Stillwater volleyball star Andie Luskin wants another crack at winning a state title

Andie Luskin of Stillwater makes a play against Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake at the BHBL Cider Challenge at Saratoga Rec Center in Saratoga Springs on Sept. 26. (Stephen Weaver) STILLWATER - Andie Luskin became the first girls' volleyball player in Stillwater program history to surpass 1,000 career kills midway through her junior season. Also a star on the basketball court, her excellence has proven vital to the success of both teams.Now a senior, Luskin - a 6-foot outside hitter - looks to extend her brilliant high school volleyball career Wednesday evening when No. 6 seed Stillwater (18-2) takes on No. 2 seed Maple Hill (17-2) in the Class C sectional semifinals at Broadalbin-Perth High School. The match is scheduled for a 7 p.m. start."We are excited to see how far this team can go," Luskin said.Stillwater girls' volleyball coach Matt Hogan has watched Luskin evolve over her five-year varsity career and marvels at the presence she has become, both on and off the court."It has been a dream," Hogan said. "When you get into coaching, you are hoping to develop kids, have kids love the sport and to help build a culture. Honestly… that is exactly what she is like, and is, for us. She does it all. Every day, you get to work with that kid and she is constantly learning. There are times when she does something and you think, 'Well, I didn't teach her that.' Andie is just a great kid, a great leader and just watching her working with the younger kids is so much fun to see."Luskin was named to the 2025 Times Union first team after a season that saw her produce her 1,000th career kill in a Wasaren League. She was named the league's Most Valuable Player and earned Class C state second-team plaudits. In her final match as a junior, Luskin posted 26 kills in a 3-2 sectional semifinal setback against Fonda-Fultonville.This season, Luskin has helped lead her team to produce 3-0 playoff victories over Mayfield and Fonda-Fultonville. In 2024, she was a vital component in helping Stillwater win the sectional title and advance to the state final four in Glens Falls."During our state run, I got to play with some amazing players," said Luskin, whose career kills total is up to 1,604. "They were so dedicated and they really set a good example for how I knew I needed to act as a teammate and as a player.""She has always been mature, even as a ninth and 10th grader. Everything she does, she does for the team," Hogan said. "I feel like, in this day and age, that is rare to see. With a kid like her, it is all about the team, helping her teammates get better and she is constantly in the gym trying to improve. There are times when she goes into the weight room or the gym at five in the morning. You can't make it up. She's a once-in-a-lifetime type of kid."Cassidy Chapko, who coaches the Stillwater girls' basketball team, said Luskin is one of the big reasons why her program has flourished."She does a lot of things that sometimes go unnoticed, not only offensively but defensively," Chapko said. "She is a great kid, a great athlete and we are fortunate to have her."Stillwater advanced to the 2025 Class C state girls' basketball final and lost against Greenwich in the 2026 sectional title game. Luskin, who averaged 13 points and nine rebounds per game as a junior, is 75 points shy of reaching 1,000 for her basketball career."Whether she scores two points or 20 points, as long as the team wins, she is happy," Chapko said. "You need people on your team that are like that."Prior to volleyball, Luskin's fall sport was soccer until reaching the seventh grade. Hogan suggested she give volleyball a try. The senior said she was "awkward and tripped over herself," but quickly came to love volleyball and found herself playing at the varsity level one year later.Hogan annually schedules Stillwater to play nonleague matches and tournaments where the opponents are from much larger schools. Luskin relishes those opportunities."She genuinely loves it and you can see it in the way she plays against those teams. There is no fear in her eyes. It is just a moment for her to prove how good she is and how she can help a team like ours be," Hogan said. "I have seen so many things. Any team can beat any team, honestly," Luskin said. "Going into those tournaments, in my mind, I don't think about some of those teams being bigger schools. Six girls can outplay six girls."Hogan has marveled at how a player like Luskin, who came to the sport relatively late, has cultivated such great knowledge of the game."She is breaking down other teams and how to attack their weaknesses. Andie is like having another coach in the room," Hogan said.Before turning her attention to basketball, Luskin wants to help propel the volleyball team into the state playoffs."We were so close two years ago when we finished third. That was just the best experience. Honestly, it was really amazing," Luskin said. "I know that this year, if we all stay together, keep working and stay locked in, we can do it. I want it so bad being my senior year. We have such a good group of girls. They are so dedicated. That is really my dream."SubscribeThere’s more to Albany with the Times Union. Subscribe today for just 25¢.This article originally published at Stillwater volleyball star Andie Luskin wants another crack at winning a state title.