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HS Player Spotlight: 11 Standout Freshmen

October 11, 2023

There’s just over a month left before the high school season comes to a close. With the state playoffs still ahead, there’s plenty of time left for players to leave a lasting impression. Last month we checked in on freshmen making huge impacts for their respective teams. Once more we take a look at ninth-graders who are making big-time contributions so far with 11 standout freshmen featured in our HS Player Spotlight below. Gentry Barker OH Lovejoy TX: Barker has burst on the scene for the Leopards. The 4-star recruit was part of TAV 14 Black’s 14 Open gold medal performance at USAV GJNC in Chicago and is currently leading the team in kills. She has 289 kills, averaging 3.2 per set. She’s also second in digs with 263, averaging 2.9 per set. She also has a team-high 36 aces. She sent down a season-best 19 kills in a four-set victory over Plano West in early September. Kate Kalczynski OH Mercy MI: Kalczynski – a 3-star recruit who played for Legacy last spring – is another freshman leading the way. She’s put up a team-best 280 kills. She’s averaging 3.8 per set. It’s more than the next two kill leaders combined. She too is second on the roster in digs with 152 and leads with 39 aces. She swung for a season-high 20 kills in a four-set victory against Marian in last week. She also had a season-best 11 digs in that match. Reagan Wallraff MB Elkhorn North NE: A 4-star recruit who was part of Arizona Storm 14 Thunder’s silver-medal effort in Chicago this past summer, Wallraff has moved to Nebraska since and is starring for Elkhorn North. She has a team-high 297 kills, averaging 4.3 per set and is hitting .428. She also leads the team in blocks with 55. Among her best outings was a season-best 18 kills and hitting .500 in a sweep of Hastings in late August. She also had 18 kills in a sweep against Millard North in September. Malorie Boesiger S Norris NE: Boesiger is another freshman in the state of Nebraska having a tremendous season. The 4-star recruit played up two age groups for Nebraska One 16 Synergy’s bronze medal group this past club season and is making waves for the Titans this fall. She’s dished out 782 assists, averaging 11.5 per set. She also leads the roster with 58 aces. She’s had at least 19 assists in every outing so far, including a season-high 49 in a four-set victory against Waverly in September. It was one of two times she’s surpassed 40 assists, as she had 46 in a sweep over Elkhorn North this week. Morgan Meiring OH Bishop Fenwick OH: It’s been a strong rookie season for Meiring, a 4-star recruit who suited up for Elevation this past club season. She’s been the featured piece in the attack. She leads with 303 kills and is averaging 4.4 per set. Five times she’s recorded 20 or more kills. She had a season-best 25 winners and hit .327 in a five-set loss to Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy in early September. Lucy Ripley MB Oconto Falls WI: A 6-1 middle blocker, Ripley has made a sizeable impact for the Panthers. A 3-star recruit who played at FC Elite, she’s second in kills with 277 and is averaging 2.8 per set while hitting .304. She has a team-leading 60 blocks, which is more than the next two leaders combined. She put away a season-high 15 kills and hit .545 in a five-set loss against Luxemburg-Casco in mid-September. Ryah Brock OH Roosevelt CA: Brock – a 4-star recruit who was a big part of Forza1 North’s success this past club season – is a key part of what the Mustangs are doing offensively this fall. Her 263 kills leads the way. She’s averaging 3.7 per set. She powered down a season-best 20 kills in a five-set defeat to Santiago last week. She also had 16 kills and hit .565 in a three-set victory over Orange Lutheran in September. Peyton Kubik OH Blue Valley West KS: A 5-star recruit who swung and set for MAVS KC this past club year, Kubik has been an offensive force for the Jaguars. She’s making the switch to Dynasty this coming club year. In the meantime, she’s tops on the team with 308 kills, averaging 4.4 per set. Her best match came in a four-set victory over Blue Valley when she sent down a season-high 21 kills. Emerson Butler S Westlake TX: An injury cost Butler significant playing time this season but the 6-0, 3-star recruit has been nails when healthy. Despite playing in less than half of her team’s total sets, Butler has showed her value when in the lineup with 494 assists, averaging 9.7 per set. She started the season on fire before missing nearly a month. She delivered a season-high 56 assists in a five-set triumph over Stony Point in mid-August. She also had matches of 44 and 43 dimes in mid-August. Emma Kingston MB Mater Dei CA: A 6-4, 3-star recruit who was a starting middle for Tstreet 14 Carson in the spring, Kingston has contributed to the top-ranked Monarchs’ success to date. Though she hasn’t been a vital part of the attack, she does have 91 kills and is averaging 1.1 per set. However, she’s brought plenty of value on the defensive side with her blocking. She has a team-leading 77 and is averaging 0.9 per set. It includes a season-high 8 stuffs in a four-set victory against Orange Lutheran in September. Shaye Witherspoon RS Lafayette MO: Witherspoon has contributed nicely for the 26-2 Lancers. The 6-2, 5-star recruit played for Rockwood Thunder during club and is having a solid freshman campaign. She’s third in kills with 144, averaging 2.2 per set and hitting .303. She’s also second in blocks with 61. She had a season-best 11 kills and hit .647 in a victory over Kickapoo in early September.

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vballrecruiter.com’s Player of the Week: Layli Ostovar (FREE)

October 10, 2023

We’re proud to be a part of an ongoing partnership with Dick’s Sporting Goods, which is sponsoring our Player of the Week award. We’ll be releasing a featured vballrecruiter.com Player of the Week, sponsored by Dick’s Sporting Goods, on Tuesdays. Below is this week’s Player of the Week: Layli Ostovar. *** What does the Texas heat have to do with our featured Player of the Week? It’s a big reason why Layli Ostovar – a 5-star recruit from the Class of 2026 and a sophomore at Mater Dei CA – started playing volleyball. She was 4 and living in Southlake when she first started playing tennis, along with her older sisters Ayva and Kayla, who were 5. “Playing tennis outdoors in the Texas heat we decided we would rather play an indoor sport and that’s how we fell in love with volleyball,” Ostovar said. “My dad coached and used to play in college.” A few years later the family moved to San Diego and then to Orange County when Ostovar was 10. That’s the year she started playing club at Tstreet before switching to Mizuno Long Beach at the start of her 13s season. She’s remained there since. “I just love competing everyday and trying to be the best I can be,” she said. “I like setting goals for myself. Every single day I wake up and I want to play volleyball. It’s something I love.” Being the youngest child helped develop Ostovar’s competitive drive. She strives to better than her older sisters in anything she does no matter what it is. It’s helped fuel her desire for reaching the next level. “My big goal is to get on the court at a top Division 1 school,” Ostovar said. “I liked to be challenged a lot and I want to be around girls who like to compete like me and who have made sacrifices in order to make themselves successful.” As for success, Mater Dei has enjoyed its share so far this fall. As one of the starting outside hitters, Ostovar has had a hand in Mater Dei capturing both the Volleypalooza and Durango Fall Classic tournament titles. The Monarchs entered the week No. 1 in vballrecruiter.com’s Top 50 National HS Rankings. “It was the best feeling,” Ostovar said of winning Volleypalooza. “We all really wanted to win that. It was one of our goals. It was such a competitive tournament. Just winning gave us such more confidence moving on. “Durango was such a hard tournament. We knew we hadn’t won it all in a long time and we wanted to bring that back. Winning it and bringing (the title) back was so great.” It was at Volleypalooza when a rare moment occurred. There was a trio of sisters playing on both teams at the same time as Mater Dei faced Prestonwood Christian TX in the final. Ostovar was on the court with her older sisters, while the Livings sisters – Jadyn, Nyla and Naomi – were on the other side of the net for Prestonwood. “I had no idea until after the game when someone told me that,” Ostovar said. “It was actually cool and funny too. Playing with my sisters is a really special experience and we are making so many memories we’ll be able to look back on. But I didn’t know we were playing against three other sisters. That was a really cool experience.” In addition to playing high school and club, Ostovar also plays beach volleyball. She feels playing on the sand helps grow her indoor skills. Playing indoor in college is her priority but she’s open to playing both. She also can envision herself continuing to play on the beach after she’s finished with college and her studies. “I want to study sports physical therapy,” said Ostovar, who also likes to bake cakes in her spare time. “I enjoy being around athletes and want to be around them for as long as possible and helping them to do their best.” As our featured Player of the Week sponsored by Dick’s Sporting Goods, we recently spoke with Ostovar about volleyball and more. Who is a role model or someone you look up to? Ostovar: I look up to undersized pins who have been really successful. Yossiana Pressley is one. London Wijay is another. I look up to them because I like how they are really well-rounded players. Would you rather explore space or the ocean and why? Ostovar: I would probably rather explore space. The ocean is kind of scary to me. I’m a little scared of the ocean. In space, you would be looking at different planets and stars and it would be such a cool image and memory to have. If you could choose to do anything for a day, what would it be and why? Ostovar: I’m thinking it would be to go on a shopping spree to Sephora, then dress up and go out to dinner with my friends. Then after, go to a Bruno Mars concert. Other than volleyball, what skill would you most like to learn and why? Ostovar: I really want to learn how to sing well. I love listening to music and singing along makes me happy and puts me in a really good mood, so I would love to learn that. Would you rather have the power to instantly master any new sport you try or have the ability to instantly recover from any sports-related injury and why? Ostovar: I would want to recover from any sports injury that happens. As an athlete it’s hard to come back from injuries and just getting back to jumping or being smart where to place the ball it takes a while to get back to the level you were at, so I’d rather be able to do that. Aside from necessities, what is one thing you could not go a day without? Ostovar: One thing I can’t go a day without is probably touching a volleyball. Sometimes I

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vballrecruiter.com’s Top 50 National HS Rankings (Oct. 9)

