Free Article of the Week

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: Peyton Heatherly. *** Before Peyton Heatherly could even think about how she would fit in on Mother McAuley’s varsity roster, she first had to make the team. Even though Heatherly – a 3-star setter/right side from the Class of 2027 – was coming off a season in which she helped Lions 14-1 qualify and finish 22nd in 14 Open at the USAV Girls Junior National Championships nothing was guaranteed. “I was doing summer workouts and tryouts with Mother McAuley but I didn’t know what team I was going to end up on,” Heatherly said. “I didn’t expect to be on varsity because I know how competitive the program is.” It was after the first freshmen tryout when Heatherly found out she would be on varsity. She was about to be the only ninth-grader on a team that returned the majority of its starting lineup after going 39-3 and claiming the Illinois 4A state championship in 2022. “I knew the team lost both starting setters but I didn’t know if I would step foot on the court,” Heatherly said. “I did have a conversation with Coach Jen (DeJarld) at the beginning of the year and she did say I needed to work hard being a freshman on varsity and that I needed to keep a positive attitude and keep working to be able to play.” What happened next is what makes high school volleyball so special. Heatherly grew up around volleyball, essentially starting the sport as soon as she was able to walk. Her aunt and mom played in college. Her grandma owns 1st Alliance. And both her older sisters – Kate and Jordan – play. Kate is a sophomore at Lyons while Jordan is in her freshman season at Memphis. “My sister Kate is a sophomore so we are closer in age and we were always super competitive,” Heatherly said. “We were always on the same team because I used to play up with her and we would yell at each other. As we grew up we were better and we are super close. With volleyball we both lean on each other. “Jordan is also a setter, but I didn’t really have any competitiveness with her. She just would always give me really good advice.” Heatherly, meanwhile, developed as both a setter and hitter. Because of it, she never ran a 5-1. Until this fall. Heatherly opened the season as part of a 6-2 with the Macs. But after falling to Sacred Heart Academy in five sets the day before the Louisville Invitational Volleyball Tournament, DeJarld told her she was making the switch to a 5-1 with Heatherly. “I was definitely super nervous,” Heatherly said. “We hadn’t ever practiced it before. There was a lot of emotions but the team helped calm me down. Ellie (White) talked to me and told me she knew I could do it.” Mother McAuley ended up taking third place and there was no going back. The Macs hit a few speed bumps along the way, falling to both Marist and Benet Academy, but also winning the Asics Challenge where they avenged their loss to Marist and handed Divine Savior Holy Angels WI its only loss of the season. With Heatherly guiding the attack, Mother McAuley defeated Marist once more in the sectional finals before avenging the previous loss to Benet Academy by beating the Redwings in the 4A state championship match. Heatherly finished the season with 737 assists, averaging 7.8 per set. She was also third in both digs and aces. It’s a type of season that has her in the running for vballrecruiter.com’s Freshman Player of the Year. “When we played Marist and beat them (at the Asics Challenge) that was our turning point in the season,” Heatherly said. “During sectionals we were super nervous but we calmed each other down and just left everything on the court. Against Benet (in the final) it was definitely cool seeing our team focused on ourselves and doing everything we could. It’s definitely what helped us win state.” With the high school season over, Heatherly is looking forward to club. She’s part of 1st Alliance 15 Gold and aiming for an improvement on last year. “I’m super excited for club to start,” she said. “A lot of the girls on the team also had a varsity season, so I feel we have been getting so much better and improving. This club season is going to be really good and super fun.” As our featured Player of the Week sponsored by Dick’s Sporting Goods, we recently spoke with Heatherly about volleyball and more. Who is a role model or someone you look up to? Heatherly: It’s definitely my older sister Jordan. She’s accomplished so much. She’s playing volleyball in college. I definitely want to be like her as a person when I grow up. I’ve always looked up to her. She’s always been someone I can talk too since I was little. If you could choose to do anything for a day, what would you do and why? Heatherly: I would want to go skydiving. I love adventures and I love the outdoors. I think it would be such a thrilling thing to do. Other than volleyball, what skill would you most like to learn and why? Heatherly: I would want to learn drawing or painting because being an artist person we be so fun. To be able to draw all the time would be so fun and I’m not very good at it now. Do you have any volleyball superstitions and if so what? Heatherly: Before I serve — I just started doing this during high school — I would look at the state championship banner and

