Chris Tobolski

The 16 and 18s age groups began regional play as the SCVA kicked off its schedule this past weekend at Momentous in Irvine. There was a lot of what one would expect from the first outing of a long season. While it was clear the players were excited to be starting up their club season and there was lots of energy in the gym, the volleyball was a bit hit and miss as teams looked to get their footing. We’ll check in on the teams we saw in action from both age groups as well as spotlight the teams which have the best chance at qualifying from the region for Open. 18s COAST 18-Ozhan: This group features 11 returning players who captured the 17 Open bronze medal this past summer. Coast opened in fine form, going 7-0. It included downing Sunshine 18 LA in the final, as well as picking up a pair of victories over Mizuno Long Beach 18 Rockstar and one against rival Wave 18 Juliana. Among those back is 4-star BYU recruit and outside Claire Little and 4-star UCLA recruit and middle Brooklyn Briscoe, as well as 4-star Oregon recruit and right side Noemie Glover. One of the strengths of Coast is its depth. Coast added setter Nikki Quinn and middle/right side Ryleigh Patterson. Coast has the options of running a 5-1 with either Quinn or returner Zoe Rachow or letting them run a 6-2. Patterson adds to the mix as a fourth middle or a third right side, or even someone who can fill in at outside. Catherine Schnell and Milan Bayless are also options on the left, while Bianka Lulic and Irleynd Lorenzen are the other middles. Back defensively is the strong duo of Sydney Bold and Brooklyn Yelland. This is certainly a top team in the 18s and one capable of contending for the top prize. SUNSHINE 18 LA: As a 17s team, Sunshine took 21st in 17 Open at Junior Nationals. Sunshine opened this year going 5-2, with setbacks against Long Beach and Coast and a victory over Wave. There are a lot of familiar faces with one key addition in setter Lauren Brooker. She mostly ran a 5-1 for nationally-ranked Marymount this high school season and at 6-1 gives Sunshine options it didn’t have last season. The big arms are back in 5-star Pitt recruits in Olivia Babcock and Torrey Stafford. Sunshine will look for middle Dior Charles and pins Avery Jones, Grace Thrower and Ava-Marie Lange to fill in around them. Drew Wright is also back. She moved to libero late last season and excelled. She played outside for nationally-ranked Mira Costa this fall but was back in the libero jersey this weekend anchoring the defense. WAVE 18 JULIANA: Wave was a victory away from reaching the top eight in 17 Open this past summer. It’s mostly the same group, one that went 4-2 over the weekend. Wave won its first four matches but fell to Coast and Sunshine to end the weekend. The core is back and includes 5-star Stanford recruit and outside Julia Blyashov. She’s one of three players on the roster that was part of Cathedral Catholic’s national championship run during the high school season. Coach Juliana Conn also coached Cathedral while middle Mia Compass and L/DS Katerina Lutz were also on the Dons’ roster. Back along with Blyashov are middles Eva Rohrbach and Cayla Payne, outside Lily Dwinell, right side Auburn Tomkinson, L/DS Koko Kirsch and setter Shanelle Puetz. All played key roles last spring. Blyashov missed the final four matches of the high school season with a sprained ankle but was suited up and playing. MIZUNO LONG BEACH 18 ROCKSTAR: Long Beach didn’t qualify Open as a 17s group last season. There’s optimism that’ll change this coming spring as it’s a different roster overall than a season ago. One example is outside and 4-star Oklahoma recruit Mele Corral Blagojevich. She was part of the 18s last year and was not part of the 17s until AAUs. Another key addition is outside Eva Travis. The high-flying UCSB recruit adds much-needed offense. Also new this season is setter/right side Tanon Rosenthal. She moved from Texas and was part of Mira Costa’s high school team. With returning setter Fatimah Hall part of the roster, Beach can run a 5-1 or 6-2, as both Rosenthal and Hall can hit too. The Rest: Those are the four teams with the best shot of qualifying for 18 Open. Legacy 18 Elite technically qualified for 17 Open last summer but turned down the bid and instead attended AAUs, where it won 17 Premier. However, the roster lost two key contributors in outsides Addison Benson and Kylie Tengberg. Back is S/RS Madison Maxwell and 4-star Baylor recruit and middle Victoria Davis, as well as S/RS Milani Lee. A4 Volley 18 Joaco joined Legacy and the four other clubs we mentioned – Coast, Sunshine, Long Beach and Wave – in the power division’s top six. A4 looked to qualify open last season and attended AAUs – where it finished 21st in 17 Open – after missing out. A4 went 3-3 this weekend, beating Balboa Bay 18 Blue, Seal Beach 18 Black and Legacy while falling to Coast, Wave and Sunshine. A few of the returning players include outsides Ashlyn Beebe and Paige Buzzerio, libero Makena Lim, and setter Reese Torticill. *** 16s COAST 16-LUIS: Coast turned it on at Junior Nationals last season, making the top eight in 15 Open after struggling some during the season. It’s changed the perspective on this season as Coast has gone to a bubble Open team to one expected to qualify. The group went 5-1 over the weekend. Coast beat Wave 16 Kevin but fell to Surfside 16 PV Legends on Day 2. There are lots of returning players, including outside Ava Poinsett, setter Jolyna Salas and middles Jenny Li and Savannah Simpson. Also part of the group is Stella Dillon, who joined Coast late last season after

Last week we presented our Freshman Player of the Candidates. This week, we give you our Freshman Player of the Year Finalists. The award winner is set to be announced the following week. We began with roughly 70 candidates and it should make sense that field gets much more defined as we narrowed it down to roughly about 15 finalists. Here’s what we are looking for in selecting our finalists and ultimately Player of the Year award. It contains three parts that are subjective by nature. One part measures the overall talent of a player. The next part takes into consideration the player’s overall impact on their team. The third part centers around the team’s overall success. In terms of Player of the Year finalists, it’s not impossible to make the list unless the player’s team won a state championship but it certainly helps. It’s a big country with lots of talented players and at the same time we wanted to introduce a factor that includes the team element. Winning a state title is prestigious accomplishment that is the pinnacle of every program around the country. A player’s impact on their