October 9, 2023

It was a mild week for the Top 50 National HS Rankings. A close call with Mira Costa CA beating Palos Verdes CA in five sets could have shaken up the rankings at the top but instead there was very little movement. The biggest news among the top-ranked teams was Marist IL beating Benet Academy IL and avenging an earlier loss. More payback happened when Prestonwood Christian TX swept Cathedral Catholic CA in the ESPN Showcase after the Dons beat Prestonwood at the Durango Fall Classic. Other than that, the top teams continued rolling along. You can check the full rankings below. vballrecruiter.com’S TOP 50 NATIONAL HS RANKINGS 1. Mater Dei CA (1 – previous ranking) 2. Mira Costa CA (2) 3. Papillion-La Vista South NE (3) 4. Hamilton Southeastern IN (7) 5. Prestonwood Christian TX (5) 6. Grand Oaks TX (6) 7. Cathedral Catholic CA (4) 8. Wayzata MN (8) 9. McKinney Boyd TX (9) 10. Skyridge UT (11) *** 11. Mother McAuley IL (12) 12. Divine Savior Holy Angels WI (13) 13. Assumption KY (14) 14. Marist IL (16) 15. Notre Dame Academy KY (17) 16. Benet Academy IL (10) 17. Dripping Springs TX (19) 18. Carrollwood Day FL (21) 19. O’Connor AZ (22) 20. Blue Valley North KS (23) *** 21. St. Francis/Mountain View CA (15) 22. Sierra Canyon CA (20) 23. St. James Academy KS (32) 24. Archbishop Mitty CA (24) 25. Oconomowoc WI (26) 26. Cornerstone Christian TX (18) 27. Lake Catholic OH (28) 28. Kings OH (29) 29. Branson CA (25) 30. Dike-New Hartford IA (n/r) *** 31. Valor Christian CO (30) 32. Xavier Prep AZ (31) 33. Hudsonville MI (n/r) 34. St. Thomas Aquinas KS (33) 35. Lafayette MO (34) 36. Mercy McAuley OH (50) 37. Winter Park FL (37) 38. Lone Peak UT (38) 39. North Branch MI (40) 40. Lewis Palmer CO (43) *** 41. Alpharetta GA (n/r) 42. Angola IN (45) 43. Punahou HI (36) 44. Huntington Beach CA (41) 45. Bishop Alemany CA (42) 46. Maize South KS (46) 47. Viera FL (35) 48. Torrey Pines CA (47) 49. Seton OH (39) 50. Northville MI (49) *** ON THE CUSPClear Creek Amana IALos Alamitos CAFoothill CAMarymount CARedondo Union CAPlant FLCalvary Christian FLBerkeley Prep FLPope GAPace Academy GABob Jones ALMountain Brook ALCorona del Sol AZMillennium AZSunrise Mountain AZLiberty AZBellmont INSacred Heart Academy KYBingham UTBishop Gorman NVKamehameha HIDorman SCNorth Myrtle Beach SCNixa MOByron Nelson TXSt. Ursula Academy OHMount Notre Dame OHLiberty North MOCorner Canyon UTPleasant Grove UTRoncalli INYorktown INWashburn Rural KSGlenbard West ILJenks OKMount St. Mary OKMiddle Creek NCLa Cueva NM

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HS Player Spotlight: 19 Standout Juniors

October 4, 2023

With the Asics Challenge in Chicago and the Nike TOC Southwest in Phoenix, it was a busy end to the month of September. With the tournament season near its conclusion and certain states gearing up for sectionals and regionals on their way to the state playoffs, we were on the lookout for juniors having standout seasons. Below, we highlight 19 players from the Class of 2025 who are excelling for their respective schools. Charlotte Vinson OH Yorktown IN: Vinson – a 4-star Indiana commit – has been a wrecking ball on the outside. She entered the week with 596 kills, more than half her team’s total kills. She’s averaging 6.7 per set. She’s reached double-digit kills in all 26 matches so far. She has 15 outings of at least 20 kills or more, including five matches of at least 30 kills more. It included a season-best 39 winners in a five-set triumph over Noblesville in last September. Lauren Hurst OH Cleveland TN: Hurst is having a huge junior campaign for the Blue Raiders. She’s collected 602 kills to date, averaging 5.2 per set. She’s also third in blocks and aces. The 4-star recruit has put up 20 or more kills five times. She had a season-high 29 kills in a five-set loss to East Hamilton in mid-September. Suli Davis S/OH Colleyville Heritage TX: A 5-star recruit, Davis has been on fire this fall. Even with splitting time setting, Davis leads the teams in kills by a wide margin. Her 512 winners are nearly 300 more than the next closest player. Not only is she averaging 5.2 per set, she’s hitting a whopping .458 to boot. She’s also dished out 329 assists, averaging 5.8 per set. She’s third in blocks and second in aces as well. She posted a season-best 32 kills and hit .500 in a five-set victory against Byron Nelson in late August. Navea Gauthier OH Shelby MI: To say Gauthier is the go-to hitter for the Tigers in an understatement. The 5-star Ohio State commit has shouldered a very large percentage of the offense. She’s racked up 501 kills, averaging an impressive 8.5 per set. She’s also the ace leader and second in digs. She’s reached double-digit kills in all but one match. She dropped a season-high 33 kills and hit .500 in a sweep over Holton in late September. It was the second time she surpassed the 30-kill mark. Those are among the 13 times she has eclipsed 20 kills or more. Lily Dee Davis OH Westlake TX: A 4-star Texas beach commit, Davis has appeared in all but four sets to date. She’s leading the charge with 498 kills, averaging 4.9 per set. She’s also second in digs with 403 and leads in aces. She hammered down a season-best 35 kills in a five-set defeat to Dripping Springs in mid-September. Madison Quest OH Divine Savior Holy Angels: It’s been a tremendous year so far for nationally-ranked DSHA, which is 34-1. The only loss came to Mother McAuley in the semifinals of the Asics Challenge this past weekend. Quest – a 5-star Wisconsin commit – has put up 384 kills and is averaging 4.7 per set. She’s also second in both digs and blocks and third in aces. She recorded a season-high 20 kills in a four-set victory over Brookfield East earlier this week. She also had a match in which she had 15 kills and hit .882 last month. Asia Harvey OH Sandy Creek GA: Harvey – a 5-star recruit – is having a strong year for the Patriots. To date she leads the way with 360 kills and is hitting .348. She’s had her share of impressive performances. Among them is a season-high 19 kills and hitting .571 in a victory over Morgan County in mid-September. She also registered 17 kills and hit .800 in beating Westlake. Another included 9 kills and hitting 1.000 in sweeping Wesleyan. Kassidy O’Brien S Cinco Ranch TX: A 5-star Kentucky commit, O’Brien has starred as expected. She started the week with 919 assists, averaging 10.7 per set. She’s had a handful of monster performances. Among them are a pair of matches when she posted a season-high 51 assists. She’s also had contests of 49 and 41 assists. All four efforts led to victories. She’s also third in digs, averaging 3.1 per set. Abigail Li S Alpharetta GA: With Li guiding the attack, the Raiders are having a great year so far with a 32-2 mark. The 4-star SMU commit has dished out 843 assists, averaging 10.2 per set. She’s reached double-digit assists in every match so. Twice she’s put up a season-high 51 assists and another time 42. All were victories. Isabela Haggard S Dunbar KY: A 3-star Indiana commit, Haggard has been a vital part of Dunbar’s success. She’s totaled 745 assists and is averaging 8.8 per set so far. She’s also second in kills with 192, averaging 2.3 per set. She’s surpassed 30 or more assists 11 times, including twice reaching 40 or more. She had a season-high 43 assists in a four-set victory over Oldham in August. Maya Baker S Archbishop Mitty CA: Baker – a 4-star Notre Dame commit – has helped the nationally-ranked Monarchs to an 18-4 record at week’s start. She’s recorded 645 assists, averaging 10.8 per set. She’s reached double-digit assists in all but one contest, when she appeared in just one set that outing. She’s had at least 20 or more assists in all but for matches. She registered a season-high 54 assists in a five-set victory over St. Ignatius in August. Reese Messer S St. James Academy KS: Messer and the nationally-ranked Thunder are 29-3. The 5-star USC commit Is having a stellar season. She’s delivered 616 assists, averaging 9.9 per set, and has played in every set to date. She’s reached double-digit assists in every match. It included a season-best 40 assists in a three-set victory over Washburn Rural last week. Jordan Taylor MB Langham Creek TX: A

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vballrecruiter.com’s Player of the Week: Vivian Hickman (FREE)

October 3, 2023

We’re proud to be a part of an ongoing partnership with Dick’s Sporting Goods, which is sponsoring our Player of the Week award. We’ll be releasing a featured vballrecruiter.com Player of the Week, sponsored by Dick’s Sporting Goods, on Tuesdays. Below is this week’s Player of the Week: Vivian Hickman. *** Having played volleyball since she started in second grade and club since she was 10, our latest Player of the Week not only has her share of experience but she’s developed into a versatile player who excels both indoor and on the sand. Vivian Hickman – a 5-10, 3-star recruit from the Class of 2026 – is currently in her sophomore season at Xavier College Prep in Arizona. What she brings to a roster has been on full display these past two weekends as the Gators have competed in two prestigious national tournaments in the Durango Fall Classic and Nike TOC Southwest. She’s spent most of the season setting and hitting like she did in Las Vegas, where Xavier Prep finished in 11th place overall out of 64 teams. However, with a short-handed roster in Phoenix, Hickman was asked to perform as a six-rotation outside and helped her team take fifth place out of 32 teams. “We faced a lot of challenges and we got better,” Hickman said after Durango. “That tournament really continued preparing us for what’s ahead.” This past summer, Hickman was part of an AZ Sky 15G group which finished tied for 13th in 15 Open at the USAV Girls Junior National Championships in Chicago. There, she split time between running a 5-1 and setting and hitting as part of a 6-2. Hickman originally started volleyball as an outside before being moved to middle blocker. Then during her 12s season she was moved to setter and that led her to eventually setting and swinging. “I really do like setting,” she said. “That’s probably my favorite. But hitting does give me the chance to swing.” Hitting was her full-time responsibility last year as a freshman on varsity. She led Xavier Prep in kills 246, averaging 2.6 per set. She played in all but four sets in her rookie campaign. As a sophomore she’s taken on a dual role. Playing in all but one set so far this season, Hickman leads the Gators in assists 193. She’s also second in both kills (151) and digs (194). “It’s really fun,” she said of the season so far. “Everyone is so close on the team. We have such great chemistry and trust on the court. We all hang out all the time.” Beyond indoor, Hickman has enjoyed success in beach as well. She’s been playing that side of the sport for about four years. She said she really got into it when everything was shut down because of Covid. She played last season as part of Xavier’s beach team and was named Section Offensive Player of the Year by AZPreps365. She’s still not sure whether she’ll play both at the next level or not. “I’m definitely deciding on that,” she said. “They go hand-and-hand. Beach does compliment playing indoor. I’m liking both. I really do like indoor. It has to be the right opportunity to do both.” Outside of volleyball, Hickman enjoys baking and reading, as well as spending time with her family and friends. She’s in her first year of being part of the AIA Student Leadership Advisory Committee (SLAC). “I really like to be involved in a good way,” Hickman said. She also added that “when I get older I want to go into medicine or be a psychologist. I like to see how people’s brains work and the decisions they make. I would like to help people or even potentially go pro.” As our featured Player of the Week sponsored by Dick’s Sporting Goods, we recently spoke with Hickman about volleyball and more. Who is a role model or someone you look up to? Hickman: I think it’s Serena Williams. I love her passion and grit on the court and how she is so involved in her sport. I just recently started looking into her. She’s really cool and I really like what she’s about. I saw the movie about the sisters and I thought it was really interesting. What is your favorite food? Hickman: I really like enchiladas. Chipotle is my favorite restaurant. My go-to order is a burrito with white rice, pinto beans, chicken and queso. Other than volleyball, what skill would you most like to learn and why? Hickman: I would really like to learn photography and how to take high-quality photos. Taking pictures like that would be really fun to learn. If you could choose to do anything for a day, what would it be and why? Hickman: I would choose to skydive because that seems like it would be so much fun. I would be so scared but I would love the thrill of it. Aside from necessities, what is one thing you could not go a day without? Hickman: It would probably be Capri Sun. I drink so many of those. I love them. I put them in the freezer and drink them like slushies. I like Pacific Cooler. It’s really good. What is one thing that instantly makes your day better or makes you smile? Hickman: My family and friends. When I see them we start cracking jokes and they make me laugh. If you could have any superpower what would it be and why? Hickman: I would want to have the ability to teleport. I get anxious about time. I don’t like to be late to anything. That would be such a helper and it would save me so much stress. Outside of volleyball what are you most passionate about and why? Hickman: I’m really passionate about my school and grades. I’m also passionate about my family and friend bonds because those are really important too. What is one thing that may surprise people about you? Hickman: Something