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: Lydia Chinchar. *** To say our latest Player of the Week burst onto the high school scene this season would be inaccurate. Lydia Chinchar – a 4-star setter/right side from the Class of 2027 – was part of Carrollwood Day’s varsity team last year as an eighth-grader. She had an incredible campaign, leading the squad in kills and blocks. However, the Patriots’ state championship aspirations ended with a regional quarterfinal loss to Tampa Prep. Chinchar was among a handful of returning players – including her older sister and senior setter Naomi. Combining with a couple of newcomers – including 3-star Purdue commit and junior libero Mattea Casale – Carrollwood Day was on a mission in 2023. “I remember the first day of practice and we said our goal was to win state and nothing else,” Chinchar said. “We set our minds to that and we just kept going to the very end. In practice, we worked so hard each and every day and we did a really good job of that.” Chinchar once again led the charge. The freshman right side powered the offense with 573 kills – averaging 6.3 per set and hitting .428 – as the Patriots captured the program’s second-ever state championship after defeating Westminster Christian in the Florida 3A final. Adding a punctuation mark to her fabulous season, Chinchar sent down a season-high 37 kills (9.3 per set) and hit .301 in the four-set victory over the Warriors that helped Carrollwood Day finish the fall 31-2 overall. “Our mindset was to walk in confidently and just play our game and not worry about anyone else’s game,” Chinchar said. “That was the most important thing. We never had a doubt in our mind that we were going to lose. We always knew we had each other and that was the best part of it. “The emotions were everywhere on the last point when the ball hit the ground. There was so much excitement and a weight off our shoulders. Finally, all that hard work paid off. Everything we all put it, winning it with your best friends is a pretty awesome feeling.” Carrollwood Day emerged as the team to beat in Florida this fall after its run to the finals of the Nike TOC Southeast tournament in early September. The Patriots suffered their first setback in a sweep against Cornerstone Christian of Texas in the championship match. Along the way Carrollwood Day downed eventual Nebraska Class B state champion Skutt Catholic and eventual Florida 6A runner up Viera. Later in the season, Carrollwood Day notched a victory over eventual 7A state champ Plant. “After the Nike tournament, it was pretty early in the season and we made it to the final and I just remember people saying ‘Oh my goodness, who is this CDS team,’” Chinchar said. “We knew teams were targeting us and coming for us after that.” Chinchar grew up immersed in volleyball. Her parents – Douglas and Sarah – both played. Chinchar’s father is her coach at Carrollwood Day and both parents are directors of No Name Volleyball, where Chinchar will suit up as part of the top 17s team this coming club season. For Chinchar, volleyball was the only sport she ever wanted to play. “I started really young,” she said. “I was six and playing on a 12-and-under team. My parents got me into volleyball and I didn’t really want to do anything else. They were pushing me to try something else but I just wanted to pursue volleyball. I was around it every day. My sister Naomi was in love with volleyball so we decided to do it together.” With both her parents being setters, Chinchar naturally developed at that position as well as hitting. She did both this past club season for No Name 16 but she’s been purely a hitter in high school. “I would say I enjoy hitting more than setting,” Chinchar said. “It is quite the job to run the court and I really appreciate all my setters throughout the years.” It’s not surprising that volleyball takes up much of Chinchar’s time, but she does like to scuba dive and sew sometimes when her schedule allows for it. “My sister and I do scuba diving together,” she said. “It’s always fun to go and we love being able to do it together.” As our featured Player of the Week sponsored by Dick’s Sporting Goods, we recently spoke with Chinchar about volleyball and more. Who is a role model or someone you look up to? Chinchar: A role model I look up to is my sister, Naomi. I’m with her every day and she’s always been front and center for me. We do everything together on and off the court. She’s a great role model. She’s going to West Point, so there is no better role model than that. If you could choose to be or do anything for a day, what would you be or do and why? Chinchar: If I had the chance to do anything for a day I would probably drive to Disney World. It’s right here in Florida. I love all the Disney characters. Since I was a little girl it was always a place to go to. It makes me feel like a kid again with all the rides and all the characters there. Other than volleyball, what skill would you most like to learn and why? Chinchar: I would like to learn to sing. I have always tried to sing and it never works out for me. It would be fun to be up on a stage performing and singing. But, really I wouldn’t try to do anything else but volleyball. Do

