin, Columbus East: The junior led the Olympians with 317 digs and added 45 assists and 33 aces.
Payten Osborn, Columbus East: The freshman led the Olympians with 300 assists and 47 aces and added 161 digs.
Rachel Bonde, Trinity Lutheran: The sophomore led the Cougars with 387 kills and 91 blocks and added 111 digs and 28 aces.
Bailey Bonde, Trinity Lutheran: The senior recorded 264 kills, 68 blocks, 55 digs and 26 aces.
Bella Wehmiller, Trinity Lutheran: The sophomore led the Cougars with 785 assists and added 105 kills, 32 blocks, 204 digs and 39 aces.
Presley Meyer, Trinity Lutheran: The junior led the Cougars with 58 aces and added 102 assists and 299 digs.
Charleston Gelfius, Hauser: The senior led the Jets with 201 kills and 66 blocks and added 223 digs and 56 aces.
Kaydence Lowman, Jennings County: The senior led the Panthers with 355 kills and 71 blocks and added 72 digs and 16 aces.
Taylor Somers, South Decatur: The junior led the Cougars with 131 kills, 198 assists and 33 blocks and added 156 digs and 23 aces.
Aubree Denton, Brown County: The senior led the Eagles with 183 assists and 52 aces and added 134 kills and 111 digs.
Kenna Streeval, Edinburgh: The senior recorded 89 kills, 121 digs and 13 aces.
Honorable mention
Brown County: Ella Bartels, Zoe Jackson. Columbus Christian: Abby Dora, Bella Frederickson. Columbus East: Addy Dean, Chloe Gill, Anika Jenkins, Lilah Klei. Columbus North: Sydney Ousley, Elaina Penrod, Hannah Perry, Sydni Schiefer. Edinburgh: Kinzie Purvis. Hauser: Hayden Dickey. Jennings County: Sydney Kegley, Lydia Martin. South Decatur: Raegan Benge, Riley Benge, Liz Bennett, Dalilah Martin. Trinity Lutheran: Maddie Adams, Emmy Price.