team can be subjective but it’s a big bonus if a player led their team in their respective category – i.e. assists for setters, kills for setters or blocks for middles. It’s difficult to do as a freshman. Lastly, when it comes to a player’s overall talent, while it’s subjective as well, most can agree on who the top players are. Add all three together and these are what we are looking for in our Player of the Year winner. At last, we present our Freshman Player of the Year Finalists. Anna Flores FR MB Keller TX: Flores is a great story, as she wasn’t even on any radar when the season started. That’s because Flores’ main position is setting and with senior Taylor Polivka on the roster there didn’t seem to be much of a role for Flores. However, that changed when she was asked to fill in at middle blocker. All she did was finish second in kills with 298, averaging 2.3 per set. On top of that, she led the team in blocks! She posted a team-high 77. Now consider Keller made the 6A state semifinals and while she might not be a leading finalist she’s certainly worthy of making the cut. Aubree Deshetsky FR OH North Branch MI: The Broncos (53-7) captured Michigan’s Division 2 state championship. There’s no doubt Deshetsky played a vital role in that, as she chipped in across the board. She had 281 kills, averaging 1.8 per set. She was third in digs with 352, averaging 2.3 per set. She finished second in assists with 71; fourth in blocks with 52; and second in aces with 69. Ayanna Watson FR OH Bishop Gorman NV: Watson missed a bit of time – she played in 93 of the team’s 113 sets – but not enough to keep her from making the final cut. The 6-2 outside was a big-time factor in the Gaels reaching the 5A state semifinals. She had a big year, delivering 317 kills and averaging 3.4 per set. She also hit .387 and was third in digs with 324, averaging 3.5 per set. She was also third in blocks (64) and aces (48). Catherine Palmi FR OH Osceola FL: Palmi put together an incredible year and has to be considered among the top finalists. Her case is that strong. Osceola (26-5) reached Florida’s 7A state semifinals riding the arm of their freshman talent. Palmi was instrumental, carrying the offense with a team-high 591 kills. She averaged 5.6 per set and she hit .340. She was also second in digs with 302 and led the team in aces with 58. D’aira Whitner FR MB Gilmour Academy OH: Gilmour Academy (21-9) was the Ohio Division 2 state runner up and what a year Whitner put together for the Lancers. The freshman middle finished third in kills with 247, but was only less than 40 kills from being the leader. She averaged 2.6 per set. She made an even bigger impact on the other side of the ball. She posted a team-leading 79 blocks, averaging 0.8 per set. She was also fourth in aces with 37. Elena Hoecke FR MB Centennial MN: Hoecke – a 6-2, 3-star recruit – definitely left her mark on the season as Centennial reached Minnesota’s Class 4A state quarterfinals. She was close to be the kill leader, finishing second with 283. She averaged 3.0 kills per set and was second in hitting percentage at .296. She was even better defensively, racking up a team-high 79 blocks. If that wasn’t enough, she was also the ace leader with 62. Elena Ruble FR S St. Pius MO: The Lancers (23-5) made a run to the Missouri Class 4 state quarterfinals with a young roster that included Ruble – a 3-star recruit who moves and dishes well – running the offense. She piled up 839 assists and averaged 9.5 per set. Ella Florez FR S/RS Mill Valley KS: Florez deserves to be in the finalist conversation with the season she turned in for Mill Valley, which made the Kansas 6A state semifinals. She played a dual role for the Jaguars. She led the team in assists with 450, averaging 4.8 per set. She also carried a load on offense, chipping in with 210 kills and averaging 2.3 per set. Both were second on the team. She was also second in digs with 236 and third in blocks with 72. Her 34 aces were second on the roster, showing her contributions came in every facet. Erin Clark FR L Corona del Sol AZ: It’s rare for a freshman to play such a key role on such a successful team as Clark did for the Aztecs this fall. Corona del Sol captured Arizona’s 6A state championship. It was Clark taking a leadership role on the defensive side, as she earned the

Last week we released our Sophomore Player of the Candidates. This week, we present our Sophomore Player of the Year Finalists. The award winner is set to be announced the following week. We began with roughly 70 candidates and it should make sense that field gets much more defined as we narrowed it down to roughly about 15 finalists. Here’s what we are looking for in selecting our finalists and ultimately Player of the Year award. It contains three parts that are subjective by nature. One part measures the overall talent of a player. The next part takes into consideration the player’s overall impact on their team. The third part centers around the team’s overall success. In terms of Player of the Year finalists, it’s not impossible to make the list unless the player’s team won a state championship but it certainly helps. It’s a big country with lots of talented players and at the same time we wanted to introduce a factor that includes the team element. Winning a state title is prestigious accomplishment that is the pinnacle of every program around the country. A player’s impact on their team can be subjective. A player leading their team in their respective category – i.e. assists for setters, kills for setters or blocks for middles – is one type of impact and/or a key role they filled is another. Lastly, when it comes to a player’s overall talent, while it’s subjective as well, most can agree on who the top players are. Add all three together and these are what we are looking for. For example, Campbell Flynn of Mercy is an incredible 5-star recruit who had a tremendous impact on her team but Mercy didn’t advance far enough in our estimation for her to make the cut as a finalist. At last, we present our Sophomore Player of the Year Finalists. Cari Spears SO OH Prestonwood Christian TX: The Lions (40-1) – who only lost to Cornerstone Christian in the final of Volleypalooza and captured the TAPPS 5A state championship – without doubt proved they were one of the top teams in the country this fall. The addition of Spears – who moved back to Texas from Virginia – helped elevate Prestonwood to an elite level. The 6-3, 5-star recruit is a dynamic attacker, an instant game-changing pin with scary next-level potential and ability. On a team not lacking offense, she was the bonafide go-to hitter. She racked up a team-high 544 kills, averaging 4.9 per set while hitting a