The Vballrecruiter team headed to Atlanta for the latest Elite ID Clinic hosted by TK Volleyball this past Saturday. With players representing Classes from 2024-2030, the energy in the building was both rocking and infectious. Below, we highlight two things: 1) the latest round of invites to The Red Hat Games (some players who attended have been invited previously) and 2) other standouts who showed what they are capable of. RED HAT GAMES INVITES 2025Laney Barnes S A5 17 Jaime: Barnes ran her court well. She has solid hands and showed great leadership. Maya Swenson L/DS Club Savannah 17 National: Swenson went all-out and was covering the court well. 2026Chloe Neal L/DS M2 16-2 Elite: Neal brings hustle and effort to the back row. She did well keeping rallies going. Alyssa Kato OH Roots 16 Green: Kato delivered her share of strong attacks and impressive plays. She stayed aggressive and kept coming with it. 2027Sullivan Lell L/DS Alabama Performance: Lell’s energy is contagious. She’s fast and quick to the ball and makes up ground in a hurry. Harper Sanders L/DS 575 15 National: Sanders showed a nice platform and was making lots of plays all over the court. Raquel Mina MB A5 15 Danielle: Mina flies under the radar but has plenty of potential to rise as she continues developing. She was making many plays on both sides of the ball at the net. Destinee Chukelu MB A5 15 Victor: Chukelu is another middle with lots of upside and a high ceiling. She made her presence felt with forceful blocks and getting up and putting balls down. Chloe Mosley L/DS/S Rio 14 Elite: Mosley brings a lot of hustle to the position. She moves around the court with ease and was getting a lot of balls up. Jasmine Mosley L/DS Rio 15 National: In similar fashion, Mosley flies around the court making plays all over and plays with a high level of confidence. Caroline Presswood L/DS Alliance 14 Ren: Presswood was among a solid group of defenders doing their things in the Class of 2027. She showed no fear and did well keeping balls in play. Kailey Leonard L/DS A5 15 Kelly: Leonard handled business well with her ability to extend rallies and court coverage. McKenzie Wilkie L/DS A5 15 Kelly: Wilkie showed her defensive prowess with her hustle and reaction plays. 2028Addy Gosselin S/RS Atlanta Extreme 14-1: Gosselin moves the ball around well and gets her hitters involved. She also showed a lot of leadership on the court. Lauren Rivers S/RS SC Midlands 16 National Elite: Rivers was dishing well from pin-to-pin. She has a physical presence and has a bright future. Emily Childress OH TK 14 Glow: Childress was yet another young player doing her thing. She’s fearless on the attack and kept swinging away no matter the size of the block she was facing. Jentelle McNairl OH Alliance 15-1: McNairl doesn’t back down and is not afraid to challenge the block in front of her. She brings a lot of energy to the outside position. Charlie McDaniel OH Alliance 14 Ren: McDaniel was a fun outside to watch. She goes hard and is relentless on the attack. 2029Emily Rupeika L/DS A5 13 Karen: Rupeika is a smooth operator and plays under control. She doesn’t get rattled and her passing was on point. 2030Makenna Johnson S A5 12 LA: Johnson displayed solid footwork and did well getting to the ball repeatedly. She also has a nice touch on her sets. *** MORE STANDOUTS 2024Lily Kate Kenyon RS A5 17 Jaime: Kenyon showed up strong on the attack. She’s lanky with a nice range of shots. Sydney McCutcheon S TK 18 Fearless: McCutcheon did a solid job of locating with consistency and moving the ball around. Talia Anderson L/DS TK 17 Endgame: Anderson was getting after it and making hustle plays. She also played with lots of energy. 2025Sydney Frazier MB M2: Frazier made her presence known in the middle. She gets up well and was touching balls and putting them away consistently. Katelynn Mundy OH 575 17 Cheyenne: Mundy had her moments scoring and sending balls down. She was taking aggressive swings and attacking with authority. Alexandria Tookes OH Tsunami: Tookes is an athletic outside with upside. She was letting loose at times and flashing her potential. Haleigh Kamer OH/S/DS Xcel Performance: Kamer is a versatile player who was mainly setting. She has good hands and was connecting with her hitters well. 2026Mataya Orth L/DS A5 16 Pat: Orth was among the scrappy defenders getting after it and going all out. She’s not afraid to take balls overhead and play them with her hands. Samantha Bailey RS/MB Tsunami 16-1: A lefty right side, Bailey showed off a solid arm and her ability to put balls away. Kennedi White OH M2 16-1: White swung well from both pins. She gets off the ground nice and has a good arm. Emma Pastusic OH Triad United 16 Teal: Pastusic was another outside who was scoring with consistentcy. She has a lively arm and hits with plenty of pace. 2027Alina Phillips RS A5 15 Kelly: Phillips is a rising talent who extends well and was bringing it from the right side. She showed a wide range of shots and is a someone to keep tabs on. Hana Catic OH/DS A5 15 Kelly: Catic showcased her potential with solid attacking. She has a nice arm and moves the ball around sideline to sideline. Marissa Jones S A5 15 Kelly: Jones was the best player in the gym. She’s a 5-star talent with the ability to vary her sets from anywhere on the court with great accuracy. Kylee Evans MB A5 15 Kelly: Evans is another rising talent who is poised for a breakout club season. She’s a beast at the net on both sides of the ball. She gets up very well and can both hammer balls down as well as stuff them back at opponents. Kerrington Corbin MB Alliance 15 Ren:

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: Keoni Williams. *** With a loss to Fossil Ridge in bi-district play at the end of October, the 2023 high school season came to a conclusion for Keoni Williams and her Boswell teammates. While the defeat came sooner then the Pioneers would have liked, it did shift Williams’ focus and attention fully to the upcoming club season. Williams – a 6-4, 5-star middle blocker from the Class of 2026 – has excelled during the club portion of the calendar in recent years. She’s coming off a gold medal performance in 15 Open at the USAV Girls Junior National Championships this past summer playing with Skyline 15 Royal. The year before she finished runner up in 14 Open playing with Frisco Flyers. That was after winning it all with Frisco Flyers in 13 Open in 2021. “It’s been really great these past few years being on top teams,” Williams said. This past summer presented a rare occurrence where Skyline squared off with Mintonette Sports m.51 in both the 15 Open championship matches at AAU and USAV. While Mintonette captured the gold in Orlando, Williams and Skyline extracted revenge by claiming the gold in Chicago. “It was tough after AAUs because we felt good and were playing well,” Williams said. “We knew it was going to be a tough game and we felt we could’ve taken that one. After we just had to make sure we didn’t get distracted and look at what we did wrong in case we did face them again. Mintonette is a really good team. When we came to USAV we knew we had to stay calm and do what we needed to do to get the win. When we got that last point it was a crazy feeling. It felt great coming back and getting that win.” Williams will aim for a fourth consecutive Open finals appearance this coming season as she suits up for Skyline 16 Royal. One of the challenges is overcoming the roster changes that took place. Williams is one of six returners combining with seven newcomers. “I’m really excited for this club season,” Williams said. “I’ve been looking forward to it even during the high school season. I’m going to keep working on myself and focus on my conditioning and blocking and really closing out. We are ready to have a great run this year.” The high school season for Boswell kicked off at the Ann Kang Invitational in Hawaii in August. The Pioneers faced a challenging slate, going against nationally-ranked teams in Sierra Canyon CA and Cornerstone Christian TX, as well as eventual California Open Division state quarterfinalist Huntington Beach, eventual Texas 5A semifinalist Lovejoy and host ‘Iolani. “I’ve never been to Hawaii before,” Williams said. “It was really fun. We went to the ocean everyday and took lots of pictures. The volleyball was something. There were crazy good teams who hit well and play great defense. The first day we played Sierra Canyon and they were pretty good. It was tough playing those teams but it was really good to see what we needed to work on for our season.” With her father, Mike, playing basketball oversees, Williams grew up around sports and “was always traveling with him.” Williams started settling down around 11 and was leaning more towards basketball at first than volleyball. “It was between basketball and volleyball, but I was talking with my aunties because they played volleyball in college,” Williams said. “When I started volleyball it was really hard at first. I just kept working and working at it and then I just played volleyball from there. I did some basketball in middle school a little bit but I stopped.” As our featured Player of the Week sponsored by Dick’s Sporting Goods, we recently spoke with Williams about volleyball and more. Who is a role model or someone you look up to? Williams: I don’t really have a volleyball role model. But I do watch volleyball to see what other middles are doing like Asjia O’Neal. I watch how she’s fast out to the block and the ways she’s able to score. I try to look at it as though it’s me versus me. Every time I step on the court I’m just focused on working on improving. After the game, I’ll look at what I did and didn’t do, like not getting off the net quick enough or I wasn’t very effective on offense. Then the next time I’m watching to make sure I do get off the net quickly and working hard on making myself available so I am able to produce. If you could choose to do anything for a day, what would you do and why? Williams: If I could do anything for a day, a while back I saw a massive go-kart place that opened in Massachusetts (Supercharged Entertainment). I would want to go there with my friends and ride go-karts with them. I really love going out and doing stuff. That would be fun. Other than volleyball, what skill would you most like to learn and why? Williams: I would definitely love to master the skill of basketball. To feel the energy and intensity and be a part of that I think it would be fun. I think it would be really fun to have the ball passed to me and I bully my defender a little bit then go up and get that point and score. Do you have any volleyball superstitions and if so what? Williams: The only superstition I have is I always wear two pair of socks, even with my ankle braces. I always have two pair of socks and my teammates make fun of me. They ask

