Sophomore Megan Elder, a 6’1 middle hitter, recently received the Washington Post All-Met Honorable Mention team recognition on Dec. 22, allowing college scouts to watch her performance closely and open up opportunities for professional development.

“It will increase recognition from college coaches and scouts, and it will also lead to higher expectations for the next year, which will then lead to more motivation for me to try and reach higher goals,” said Elder.

The Washington Post sports staff selects the nominees, and the scope of selection is from all private and public schools in the Washington metropolitan area. Many former All-Met athletes have gone on to become professional athletes, as well as collegiate and other leagues.

The recognition reflects her physical, mental work, and sacrifices put into Elder’s volleyball career. She balances school and sports by utilizing effective study methods and prioritizing her assignments. She was additionally mentioned in a group called  ‘Minds in Motion,’ a student-athlete association where “80% earned honors for maintaining a GPA of 3.25 or higher.”

“I’ve learned how to prioritize assignments, so [I] focus on the bigger ones first to get them out of the way, and then I’ll also use travel time to study and work on assignments on the way to tournaments or games,” said Elder.

She put in a lot of practice to get to her level, participating in the fall high school season and other seasonal clubs. Implementing practices in between.

“[I do] a lot of year-round practicing, so during the fall it’s high school volleyball and then after that it’s club volleyball,” said Elder. “Also going to lots of camps and conditioning to continue to improve my skills,” said Elder.

“This is a huge accomplishment, as players are selected from all the schools, including private schools, from around the Maryland, DC, and Virginia region,” said Principal Mark Carothers in his weekly message.

The honor adds to a growing list of achievements for Elder during her first two varsity seasons. As a freshman in the 2024 season, she was named Second Team All-County.  This season, she improved upon that by earning First Team All-County honors in the 2025 season as a sophomore, a significant achievement against top competition in Montgomery County and a demonstration of substantial development in her volleyball career.

As a middle hitter, Elder is responsible for both blocking at the net and leading quick offense. Her physical attributes, as well as her technical ability, have consistently enabled her to make an impact in matches against top competition across the region. In an interview with the Poolesville Pulse, varsity girls volleyball head coach Mark Lotoski talked about how Elder separates herself from other middle hitters through a rare combination of size, athleticism, and versatility. 

“Megan has a unique combination of height, athleticism, drive, and confidence,” Lotoski said. “What jumps out is her ability to control the net. Not only is she an excellent blocker, she also is a dominant hitter.”

According to Lotoski, opposing teams frequently attempted to neutralize Elder by double or even triple-blocking her during the 2025 season, but she found ways to score regardless by using a variety of offensive tools, such as power swings, tips, and placement shots. 

“She not only has a powerful hit, but she can also tip the ball over the block or throw the ball to an open spot in the back court,” Lotoski said. “Having these multiple ‘tools’ keeps the defense guessing. Few players in my experience have Megan’s ability to impact a game as much as she can.”

Lotoski added that Elder’s development since her freshman season played a key role in her earning the Washington Post All-Met Honorable Mention recognition. As a freshman, Elder relied primarily on power and was more predictable offensively. As a sophomore, she expanded her shot selection and became more confident and composed on the court.

“This past season she was hitting to all parts of the court and used the tip more strategically,” Lotoski said.

That growth translated into production for both the school team and club. This past season, Elder recorded 211 kills for the school team, the highest single-season total during Lotoski’s five-year tenure as a head coach, while helping lead Poolesville to a 10-4 overall record, the program’s best finish during that span.

Although Poolesville’s season concluded in the first round of the MCPSAA Class 2A playoffs, where the Falcons fell to Williamsport in straight sets on November 5th at Hagerstown Community College, the season was still a huge success for the team in no small part due to Elder, who helped shift the program’s culture and confidence. 

“When Megan joined the team, suddenly there was a belief that we could not only compete but also be successful against larger teams,” Lotoski said. 

One example of this shift was when Poolesville earned its first victory in five years against Churchill High School, defeating a competitive Bulldogs side in a five-set match.

Outside of the high school season, Elder continues to develop her volleyball skills through Paramount Volleyball Club, one of the youngest clubs in the country to be ranked in the PrepDig Top 75.

Earlier this January, Elder and Paramount VBC went undefeated at the Vienna Elite 17 Invitational, capturing the gold medal after defeating MVSA 17 in the championship match.

Elder has also consistently produced strong statistical performances at the club level, helping establish her as one of the top middle hitters in the DMV. According to Hudl statistics, she recorded eight kills against Team EVC in a 14–1 win, three digs against Blue Ridge, two blocks against American in another 14–1 victory, two aces against VAAVBC, five kills against Volley FX, and 11 kills against NKYVC, among other notable performances.

Looking ahead, Lotoski believes Elder’s trajectory could lead her to opportunities at the highest collegiate level if her work ethic remains consistent. 

“If she continues to work hard and maintains her passion for the sport, I see no limit to what she can achieve. She certainly would be able to play at the next level and, in my opinion, could play Division I. She already provides a lot of excitement during games with her big hits and blocks. I’m eager to see how she will continue to grow over the next two years and beyond,” Lotoski said.