Alex Wemyss leads Burnt Hills’ quest for another girls’ volleyball title

BURNT HILLS – Alex Wemyss has an uncanny drive to succeed in volleyball that’s evident when she plays.

The Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake outside hitter has put her love of the game and competitive nature on display ever since she was called up to varsity as an eighth grader, when she had the chance to be part of the Spartans’ playoff run that culminated in winning the 2023 Class A state title.

“I am so happy I got the opportunity to play that year on varsity,” Wemyss said. “I learned so much from my teammates that year, especially from the outsides. They were just amazing. They taught me so much about sportsmanship, being a good teammate and having the proper attitude on and off the court.”

The opportunity to be a part of a state championship team as an eighth-grader paid dividends in Wemyss’ growth into the player she is today, veteran BH-BL head coach Gary Bynon said.

“She got that opportunity to see the state final and everything that goes with that,” Bynon said. “Now, you have a kid that entered her junior year with 750 kills and 502 digs. That is pretty strong all-around (production). She has worked on getting better at things, better at her serve and so many other aspects of the game.”

Even though she is still just a junior, Wemyss has developed into a strong leader for a 2026 squad that once again carries lofty expectations. The 2025 squad dropped two Suburban Council matches in the same season for the first time in nearly four decades, yet still claimed a league division title, captured a 23rd consecutive sectional championship and advanced to its 23rd straight state final four.

“I really like to compete and I like to win, obviously,” Wemyss said. “I like to be out there with my teammates. I think we are a competitive team, all of us, and we are striving to win this year. I really think we can go far.”

Wemyss and the rest of the Spartans are determined to regain their usual position atop the Suburban Council standings as they also pursue another sectional title and, potentially, the program’s 10th state championship.

“We lost a couple of big matches at the end (against Shenendehowa and Bethlehem),” Wemyss said. “I think it is driving us this year to not only beat the teams we lost to last year, but to also keep winning and keep our (sectional title) streak going. Last year, some people thought we were falling apart. I think this year, we need to focus on staying together.”

Tuesday night, BH-BL claimed its second Suburban Council win of the season with a 3-0 decision over Averill Park by scores of 25-8, 25-10 and 25-16. Wemyss produced 10 kills, seven digs and three aces in the victory over the Golden Knights.

“She does so many different things out there, and she is just so smart,” Bynon said of Wemyss. “You can see her natural instincts for the ball. She’s had them since she was a young player.

“She is someone you have to watch. When she leaves the back row, she is one of the best servers we have. Alex is an all-around great player and our leader. She has responded to doing everything we need her to do. I am proud of her for the amount of time she has put into this in the gym and how much better she has gotten over the last few years.”

Wemyss is quick to credit others for helping her grow both as a player and as a teammate.

“The support of everyone around me has helped me improve so much,” she said. “We all worked so hard individually and as a team over the summer.”

At 5-foot-9, Wemyss provides so much more than merely ending points with kills. The outside hitter is adept at receiving serves and keeping points alive with her digs.

“Alex is not afraid to try new things,” Bynon said. “She keeps getting stronger and flies through the air. We are able to do things offensively because of her experience and the work that she puts in. Her vertical jump has increased and her ability with the blocks helps us so much. We get things done through her work.”

Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake opened its Suburban Council schedule last week with a 3-1 triumph over Columbia in a contest between a pair of 2025 sectional champions. BH-BL has moved up from Class A to Class AA for this season, making the win over a Blue Devils contingent that claimed the AA championship last year more significant.

“I was so proud, and so proud of the younger players. Our Columbia win was a big one,” said Wemyss, who paced the Spartans that evening with 25 kills. “It will be a lot harder being in a larger class. We are going to be competing against bigger schools. Our team is young, but I think we will be ready for it. People are stepping up this year. It is really exciting.”

The trio of senior libero Audri Chamberlain, who registered her 1,000th career dig last week, junior setter Leah Vaughan and Wemyss are the team’s unquestioned leaders and most experienced players. That trio also played together on Bynon’s club team during the offseason and enjoyed tremendous success.

“It is so amazing to be part of something that is so great,” Wemyss said regarding competing for BH-BL. “Playing for coach Bynon and having such great teammates, I don’t know where I would be in my life without being a part of this program.

“I have played volleyball with many of these girls for seven years and the connections are unbelievable. I don’t know what I would do without volleyball, this program and all the families that help us. Being a part of this has shaped me as a person.”

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This article originally published at Alex Wemyss leads Burnt Hills’ quest for another girls’ volleyball title.

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