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: Ella Florez. *** Ella Florez and her Mill Valley teammates did not start off the high school season looking like a state championship squad. The Jaguars dropped their first contest of the year to Blue Valley West. Two weeks later they lost to both Blue Valley North and Olathe South on the same day. From there though, Mill Valley began to step it up. At the end of September Florez and company split a pair of key matches, falling to St. James Academy but beating Blue Valley North in a rematch. There was one more setback from there, with an early-October loss to Olathe West. From there, Mill Valley closed the season on a 17-match winning streak, culminating with the Kansas 6A state championship after sweeping Blue Valley North in two games in the final. “I felt really confident going into the season,” said Florez, a 5-star setter from the Class of 2026. “We did lose a super good libero and a super good outside but we have girls who stepped up and a freshman who came in. That really gave me confidence in the team. I thought we could take it all the way.” Mill Valley defeated Blue Valley North once more before facing off in the state final, in a showdown on Oct. 11. Blue Valley North still wound up drawing the top seed for the 6A state playoffs, but Mill Valley finished the season 3-1 against the Mustangs. “Obviously, we were nervous a little bit,” Florez said of the state finals clash. “We all knew we could do it. We were able to shut them down from point one and went after it with everything we had. “It was very emotional. Parents, siblings, the whole team we were all crying. We all get along so well. Finishing off our season like that we could not have had a better way to finish it.” Florez grew up trying many different sports and activities. There was gymnastics, dance, softball and soccer, which she thought would be her sport of the future, before landing in volleyball. Her dad signed her up for club tryouts but “he played a little prank on me and told me it was just a camp,” Florez said. “I went in not knowing it was a tryout,” she said. “I came back and my dad said that I made the team. I was really excited. I ran around telling everyone I was playing club volleyball. I was only mad at him for like 10 minutes.” Florez was an outside for her 11s season. She started the 12s there too before transitioning to setting halfway through the season. She then ran a 5-1 during her 13s and 14s season before spending the past two club seasons setting and hitting. She played a dual role last year as a freshman for Mill Valley before taking over the reigns and running a 5-1 during this state championship season. Florez ended the year with 892 assists, averaging 9.2 per set. She finished the state championship match with 24 assists. She set her season-high mark with 51 in a four-set victory over De Soto in mid-October. “I feel more comfortable and confident running a 5-1 and taking more control running the offense,” Florez said. “I like to consider myself just a setter instead of a setter/hitter. Setting is what I want to primarily do.” After playing club for Dynasty, Florez is making the switch to Pohaku this year and playing her age group after playing up a year the past couple of seasons. She’s hoping to get to run a 5-1 this season. “From what I’m hearing I should be setting a 5-1,” she said. As our featured Player of the Week sponsored by Dick’s Sporting Goods, we recently spoke with Florez about volleyball and more. Who is a role model or someone you look up to? Florez: I would say my sister (Lauren). She’s six years older. She played softball and she was a pitcher. She showed really good leadership and she was super competitive. I always looked up to her. I always want to exceed what she was doing on the field on the volleyball court. She gave me the competitiveness that I have now. If you could choose to do anything for a day, what would you do and why? Florez: I’d probably go on a shopping spree and go to the lake with my friends, tan and have fun with them. I love shopping for new makeup or anything like that. Like Sephora, I like to go to the mall and browse usually. Other than volleyball, what skill would you most like to learn and why? Florez: I wish I knew how to dance. It sounds funny but I watch dancers dance and I always with I could do that. They look so cool. Do you have any volleyball superstitions and if so what? Florez: If I play well on the first day, I’ll usually wear the same hair style the next day. On a bad day, I’ll change my hair style the next day. Also, my serving routine is the same every single time. Aside from necessities, what is one thing you could not go a day without? Florez: It’s talking to my family and friends. They are always there for me and it makes me happy. What is one thing that instantly makes your day better or makes you smile? Florez: My dog, Ace. He’s so cute. He has so much energy. He never runs out. When I got him they said he was a Chihuahua and Beagle mix but I don’t know that I believe them. What’s your favorite way to have fun? Florez: My