mind-blowing .477. On top of that, she was second in both blocks and aces and fourth in digs. Put it all together and Spears is among the leading finalists for POY. Charlotte Vinson SO OH Yorktown IN: What a season it was for Yorktown (34-3) and Vinson. The Tigers finished runner up in Indiana’s Class 4A state final, falling to Hamilton Southeastern in the championship. Vinson was a key piece this fall. The 6-1, 4-star recruit totaled a team-leading 466 kills. She averaged 4.3 per set, also tops on the team. She also made an impact from the service line, leading the roster with 64 aces. Given Vinson’s contributions and Yorktown’s overall season, Vinson is certainly a well-deserved finalist. Chloe Elarton SO S Valor Christian CO: The Eagles (29-0) went undefeated this fall and claimed Colorado’s 5A state championship. Elarton ran a well-balanced offense as four players finished between 253 and 165 kills. Elarton averaged 9.3 assists per set and finished the year with 784. She also chipped in with 59 aces – second on the team – and 205 digs, which was third. Ella Craggs SO S Northville MI: Though the Mustangs (47-4) finished runner up to Marian in Michigan’s Division 1 state final it was still an impressive fall. Northville was the only team to defeat Marian during the year and showed they were one of the top two teams in the state. Guiding the attack was Craggs, who tallied 1,180 assists and averaged 8.9 per set. She also averaged 2.2 digs. Though it would be somewhat of an upset for Craggs to win our POY award, she’s certainly deserving of being among the finalists and in the conversation as she had an amazing year. Izzy Busignani SO OH Marian MI: Busignani is another sophomore from Michigan in the mix for POY. She put together a great case for winning the award with a tremendous season. Marian (49-1) captured the Division 1 state title and Busignani played a key role in it. She led the team with 531 kills, averaging 4.4 per set and hitting .303. She also had 331 digs, averaging 2.7 per set. Lauren Hurst SO OH Cleveland TN: Given the year produced by Hurst, she has to be considered among the leading finalists for the award. The Blue Raiders (49-5) were the best in the state this fall, capturing Tennessee’s Division 1 3A state championship. Hurst had as big an impact as anyone. The 6-1, 4-star outside finished with a team-leading 649 kills. She averaged 4.4 per set. She was also second in digs with 354, averaging 2.4 per set. Moreover, she led the team in blocks with 61 and was second in both aces (94) and assists (73). Logan Parks SO S/RS Blue Valley North KS: Parks faces an uphill climb in the race as a finalist. She’s a rare finalist whose team didn’t make the state final. Blue Valley North finished third in the Kansas 6A state playoffs. Still, the 5-star recruit’s contributions couldn’t be overlooked as she contributed in a variety of ways. She was the go-to attacker, leading the way with 409 kills and averaging 4.8 per set. She also had 274 assists, averaging 3.2 per set. She also tied for the team lead in aces with 37 and was fourth in both digs (184) and blocks (47). Madison Quest SO OH DSHA WI: Quest – a 6-3, 4-star recruit – absolutely played her way into being a leading

Last week we released our Junior Player of the Candidates. This week, we present our Junior Player of the Year Finalists. The award winner is set to be announced the following week. We began with roughly 70 candidates and it should make sense that field gets much more defined as we narrowed it down to roughly about 15 finalists. Here’s what we are looking for in selecting our finalists and ultimately Player of the Year award. It contains three parts that are subjective by nature. One part measures the overall talent of a player. The next part takes into consideration the player’s overall impact on their team. The third part centers around the team’s overall success. In terms of Player of the Year finalists, it’s not impossible to make the list unless the player’s team won a state championship but it certainly helps. It’s a big country with lots of talented players and at the same time we wanted to introduce a factor that includes the team element. Winning a state title is prestigious accomplishment that is the pinnacle of every program around the country. A player’s impact on their team can be subjective but if a player didn’t lead their team in their respective category – i.e. assists for setters, kills for setters or blocks for middles – then it’s reasonable to suggest their contributions weren’t as impactful as someone else’s on the team. Though it’s not absolute, it certainly helps in this regard. Lastly, when it comes to a player’s overall talent, while it’s subjective as well, most can agree on who the top players are. Add all three together and these are what we are looking for. For example, despite being one of the best junior setters in the country, you won’t find Mira Costa’s Charlie Fuerbringer as a finalist. Likewise, Carlie Cisneros of Liberty North. Both are amazing players and their teams had strong seasons but they would not have won the Player of the Year award and thus didn’t make the cut as finalists. Some might view that as unfair but it’s the standard we’ve devised and we look to celebrate and highlight our junior players who did make it as a finalist. Alex Acevedo JR OH Skyview ID: The Hawks (22-5) captured Idaho’s 4A state championship that was part of challenging schedule. Included in the adventures this fall were matches against Utah’s eventual 5A runner-up Mountain View and eventual 6A state champ Lone Peak, as well as participating in the Durango Fall Classic and the Geico Invitational, where Skyview played eventual Nebraska Class A state champ Papillion-LaVista South. The Oregon commit Acevedo brought a terminal hitter to the lineup as she powered the offense by averaging 4.7 kills per set and hitting .421. Alex Bower JR S Skyview ID: Bower – a BYU commit – turned in an impressive season as well in helping Skyview achieve the success it did. Bower is a high-IQ setter with the ability to make tough sets out of position and it’s difficult envisioning the Hawks having the year they did without her. She averaged 9.3 assists per set. Amanda Saeger JR S Cathedral Catholic CA: By now everyone probably knows about the dominant season the Dons had, finishing undefeated and only losing one set all season as they finished on top of our national rankings. Saeger – a DePaul commit – was a key figure, connecting well with a variety of hitters as the Dons utilized multiple lineups within matches. When senior outside Julia Blyashov missed the state playoffs with a sprained ankle, the Dons didn’t skip a beat in part due to the adjustments