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vballrecruiter.com’s Top 50 National HS Rankings (Oct. 2)

October 2, 2023

We are entering the last month of the season for some states. Meanwhile, others are barely past their halfway points. As states conclude their seasons, that will start to finalize certain school’s spots in the national rankings. However, nothing is solidified yet. As for this week’s updated rankings, there was very little movement at the top a week after we saw Mater Dei CA take over the top spot in the country. While the Monarchs retained their place atop the Top 50, we did see a few of last week’s undefeated teams fall. We entered last week with 11 teams in the Top 50 still unbeaten, but Divine Savior Holy Angels WI, Blue Valley North KS, Seton OH and Angola IN all suffered their first loss of the year. That leaves the undefeated list at seven in Papillion-La Vista South NE, Hamilton Southeastern IN, Wayzata MN, Skyridge UT, Lake Catholic OH, Valor Christian CO and Lewis-Palmer CO. You can view the full rankings below. vballrecruiter.com’S TOP 50 NATIONAL HS RANKINGS 1. Mater Dei CA (1 – previous ranking) 2. Mira Costa CA (2) 3. Papillion-La Vista South NE (3) 4. Cathedral Catholic CA (4) 5. Prestonwood Christian TX (5) 6. Grand Oaks TX (7) 7. Hamilton Southeastern IN (10) 8. Wayzata MN (14) 9. Boyd TX (17) 10. Benet Academy IL (18) *** 11. Skyridge UT (23) 12. Mother McAuley IL (26) 13. Divine Savior Holy Angels WI (11) 14. Assumption KY (8) 15. St. Francis/Mountain View CA (21) 16. Marist IL (22) 17. Notre Dame Academy KY (12) 18. Cornerstone Christian TX (6) 19. Dripping Springs TX (24) 20. Sierra Canyon CA (9) *** 21. Carrollwood Day FL (25) 22. O’Connor AZ (36) 23. Blue Valley North KS (12) 24. Archbishop Mitty CA (20) 25. Branson CA (27) 26. Oconomowoc WI (29) 27. Calvary Christian FL (33) 28. Lake Catholic OH (34) 29. Kings OH (n/r) 30. Valor Christian CO (43) *** 31. Xavier Prep AZ (19) 32. St. James Academy KS (45) 33. St. Thomas Aquinas KS (46) 34. Lafayette MO (47) 35. Viera FL (30) 36. Punahou HI (32) 37. Winter Park FL (35) 38. Lone Peak UT (38) 39. Seton OH (15) 40. North Branch MI (n/r) *** 41. Huntington Beach CA (37) 42. Bishop Alemany CA (40) 43. Lewis-Palmer CO (50) 44. Los Alamitos CA (48) 45. Angola IN (16) 46. Maize South KS (28) 47. Torrey Pines CA (42) 48. Berkeley Prep FL (39) 49. Northville MI (49) 50. Mercy McAuley OH (41) *** ON THE CUSPBellmont INSacred Heart Academy KYBingham UTRedondo Union CACorona del Sol AZMillennium AZPace Academy GA (50)Marymount CABishop Gorman NVKamehameha HINotre Dame Prep AZDorman SCNorth Myrtle Beach SCNixa MOPope GAAlpharetta GABob Jones ALHudsonville MIByron Nelson TXSt. Ursula Academy OHMount Notre Dame OHLiberty North MOCorner Canyon UTPleasant Grove UTFlint Hill VAPlant FLHagerty FLVenice FLWestminster Christian FLColleyville Heritage TXCypress Ranch TXHarlan TXRoncalli INYorktown INWashburn Rural KSProsper TXGlenbard West ILBrighton ILQueen Creek AZJenks OKMount St. Mary OKMiddle Creek NCLake Highland Prep FL

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Nike TOC Southwest: The All Red Hat Team

October 2, 2023

The Nike TOC Southwest tournament over the weekend in the greater Phoenix area produced a wild ride throughout the two days of competition. It all ended with St. Francis/Mountain View CA topping Cornerstone Christian TX in the final. You can read more about the championship here. We also released our Day 2 Show Stoppers. We wrap up our coverage with our All Red Hat Team. It’s different from the All-Tournament announced by the tournament directors and features our favorite players from two days of play in the National division. ALL RED HAT TEAM OUTSIDESVictoria Marthaler SR La Cueva NMMegan Fitch JR Cornerstone Christian TXAniya Hall JR Cornerstone Christian TXEmily Pruitt SR Sunrise Mountain AZAddison Wiemann SO Sunrise Mountain AZJulie Beckham SO Coronado NVGentry Oblad SO Coronado NVVivian Hickman SO Xavier Prep AZMadisyn Crnjac SO Queen Creek AZTaylor Williams OH St. Francis/Mountain View CAErin Curtis OH St. Francis/Mountain View CALauren Forelli FR Liberty AZMia Radeff SR Sacred Heart Prep CAGeorgi Stein JR Sunnyslope AZZoe Haan JR Sunnyslope AZTeraya Sigler JR Horizon AZDionna Mitchell SR Timber Creek FLEvan Hendrix SR Notre Dame Prep AZReese Shugart SO Dorman SCKate Martin SR Marymount CA MIDDLESSophie Diouf JR La Cueva NMDyBorrah Johnson JR Casteel AZElla Fulton SO St. Francis/Mountain View CAKendall Omoruyi FR Sunnyslope AZJordyn Joppru SO Pinnacle AZElle Vandeweghe SO Marymount CAMadeline Way SR Sierra Canyon CA RIGHT SIDESTea Kalajdzic SR La Cueva NMGrace Carroll SR Cornerstone Christian TXBlaykli Bobik SR Queen Creek AZKamille Scott SO Casteel AZNatalie Harris JR Lake Highland Prep FL SETTERSHannah Maguire SR St. Francis/Mountain View CAIsabelle Marco SR Sacred Heart Prep CATristen Raymond JR Liberty AZKK Green JR Lake Highland Prep FLKaelyn Putz SR Xavier Prep AZKaeley Walz SR Sacred Heart Academy KYHailee Peters SR Liberty AZSade Illawole SR Sierra Canyon CA LIBEROSMarianne Garcia SO Millennium AZHannah Allman SR Sunrise Mountain AZIzzy Mahaffey JR Queen Creek AZWhitney Wallace SR St. Francis/Mountain View CANola Smith JR Hamilton AZErin Clark SO Corona del Sol AZAva Lambert JR Horizon AZ

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Nike TOC Southwest: Day 2 Show Stoppers

October 1, 2023

With teams converging from all around the country, it was Nor Cal’s St. Francis/Mountain View topping them all after getting past Cornerstone Christian TX in the championship match of the Nike TOC Southwest tournament Saturday in the greater Phoenix area. It was a day filled with both tremendous team and individual efforts. We highlight those who stood out the most to us below with our Day 2 Show Stoppers. DAY 2 SHOW STOPPERS Elina Wheeler SR L Sacred Heart Prep CA: The Gators were among the surprise teams by reaching the quarterfinals after upsetting Sierra Canyon CA. Wheeler was part of the run, supplying support in the back row and helping set the defensive tone. Isabelle Marco SR S/RS Sacred Heart Prep CA: Marco – a 3-star Utah commit – is the glue piece and does a lot to contribute toward her team’s success. She’s a consistent setter who locates well. She’s also a smart hitter who can frustrate defenses with her various shots. Marianne Garcia SO L Millennium AZ: Garcia is a scrappy defender who moves and covers well. She doesn’t flinch against big hitters and does well extending rallies. Victoria Marthaler SR OH La Cueva NM: A 3-star recruit, Marthaler is the go-to on the left and provides lots of offense. She’s a heady attacker who can take big swings or let up and score with off speed shots. Sophie Diouf JR MB La Cueva NM: Diouf – another 3-star recruit – provides a boost offensively across the front row. She has a solid arm and does well making herself available. Tea Kalajdzic SR RS La Cueva NM: Kalajdzic helps open the attack with the scoring punch she provides on the right side. Megan Fitch JR OH Cornerstone Christian TX: Fitch – a 5-star Texas AM commit – keeps coming at defenses and never backs down. She’s an aggressive, physical attacker who can torch defenses whether she’s front or back row. Grace Carroll SR RS Cornerstone Christian TX: A 4-star Baylor commit, Carroll is an imposing presence on the right side with her ability to impact rallies with her blocking and scoring. She can stuff balls straight down and she’s also a terminal attacker with a booming arm. Aniya Hall JR OH Cornerstone Christian TX: Hall – a 3-star recruit – jumps well and is another player the Warriors rely on to provide offense. She takes big swings and can deliver highlight kills at times. Elly Stewart JR MB Cornerstone Christian TX: Stewart filled her role well. She was coming up with timely plays with both her blocking and hitting. *** DyBorrah Johnson JR MB Casteel AZ: Johnson is a high-flying middle who can deliver wow moments. She gets up quickly and can pound balls straight down in impressive fashion. Hannah Allman SR L Sunrise Mountain AZ: Sunrise had a great run to the semifinals, in part because of the defensive energy Allman brings to the lineup. She flies around the court and has a never-give-up attitude. Addison Wiemann SO OH Sunrise Mountain AZ: Wiemann is part of a solid 1-2 punch on the outside. She brings size to the front row and helping boost the attack. Emily Pruitt SR OH Sunrise Mountain AZ: Pruitt is a six-rotation mainstay who provides both plenty of offense and a steadying presence. She has a strong arm and can unload when the moment is right. Julie Beckham SO OH Coronado NV: Beckham is a fun outside to watch. She is fearless against bigger blocks and takes aggressive cuts. Gentry Oblad SO OH Coronado NV: Oblad is another outside who is tough to deal with. She jumps well, has a nice arm and hits with plenty of pace. Annemarie O’Gara JR RS Xavier Prep AZ: O’Gara showed a knack for making timely plays on the right side. She came up with key blocks and clutch kills to help the Gators to a fifth-place finish. Vivian Hickman SO OH Xavier Prep AZ: Hickman continued her role as six-rotation outside as Xavier was playing short-handed. She was leaned on to carry the offensive load. She’s a cagey attacker who showed her beach skills with a wide variety of shots. Chineze Gray JR MB Xavier Prep AZ: Gray is an undersized middle and brings a lot of pep to the front row. She’s quick and moves well and was also making plays at the right times. Izzy Mahaffey JR L Queen Creek AZ: Mahaffey – a 4-star Long Beach State commit – was holding it down in the back row. She was passing consistently out of serve receive and making hustle plays to keep rallies going. *** Madisyn Crnjac SO OH Queen Creek AZ: Crnjac – a 3-star recruit – doesn’t shy away from taking big swings. She keeps coming at defenses with her strong arm that can produce powerful kills. Blaykli Bobik SR RS Queen Creek AZ: A 4-star BYU commit, Bobik played on the outside last week at Durango but was on the right side on Day 2. She has a lively arm and when she gets up and connect, watch out because the ball is coming in hot. Taylor Williams SR OH St. Francis/Mountain View CA: Williams – a 4-star Duke commit – comes with it time and time again. She helped fueled the Lancers’ attack with ability to blast balls from the front and back row with ease. Whitney Wallace SR L St. Francis/Mountain View CA: A 3-star Oklahoma commit, was among the standout defenders. She’s calm and plays under control and doesn’t rattle in pressure situations. Erin Curtis SR OH St. Francis/Mountain View CA: Curtis is another mainstay in the lineup as a six-rotation outside. She’s a consistent passer out of serve receive and she too can score all the way around. Hannah Maguire SR S St. Francis/Mountain View CA: Maguire does a nice job running the offense and delivering to her various hitters. She also brings her share of energy to the court. Ella Fulton SO MB St.