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: Malorie Boesiger. *** There’s plenty to get to with our latest Player of the Week in Malorie Boesiger, who is a 4-star recruit from the Class of 2027 and currently in her freshman season at Norris. It’s an important week for the Titans, who are coached by Boesiger’s mom, Christina. She was the coach the last time Norris finished on top of Nebraska’s Class B state championship in 2014. Since then, Skutt Catholic has ran off eight consecutive state titles, including beating Norris in the finals in 2020 and 2021. Boesiger and company are aiming to stop that streak. The Titans enter Wednesday’s state quarterfinals as the top seed. Norris and Skutt Catholic – the No. 3 overall seed – haven’t played this year. The state finals are set for this coming Saturday at the Devaney Center. Boesiger – who’s taken over the setting role during her rookie campaign – is no stranger to volleyball. With her mom coaching and her older sister, Maisie, being a sophomore on Nebraska’s squad, she grew up around the sport. “I would say I watch volleyball all the time,” Boesiger said. “I’m always watching games, whether it’s high school, college or professional. I’m always trying to get better and learn from other people. “I grew up in the gym. My mom is a coach and my sister and I would always be playing with each other passing and setting. Volleyball has always been in my life.” Boesiger and her older sister have a close relationship. They are both very competitive, which growing up “most of the time ended up in a fight because someone would win and someone would lose. She’s my biggest supporter. I go to her home games and she comes to watch my high school and club games whenever she can.” Boesiger started club volleyball in first grade and has been setting since. She’s also always played up two age groups, including this past season for Nebraska One 16 Synergy as she helped guide the team to a bronze medal in 16 Open at the USAV Girls Junior Nationals Championships. She’ll be playing up two age groups once more this coming club season. But first she needs to wrap up her first high school season, one she has long anticipated. “I was so excited to finally be in high school,” she said. “I have played with a few girls on the team because we play together in club. I was super excited. I’ve always been at practices growing up. I used to be the water girl. I was off to the side playing with my dad or other student managers so now I’m super excited to be a part of it.” She’s having a stellar debut to date, as Norris entered the state playoffs 31-3. Boesiger is averaging 11.5 assists per set and leads the team in aces by a wide margin. She’s recorded at least 19 assists in every match so far. It includes a season-high 49 in a four-set victory over Waverly back in September. It was one of four times she’s surpassed 40 or more assists. With three more victories, she could help Norris earn back the state championship. “I think we are one of the best passing teams in the state,” she said. “It’s super easy for me to run a fast offense. The hitters are always talking and calling for the ball. I can set whoever. I trust all my hitters. Also, we are very close and always supporting each other. We are working hard to win a state championship.” When Boesiger isn’t immersed in volleyball she enjoys traveling with her family and learning about different cultures and surroundings. She also enjoys baking and once had a business with her sister before both became too busy to continue on with it. “My mom’s friend lives in Colorado and she’s a pastry chef,” Boesiger said. “We went there one time and she makes these super detailed cookies and decorations. My sister and I wanted to try it so we did it for almost two years. We made cakes and cupcakes for birthdays and grad parties. We made all the desserts for my sister’s grad party.” As our featured Player of the Week sponsored by Dick’s Sporting Goods, we recently spoke with Boesiger about volleyball and more. Who is a role model or someone you look up to? Boesiger: Inside volleyball I really look up to Lauren Carlini and Sydney Hilley. I grew up watching them all the time. They are balanced and really good leaders. Outside of volleyball I look up to my parents and my sister. They are always supporting me and care so much for me. If you could choose to do anything for a day, what would you do and why? Boesiger: I would probably take all my friends and family and go to the beach or the Amalfi coast. I always wanted to go there. It’s super pretty. I love the ocean. It’s so beautiful. I’d probably do that and play some games and get some coffee. I love coffee. Other than volleyball, what skill would you most like to learn and why? Boesiger: I would say gymnastics. I love watching it on TV. It’s crazy how they can do all those tricks. It’s something I would want to learn. Do you have any volleyball superstitions and if so what? Boesiger: At club tournaments that are three or four days, if we do well on the first day the next day if I had a certain type of food I need to pack the same type of food the next day or use the same hair tie. Aside from necessities, what is one thing you

