As her hands rise above the net, preparing to block the incoming spike, the court hums with tension before Reese Resmer jumps for her attack. As she slams the ball to the floor, the scoreboard buzzer echoes through the gym, and the Noblesville High School girls’ volleyball team has earned another victory. Ranked fourth in the state at the Hoosier Crossroads Conference, the team is climbing the charts this year, and there’s one player who consistently leads the charge: Reese Resmer.
Entering her senior season, Resmer has been a member of Noblesville’s varsity volleyball team since her freshman year. As a middle blocker, she commands the center of the court and also guides her teammates as a captain. Resmer committed to Kansas State University the summer before her junior year, and she will start her college volleyball career this upcoming January. But she believes she wouldn’t be where she is today without her Noblesville volleyball roots.
“I always tell people that I wanted to start volleyball because my older sister played volleyball, and I just wanted to do what my sister was doing,” Resmer said. “So I went to the same club as her, and then from there, I just loved it and wanted to keep playing.”
Her sister, Riley, graduated from NHS in 2024 and now plays for Harvard’s volleyball team. Resmer says that most of her inspiration – both on and off the court – comes from Riley. However, her older sister isn’t the only family member to hit the volleyball court, as Resmer’s mother and aunt also played college volleyball, furthering her inspiration.
“She’s just pushed me to be the best version of myself in that way. I would say all the girls in my family are good inspirations for volleyball. It’s a family thing,” Resmer said.
Though Resmer had been playing on a nationally competitive club team since she was 9, stepping into the varsity starting lineup as a freshman brought a new challenge. Resmer credits Miller head coach Annie Poulson for easing her through that transition, describing her as a supportive and flexible constant.
“Annie is the best. She’s been such an influence for me because she had so much faith in me my freshman year and let me take such a big role,” Resmer said. “As a freshman stepping into this whole new high school volleyball world, she definitely did her best to help me adjust quickly and make the most of each year.”
Poulson, who has been coaching the team since 2020, has watched Resmer grow as not just a player, but a leader over the past four seasons. She says that the senior’s evolution as a teammate outlines her positive and dedicated nature.
“So she was kind of quiet, calm. She was a presence on varsity of her freshman year, but not like an overarching big presence,” Poulson said. “And then throughout the years, she just became more of a presence and more of a personality to the team.”
In March of her junior year, Resmer’s growing leadership was tested when she tore her labrum in her shoulder. This injury resulted in surgery and sidelined her for six to eight months, removing her from an entire high school season. Despite the setback, Resmer says the time away helped find her purpose within the sport.
“When I got injured and stepped away from volleyball, I realized my community through volleyball and what that means to me,” Resmer said. “I feel like it helped me move past just going through the motions of volleyball. It helped me with finding my ‘Why.’”
Resmer’s dedicated mindset also helped her strengthen connections with her teammates. The Millers’ success relies on strong court relationships, and senior setter Madison Brown recognizes Resmer’s commitment as both a player and a friend.
“I mean, she’s the nicest person you’ll ever meet. She just makes me want to work harder to be the best I can be. She comes in every day, great attitude, is happy to be there, and works as hard as she can, so it makes me want to work harder for her,” Brown said.
Resmer and Brown have been on varsity together since their freshman year, and their relationship on the court mutually contributes to the team’s success. Beyond the sets and attacks, they say their bond and friendships with the rest of the team create an uplifting support system.
“I’m super, super blessed that I’ve got to be with Madison all my four years, because she’s a setter, and as a middle, she’s been a huge factor to my success,” Resmer said. “All my high school teammates are my best friends, even off the court. It just makes all the hard practices and the long nights so much easier because you’re doing it together, and we can lean on each other.”
A key component of the volleyball world for many high school players is the recruitment process, which usually begins in their club days at around 13 years old. After considering several offers and visiting multiple schools, Resmer committed to Kansas State University in June 2024, earning a full-ride athletic scholarship.
“I had always been interested in Kansas State. I committed really fast because I was injured, and I was really worried about commitment because a lot of schools lost confidence, so I was like, ‘I need to take this offer,’” Resmer said. “KSU was the first school that was like, ‘We are sure of you, we know you’re gonna come back from this, and we want you as a person more than just a player.’ So because of that, I was like immediately, ‘Yes.’”
With her commitment finalized, her focus now shifts from recruitment to preparation. While most seniors don’t have to worry about college until next August, Resmer’s university journey starts in only a few months. She will be graduating at the end of the first semester, so she can start classes at KSU and begin volleyball training in January of 2026. The academic and athletic workloads will be a new challenge for Resmer, but she feels ready to face it.
“I definitely think that it’s going to be a big adjustment, but I think that from a volleyball aspect, I’m ready for it. Balancing both school and volleyball is going to be way different, so I’m trying to get myself ready over these next two months and be super intentional with my time,” Resmer said.
Resmer won’t be navigating this transition alone. Poulson sees several benefits in Resmer starting school in the spring, suggesting that her early arrival could create a head start in her settling in and finding her place at KSU.
“I’m really excited for her to be able to get there [KSU] early, and to just be able to become cohesive with the team and have the opportunities early to practice with them during the spring season and all that good stuff,” Poulson said. “So then, hopefully the transition into the season in the fall is a lot more seamless for her, and she can hopefully find her role and place a lot earlier.”
Resmer’s legacy is more than just stats on a leaderboard. She has become a role model for many in the Noblesville community. Her coaches and mentors say that she will be remembered most for her pure personality and admirable outreach skills.
“She has been someone who little girls can look up to. That’s not something that a lot of people have. People in general, like younger kids in the program, or freshmen and sophomores, and even people on the varsity team right now, can look up to Reese. She just has that impact on everybody around her,” Poulson said.
As Resmer trades in her NHS volleyball uniform for a KSU jersey, she’s taking time to reflect on the memories and lessons that have shaped her high school experience. She says that the Miller volleyball program has made a lasting impact on her life. Through all the highs and lows, her final advice for others is to remain positive.
“I would definitely say lean on your support people. When the challenges and adversities come your way, find the good in it, and find how it’s going to benefit you,” Resmer said. “If you put in the work, you’re going to get back to where you were, and sometimes those challenges are the best thing for you because, like I said, you find your ‘Why’.”
