Mesaiya Bettis’ journey to becoming a volleyball powerhouse

Burnsville High School (BHS) senior Mesaiya Bettis, who has etched her name into Burnsville volleyball history, was a reluctant middle schooler when her mom signed her up to play volleyball. At that time, she had no interest in volleyball or playing sports, in general. It was her two older brothers’ influence, however, that motivated her and sparked her passion for the sport. 

She remembers watching her brothers immerse themselves into their own sports and wanted to be just as dedicated as they were. As soon as she began playing volleyball, she realized that she was pretty good at it and fell in love with the game.  

Mesaiya eventually joined club volleyball to further develop her skills, and by seventh grade, she caught the eye of Blaze volleyball coach Josh Wastvedt. She landed a spot on the high school ninth-grade team, and the following year, she secured a spot on varsity.

As a ninth grader, she was already beginning to field calls from college recruiters. Her passion to grow her game led her to join an even higher-ranked program, which provided her with the opportunity to travel to Europe to compete. 

"My mindset flipped at that point and really guided me,” Mesaiya said. “I knew that every practice or game was an opportunity to get better."

By her sophomore year, she was instrumental in helping lead the Burnsville program to the state tournament—one of the most memorable moments of her career.

"Coming from a program that wasn’t the most well-known, making it to state showed me what hard work could accomplish," she reflected. “The culture that has been built here was a big part of that success, too.”

Leading by example

Mesaiya’s excellence in volleyball has also provided her with the opportunity to step into a leadership role. Although she’s a dominating force on the court, she has had more of a reserved approach to becoming a leader and role model to her teammates, especially the younger ones. Whether it’s consistently showing up to practice, encouraging her teammates, being accountable for her own actions or hyping up others for their successes, Mesaiya believes that it’s doing the little things that has earned her teammates’ respect and trust.  

"At the end of the day, we’re a family. We’ve got each other’s backs," she said of her team.

"She’s always the first to compliment her teammates, even though she’s the one making the big plays," added Coach Wastvedt. “She has made a name for herself but has done so with such humility and grace.” 

Continuing to build her legacy

Mesaiya topped off her career at BHS by breaking the school record for kills, surpassing former Blaze standout and BHS Hall of Famer Tori Dixon. 

"It doesn’t feel real," said Mesaiya. "Tori built such an incredible name for herself, and now I realize how far I can go, too."

This year, Mesaiya was a finalist for the Minnesota Gatorade Player of the Year and Ms. Baden Award. She was also named an All-American by the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) and named to the 2024 Star Tribune All-Minnesota volleyball team. 

As Mesaiya prepares to take the next step in her journey – playing Division I volleyball at Iowa State University – she’s excited for what lies ahead. 

"Of course, I’m nervous, but every time I visit Ames, I love it. I’ve built strong relationships with the coaching staff, and I can’t wait for the training and competition," she said.

Mesaiya plans to study kinesiology while attending college. 

Career Stats

• 113 matches played
• 1,611 kills
• 115 blocks
• 48 assists
• 93 service aces
• 713 digs
• Five years on varsity: 63-66 team record

Playoff career

• 2021: Class 4A, Section 6 semifinals
• 2022: Class 4A state tournament participant
• 2023: Class 4A, Section 6 quarterfinals
• 2024: Class 4A, Section 6 semifinals

Awards/Accolades

• MNVBCA Class 4A All-State 2023, 2024
• Four times named South Suburban All-Conference
• Twice named AVCA Minnesota Player of the Week
• 2024 AVCA All-American Nominee
• 2024 Minnesota Gatorade Player of the Year Nominee
• Burnsville record for career kills
• Burnsville record for kills in a match (42)
• 2022 Star Tribune All-Metro third team
• 2023 Star Tribune All-Metro second team