Lady Rebels earn 3-0 senior night win

LAFAYETTE — Chambers Academy’s senior night was shorter than most as only one player’s name was called during the ceremony.

Cate Allen, the Lady Rebels’ lone honoree, had the spotlight to herself, and she made the most of it with nine kills in a 3-0 win against cross-county rivals Springwood School on Sept. 24.

Allen said the night was “really fun,” even with all eyes on her as the team's only senior.

“It was really nice; all of my teammates made it really special for me, and Coach Howard made it really special for me,” Allen said. “Plus it was a good game.”

Chambers Academy head coach David Howard said Allen’s value to the program goes well beyond the stat sheet.

“Cate’s just an all-around leader," Howard said. “She always has a great attitude. Even when things are tough, she always smiles and cheers her teammates on. I tell everybody that Cate is the kind of player every coach wants to have on their team. She’s just that girl.”

That selflessness showed early this fall. Allen opened the season at setter, but when the Lady Rebels needed help in the hitting department, she moved to middle hitter.

“She does whatever you ask her to,” Howard said. “She’ll do whatever it takes for the team.”

Their bond extends beyond the gym. Howard is also a youth minister at Allen’s church, and Allen’s grandparents taught school alongside Howard’s parents.

“I’ve got a special relationship with Cate,” Howard said.

Allen credited Howard, whom players call "Mr. David," and Coach [FIRST NAME] Cooper with helping her develop.

“They really helped me grow throughout the program, and it was a really fun program,” Allen said. “Volleyball is definitely my favorite sport to play at Chambers, so it’s meant a lot to me.”

On a roster filled with freshmen and sophomores, Allen said the memories she has made with the underclassmen are what she will miss most.

“All we do is joke around all the time,” Allen said. “When we need to be serious, we’re serious, but we never take any loss too hard, because at the end of the day, we’re a family and we all just love each other.”

It was the start of what proved to be a big week for Allen. The next night, she was crowned Chambers Academy’s 2026 homecoming queen at halftime of the Rebels’ 48-7 football win over Valiant Cross Academy.