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Nike TOC Southwest: Championship Rundown

October 1, 2023

With two of the top-four seeds lining up from each other in the championship match, much of the chaos that had ruled the Nike TOC Southwest tournament had settled. All that was left to determine was this year’s champion. Second-seeded Cornerstone Christian TX was looking to not only capture both Nike TOC events in 2023, but was also seeking to defend its tournament title here from a season ago. However, St. Francis/Mountain View CA wasn’t ready to play its part. Instead, the fourth-seeded Lancers were spoilers in defeating Cornerstone in three, 25-19, 22-25, 15-6, as they gear up for another state final run. After suffering its only loss last year to Cathedral Catholic CA in the CIF Open Division state final, St. Francis beefed up its schedule this fall by adding the Durango Fall Classic and Nike TOC Southwest tourneys to its slate. A week after finishing in 13th place in Las Vegas, the Lancers had to put in a lot of work Saturday to rise to the top of the 32-team National division field. All four outings went the distance, starting with its closest decision of the day in beating Beckman CA, 20-25, 25-18, 15-11, in qualifying pla. St. Francis was dominant in the decisive set the rest of the way. The Lancers beat Millennium AZ in the quarterfinals, 25-15, 24-26, 15-7, and then Liberty AZ in the semis, 11-25, 25-19, 15-4, before doing the same to Cornerstone – which took sixth at Durango last weekend – in the final there. An anticipated rubber match between Cornerstone and top-seeded Sierra Canyon CA didn’t materialize. Cornerstone beat Sierra Canyon back in August during pool play at the Ann Kang Invitational. The sides ran into each other last weekend in Vegas, with Sierra Canyon sweeping Cornerstone in the quarterfinals and spoiling any chance of a rematch between Mira Costa CA – which beat Cornerstone in the Ann Kang final – and Cornerstone in the final. There was no trilogy, however, as Sierra Canyon – playing without 4-star San Diego libero commit Lauren Lynch – was upset in the morning qualifying round by Sacred Heart Prep CA, 25-18, 25-20. It continued a trend of top seeds bowing out early, as No. 5 Sacred Heart Academy KY, No. 6 Corona del Sol and No. 7 Lake Highland Prep failed to advance on Day 1. It opened the door for others to make noise. One was Sunrise Mountain AZ. The Mustangs went 3-0 on Day 1 – including beating Corona del Sol – and then eliminated third-seeded Xavier Prep AZ in the quarterfinals. Xavier – a week after taking 11th at Durango – caught a tough break as freshman outside Tessa Larkin wasn’t available for this weekend’s tournament. As for Sunrise, the Mustangs’ hopes of a Cinderella run ended to Cornerstone in the semis, 25-14, 25-13. Joining Sunrise Mountain in making waves was Liberty AZ. The Lions lost their season-opener to Xavier Prep before going on a seven-match winning streak. But it was a tough week heading into the Nike TOC as Liberty dropped matches to Sunnyslope, Corona del Sol and O’Connor before coming alive over the weekend. It started with Liberty – which opened as the No. 9 seed – taking down No. 8 Marymount CA in three sets to win its pool Friday. Liberty then kept it going by beating Notre Dame Prep AZ in qualifying play Saturday morning before beating Sacred Heart Prep in the quarterfinals. St. Francis proved too much in the semifinals. Sunrise Mountain beat Liberty in one game to 25 for third place. Xavier Prep swept Millennium to end up in fifth. Sacred Heart Prep downed Queen Creek AZ to wind up in seventh place. Meanwhile, Marymount finished up in ninth place after Sierra Canyon forfeited that match. The two schools are in the same league and play each other this coming week, so it’s not surprising they wouldn’t play to close Saturday’s action. Marymount had a shot at the platinum bracket but was stunned when Queen Creek AZ produced a giant rally in qualifying play. Marymount took the opening set and was leading 20-13 in Game 2 before the Bulldogs turned it around and prevailed in three, 24-26, 25-23, 15-13. In the Premier division, it was Canyon View AZ beating Verrado AZ, 14-25, 25-19, 15-10, for the title. In the Elite division, Christian CA swept Seton Catholic AZ, 25-19, 25-16, in the final.

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Nike TOC Southwest: Day 1 Show Stoppers And More

September 29, 2023

Any tournament is unpredictable, but the opening day of the Nike TOC Southwest in Phoenix featured more than the average twists and turns as the unexpected ruled. Being the No. 1 team in a pool came with little safety, as top-seeded teams struggled. While a team like Cornerstone Christian TX – seeded No. 2 overall – managed to still hold seed despite losing, others were not so fortunate. Top-seeded Sierra Canyon CA, No. 3 Xavier Prep AZ and No. 4 St. Francis/Mountain View CA were the only No. 1 teams in their respective pools to go 3-0. It was chaos elsewhere. Fifth-seeded Sacred Heart Academy KY finished 1-2 and wound up in fourth place. It was among the most surprising results given the Valkyries own victories over both Assumption KY and Mother McAuley IL this season. However, those results meant nothing to Friday’s opponents, starting with Pinnacle AZ. Sacred Heart held a 22-20 advantage in the opening set but the Pioneers held firm and ended up sweeping, 25-23, 25-9. Sacred Heart’s chances of making the top two and advancing were spoiled by another upset loss. This time it was at the hands of Coronado NV. The Cougars have had a wild nine days. Last Thursday, Coronado upset nationally-ranked Lone Peak UT ahead of the Durango Fall Classic. Lone Peak went onto to finish in 10th place while Coronado came in 50th out of 64 teams. But the Cougars produced another big upset by beating Sacred Heart and then advanced to the top 16 after knocking off Pinnacle. Millennium AZ won the pool at 2-1, falling to Sacred Heart but already had first place clinched prior to the contest. Two more top seeds joined Sacred Heart in not advancing in No. 6 Corona del Sol AZ and No. 7 Lake Highland Prep FL. CdS was surprised in its opener by Sunrise Mountain AZ, which prevailed in three, 25-16, 19-25, 15-10. The Mustangs kept it up and finished 3-0 as the No. 3 team in the pool. CdS still had a shot at advancing but needed to win the 1 v 2 showdown against La Cueva NM. But it was La Cueva which had the upperhand, also winning in three, 20-25, 21-25, 15-9. Meanwhile, Lake Highland Prep was in a similar position after being upset in its first match of the day by Notre Dame Prep AZ. After taking the first set, Lake Highland was up 19-14 in the second set before the Saints rallied for the three-set victory, 22-25, 25-22, 15-10. After that one, it was Oak Ridge CA upsetting Queen Creek AZ in straight sets to create plenty of havoc in the pool. It eventually led to Lake Highland and Queen Creek squaring off to join Notre Dame Prep in advancing. Queen Creek swept, 25-21, 27-25, and wound up winning the pool based on its head-to-head victory over Notre Dame Prep, 25-17, 23-25, 15-12. Cornerstone Christian – which finished first at the Nike TOC Southeast tournament and is the defending champion here – overcame a close call after being upset by the No. 4 team in the pool in Horizon AZ, 29-27, 25-20. However, the Warriors were still able to hang onto first place after sweeping Sunnyslope AZ, 25-23, 25-20, to close out the pool. That’s because the Warriors finished in a two-way tie with Sacred Heart Prep CA at 2-1 but swept their meeting, 25-18, 25-12. As far as Pool 8 went, it came down to a clash between eighth-seeded Marymount CA and No. 9 Liberty AZ. Liberty finished first in the pool after a nail-biting victory, 25-20, 18-25, 15-13, but both teams advanced to the top 16. Here’s how the top 16 stacks up Saturday:   DAY 1 SHOW STOPPERS Kamille Scott SO RS Casteel AZ: Scott is a bit undersized but the lefty can get up. She also has a quick arm those two things combined made her a big part of the attack as the Colts went 2-1 and moved on. DyBorrah Johnson JR MB Casteel AZ: Johnson is another high-flyer the Colts lean on to produce. She gets off the ground in a hurry and the way she elevates is a problem for opponents as she can swing straight down. Mia Radeff SR OH Sacred Heart Prep CA: Radeff is part of the reason the Gators went 2-1 as the No. 3 team. She’s an aggressive attacker who can really bring it at times. Isabelle Marco SR S/OH Sacred Heart Prep CA: Marco – a 3-star Utah commit – is a gamer. She both sets and hits for the Gators. She’s a smooth disher who locates well. She’s also a heady attacker who provides her share of offense. Kendall Omoruyi FR MB Sunnyslope AZ: Omoruyi – a 5-star recruit – is a presence in the middle, even as a freshman. Her length and size are problematic on both sides of the ball and she can disrupt attackers with her blocking and in return send balls down over the block. Georgi Stein JR OH Sunnyslope AZ: Stein is a pivotal part of the attack. The 3-star Northern Arizona commit shoulders a load on offense. She’s a reliable scorer who can move the ball from sideline to sideline. Megan Fitch JR OH Cornerstone Christian TX: Fitch – a 5-star Texas AM commit – is among the top outsides in the field. She’s physical and the go-to on the left. Teraya Sigler JR OH Horizon AZ: Sigler – a 5-star Nebraska commit – was sensational in Horizon’s upset over Cornerstone Christian. She’s a big swinging, hard-hitting outside who can power balls past, through or off the block whether front or back row. Vivian Hickman SO OH Xavier Prep AZ: A 3-star recruit, Hickman was adjusting to a different role because Xavier was playing short-handed due to an injury. She normally sets and hits but was just doing the latter on Day 1. She keyed the offense as a six-rotation outside and helped the Gators go 3-0. Kaelyn

