University High volleyball player Monet Temple felt the joy of making it to state last year in her freshman season. She also felt the pain of defeat in the Cajun Dome.
The Cubs made it to the Division III state tournament but lost in the quarterfinals against Haynes Academy. That loss has fueled her to a big sophomore campaign.
“I’m happy that it gave me an opportunity to feel what it felt like to lose,” Temple said. “Now I know how much I don’t want that to happen again.”
The 6-foot-3 outside hitter has helped U-High (25-3) earn the top seed entering the Division III playoffs. She earned all-metro honors last year and leads the team this year in kills.
Temple isn’t just excelling on the court; she’s writing another chapter in her family’s rich athletic background. Her mother, Brittany Temple, is in Tulane’s hall of fame for volleyball. Her father, Collis Temple III, played basketball at LSU. Her grandfather, Collis Temple Jr., played for LSU, and her uncle, Garrett Temple, played for LSU and in the NBA for 16 years.
“I can continue to carry on a good legacy for my family,” Temple said. “Seeing them be amazing and excel in both of their sports just makes me want to excel in my sport.”
The sophomore has added a new level to her game, with performances like 24 kills against Parkview Baptist in the final week of the regular season and 42 kills against Brusly on Sept. 17.
Early beginnings
Temple began attending U-High in kindergarten. Her aunt played volleyball for the Cubs during that time, and coach Bonita Johnson remembers seeing her all the time in the gym, just watching them practice.
“Monet kind of hung around the gym like a little gym rat and picked up on it,” Johnson said.
She eventually started playing volleyball after her mother got her into it six years ago. Temple credits her mother for helping her fall in love with the sport.
“As much as I love volleyball, I would have never found it without her,” Temple said. “She always put so much time and effort into making sure that this is obviously something that I want to do.”
Temple played for the middle school team in sixth grade, but by seventh grade, Johnson brought her up to the varsity team. That exposure to better competition motivated Temple to play volleyball beyond just high school.
She still had doubts that she could ever reach the heights of her older teammates, but she continued to work. Johnson said her work ethic has never been in question.
“She’s always been the one that wants to get better,” Johnson said. “She wants the extra reps, and she enjoyed every minute of being with the older girls.”
Finding herself
In her first two years of varsity, Temple played in the middle for U-High. After Johnson saw the heights she reached jumping, they moved her to the outside last year. The change paid dividends, and they haven’t looked back.
She totaled 351 kills in 2025, and she’s only gotten better this season.
“Going from last year to this year is a tremendous difference,” Johnson said. “The first few games, she was finding herself. She’s taking it to another level.”
Johnson said Temple always knew she could do it, and now her confidence is matching her talent. That is the aspect Johnson loves most about the sophomore.
“Her confidence is through the roof,” Johnson said. “I love that about her, the energy she brings to want to put the ball away and do whatever it takes for her team.”
She’s also added better hitting from the back row, helping from a defensive perspective. That’s an area Temple wants to continue to improve on as she gets ready to begin her college recruitment journey.
“As I’m growing closer to having to commit to schools, I think that I’m just taking it more seriously, picking up on what I need to get better at,” Temple said. “People sometimes think that just because I’m tall, I shouldn’t be able to play amazing defense, but I definitely want to prove that wrong.”
Her performances have helped U-High enter the postseason with championship aspirations. She knows her team has the makings of a state championship roster.
“We’re just going to work even harder to push through and get all the way and win the state championship,” she said. “We got those first-time jitters out. Now we’ve been there, and we know what to expect.”
The Cubs begin their search for their first volleyball state title at 5 p.m. Wednesday against No. 32 Franklinton.