made by Saeger and running a different style offense more reliant on the right side attack with Noemie Glover. Ellie White JR OH Mother McAuley IL: White is committed to Michigan as a 4-star setter but she’s an outside in high school and helped carry the Mighty Macs to an amazing season. Mother McAuley (39-3) plays in the biggest division in state plus participates in two of the most challenging tournaments in the country in the Louisville Invitational Volleyball Tournament and Asics Challenge, which the Macs host. Mother McAuley captured both tournament titles in the same season for the first time in program history, as well as took home the 4A state championship. That White was so critical to the success and played at such a high level makes her one of the leading finalists. She finished with 542 kills, averaging 5.9 per set. She also averaged 3.1 digs and 1.1 blocks per set. Jadyn Livings JR OH Prestonwood Christian TX: The Lions went 40-1 this fall, with their only loss to Cornerstone Christian in the final of Volleypalooza. The successful year included the TAPPS 5A state championship. Livings – USC commit – left her imprint to the tune of averaging 3.5 kills per set and hitting .348. She was also second in digs with 324, averaging 2.9 per set, and third in blocks with 55. Kenslee McGowan JR S Cleveland TN: The season started off remarkably well for the Blue Raiders (43-5). Despite a couple bumps along the way they still fought their way to the Tennessee Division 1 3A state championship. McGowan was certainly a key ingredient in the season’s recipe. She directed an attack that hit .281 overall on the season as she totaled 1,256 assists, averaging 8.5 per set. She was also the team leader in aces with 131 and averaged 1.8 digs per set. Kiarrah Horne JR OH Millbrook NC: Millbrook lost a mid-September match to Middle Creek and that was it as the Wildcats went 29-1 in 2022. It was capped by winning the 4A state championship. To say Horne had an impact would be a tremendous understatement. She was unstoppable, putting up a team-leading 522 kills and averaging 5.7 per set. She also hit an unbelievable .455. The 4-star recruit was also second in aces with 44, second in digs with 220 and third in

Last week we released our Senior Player of the Candidates. This week, we present our Senior Player of the Year Finalists. The award winner is set to be announced the following week. We began with roughly 120 candidates and it should make sense the field gets much more defined as we narrowed it down to under 20 finalists. Here’s what we are looking for in selecting our finalists and ultimately Player of the Year award. It contains three parts that are subjective by nature. One part measures the overall talent of a player. The next part takes into consideration the player’s overall impact on their team. The third part centers around the team’s overall success. In terms of Player of the Year finalists, it’s virtually impossible to make the list unless the player’s team won a state championship. It’s a big country with lots of talented players and at the same time we wanted to introduce a factor that includes the team element. Winning a state title is prestigious accomplishment that is the pinnacle of every program around the country. A player’s impact on their team can be subjective but if a player didn’t lead their team in their respective category – i.e. assists for setters, kills for setters or blocks for middles – then it’s reasonable to suggest their contributions weren’t as impactful as someone else’s on the team. Lastly, when it comes to a player’s overall talent, while it’s subjective as well, most can agree on who the top players are. Add all three together and these are what we are looking for. For example, let’s look at Chloe Chicoine from McCutcheon. No one is questioning Chicoine as a player. She’s a clear-cut 5-star recruit heading to Purdue. Her talent and her impact on the team was enough to get her on our candidates list. However, that McCutcheon lost in the quarterfinals of the Indiana state playoffs is the reason she’s not listed as a finalist. Some might argue she should still be considered as a finalist because she’s that good. While that is understood, we know based on our metrics she would not win our Player of the Year award so we truly tried to limit our finalists to players who could actually win the award. It’s also the reason you won’t see a player like Harper Murray (Skyline MI) or Jordyn Harvey (Bountiful UT) on the list. They are two more top-tier, 5-star recruits who were candidates but not finalists. Finally, we introduce our 2022 High School Senior of the Year Finalists (in alphabetical order). Ava Sarafa SR S Marian MI: The 4-star Kentucky signee was a huge reason Marian was part of the national championship conversation when the season kicked off. The Mustangs certainly had the ingredients for a spectacular season, one in which Marian came up one victory shy of going undefeated as they finished 49-1 after capturing the Michigan Division 1 state championship. Sarafa is a deceptive setter with the ability to dish from pin-to-pin effortlessly and she racked up 1,359 assists on the year, averaging 11.0 per set. With Marian finishing No. 5 in our final Top 50 national rankings, Sarafa is a clear-cut finalist who has definite case for winning Player of the Year, as she’s a fantastic player who had a tremendous impact on a really successful team. Avery Hobson SR OH Hamilton Southeastern IN: Much like Marian, the Royals were among the early-season contenders for the national championship as they boasted a talented roster that included Hobson, a 3-star Duquesne recruit. HSE had a successful season, going 34-1 and claiming the Indiana Class 4A state championship. The Royals avenged their only loss of the year by beating McCutcheon in the quarterfinals. Hobson left her mark to the tune of a team-high 446 kills, averaging 4.1 per set. She was also second in hitting percentage at .349 and second in digs with 278. No question Hobson’s contributions combined with overall success has her in the running for Player of the Year. Betsy Goodenow SR RS Aquinas KS: The Kansas 5A state champs went 40-3 overall. The Saints lost twice to 6A champs Washburn Rural and once to Liberty North MO. They also own victories over Missouri Class 5 champ Lafayette and Nebraska Class B champ Skutt Catholic. Goodenow – a Yale commit – was an impactful presence, leading the team in kills (386) and kills per set (3.7), as well as finishing second in hitting percentage at .352 and third in blocks. Brook Bultema SR MB Ursuline Academy OH: The 5-star Kentucky commit without a doubt left her mark on the Lions’ season. It was a successful one as