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HS Player Spotlight: 11 Standout Freshmen

October 11, 2023

There’s just over a month left before the high school season comes to a close. With the state playoffs still ahead, there’s plenty of time left for players to leave a lasting impression. Last month we checked in on freshmen making huge impacts for their respective teams. Once more we take a look at ninth-graders who are making big-time contributions so far with 11 standout freshmen featured in our HS Player Spotlight below. Gentry Barker OH Lovejoy TX: Barker has burst on the scene for the Leopards. The 4-star recruit was part of TAV 14 Black’s 14 Open gold medal performance at USAV GJNC in Chicago and is currently leading the team in kills. She has 289 kills, averaging 3.2 per set. She’s also second in digs with 263, averaging 2.9 per set. She also has a team-high 36 aces. She sent down a season-best 19 kills in a four-set victory over Plano West in early September. Kate Kalczynski OH Mercy MI: Kalczynski – a 3-star recruit who played for Legacy last spring – is another freshman leading the way. She’s put up a team-best 280 kills. She’s averaging 3.8 per set. It’s more than the next two kill leaders combined. She too is second on the roster in digs with 152 and leads with 39 aces. She swung for a season-high 20 kills in a four-set victory against Marian in last week. She also had a season-best 11 digs in that match. Reagan Wallraff MB Elkhorn North NE: A 4-star recruit who was part of Arizona Storm 14 Thunder’s silver-medal effort in Chicago this past summer, Wallraff has moved to Nebraska since and is starring for Elkhorn North. She has a team-high 297 kills, averaging 4.3 per set and is hitting .428. She also leads the team in blocks with 55. Among her best outings was a season-best 18 kills and hitting .500 in a sweep of Hastings in late August. She also had 18 kills in a sweep against Millard North in September. Malorie Boesiger S Norris NE: Boesiger is another freshman in the state of Nebraska having a tremendous season. The 4-star recruit played up two age groups for Nebraska One 16 Synergy’s bronze medal group this past club season and is making waves for the Titans this fall. She’s dished out 782 assists, averaging 11.5 per set. She also leads the roster with 58 aces. She’s had at least 19 assists in every outing so far, including a season-high 49 in a four-set victory against Waverly in September. It was one of two times she’s surpassed 40 assists, as she had 46 in a sweep over Elkhorn North this week. Morgan Meiring OH Bishop Fenwick OH: It’s been a strong rookie season for Meiring, a 4-star recruit who suited up for Elevation this past club season. She’s been the featured piece in the attack. She leads with 303 kills and is averaging 4.4 per set. Five times she’s recorded 20 or more kills. She had a season-best 25 winners and hit .327 in a five-set loss to Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy in early September. Lucy Ripley MB Oconto Falls WI: A 6-1 middle blocker, Ripley has made a sizeable impact for the Panthers. A 3-star recruit who played at FC Elite, she’s second in kills with 277 and is averaging 2.8 per set while hitting .304. She has a team-leading 60 blocks, which is more than the next two leaders combined. She put away a season-high 15 kills and hit .545 in a five-set loss against Luxemburg-Casco in mid-September. Ryah Brock OH Roosevelt CA: Brock – a 4-star recruit who was a big part of Forza1 North’s success this past club season – is a key part of what the Mustangs are doing offensively this fall. Her 263 kills leads the way. She’s averaging 3.7 per set. She powered down a season-best 20 kills in a five-set defeat to Santiago last week. She also had 16 kills and hit .565 in a three-set victory over Orange Lutheran in September. Peyton Kubik OH Blue Valley West KS: A 5-star recruit who swung and set for MAVS KC this past club year, Kubik has been an offensive force for the Jaguars. She’s making the switch to Dynasty this coming club year. In the meantime, she’s tops on the team with 308 kills, averaging 4.4 per set. Her best match came in a four-set victory over Blue Valley when she sent down a season-high 21 kills. Emerson Butler S Westlake TX: An injury cost Butler significant playing time this season but the 6-0, 3-star recruit has been nails when healthy. Despite playing in less than half of her team’s total sets, Butler has showed her value when in the lineup with 494 assists, averaging 9.7 per set. She started the season on fire before missing nearly a month. She delivered a season-high 56 assists in a five-set triumph over Stony Point in mid-August. She also had matches of 44 and 43 dimes in mid-August. Emma Kingston MB Mater Dei CA: A 6-4, 3-star recruit who was a starting middle for Tstreet 14 Carson in the spring, Kingston has contributed to the top-ranked Monarchs’ success to date. Though she hasn’t been a vital part of the attack, she does have 91 kills and is averaging 1.1 per set. However, she’s brought plenty of value on the defensive side with her blocking. She has a team-leading 77 and is averaging 0.9 per set. It includes a season-high 8 stuffs in a four-set victory against Orange Lutheran in September. Shaye Witherspoon RS Lafayette MO: Witherspoon has contributed nicely for the 26-2 Lancers. The 6-2, 5-star recruit played for Rockwood Thunder during club and is having a solid freshman campaign. She’s third in kills with 144, averaging 2.2 per set and hitting .303. She’s also second in blocks with 61. She had a season-best 11 kills and hit .647 in a victory over Kickapoo in early September.

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vballrecruiter.com’s Player of the Week: Layli Ostovar (FREE)

October 10, 2023

We’re proud to be a part of an ongoing partnership with Dick’s Sporting Goods, which is sponsoring our Player of the Week award. We’ll be releasing a featured vballrecruiter.com Player of the Week, sponsored by Dick’s Sporting Goods, on Tuesdays. Below is this week’s Player of the Week: Layli Ostovar. *** What does the Texas heat have to do with our featured Player of the Week? It’s a big reason why Layli Ostovar – a 5-star recruit from the Class of 2026 and a sophomore at Mater Dei CA – started playing volleyball. She was 4 and living in Southlake when she first started playing tennis, along with her older sisters Ayva and Kayla, who were 5. “Playing tennis outdoors in the Texas heat we decided we would rather play an indoor sport and that’s how we fell in love with volleyball,” Ostovar said. “My dad coached and used to play in college.” A few years later the family moved to San Diego and then to Orange County when Ostovar was 10. That’s the year she started playing club at Tstreet before switching to Mizuno Long Beach at the start of her 13s season. She’s remained there since. “I just love competing everyday and trying to be the best I can be,” she said. “I like setting goals for myself. Every single day I wake up and I want to play volleyball. It’s something I love.” Being the youngest child helped develop Ostovar’s competitive drive. She strives to better than her older sisters in anything she does no matter what it is. It’s helped fuel her desire for reaching the next level. “My big goal is to get on the court at a top Division 1 school,” Ostovar said. “I liked to be challenged a lot and I want to be around girls who like to compete like me and who have made sacrifices in order to make themselves successful.” As for success, Mater Dei has enjoyed its share so far this fall. As one of the starting outside hitters, Ostovar has had a hand in Mater Dei capturing both the Volleypalooza and Durango Fall Classic tournament titles. The Monarchs entered the week No. 1 in vballrecruiter.com’s Top 50 National HS Rankings. “It was the best feeling,” Ostovar said of winning Volleypalooza. “We all really wanted to win that. It was one of our goals. It was such a competitive tournament. Just winning gave us such more confidence moving on. “Durango was such a hard tournament. We knew we hadn’t won it all in a long time and we wanted to bring that back. Winning it and bringing (the title) back was so great.” It was at Volleypalooza when a rare moment occurred. There was a trio of sisters playing on both teams at the same time as Mater Dei faced Prestonwood Christian TX in the final. Ostovar was on the court with her older sisters, while the Livings sisters – Jadyn, Nyla and Naomi – were on the other side of the net for Prestonwood. “I had no idea until after the game when someone told me that,” Ostovar said. “It was actually cool and funny too. Playing with my sisters is a really special experience and we are making so many memories we’ll be able to look back on. But I didn’t know we were playing against three other sisters. That was a really cool experience.” In addition to playing high school and club, Ostovar also plays beach volleyball. She feels playing on the sand helps grow her indoor skills. Playing indoor in college is her priority but she’s open to playing both. She also can envision herself continuing to play on the beach after she’s finished with college and her studies. “I want to study sports physical therapy,” said Ostovar, who also likes to bake cakes in her spare time. “I enjoy being around athletes and want to be around them for as long as possible and helping them to do their best.” As our featured Player of the Week sponsored by Dick’s Sporting Goods, we recently spoke with Ostovar about volleyball and more. Who is a role model or someone you look up to? Ostovar: I look up to undersized pins who have been really successful. Yossiana Pressley is one. London Wijay is another. I look up to them because I like how they are really well-rounded players. Would you rather explore space or the ocean and why? Ostovar: I would probably rather explore space. The ocean is kind of scary to me. I’m a little scared of the ocean. In space, you would be looking at different planets and stars and it would be such a cool image and memory to have. If you could choose to do anything for a day, what would it be and why? Ostovar: I’m thinking it would be to go on a shopping spree to Sephora, then dress up and go out to dinner with my friends. Then after, go to a Bruno Mars concert. Other than volleyball, what skill would you most like to learn and why? Ostovar: I really want to learn how to sing well. I love listening to music and singing along makes me happy and puts me in a really good mood, so I would love to learn that. Would you rather have the power to instantly master any new sport you try or have the ability to instantly recover from any sports-related injury and why? Ostovar: I would want to recover from any sports injury that happens. As an athlete it’s hard to come back from injuries and just getting back to jumping or being smart where to place the ball it takes a while to get back to the level you were at, so I’d rather be able to do that. Aside from necessities, what is one thing you could not go a day without? Ostovar: One thing I can’t go a day without is probably touching a volleyball. Sometimes I

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vballrecruiter.com’s Top 50 National HS Rankings (Oct. 9)