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: Sakura Codling. *** After falling in the regional semifinals the past two seasons, Sakura Codling and her Seton teammates are aiming for a deeper run in this year’s Ohio Division 1 state playoffs. The Saints — who last captured a state championship in 2005 — entered this week 21-2 and face Milford on Wednesday in hopes of making Saturday’s district finals before continuing on from there. Codling – a 3-star libero and UCLA commit from the Class of 2025 – has been part of varsity since her freshman season. She took over at libero last year and remains there as a junior this fall. She’s been a defender since her 11s season, when she switched from playing setter her 10s year. “I love being a libero,” she said. “It’s so much fun. I know hitters get all the glory but my club team when I make a big play they all rush and push each other around. The feeling of making a huge dig in a crazy big moment is such a good feeling.” To date, Codling has put up a team-leading 406 digs. She’s averaging 5.1 per set and recorded a season-high 32 digs in a September victory over defending Division 1 state champion Ursuline Academy. Seton opened the season winning its first 15 contests before dropping consecutive matches to Kings and Mercy McAuley — both in five. The Saints had swept Mercy McAuley in their first meeting and it’s possible they could see one or both again in the state playoffs. “My freshman and sophomore season we were so close to being really good, we just didn’t quite have all the pieces,” Codling said. “This year we are playing really well. We were on a roll for a while then we lost our first game to Kings. We were ready to bounce back in the next one but we ended up losing in five again. That really took a toll on us but it helped us build character. We are all focused on doing our jobs and holding each other accountable.” Seton coach Kelly Crowley is also the club director at Tri-State Elite, where Codling plays club. She’ll be a part of Tri-State Elite 17 Blue this coming spring. Codling gave a lot of credit to Crowley for helping her through her recruiting process and her eventually committing to UCLA. “I was out in California when I made my decision,” Codling said. “I had to quickly call Kelly to ask him about what I should do and if this should be my final choice and what about the other schools involved. He was right by my side and ready to answer any question. He helped lift so much stress and pressure of my shoulders. He was at AAUs and I was texting him at random times in the middle of the night. It was like 9pm in California and midnight in Florida when I sent him a text and he was ready to answer and walk me through my stuff.” With the high school season soon coming to its conclusion, it won’t be long before Codling is back at it for club. She said she’s hoping the team learned from a tough ending last season when it finished 21st in 16 Open at AAUs and will take a step forward in 2024. “Going into next season we have almost the same team,” she said. “We have a new setter who played on Drive Nation last year because she ended up moving into town. We are excited to have her. Going into the season it’s about staying focused on what our goals are and what type of team we are going to be.” Outside of volleyball, Codling said she’s really into crossfit and will spend three to four days a week doing it during the club season. She also loves to fish during family vacations, saying the family makes it a competition every year. “This past year we didn’t have a lot of luck,” Codling said. “We go down to this small part of Florida and there is a little dock. There are sheepshead and some red snappers and stuff. They aren’t huge. Maybe eight inches, so we catch and release them.” As our featured Player of the Week sponsored by Dick’s Sporting Goods, we recently spoke with Codling about volleyball and more. Who is a role model or someone you look up to? Codling: For volleyball, it’s Morgan Hentz because she’s the one who shared that you don’t know if you don’t go. I remember that every time I play defense. I don’t know what balls I can touch or not or what passes I can make without making the move. Just going after every ball and watching her play in general because of her volleyball IQ is always something to remember. Also, I look up to my teammates for all the effort they put in every day that keeps me going. If they are putting in their all it makes me feel the need to put in my all too. Would you rather explore space or the ocean and why? Codling: I think exploring the ocean. There is so much we don’t know about it and exploring it would be fun. Also, to be able to go scuba diving seems so interesting and it’s something I want to do. If you could choose to do anything for a day, what would it be and why? Codling: I don’t know, I would want to go somewhere international like Italy or Greece and just have a fun day with my friends chilling and relaxing. Other than volleyball, what skill would you most like to learn and why? Codling: I think