Ursuline (25-3) captured the Ohio Division 1 state championship. Bultema was a force both offensively and defensively. She powered the offense with a team-high 376 kills, averaging 4.2 per set. On the other side, Bultema led the roster with 107 blocks, averaging 1.2 per set. Given Ursuline’s overall season and Bultema’s contributions, she’s a well-deserved finalist. Brooklyn DeLeye SR OH Washburn Rural KS: What a dominant season for the Blues, who took home the Kansas 6A state championship and finishing the season 45-1. The lone setback came against eventual 5A runner-up St. James Academy in the second match of the season. It was also the most victories in program history. DeLeye – another 4-star Kentucky commit – was a big-time outside who gave the Blues a reliable and consistent scoring threat. Caroline Jurevicius SR OH Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin OH: Jurevicius is in a different position than our other finalists so far in that her team was not nationally ranked. However, the Lions did capture the Ohio Division 2 state championship and we all know the caliber of player the 5-star Nebraska commit is. Though she’s not one of the favorites, she still qualified as a finalist because of a state title and dominant year, one in which she recorded 445 kills and averaged 4.9 per set while hitting .360. She

The vballrecruiter.com team spent the weekend in the Dallas area hosting the Elite ID Camp at the Fieldhouse Volleyball Club in Northlake, Texas. Friday night’s event presented an opportunity for athletes from 14-18s to be evaluated by their individual skills and to be considered for vballrecruiter.com’s National Player Rankings, watchlists, Player of the Week program, be featured on our social media accounts and have an opportunity to meet one-on-one with Vballrecruiter. Participants also received next generation recruiting tips on how to utilize social media in their recruiting process to increase visibility and exposure. Credit to all the athletes involved. They definitely brought high energy as they went through the on-court drills and play. Below is the list of participants who caught our attention the most. Emily Capangpangan FR S Arete 15 Navy Ethos: Capangpangan has nice hands and runs tempo sets well. She’s young with potential and one to keep an eye on as she moves up age groups. Cadie Cantu SO OH 512 16U Orange: Cantu – at 6-1 – was a standout attacker. She has a good arm and can generate pace. Brooklyn Bailey FR MB/RS TAV 15 Black: A 3-star recruit, Bailey is a bit undersized at middle but has long arms and a ton of speed moving laterally. Additionally, she jumps and hits well in the middle. Trinity Richey SO S Madfrog 16 Black: Richey is a fiery competitor. It’s easy to see she competes hard on the court with lots of upside. Madison Scrivner JR S/RS Fieldhouse 17 Ikaika-Annette: A developing setter with upside, Scrivner works hard and gets after it on the court. Ryea Jackson FR MB Drive Nation 15 Red: Jackson showed she is a presence in the middle with her strong blocking due to great timing and reading. Kimaya Webb JR MB Tejas 17 Black: Webb was one of the top 2024s in attendance. She moves well laterally and was solid on the attack. Delaney Galligan SO OH Excel 16N White: Galligan was terminating solidly and showed a wide variety of shots attacking. Kareena Natarajan FR S/RS Drive Nation 15 Red: A rising talent, Natarajan is an athletic setter with a soft touch. She moves well around the court and sets in a consistent window for her hitters. Bella Ocampo SO OH Skyline 16 Royal: A 4-star recruit, Ocampo is an all-around baller. She showed great ball control and swings well from anywhere on the court. Makayla Thomas FR MB Fieldhouse 15 Ikaika Emily: Thomas is still a bit raw but showed good amount of upside with her play. She’ll continue to develop and improve with time and is one to keep an eye on down the road. Katelyn Pritchard FR S/RS Texas Fierce 15U: Pritchard is young and because of that she’s one to watch as she continues developing and improving. She delivers a very solid set for her age. Reagan Hamm JR S/RS Drive Nation 17 Black: Hamm displayed a nice setting touch and ran her side of the court very well. Zaria Jones JR OH Drive Nation 17 Black: Jones was definitely one of the best pin hitters as she showed off her arm. Madison Victoriano FR S Skyline 15 Royal: Victoriano is another who needs a bit of time but you can see the potential. Based on her skill set she could develop into a really sound setter. Chloe Blue JR OH/RS Fieldhouse 17 Ikaika-Annette: Blue has the pieces to be developed and could improve in a hurry. Lexi Anderson FR OH Drive Nation 15 Red: A 3-star recruit, Anderson has a big wingspan when swinging from the pins. Brooke Lacewell FR OH/RS Drive Nation 15 Red: Lacewell was another one who made her presence known. She blocked and swung with ferocity. Sloane Paugh SO OH Alamo 15 Premier: Paugh was one of the better attackers and showed her skill set hitting on the pin. Sifa Olang JR MB Fieldhouse 17 Ikaika-Annette: Olang is another junior in attendance who showed upside and whose skill set could be developed. Lauren Scheiden FR L/DS Drive Nation 15 Red: Scheiden – a 3-star recruit – is a scrappy and quick libero. She seemingly touches everything. Katelyn Vo FR L/DS Madfrog 15 Green: Vo was another standout defender. She showed sound ability to hold down the backcourt and make plays. Karsyn Rogers 8th S Drive Nation 14 Red: Rogers is an athletic setter who connected well with all her hitters. She had no problem moving the ball both directions at any time. Kiana Babaei SO S TAV 16 Platinum: A 6-2 setter, Babaei is a smooth disher and is deceptive with her delivery. Olivia Branum FR S OP2 15-1: Branum showed great hands setting. She also doubles as a strong hitter on the pin. Adyson DeJesus JR L/DS Fieldhouse 17 Ikaika-Annette: DeJesus had great composure and was making plays all evening long. She was a very smooth in the backcourt. Laven Blumoff 8th L/DS Austin Skyline 14 Royal: Blumoff is a lights-out defender who commands the backrow and has great ball control skills. Gentry Barker 8th OH TAV 14 Black: Barker is an all-around athlete who attacks incredibly well along with making some great plays in the backcourt. On top of that, she’s an explosive hitter. Britton Finley SO OH Madfrog 16 Green: Finley is another attack with good size who hits with authority on the pins. Tori Garrett SO OH Skyline 16 Royal: Add Garrett to the all-around player category. She is a sound hitter who is reliable and consistent scorer with a good arm. Katie Rakoski SO RS/OH TAV 16 Platinum: Rakoski is a lefty who brings the heat in the front row and is capable of putting up a big block.