October 9, 2023

It was a mild week for the Top 50 National HS Rankings. A close call with Mira Costa CA beating Palos Verdes CA in five sets could have shaken up the rankings at the top but instead there was very little movement. The biggest news among the top-ranked teams was Marist IL beating Benet Academy IL and avenging an earlier loss. More payback happened when Prestonwood Christian TX swept Cathedral Catholic CA in the ESPN Showcase after the Dons beat Prestonwood at the Durango Fall Classic. Other than that, the top teams continued rolling along. You can check the full rankings below. vballrecruiter.com’S TOP 50 NATIONAL HS RANKINGS 1. Mater Dei CA (1 – previous ranking) 2. Mira Costa CA (2) 3. Papillion-La Vista South NE (3) 4. Hamilton Southeastern IN (7) 5. Prestonwood Christian TX (5) 6. Grand Oaks TX (6) 7. Cathedral Catholic CA (4) 8. Wayzata MN (8) 9. McKinney Boyd TX (9) 10. Skyridge UT (11) *** 11. Mother McAuley IL (12) 12. Divine Savior Holy Angels WI (13) 13. Assumption KY (14) 14. Marist IL (16) 15. Notre Dame Academy KY (17) 16. Benet Academy IL (10) 17. Dripping Springs TX (19) 18. Carrollwood Day FL (21) 19. O’Connor AZ (22) 20. Blue Valley North KS (23) *** 21. St. Francis/Mountain View CA (15) 22. Sierra Canyon CA (20) 23. St. James Academy KS (32) 24. Archbishop Mitty CA (24) 25. Oconomowoc WI (26) 26. Cornerstone Christian TX (18) 27. Lake Catholic OH (28) 28. Kings OH (29) 29. Branson CA (25) 30. Dike-New Hartford IA (n/r) *** 31. Valor Christian CO (30) 32. Xavier Prep AZ (31) 33. Hudsonville MI (n/r) 34. St. Thomas Aquinas KS (33) 35. Lafayette MO (34) 36. Mercy McAuley OH (50) 37. Winter Park FL (37) 38. Lone Peak UT (38) 39. North Branch MI (40) 40. Lewis Palmer CO (43) *** 41. Alpharetta GA (n/r) 42. Angola IN (45) 43. Punahou HI (36) 44. Huntington Beach CA (41) 45. Bishop Alemany CA (42) 46. Maize South KS (46) 47. Viera FL (35) 48. Torrey Pines CA (47) 49. Seton OH (39) 50. Northville MI (49) *** ON THE CUSPClear Creek Amana IALos Alamitos CAFoothill CAMarymount CARedondo Union CAPlant FLCalvary Christian FLBerkeley Prep FLPope GAPace Academy GABob Jones ALMountain Brook ALCorona del Sol AZMillennium AZSunrise Mountain AZLiberty AZBellmont INSacred Heart Academy KYBingham UTBishop Gorman NVKamehameha HIDorman SCNorth Myrtle Beach SCNixa MOByron Nelson TXSt. Ursula Academy OHMount Notre Dame OHLiberty North MOCorner Canyon UTPleasant Grove UTRoncalli INYorktown INWashburn Rural KSGlenbard West ILJenks OKMount St. Mary OKMiddle Creek NCLa Cueva NM

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HS Player Spotlight: 19 Standout Juniors

October 4, 2023

With the Asics Challenge in Chicago and the Nike TOC Southwest in Phoenix, it was a busy end to the month of September. With the tournament season near its conclusion and certain states gearing up for sectionals and regionals on their way to the state playoffs, we were on the lookout for juniors having standout seasons. Below, we highlight 19 players from the Class of 2025 who are excelling for their respective schools. Charlotte Vinson OH Yorktown IN: Vinson – a 4-star Indiana commit – has been a wrecking ball on the outside. She entered the week with 596 kills, more than half her team’s total kills. She’s averaging 6.7 per set. She’s reached double-digit kills in all 26 matches so far. She has 15 outings of at least 20 kills or more, including five matches of at least 30 kills more. It included a season-best 39 winners in a five-set triumph over Noblesville in last September. Lauren Hurst OH Cleveland TN: Hurst is having a huge junior campaign for the Blue Raiders. She’s collected 602 kills to date, averaging 5.2 per set. She’s also third in blocks and aces. The 4-star recruit has put up 20 or more kills five times. She had a season-high 29 kills in a five-set loss to East Hamilton in mid-September. Suli Davis S/OH Colleyville Heritage TX: A 5-star recruit, Davis has been on fire this fall. Even with splitting time setting, Davis leads the teams in kills by a wide margin. Her 512 winners are nearly 300 more than the next closest player. Not only is she averaging 5.2 per set, she’s hitting a whopping .458 to boot. She’s also dished out 329 assists, averaging 5.8 per set. She’s third in blocks and second in aces as well. She posted a season-best 32 kills and hit .500 in a five-set victory against Byron Nelson in late August. Navea Gauthier OH Shelby MI: To say Gauthier is the go-to hitter for the Tigers in an understatement. The 5-star Ohio State commit has shouldered a very large percentage of the offense. She’s racked up 501 kills, averaging an impressive 8.5 per set. She’s also the ace leader and second in digs. She’s reached double-digit kills in all but one match. She dropped a season-high 33 kills and hit .500 in a sweep over Holton in late September. It was the second time she surpassed the 30-kill mark. Those are among the 13 times she has eclipsed 20 kills or more. Lily Dee Davis OH Westlake TX: A 4-star Texas beach commit, Davis has appeared in all but four sets to date. She’s leading the charge with 498 kills, averaging 4.9 per set. She’s also second in digs with 403 and leads in aces. She hammered down a season-best 35 kills in a five-set defeat to Dripping Springs in mid-September. Madison Quest OH Divine Savior Holy Angels: It’s been a tremendous year so far for nationally-ranked DSHA, which is 34-1. The only loss came to Mother McAuley in the semifinals of the Asics Challenge this past weekend. Quest – a 5-star Wisconsin commit – has put up 384 kills and is averaging 4.7 per set. She’s also second in both digs and blocks and third in aces. She recorded a season-high 20 kills in a four-set victory over Brookfield East earlier this week. She also had a match in which she had 15 kills and hit .882 last month. Asia Harvey OH Sandy Creek GA: Harvey – a 5-star recruit – is having a strong year for the Patriots. To date she leads the way with 360 kills and is hitting .348. She’s had her share of impressive performances. Among them is a season-high 19 kills and hitting .571 in a victory over Morgan County in mid-September. She also registered 17 kills and hit .800 in beating Westlake. Another included 9 kills and hitting 1.000 in sweeping Wesleyan. Kassidy O’Brien S Cinco Ranch TX: A 5-star Kentucky commit, O’Brien has starred as expected. She started the week with 919 assists, averaging 10.7 per set. She’s had a handful of monster performances. Among them are a pair of matches when she posted a season-high 51 assists. She’s also had contests of 49 and 41 assists. All four efforts led to victories. She’s also third in digs, averaging 3.1 per set. Abigail Li S Alpharetta GA: With Li guiding the attack, the Raiders are having a great year so far with a 32-2 mark. The 4-star SMU commit has dished out 843 assists, averaging 10.2 per set. She’s reached double-digit assists in every match so. Twice she’s put up a season-high 51 assists and another time 42. All were victories. Isabela Haggard S Dunbar KY: A 3-star Indiana commit, Haggard has been a vital part of Dunbar’s success. She’s totaled 745 assists and is averaging 8.8 per set so far. She’s also second in kills with 192, averaging 2.3 per set. She’s surpassed 30 or more assists 11 times, including twice reaching 40 or more. She had a season-high 43 assists in a four-set victory over Oldham in August. Maya Baker S Archbishop Mitty CA: Baker – a 4-star Notre Dame commit – has helped the nationally-ranked Monarchs to an 18-4 record at week’s start. She’s recorded 645 assists, averaging 10.8 per set. She’s reached double-digit assists in all but one contest, when she appeared in just one set that outing. She’s had at least 20 or more assists in all but for matches. She registered a season-high 54 assists in a five-set victory over St. Ignatius in August. Reese Messer S St. James Academy KS: Messer and the nationally-ranked Thunder are 29-3. The 5-star USC commit Is having a stellar season. She’s delivered 616 assists, averaging 9.9 per set, and has played in every set to date. She’s reached double-digit assists in every match. It included a season-best 40 assists in a three-set victory over Washburn Rural last week. Jordan Taylor MB Langham Creek TX: A

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vballrecruiter.com’s Player of the Week: Vivian Hickman (FREE)

October 3, 2023

We’re proud to be a part of an ongoing partnership with Dick’s Sporting Goods, which is sponsoring our Player of the Week award. We’ll be releasing a featured vballrecruiter.com Player of the Week, sponsored by Dick’s Sporting Goods, on Tuesdays. Below is this week’s Player of the Week: Vivian Hickman. *** Having played volleyball since she started in second grade and club since she was 10, our latest Player of the Week not only has her share of experience but she’s developed into a versatile player who excels both indoor and on the sand. Vivian Hickman – a 5-10, 3-star recruit from the Class of 2026 – is currently in her sophomore season at Xavier College Prep in Arizona. What she brings to a roster has been on full display these past two weekends as the Gators have competed in two prestigious national tournaments in the Durango Fall Classic and Nike TOC Southwest. She’s spent most of the season setting and hitting like she did in Las Vegas, where Xavier Prep finished in 11th place overall out of 64 teams. However, with a short-handed roster in Phoenix, Hickman was asked to perform as a six-rotation outside and helped her team take fifth place out of 32 teams. “We faced a lot of challenges and we got better,” Hickman said after Durango. “That tournament really continued preparing us for what’s ahead.” This past summer, Hickman was part of an AZ Sky 15G group which finished tied for 13th in 15 Open at the USAV Girls Junior National Championships in Chicago. There, she split time between running a 5-1 and setting and hitting as part of a 6-2. Hickman originally started volleyball as an outside before being moved to middle blocker. Then during her 12s season she was moved to setter and that led her to eventually setting and swinging. “I really do like setting,” she said. “That’s probably my favorite. But hitting does give me the chance to swing.” Hitting was her full-time responsibility last year as a freshman on varsity. She led Xavier Prep in kills 246, averaging 2.6 per set. She played in all but four sets in her rookie campaign. As a sophomore she’s taken on a dual role. Playing in all but one set so far this season, Hickman leads the Gators in assists 193. She’s also second in both kills (151) and digs (194). “It’s really fun,” she said of the season so far. “Everyone is so close on the team. We have such great chemistry and trust on the court. We all hang out all the time.” Beyond indoor, Hickman has enjoyed success in beach as well. She’s been playing that side of the sport for about four years. She said she really got into it when everything was shut down because of Covid. She played last season as part of Xavier’s beach team and was named Section Offensive Player of the Year by AZPreps365. She’s still not sure whether she’ll play both at the next level or not. “I’m definitely deciding on that,” she said. “They go hand-and-hand. Beach does compliment playing indoor. I’m liking both. I really do like indoor. It has to be the right opportunity to do both.” Outside of volleyball, Hickman enjoys baking and reading, as well as spending time with her family and friends. She’s in her first year of being part of the AIA Student Leadership Advisory Committee (SLAC). “I really like to be involved in a good way,” Hickman said. She also added that “when I get older I want to go into medicine or be a psychologist. I like to see how people’s brains work and the decisions they make. I would like to help people or even potentially go pro.” As our featured Player of the Week sponsored by Dick’s Sporting Goods, we recently spoke with Hickman about volleyball and more. Who is a role model or someone you look up to? Hickman: I think it’s Serena Williams. I love her passion and grit on the court and how she is so involved in her sport. I just recently started looking into her. She’s really cool and I really like what she’s about. I saw the movie about the sisters and I thought it was really interesting. What is your favorite food? Hickman: I really like enchiladas. Chipotle is my favorite restaurant. My go-to order is a burrito with white rice, pinto beans, chicken and queso. Other than volleyball, what skill would you most like to learn and why? Hickman: I would really like to learn photography and how to take high-quality photos. Taking pictures like that would be really fun to learn. If you could choose to do anything for a day, what would it be and why? Hickman: I would choose to skydive because that seems like it would be so much fun. I would be so scared but I would love the thrill of it. Aside from necessities, what is one thing you could not go a day without? Hickman: It would probably be Capri Sun. I drink so many of those. I love them. I put them in the freezer and drink them like slushies. I like Pacific Cooler. It’s really good. What is one thing that instantly makes your day better or makes you smile? Hickman: My family and friends. When I see them we start cracking jokes and they make me laugh. If you could have any superpower what would it be and why? Hickman: I would want to have the ability to teleport. I get anxious about time. I don’t like to be late to anything. That would be such a helper and it would save me so much stress. Outside of volleyball what are you most passionate about and why? Hickman: I’m really passionate about my school and grades. I’m also passionate about my family and friend bonds because those are really important too. What is one thing that may surprise people about you? Hickman: Something