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: Ayanna Watson. *** Being 5-10 in fifth grade and her father being a former NBA player, it makes sense Ayanna Watson would grow up having played basketball. Though she tried just about everything from dance, to gymnastics, to soccer, “the sport I played the most was basketball,” she said. However, her mom wanted her to try a new sport and that’s what led her to volleyball. Watson continued playing both sports until age 13. Now a 6-4, 5-star recruit and a sophomore at Bishop Gorman in Nevada, volleyball is her main focus. “I really like the fact that I get to do everything,” Watson said. “In basketball, I really only did one thing. I was a center because I’m tall and I stood by the basket and didn’t do much else. In volleyball, I get to hit, pass, block and set out of system. I pretty much get to do everything.” Watson began garnering attention as an eighth-grader playing up an age group on Vegas Aces 15 UA two years ago. She’s becoming more and more recognizable on the national stage with both the success enjoyed by Vegas Aces this past season as well as Bishop Gorman’s travel during the high school season. Watson – again playing up an age group – helped Vegas Aces 16 UA earn an Open bid to the USAV GJNC in Chicago this past summer, as the team qualified at the Salt Lake City Showdown qualifier in April. This coming club season, she’ll stay with her own age group and be part of the 16s once more for Vegas Aces. “I’m looking forward to building with my team and getting to know all of them and being able to play at a high level like we did last year,” Watson said. As for high school, Bishop Gorman has shown it’s not afraid to participate in the most competitive tournaments the country has to offer. As a freshman, Watson was part of a squad that traveled to both Nike TOC events in Tampa and Phoenix, as well as playing in the local Durango Fall Classic, long considered the gold standard of high school volleyball tournaments. She ended her rookie campaign second on the team in kills with 317, averaging 3.4 per set, as the Gaels reached the semifinals of the 5A state playoffs. Once more this season, Bishop Gorman has stacked its schedule in hopes of finishing the season on top when the state playoffs roll around. The team again traveled to Tampa for the Nike TOC and participated in the Durango Fall Classic – taking 17th place – and visited Southern California recently for the Redondo Power Classic, where the Gaels finished third after falling to national No. 2 Mira Costa CA in the semis. Watson entered the week leading the team in kills with 427, averaging 5.2 per set. She’s also second in both blocks and aces, and third in digs. “We are doing pretty well,” she said. “We are staying on track and really want to win state. We have the talent. We have the right people. We are always there for each other. I love playing with this team. “It’s a really big privilege to get to travel with the people you are closest with. It’s really a big family. The coaches and players talk on a personal level. No one gets offended when you give any feedback. There’s nothing negative about it.” Watson shared she would eventually want to coach when she’s done playing. She’s aiming to sign at a top Division 1 program and possibly play professionally after that. In her free time Watson likes to go shopping with her mom and friends, as well as spend time hanging out with her friends and sisters. “I just want to give all of the glory to God for blessing me with my athletic abilities and for allowing me to be able to display them,” Watson said. “Without Him, none of this would be possible and I thank Him for keeping me safe and protected. I am excited to see where His plan will take me in the future.” As our featured Player of the Week sponsored by Dick’s Sporting Goods, we recently spoke with Watson about volleyball and more. Who is a role model or someone you look up to? Watson: For volleyball, I would say it’s a lot of successful pin hitters. Players who not only hit hard, but they are smart and really good at defense. Just all-around good players. Logan Eggleston is one. Outside of volleyball it is Kobe (Bryant) because of his work ethic, mentality and just his all-around competitiveness. Would you rather explore space or the ocean and why? Watson: This is kind of hard. I would say probably the ocean. I like being by the water. I would like learning about different animals, especially the ones people don’t already know about. If you could choose to do anything for a day, what would it be and why? Watson: I would go to dinner with my friends. I would go hang out with them and have a sleepover. Other than volleyball, what skill would you most like to learn and why? Watson: I want to learn how to play an instrument. I used to play violin in third grade because the school required it, so I picked that. I don’t know how to play it anymore, but instruments are fun and they help with other things. It would be a good experience. Aside from necessities, what is one thing you could not go a day without? Watson: I definitely can’t go a day without my phone or my headphones. What is one thing that instantly makes your

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

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