We began naming our High School Player of the Year this week. You can find the list of seniors, juniors and sophomores by clicking the links. The freshmen our below. First, let’s take a look at the process and what you can expect. The next step after announcing our candidates is to narrow the list to our Player of the Year finalists, beginning next week in which we’ll have more depth on each player and why they are a finalist. From there, we will name and award the Player of the Year for each class. I’ve been handing out awards in some capacity for nearly 20 years. There is always a cutoff point and therefore there is always excitement and disappointment depending which side of that cutoff a player was on. This is a relative selective list that is of course subjective. There’s no way to make a list like this all-inclusive and we acknowledge that in a country as large as ours there are so many talented players who fly under the radar and may never receive press. At the same time, we set forth to honor those we feel qualify for Player of the Year candidates. Again, making a list like this is subjective. Here’s what we are ultimately looking for in our Player of the Year winners. It involves looking at three parts – the athlete, their impact on their team and the team’s overall success. In terms of team success, it’s relative but we are looking for a deep run in the state playoffs. Take Highland Park of Texas for example. The Scots had a tremendous regular season – including beating eventual 6A champion Dripping Springs in the finale – but was upset by Guyer in the regional quarterfinals. That meant Highland Park didn’t make a deep run in the state playoffs and as a result a player like senior outside Sydney Breon – who could have been a Player of the Year candidate – is not featured. As for the impact an athlete had on their team, for a top player like Chloe Chicoine of McCutcheon (Indiana) is quite obvious. She had an enormous impact and it’s just as obvious the Mavericks would not have had the season they did without her. This holds true of all the top talented players like Chicoine. It’s much different to gauge with someone like Kyndal Stowers of Guyer. She missed more than half the season but clearly her presence made a difference in the upset of Highland Park. Still, Stowers played less than half her team’s sets this fall and therefore she also wasn’t featured. Then there’s the matter of the player, which we gave a few examples of above. Both Chicoine and Stowers are top-tier, 5-star players and that alone would have them in consideration. But add the other two factors and you can see how a player like Chicoine is on the list and Stowers is not. An example specific to the junior class is with 5-star Nebraska recruit Skyler Pierce. We all know her amazing talents but Olathe Northwest did not make the final eight of the state playoffs for Kansas and thus she is not part of the Player of the Year Candidates for her class. The same goes for Pierce’s club teammate Abigail Mullen of Liberty in the sophomore class. Despite her amazing talents her team also didn’t advance far enough to make the cut. Finally, we present our Freshmen Player of the Year Candidates. Addison West FR OH Skutt Catholic NE Amira Bailey FR MB Bowling Green KY Anna Flores FR OH Keller TX Aubree Deshetsky FR S/OH North Branch MI Ayanna Watson FR OH Bishop Gorman NV Bellamie Beus FR OH Skyview ID Bennett Raterman FR MB St. Pius X MO Cali Foster FR OH Benton Central IN Catherine Palmi FR OH Osceola FL D’aira Whitner FR MB Gilmour Academy OH *** Elena Hoecke FR MB Centennial MN Elena Ruble FR S St. Pius MO Ella Florez FR S/OH Mill Valley KS Ella Grimes FR OH Ursuline Academy OH Ella Warrick FR OH Linton-Stockton IN Erin Clark FR L Corona del Sol AZ Finley Krystkowiak FR OH Torrey Pines CA Gabby Divita FR OH Grosse Pointe South MI Gabi Zacharisen FR OH Harrisburg SD Genevieve Harris FR S Cardinal Gibbons NC *** Haley Robinson FR OH Bayside Academy AL Halle Dolliver FR OH Malcolm NE Henley Anderson FR OH Dripping Springs TX Jenness Orcutt FR RS Hagerty FL Jordyn Gray FR OH Cox Mill NC Kalyssa Taggart FR S/RS Lambert GA Kendal Roberson FR MB Brentwood Christian TX Keoni Williams FR MB Boswell TX Kinnady Boothe FR OH East Forsyth NC Kylie Kleckner Fr OH Bryon Nelson TX *** Laura Eichert FR OH Lake Stevens WA Liv Hosford FR MB Rockford MI Madi Crowe FR OH Lewis Palmer CO Mikayla Haner FR Hamilton AZ Myah Favre FR MB Our Lady Academy MS Paisley Pavliska FR OH Floresville TX Sarah Wood FR OH Garnet Valley PA Vivian Hickman FR OH Xavier Prep AZ

Next up in are holiday season awards release is our Sophomore Player of the Year Candidates! Over the next few weeks we’ll be selecting and naming our Player of the Year for the senior, junior, sophomore and freshman classes. First, let’s take a look at the process and what you can expect. We begin this week by naming our Player of the Year candidates, starting with the senior class Tuesday, juniors Wednesday, sophomores Thursday and freshmen Friday. The next step after announcing our candidates is to narrow the list to our Player of the Year finalists, beginning next week in which we’ll have more depth on each player and why they are a finalist. From there, we will name and award the Player of the Year for each class. I’ve been handing out awards in some capacity for nearly 20 years. There is always a cutoff point and therefore there is always excitement and disappointment depending which side of that cutoff a player was on. This is a relative selective list that is of course subjective. There’s no way to make a list like this all-inclusive and we acknowledge that in a country as large as ours there are so many talented players who fly under the radar and may never receive press. At the same time, we set forth to honor those we feel qualify for Player of the Year candidates. Again, making a list like this is subjective. Here’s what we are ultimately looking for in our Player of the Year winners. It involves looking at three parts – the athlete, their impact on their team and the team’s overall success. In terms of team success, it’s relative but we are looking for a deep run in the state playoffs. Take Highland Park of Texas for example. The Scots had a tremendous regular season – including beating eventual 6A champion Dripping Springs in the finale – but was upset by Guyer in the regional quarterfinals. That meant Highland Park didn’t make a deep run in the state playoffs and as a result a player like senior outside Sydney Breon – who could have been a Player of the Year candidate – is not featured. As for the impact an athlete had on their team, for a top player like Chloe Chicoine of McCutcheon (Indiana) is quite obvious. She had an enormous impact and it’s just as obvious the Mavericks would not have had the season they did without her. This holds true of all the top talented players like Chicoine. It’s much different to gauge with someone like Kyndal Stowers of Guyer. She missed more than