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vballrecruiter.com’s Top 50 National HS Rankings (Oct. 2)

October 2, 2023

We are entering the last month of the season for some states. Meanwhile, others are barely past their halfway points. As states conclude their seasons, that will start to finalize certain school’s spots in the national rankings. However, nothing is solidified yet. As for this week’s updated rankings, there was very little movement at the top a week after we saw Mater Dei CA take over the top spot in the country. While the Monarchs retained their place atop the Top 50, we did see a few of last week’s undefeated teams fall. We entered last week with 11 teams in the Top 50 still unbeaten, but Divine Savior Holy Angels WI, Blue Valley North KS, Seton OH and Angola IN all suffered their first loss of the year. That leaves the undefeated list at seven in Papillion-La Vista South NE, Hamilton Southeastern IN, Wayzata MN, Skyridge UT, Lake Catholic OH, Valor Christian CO and Lewis-Palmer CO. You can view the full rankings below. vballrecruiter.com’S TOP 50 NATIONAL HS RANKINGS 1. Mater Dei CA (1 – previous ranking) 2. Mira Costa CA (2) 3. Papillion-La Vista South NE (3) 4. Cathedral Catholic CA (4) 5. Prestonwood Christian TX (5) 6. Grand Oaks TX (7) 7. Hamilton Southeastern IN (10) 8. Wayzata MN (14) 9. Boyd TX (17) 10. Benet Academy IL (18) *** 11. Skyridge UT (23) 12. Mother McAuley IL (26) 13. Divine Savior Holy Angels WI (11) 14. Assumption KY (8) 15. St. Francis/Mountain View CA (21) 16. Marist IL (22) 17. Notre Dame Academy KY (12) 18. Cornerstone Christian TX (6) 19. Dripping Springs TX (24) 20. Sierra Canyon CA (9) *** 21. Carrollwood Day FL (25) 22. O’Connor AZ (36) 23. Blue Valley North KS (12) 24. Archbishop Mitty CA (20) 25. Branson CA (27) 26. Oconomowoc WI (29) 27. Calvary Christian FL (33) 28. Lake Catholic OH (34) 29. Kings OH (n/r) 30. Valor Christian CO (43) *** 31. Xavier Prep AZ (19) 32. St. James Academy KS (45) 33. St. Thomas Aquinas KS (46) 34. Lafayette MO (47) 35. Viera FL (30) 36. Punahou HI (32) 37. Winter Park FL (35) 38. Lone Peak UT (38) 39. Seton OH (15) 40. North Branch MI (n/r) *** 41. Huntington Beach CA (37) 42. Bishop Alemany CA (40) 43. Lewis-Palmer CO (50) 44. Los Alamitos CA (48) 45. Angola IN (16) 46. Maize South KS (28) 47. Torrey Pines CA (42) 48. Berkeley Prep FL (39) 49. Northville MI (49) 50. Mercy McAuley OH (41) *** ON THE CUSPBellmont INSacred Heart Academy KYBingham UTRedondo Union CACorona del Sol AZMillennium AZPace Academy GA (50)Marymount CABishop Gorman NVKamehameha HINotre Dame Prep AZDorman SCNorth Myrtle Beach SCNixa MOPope GAAlpharetta GABob Jones ALHudsonville MIByron Nelson TXSt. Ursula Academy OHMount Notre Dame OHLiberty North MOCorner Canyon UTPleasant Grove UTFlint Hill VAPlant FLHagerty FLVenice FLWestminster Christian FLColleyville Heritage TXCypress Ranch TXHarlan TXRoncalli INYorktown INWashburn Rural KSProsper TXGlenbard West ILBrighton ILQueen Creek AZJenks OKMount St. Mary OKMiddle Creek NCLake Highland Prep FL

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Nike TOC Southwest: The All Red Hat Team

October 2, 2023

The Nike TOC Southwest tournament over the weekend in the greater Phoenix area produced a wild ride throughout the two days of competition. It all ended with St. Francis/Mountain View CA topping Cornerstone Christian TX in the final. You can read more about the championship here. We also released our Day 2 Show Stoppers. We wrap up our coverage with our All Red Hat Team. It’s different from the All-Tournament announced by the tournament directors and features our favorite players from two days of play in the National division. ALL RED HAT TEAM OUTSIDESVictoria Marthaler SR La Cueva NMMegan Fitch JR Cornerstone Christian TXAniya Hall JR Cornerstone Christian TXEmily Pruitt SR Sunrise Mountain AZAddison Wiemann SO Sunrise Mountain AZJulie Beckham SO Coronado NVGentry Oblad SO Coronado NVVivian Hickman SO Xavier Prep AZMadisyn Crnjac SO Queen Creek AZTaylor Williams OH St. Francis/Mountain View CAErin Curtis OH St. Francis/Mountain View CALauren Forelli FR Liberty AZMia Radeff SR Sacred Heart Prep CAGeorgi Stein JR Sunnyslope AZZoe Haan JR Sunnyslope AZTeraya Sigler JR Horizon AZDionna Mitchell SR Timber Creek FLEvan Hendrix SR Notre Dame Prep AZReese Shugart SO Dorman SCKate Martin SR Marymount CA MIDDLESSophie Diouf JR La Cueva NMDyBorrah Johnson JR Casteel AZElla Fulton SO St. Francis/Mountain View CAKendall Omoruyi FR Sunnyslope AZJordyn Joppru SO Pinnacle AZElle Vandeweghe SO Marymount CAMadeline Way SR Sierra Canyon CA RIGHT SIDESTea Kalajdzic SR La Cueva NMGrace Carroll SR Cornerstone Christian TXBlaykli Bobik SR Queen Creek AZKamille Scott SO Casteel AZNatalie Harris JR Lake Highland Prep FL SETTERSHannah Maguire SR St. Francis/Mountain View CAIsabelle Marco SR Sacred Heart Prep CATristen Raymond JR Liberty AZKK Green JR Lake Highland Prep FLKaelyn Putz SR Xavier Prep AZKaeley Walz SR Sacred Heart Academy KYHailee Peters SR Liberty AZSade Illawole SR Sierra Canyon CA LIBEROSMarianne Garcia SO Millennium AZHannah Allman SR Sunrise Mountain AZIzzy Mahaffey JR Queen Creek AZWhitney Wallace SR St. Francis/Mountain View CANola Smith JR Hamilton AZErin Clark SO Corona del Sol AZAva Lambert JR Horizon AZ

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Nike TOC Southwest: Day 2 Show Stoppers

October 1, 2023

With teams converging from all around the country, it was Nor Cal’s St. Francis/Mountain View topping them all after getting past Cornerstone Christian TX in the championship match of the Nike TOC Southwest tournament Saturday in the greater Phoenix area. It was a day filled with both tremendous team and individual efforts. We highlight those who stood out the most to us below with our Day 2 Show Stoppers. DAY 2 SHOW STOPPERS Elina Wheeler SR L Sacred Heart Prep CA: The Gators were among the surprise teams by reaching the quarterfinals after upsetting Sierra Canyon CA. Wheeler was part of the run, supplying support in the back row and helping set the defensive tone. Isabelle Marco SR S/RS Sacred Heart Prep CA: Marco – a 3-star Utah commit – is the glue piece and does a lot to contribute toward her team’s success. She’s a consistent setter who locates well. She’s also a smart hitter who can frustrate defenses with her various shots. Marianne Garcia SO L Millennium AZ: Garcia is a scrappy defender who moves and covers well. She doesn’t flinch against big hitters and does well extending rallies. Victoria Marthaler SR OH La Cueva NM: A 3-star recruit, Marthaler is the go-to on the left and provides lots of offense. She’s a heady attacker who can take big swings or let up and score with off speed shots. Sophie Diouf JR MB La Cueva NM: Diouf – another 3-star recruit – provides a boost offensively across the front row. She has a solid arm and does well making herself available. Tea Kalajdzic SR RS La Cueva NM: Kalajdzic helps open the attack with the scoring punch she provides on the right side. Megan Fitch JR OH Cornerstone Christian TX: Fitch – a 5-star Texas AM commit – keeps coming at defenses and never backs down. She’s an aggressive, physical attacker who can torch defenses whether she’s front or back row. Grace Carroll SR RS Cornerstone Christian TX: A 4-star Baylor commit, Carroll is an imposing presence on the right side with her ability to impact rallies with her blocking and scoring. She can stuff balls straight down and she’s also a terminal attacker with a booming arm. Aniya Hall JR OH Cornerstone Christian TX: Hall – a 3-star recruit – jumps well and is another player the Warriors rely on to provide offense. She takes big swings and can deliver highlight kills at times. Elly Stewart JR MB Cornerstone Christian TX: Stewart filled her role well. She was coming up with timely plays with both her blocking and hitting. *** DyBorrah Johnson JR MB Casteel AZ: Johnson is a high-flying middle who can deliver wow moments. She gets up quickly and can pound balls straight down in impressive fashion. Hannah Allman SR L Sunrise Mountain AZ: Sunrise had a great run to the semifinals, in part because of the defensive energy Allman brings to the lineup. She flies around the court and has a never-give-up attitude. Addison Wiemann SO OH Sunrise Mountain AZ: Wiemann is part of a solid 1-2 punch on the outside. She brings size to the front row and helping boost the attack. Emily Pruitt SR OH Sunrise Mountain AZ: Pruitt is a six-rotation mainstay who provides both plenty of offense and a steadying presence. She has a strong arm and can unload when the moment is right. Julie Beckham SO OH Coronado NV: Beckham is a fun outside to watch. She is fearless against bigger blocks and takes aggressive cuts. Gentry Oblad SO OH Coronado NV: Oblad is another outside who is tough to deal with. She jumps well, has a nice arm and hits with plenty of pace. Annemarie O’Gara JR RS Xavier Prep AZ: O’Gara showed a knack for making timely plays on the right side. She came up with key blocks and clutch kills to help the Gators to a fifth-place finish. Vivian Hickman SO OH Xavier Prep AZ: Hickman continued her role as six-rotation outside as Xavier was playing short-handed. She was leaned on to carry the offensive load. She’s a cagey attacker who showed her beach skills with a wide variety of shots. Chineze Gray JR MB Xavier Prep AZ: Gray is an undersized middle and brings a lot of pep to the front row. She’s quick and moves well and was also making plays at the right times. Izzy Mahaffey JR L Queen Creek AZ: Mahaffey – a 4-star Long Beach State commit – was holding it down in the back row. She was passing consistently out of serve receive and making hustle plays to keep rallies going. *** Madisyn Crnjac SO OH Queen Creek AZ: Crnjac – a 3-star recruit – doesn’t shy away from taking big swings. She keeps coming at defenses with her strong arm that can produce powerful kills. Blaykli Bobik SR RS Queen Creek AZ: A 4-star BYU commit, Bobik played on the outside last week at Durango but was on the right side on Day 2. She has a lively arm and when she gets up and connect, watch out because the ball is coming in hot. Taylor Williams SR OH St. Francis/Mountain View CA: Williams – a 4-star Duke commit – comes with it time and time again. She helped fueled the Lancers’ attack with ability to blast balls from the front and back row with ease. Whitney Wallace SR L St. Francis/Mountain View CA: A 3-star Oklahoma commit, was among the standout defenders. She’s calm and plays under control and doesn’t rattle in pressure situations. Erin Curtis SR OH St. Francis/Mountain View CA: Curtis is another mainstay in the lineup as a six-rotation outside. She’s a consistent passer out of serve receive and she too can score all the way around. Hannah Maguire SR S St. Francis/Mountain View CA: Maguire does a nice job running the offense and delivering to her various hitters. She also brings her share of energy to the court. Ella Fulton SO MB St.

