Courtney Toney has learned quite a bit in her life from the Burns volleyball program.
Of course, it’s hard not to when you were practically born into it and raised by it as Toney’s mother Paula Toney has been running the program since 1997.
Now in 2025, Paula Toney has 740 wins credited to her, the third most in Oregon history after passing former Henley head coach Chuck Shannon (732 wins) last season.
With the season just underway, the ranking in state history is something Paula Toney believes is more of a reflection of the community than one person.
“We have a strong supportive sports community in Burns,” Paula Toney said. “We have many generational volleyball and sports families who work together and make the volleyball culture and sports culture a priority. Our program is not about one person. It’s a program that has been embraced through consistency by many.”
That consistency is proven by the 740 wins and seven state titles won since Paula Toney took over in 1997. Those crowns came in 2004, 2006, 2007, 2011, 2014, 2015 and 2021.
What’s made those wins even more special is the fact Courtney Toney has pretty much been a part of each of them. From being the stat girl for the 2004 title to being an assistant coach in 2021, Courtney Toney has been along for the ride.
“I’ve coached with her, I’ve played under her my whole life, and every day, even today, we’ll go to practice today and I know I’ll learn something new from her,” Courtney Toney said. “She’s a coach of the game and pretty darn close to being a master of the game. But she considers herself a student because every day she’s learning and trying to get better.”
Courtney Toney helped throughout her time at college before coming back in 2013 as an official assistant coach. She diverted a little by moving to Rocky Mountain in Idaho as an assistant before moving back home to get her master’s degree in teaching.
After that, Courtney Toney became the head coach at Henley in 2017 before moving back to Rocky Mountain to be the head coach.
Finally, Courtney Toney came back to Burns during COVID in 2020 to help her mom out, and has been the official co-head coach since 2024.
Despite a career of playing and coaching the game, Courtney Toney said she still gains something from each time out sitting alongside her mom.
“Courtney has really helped step up our level of play upon her return to Burns and her consistency,” Paula Toney said.
And while Paula Toney may have those 740 wins, it’s the losses that Courtney Toney has seen push her mom to be an even better coach.
“I think (Paula) is more concerned about the losses,” Courtney Toney said. “I’ve had hard volleyball losses in my life, and I can’t go back and watch the film and learn from it, but she can. … She’s a big problem solver.”
The Toneys hope to come up with a solution for 2025 to add another blue trophy to the selection, and a big part of that equation will be senior outside hitter Jocelyn Graham.
Graham currently sits seventh all-time in career aces with 269, which is 129 behind Santiam Christian’s Madison McLain’s 398 from 2010-2013.
Last season, Graham posted 131 aces, which was also the eighth-most ever in a single season.
“(Graham) is extremely detailed,” Courtney Toney said. “Servers have to be very detailed and very mindful, and it’s a mental game too. … Jocelyn has a very strong mentality, especially as a senior, it’s something she’s grown into.”
At only 5-foot-6, Graham is a little undersized for her outside hitter role, but Courtney Toney said Graham has the highest vertical jump on the team and is often getting up just as high as some of the taller girls.
One of those more vertically gifted is 5-foot-11 sophomore Megan Weil, who Courtney Toney described as the next big hitter in the Burns program after the graduation of 6-footers Akylah Kaino and Caitlyn Horrell.
“(Weil) is kind of like a (Kaino)-type player, really just athletic and a lot of great energy on the floor, she’s fun to watch,” Courtney Toney said.
Also returning is junior libero Bailey Temple, who Courtney Toney said is also a lethal server alongside Graham. Senior setter Taylor Trent also returns as the “CEO” on the court.
“(Temple) is actually a pretty good attacker for us, but she’s so important in that libero role that we have to keep her there,” Courtney Toney said. “(Trent) runs an extremely strong offense, very fast paced, a very good ball and she’s extremely organized.”
Last season, the Hilanders made it all the way to the 3A state championship game before falling to Valley Catholic in straight sets.
While the 2025 class was a talented one, the expectation remains the same. Even if a program like Salem Academy has moved into 3A after a dominant run in 2A.
Plus, one more state title would give Burns nine state volleyball titles, which would be tied with Gresham, Jesuit and Santiam Christian for the most all-time.
“We’re going for the state title every year, but the big thing we really focus on is one ball at a time,” Courtney Toney said. “The expectation for us is a winning record, we want that district title and we want to be in the playoffs. And we want our season to last as long as possible.”
austinw@osaa.org
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