half the season but clearly her presence made a difference in the upset of Highland Park. Still, Stowers played less than half her team’s sets this fall and therefore she also wasn’t featured. Then there’s the matter of the player, which we gave a few examples of above. Both Chicoine and Stowers are top-tier, 5-star players and that alone would have them in consideration. But add the other two factors and you can see how a player like Chicoine is on the list and Stowers is not. An example specific to the junior class is with 5-star Nebraska recruit Skyler Pierce. We all know her amazing talents but Olathe Northwest did not make the final eight of the state playoffs for Kansas and thus she is not part of the Player of the Year Candidates for her class. The same goes for Pierce’s club teammate Abigail Mullen of Liberty. Despite her amazing talents her team also didn’t advance far enough to make the cut below for sophomores. Finally, we present our Sophomore Player of the Year Candidates. Abigail Li SO S Walton GA Ada McCoy SO OH Musselman WV Addy Horner SO MB St. Francis IL Addy Tindall SO OH Homestead IN Alani Taliloa SO OH Mt. Rainier WA Alivia Eikenberg SO OH Rock Canyon CO Alyssa Aguayo SO OH Corona del Sol AZ Anna Jelenik SO OH Norris NE Anya Schmidt SO S/RS Rogers MN Ashlyn Tafoya SO S Thompson Valley CO *** Asta Hildebrand SO S Iowa City Liberty IO Ava Poinsett SO OH Francis Parker CA Avery Gibbs SO OH Thompson Valley CO Bailey Warren SO OH Fulshear TX Bayleigh Minor SO MB Fort Bend Christian TX BreAnna McMillan SO S/RS Millbrook NC Campbell Flynn SO S Mercy MI Cari Spears SO OH Prestonwood Christian TX Carly Fonda SO S Floyd Central IN Cassie Jenema SO S Cadillac MI *** Charlotte Vinson SO OH Yorktown IN Chloe Elarton SO S Valor Christian CO Claire Payne SO MB NorthWood IN Elena Fischer SO OH Branson CA Ella Craggs SO S Northville MI Ella Lewis SO OH The Woodlands TX Elle Heckenlively SO MB Gretna NE Evan Polsgrove SO OH Brookland AR Haedyn Crumbley SO OH Morgan County GA Hannah Leftridge SO OH St. Pius X MO Izzy Busignani SO OH Marian MI *** Jackie Carle SO S Jesuit OR Jaeden Pratt SO MB Ankeny Centennial IO Jaidyn Jager SO OH La Costa Canyon CA Josephine Hensley SO S Clearwater Central Catholic FL Kaci Demaria SO OH Palos Verdes CA Karyna Werley SO S La Cueva NM Kassidy O’Brien SO S Cinco Ranch TX Kennedy Vaugh SO OH Bob Jones AL Keri Leimbach SO L Lincoln Lutheran NE Kirra Musgrove SO S/RS Lutheran South Academy TX *** Lauren Hurst SO OH Cleveland TN Lauren Lopez SO OH Bishop Miege KS Libby Fandel SO OH Xavier IO Logan Parks SO S/RS Blue Valley North KS Lydia Pitts SO MB Southside AR Madison Quest SO OH DSHA WI Maggie Dostic SO OH Plant FL Maria Nix SO OH Cannon NC Marie Laurio SO OH Saline MI Marlie Davis SO OH Gilmour Academy OH *** Maya Witherspoon SO OH Lafayette MO Megan Fitch SO OH Cornerstone Christian TX Misty Kate Smith SO OH Baysida Academy AL Navea Gauthier SO OH Shelby MI Raegan Durbin SO OH Western Boone IN Reese Messer SO S

We are in holiday season which also means we are in award season for our national players of the year. Over the next few weeks we’ll be selecting and naming our Player of the Year for the senior, junior, sophomore and freshman classes. First, let’s take a look at the process and what you can expect. We begin this week by naming our Player of the Year candidates, starting with the senior class Tuesday, juniors Wednesday, sophomore Thursday and freshmen Friday. The next step after announcing our candidates is to narrow the list to our Player of the Year finalists, beginning next week in which we’ll have more depth on each player and why they are a finalist. From there, we will name and award the Player of the Year for each class. I’ve been handing out awards in some capacity for nearly 20 years. There is always a cutoff point and therefore there is always excitement and disappointment depending which side of that cutoff a player was on. This is a relative selective list that is of course subjective. There’s no way to make a list like this all-inclusive and we acknowledge that in a country as large as ours there are so many talented players who fly under the radar and may never receive press. At the same time, we set forth to honor those we feel qualify for Player of the Year candidates. Again, making a list like this is subjective. Here’s what we are ultimately looking for in our Player of the Year winners. It involves looking at three parts – the athlete, their impact on their team and the team’s overall success. In terms of team success, it’s relative but we are looking for a deep run in the state playoffs. Take Highland Park of Texas for example. The Scots had a tremendous regular season – including beating eventual 6A champion Dripping Springs in the finale – but was upset by Guyer in the regional quarterfinals. That meant Highland Park didn’t make a deep run in the state playoffs and as a result a player like senior outside Sydney Breon – who could have been a Player of the Year candidate – is not featured. As for the impact an athlete had on their team, for a top player like Chloe Chicoine of McCutcheon (Indiana) is quite obvious. She had an enormous impact and it’s just as obvious the Mavericks would not have had the season they did without her. This holds true of all the top talented players like Chicoine. It’s much different to gauge with someone like Kyndal Stowers of Guyer. She missed more than half the season but clearly her presence made a difference in the upset of Highland Park. Still, Stowers played less than half her team’s sets this fall and therefore she also wasn’t featured. Then there’s the matter of the player, which we gave a few examples of above. Both Chicoine and Stowers are top-tier, 5-star players and that alone would have them in consideration. But add the other two factors and you can see how a player like Chicoine is on the list and Stowers is not. An example specific to the junior class is with 5-star Nebraska recruit Skyler Pierce. We all know her amazing talents but Olathe Northwest did not make the final eight of the state playoffs for Kansas and thus she is not part of the Player of the Year Candidates below. Finally, we present our Junior Player of the Year Candidates. Abigail Paulson JR OH Coronado NV Addie Waller JR S Rock Canyon CO Alayna Pierce JR OH Genoa-Kingston IL Alex Acevedo JR OH Skyview ID Alex Bower JR S Skyview ID Allie Shondell JR S McCutcheon IN Aly Cox JR OH Timberline ID Alyssa Nelson JR S Lafayette MO Amanda Saeger JR S Cathedral Catholic CA Aubrey Goodere JR MB Estrella Foothills AZ *** Aubrey Hatch JR OH Colgan VA Avery Scoggins JR S Middle Creek NC Bella Faria JR OH Kickapoo MO Carlie Cisneros JR OH Liberty North MO Carly O’Brien JR OH Dorman SC Charlie Fuerbringer JR S Mira Costa CA Charlotte Moriarty JR OH Assumption KY Clara Gyomory JR OH North Branch MI Delaney Bub JR OH Eagle ID Delaney Gash JR OH Dunbar KY *** Delaney Lawson JR OH Bellmont IN Ella Demetrician JR OH Appleton North WI Ellie White