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Nike TOC Southwest: Championship Rundown

October 1, 2023

With two of the top-four seeds lining up from each other in the championship match, much of the chaos that had ruled the Nike TOC Southwest tournament had settled. All that was left to determine was this year’s champion. Second-seeded Cornerstone Christian TX was looking to not only capture both Nike TOC events in 2023, but was also seeking to defend its tournament title here from a season ago. However, St. Francis/Mountain View CA wasn’t ready to play its part. Instead, the fourth-seeded Lancers were spoilers in defeating Cornerstone in three, 25-19, 22-25, 15-6, as they gear up for another state final run. After suffering its only loss last year to Cathedral Catholic CA in the CIF Open Division state final, St. Francis beefed up its schedule this fall by adding the Durango Fall Classic and Nike TOC Southwest tourneys to its slate. A week after finishing in 13th place in Las Vegas, the Lancers had to put in a lot of work Saturday to rise to the top of the 32-team National division field. All four outings went the distance, starting with its closest decision of the day in beating Beckman CA, 20-25, 25-18, 15-11, in qualifying pla. St. Francis was dominant in the decisive set the rest of the way. The Lancers beat Millennium AZ in the quarterfinals, 25-15, 24-26, 15-7, and then Liberty AZ in the semis, 11-25, 25-19, 15-4, before doing the same to Cornerstone – which took sixth at Durango last weekend – in the final there. An anticipated rubber match between Cornerstone and top-seeded Sierra Canyon CA didn’t materialize. Cornerstone beat Sierra Canyon back in August during pool play at the Ann Kang Invitational. The sides ran into each other last weekend in Vegas, with Sierra Canyon sweeping Cornerstone in the quarterfinals and spoiling any chance of a rematch between Mira Costa CA – which beat Cornerstone in the Ann Kang final – and Cornerstone in the final. There was no trilogy, however, as Sierra Canyon – playing without 4-star San Diego libero commit Lauren Lynch – was upset in the morning qualifying round by Sacred Heart Prep CA, 25-18, 25-20. It continued a trend of top seeds bowing out early, as No. 5 Sacred Heart Academy KY, No. 6 Corona del Sol and No. 7 Lake Highland Prep failed to advance on Day 1. It opened the door for others to make noise. One was Sunrise Mountain AZ. The Mustangs went 3-0 on Day 1 – including beating Corona del Sol – and then eliminated third-seeded Xavier Prep AZ in the quarterfinals. Xavier – a week after taking 11th at Durango – caught a tough break as freshman outside Tessa Larkin wasn’t available for this weekend’s tournament. As for Sunrise, the Mustangs’ hopes of a Cinderella run ended to Cornerstone in the semis, 25-14, 25-13. Joining Sunrise Mountain in making waves was Liberty AZ. The Lions lost their season-opener to Xavier Prep before going on a seven-match winning streak. But it was a tough week heading into the Nike TOC as Liberty dropped matches to Sunnyslope, Corona del Sol and O’Connor before coming alive over the weekend. It started with Liberty – which opened as the No. 9 seed – taking down No. 8 Marymount CA in three sets to win its pool Friday. Liberty then kept it going by beating Notre Dame Prep AZ in qualifying play Saturday morning before beating Sacred Heart Prep in the quarterfinals. St. Francis proved too much in the semifinals. Sunrise Mountain beat Liberty in one game to 25 for third place. Xavier Prep swept Millennium to end up in fifth. Sacred Heart Prep downed Queen Creek AZ to wind up in seventh place. Meanwhile, Marymount finished up in ninth place after Sierra Canyon forfeited that match. The two schools are in the same league and play each other this coming week, so it’s not surprising they wouldn’t play to close Saturday’s action. Marymount had a shot at the platinum bracket but was stunned when Queen Creek AZ produced a giant rally in qualifying play. Marymount took the opening set and was leading 20-13 in Game 2 before the Bulldogs turned it around and prevailed in three, 24-26, 25-23, 15-13. In the Premier division, it was Canyon View AZ beating Verrado AZ, 14-25, 25-19, 15-10, for the title. In the Elite division, Christian CA swept Seton Catholic AZ, 25-19, 25-16, in the final.

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Nike TOC Southwest: Day 1 Show Stoppers And More

September 29, 2023

Any tournament is unpredictable, but the opening day of the Nike TOC Southwest in Phoenix featured more than the average twists and turns as the unexpected ruled. Being the No. 1 team in a pool came with little safety, as top-seeded teams struggled. While a team like Cornerstone Christian TX – seeded No. 2 overall – managed to still hold seed despite losing, others were not so fortunate. Top-seeded Sierra Canyon CA, No. 3 Xavier Prep AZ and No. 4 St. Francis/Mountain View CA were the only No. 1 teams in their respective pools to go 3-0. It was chaos elsewhere. Fifth-seeded Sacred Heart Academy KY finished 1-2 and wound up in fourth place. It was among the most surprising results given the Valkyries own victories over both Assumption KY and Mother McAuley IL this season. However, those results meant nothing to Friday’s opponents, starting with Pinnacle AZ. Sacred Heart held a 22-20 advantage in the opening set but the Pioneers held firm and ended up sweeping, 25-23, 25-9. Sacred Heart’s chances of making the top two and advancing were spoiled by another upset loss. This time it was at the hands of Coronado NV. The Cougars have had a wild nine days. Last Thursday, Coronado upset nationally-ranked Lone Peak UT ahead of the Durango Fall Classic. Lone Peak went onto to finish in 10th place while Coronado came in 50th out of 64 teams. But the Cougars produced another big upset by beating Sacred Heart and then advanced to the top 16 after knocking off Pinnacle. Millennium AZ won the pool at 2-1, falling to Sacred Heart but already had first place clinched prior to the contest. Two more top seeds joined Sacred Heart in not advancing in No. 6 Corona del Sol AZ and No. 7 Lake Highland Prep FL. CdS was surprised in its opener by Sunrise Mountain AZ, which prevailed in three, 25-16, 19-25, 15-10. The Mustangs kept it up and finished 3-0 as the No. 3 team in the pool. CdS still had a shot at advancing but needed to win the 1 v 2 showdown against La Cueva NM. But it was La Cueva which had the upperhand, also winning in three, 20-25, 21-25, 15-9. Meanwhile, Lake Highland Prep was in a similar position after being upset in its first match of the day by Notre Dame Prep AZ. After taking the first set, Lake Highland was up 19-14 in the second set before the Saints rallied for the three-set victory, 22-25, 25-22, 15-10. After that one, it was Oak Ridge CA upsetting Queen Creek AZ in straight sets to create plenty of havoc in the pool. It eventually led to Lake Highland and Queen Creek squaring off to join Notre Dame Prep in advancing. Queen Creek swept, 25-21, 27-25, and wound up winning the pool based on its head-to-head victory over Notre Dame Prep, 25-17, 23-25, 15-12. Cornerstone Christian – which finished first at the Nike TOC Southeast tournament and is the defending champion here – overcame a close call after being upset by the No. 4 team in the pool in Horizon AZ, 29-27, 25-20. However, the Warriors were still able to hang onto first place after sweeping Sunnyslope AZ, 25-23, 25-20, to close out the pool. That’s because the Warriors finished in a two-way tie with Sacred Heart Prep CA at 2-1 but swept their meeting, 25-18, 25-12. As far as Pool 8 went, it came down to a clash between eighth-seeded Marymount CA and No. 9 Liberty AZ. Liberty finished first in the pool after a nail-biting victory, 25-20, 18-25, 15-13, but both teams advanced to the top 16. Here’s how the top 16 stacks up Saturday:   DAY 1 SHOW STOPPERS Kamille Scott SO RS Casteel AZ: Scott is a bit undersized but the lefty can get up. She also has a quick arm those two things combined made her a big part of the attack as the Colts went 2-1 and moved on. DyBorrah Johnson JR MB Casteel AZ: Johnson is another high-flyer the Colts lean on to produce. She gets off the ground in a hurry and the way she elevates is a problem for opponents as she can swing straight down. Mia Radeff SR OH Sacred Heart Prep CA: Radeff is part of the reason the Gators went 2-1 as the No. 3 team. She’s an aggressive attacker who can really bring it at times. Isabelle Marco SR S/OH Sacred Heart Prep CA: Marco – a 3-star Utah commit – is a gamer. She both sets and hits for the Gators. She’s a smooth disher who locates well. She’s also a heady attacker who provides her share of offense. Kendall Omoruyi FR MB Sunnyslope AZ: Omoruyi – a 5-star recruit – is a presence in the middle, even as a freshman. Her length and size are problematic on both sides of the ball and she can disrupt attackers with her blocking and in return send balls down over the block. Georgi Stein JR OH Sunnyslope AZ: Stein is a pivotal part of the attack. The 3-star Northern Arizona commit shoulders a load on offense. She’s a reliable scorer who can move the ball from sideline to sideline. Megan Fitch JR OH Cornerstone Christian TX: Fitch – a 5-star Texas AM commit – is among the top outsides in the field. She’s physical and the go-to on the left. Teraya Sigler JR OH Horizon AZ: Sigler – a 5-star Nebraska commit – was sensational in Horizon’s upset over Cornerstone Christian. She’s a big swinging, hard-hitting outside who can power balls past, through or off the block whether front or back row. Vivian Hickman SO OH Xavier Prep AZ: A 3-star recruit, Hickman was adjusting to a different role because Xavier was playing short-handed due to an injury. She normally sets and hits but was just doing the latter on Day 1. She keyed the offense as a six-rotation outside and helped the Gators go 3-0. Kaelyn

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