JR OH Mother McAuley IL Emerson Deferme JR OH Grandview CO Emily Pruitt JR OH Sunrise Mountain AZ Emma Levingston JR OH Brandon MS Evan Hendrix JR OH Notre Dame Prep AZ Fallon Stewart JR OH Winter Park FL Grace Agolli JR S/OH Pace Academy GA *** Hannah Parant JR S Mountain Brook AL Izzy Starck JR S/RS Rampart CO Izzy Swiercz JR OH Hudsonville MI Jadyn Livings JR OH Prestonwood Christian TX Jordan Smart JR S Reagan NC Jordan Vander Veen JR OH Ripon Christian CA Julia Bohlinger JR OH Windsor CO Kate Schneeberg JR S Bishop Kelley OK Kayla Robertson JR OH St. Dominic MO Kenslee McGowan JR S Cleveland TN *** Kiarrah Horne JR OH Millbrook NC Kiera Brady JR OH Chaminade CA Kiley Gennerman JR OH Lewis Palmer CO Kinnari Atluru JR OH University CA Lauren Harden JR OH HSE IN Lauren Medeck JR OH Papillion-LaVista South NE Lauren Salata JR OH Nazareth Academy IL Leilia Toailoa JR OH Bishop Gorman NV Lilly Wagner JR S Oconomowoc WI Livi Schneider JR OH Snowflake AZ *** Logan Tusher JR S Branson CA Maela Honma JR OH Kamehameha/Hawaii HI Malayah Long JR S Lincoln Southwest NE Mamie Fromdahl JR S McGill-Toolen AL Maren Johnson JR OH Jenks OK Mayte Camacho JR L Hagerty FL Mia Tvrdy JR MB Papillion-LaVista NE Molly Kate Patten JR MB Lambert GA Morgan Glaser JR OH Papillion-LaVista NE Natalie Depaula JR OH Boca Raton FL *** Olivia Mauch JR L Bennington NE Paisley Douglas JR L Skutt Catholic NE Payton Petersen JR OH Dike-New Hartford IO Rachel VanGorp JR OH

vballrecruiter.com’s first season of high school coverage had us witnessing a dominant run by Cathedral Catholic of California, which dropped just one set in going undefeated and landing in the top spot of our final National HS Top 50 Rankings. It doesn’t get any easier or more straight-forward when it comes to anointing the mythical national champion than it did with Cathedral Catholic this fall. If only our postseason awards were as easy! We are in holiday season which also means we are in award season for our national players of the year. Over the next few weeks we’ll be selecting and naming our Player of the Year for the senior, junior, sophomore and freshman classes. First, let’s take a look at the process and what you can expect. We begin this week by naming our Player of the Year candidates, starting with the senior class Tuesday, juniors Wednesday, sophomores Thursday and freshmen Friday. The list is senior-heavy, as seniors typically are the ones leading their respective teams. For example, we have roughly 120 seniors listed below compared to roughly 40 freshmen who will be named. The next step after announcing our candidates is to narrow the list to our Player of the Year finalists, beginning next week in which we’ll have more depth on each player and why they are a finalist. From there, we will name and award the Player of the Year for each class. I’ve been handing out awards in some capacity for nearly 20 years. There is always a cutoff point and therefore there is always excitement and disappointment depending which side of that cutoff a player is on. This is a relative selective list that is of course subjective. There’s no way to make a list like this all-inclusive and we acknowledge that in a country as large as ours there are so many talented players who fly under the radar and may never receive press. At the same time, we set forth to honor those we feel qualify for Player of the Year candidates. Again, making a list like this is subjective. Here’s what we are ultimately looking for in our Player of the Year winners. It involves looking at three parts – the athlete, their impact on their team and the team’s overall success. In terms of team success, it’s relative but we are looking for a deep run in the state playoffs. Take Highland Park of Texas for example. The Scots had a tremendous regular season – including beating eventual 6A champion Dripping Springs in the finale – but was upset by Guyer in the regional quarterfinals. By our definition that meant Highland Park didn’t make a deep enough run and as a result a player like senior outside Sydney Breon – who could have been a Player of the Year candidate – is not featured. As for the impact an athlete had on their team, for a top player like Chloe Chicoine of McCutcheon (Indiana) it is quite obvious. She had an enormous impact and it’s just as obvious the Mavericks would not have had the season they did without her. This holds true of most all the top talented players like Chicoine. It’s much different to gauge with someone like Kyndal Stowers of Guyer. She missed more than half the season with injury but clearly her presence made a difference in the upset of Highland Park. Still, Stowers played less than half her team’s sets this fall and therefore she also won’t be featured below. Then there’s the matter of the player, which we gave a few examples of above. Both Chicoine and Stowers are top-tier, 5-star players and that alone would have them in consideration if we looked at nothing else. But add the other two factors and you can see how a player like Chicoine is on the list and Stowers is not. The list, however, is not reserved just for players of that caliber. We took into consideration lower divisions and levels as well. Finally, we present our Senior Player of the Year Candidates. Aaliyah Mitchell SR OH Sun Valley NC Abby Reck SR OH Northville MI Abby Wachal SR OH Lincoln Lutheran NE Abigail Lagemann SR OH Benton AR Addison Hurst SR OH Cleveland TN Alanna Bankston SR OH Millard West NE Alexa Gobel SR OH Lincoln Southwest NE Alexis Massey SR S/RS Las Cruces NM Allie Hazelwood SR S Madison Central MS Ally Cavanaugh SR OH Bishop Kenny FL *** Amaya Hall SR S Sun Valley NC Amber Keen SR MB Reno NV Anna Claire Froehlich SR OH St. Thomas More LA Anna Grace Sparks SR OH McGill-Toolen AL Ashley Reynolds SR S Venice FL Ashley Sturzoiu SR OH Buford GA Ava Blascziek SR S Lakeville North MN Ava Hoying SR OH Bishop Watterson OH Ava Jackson SR OH Dunbar KY Ava Sarafa SR S Marian MI *** Avah Armour SR OH Rampart CO Avery Burks SR OH Perry AZ Avery Hobson SR OH HSE IN Avery Van Hook SR S Marion IO Betsy Goodenow SR RS Aquinas KS Bre Mahoney SR OH Aiken SC Brielle Kemavor SR MB Colgan VA Brooke Bultema SR MB Ursuline Academy OH Brooke Green SR MB Clearwater Central Catholic FL Brooke Rockwell SR OH Fayetteville AR *** Brooke Stephens SR OH Hagerty FL Brooklyn DeLeye SR OH Washburn Rural KS Caitlyn Little SR OH Lafayette MO Calli Tanielu SR OH Westminster Christian AL Camryn Chatellier SR OH Dominican LA Camryn Wise SR OH Wapahani IN Caroline Jurevicius SR OH Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin OH Cassidy Hartman SR OH Iowa City Liberty IO Chloe Chicoine SR OH McCutcheon IN Cindy Tchouangwa SR OH Tompkins TX *** Claire Dewine SR S/RS The Woodlands TX Claire Little SR OH Vista Murrieta CA Destiny Ndam-Simpson SR OH Omaha Westside NE Drew Wright SR OH Mira Costa CA Ella Sanders SR OH La Cueva NM Ella Swindle SR S Rock Bridge MO Ellie Schneider SR MB Metairie Park Country Day LA Elsa Snipes