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HS Player Spotlight: 13 Impactful Freshmen

November 16, 2023

Once the high school schedule officially wraps up, we’ll start releasing our Player of the Year candidates for the 2024-2027 classes. It’s likely you’ll see many of the names below listed as our Freshman of the Year candidates for the 2023 season. What all 13 ninth-graders below have in common is that their respective seasons are completed and all made tremendous impacts towards their team success. Lauren Garcia S/RS Reagan TX: Garcia – a 3-star recruit – had a big freshman season in helping the Rattlers reach the regional quarterfinals. She finished off the year second in kills with 428, averaging 3.2 per set. She also led the team in assists with 798, averaging 6.0 per set. She was third in digs with 375 and first in aces with 54. She recorded a season-high 17 kills in a September victory over Johnson. She twice reached a season-best 33 assists. The first came in a victory against Churchill in September. The next was in an October bi-district triumph over New Braunfels. Mallory Wandel OH Rockford MI: The Rams’ run came to an end in the Division 1 regional final. Still, it was a tremendous rookie campaign for Wandel. She was second in kills with 373. She averaged 2.8 per set. One of her best matches came in August when she had 13 kills and hit .647. She had a season-high 17 kills in a September victory over Caledonia. Louise Neuhart OH Virginia Academy VA: Neuhart played a key role in the Patriots making it to the Virginia Division 2 state semifinals. The freshman outside led the offense with 366 kills. She averaged 2.9 per set and hit .290. Neuhart twice registered a season-high 17 kills. One was in a victory against St. Anne’s-Belfield as she hit .412. The other time came against Chelsea Academy, when she hit .406. McKenna McIntosh OH St. Mary’s CA: McIntosh – a 3-star recruit – made an immediate impact for the Rams, who captured the CIF Sac-Joaquin Division 1 championship and qualifed for the CA Open Division state playoffs, where they fell to Foothill in the Round of 16. McIntosh led the attack with 362 kills. She averaged 4.5 kills per set and hit .350. She was also second in both digs (179) and blocks (22) and third in aces (48). McIntosh had a couple of her biggest outings late in the season. It included dropping 17 kills and hitting .308 as St. Mary’s beat Rocklin in the sectional final. In the sectional semis, she had a season-best 20 kills and hit .462. Marissa Jones S Woodward Academy GA: Jones – a 5-star recruit – guided Woodward Academy to the Georgia 6A state quarterfinals before falling to eventual champ Alpharetta. She dished out 702 assists, averaging 7.5 per set. She also finished first in blocks with 71 and third in digs with 239. She twice recorded a season-best 35 assists, as well as a season-high seven blocks in an August loss to McIntosh. Lauren Forelli OH Liberty AZ: With Forelli leading the charge on offense, the Lions advanced to the Arizona 6A state quarterfinals this fall. The 4-star recruit sent down a team-leading 250 kills. In her best match of the season, she put away a high of 21 kills and hit .439 in a five-set victory against Pinnacle in October. Kendall Omoruyi MB Sunnyslope AZ: The Vikings also made it to the Arizona 6A state quarterfinals. A 5-star recruit, Omoruyi was an important factor in the middle. She ended third in kills with 171, averaging 2.3 per set. She made a bigger impact defensively, sending down 83 blocks and averaging 1.1 per set. She amassed a season-high 14 kills in a five-set victory against Mountain Ridge in September. She also twice had a season-high nine blocks. It came against Lake Highlands Prep FL and Bishop’s CA during the Nike TOC Southwest tournament. Calli LeFevre OH Marian MI: LeFevre’s role in helping the Mustangs reach the Michigan Division 1 state quarterfinals cannot be overlooked. The 3-star outside wrapped up the year second in kills with 338. She averaged 2.7 per set and was third in digs with 300, averaging 2.4. She tallied a season-high 15 kills in a five-set loss to Lake Orion in September. Amelie Pankonin OH River Falls WI: The Wildcats advanced to the Wisconsin Division 1 state quarterfinals before falling to eventual champion and nationally-ranked Divine Savior Holy Angels. Pankonin played a vital part on offense, finishing the year second in kills with 322. That was one short of tying for the team lead. She averaged 3.4 per set. Four times she totaled 20 kills or more, including a season-high 22 and hitting .388 in a four-set victory over Eau Claire Memorial in the second round of state. Ellyson Randolph OH Reagan NC: The Raiders suffered their only loss of the fall in the North Carolina 4A state semifinals when Cox Mill prevailed in four sets. It was quite the season for the 6-2 Randolph, who led the team in kills. She put down 311 and averaged 3.2 per set while hitting .314. She notched a season-high 15 kills in a four-set victory against East Surry in October. Caroline Ward OH Tri-West Hendricks IN: Ward – a 5-star talent – played a crucial role in the Bruins finishing on top of the Indiana 3A state playoffs. She finished second in kills with 312, averaging 2.8 per set. She was also third in blocks with 45. She had 19 kills and hit .640 in a victory against Westner Boone in mid-October. She set her season high of 24 kills while hitting .439 in a five-set triumph over Center Grove in early October. Addyson Avery MB Briarcrest Christian TN: The Saints came out on top of the Tennessee Division 2AA state playoffs. Avery contributed in a big way out of the middle. She finished fourth in kills with 166, averaging 1.6 per set and hitting .352, and led the way blocking with 139. That

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Vballrecruiter Elite ID Clinic: Atlanta Red Hat Invites and Standout Players

November 15, 2023

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:

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vballrecruiter.com’s Player of the Week: Keoni Williams (FREE)

November 14, 2023

We’re proud to be a part of an ongoing partnership with Dick’s Sporting Goods, which is sponsoring our Player of the Week award. We’ll be releasing a featured vballrecruiter.com Player of the Week, sponsored by Dick’s Sporting Goods, on Tuesdays. Below is this week’s Player of the Week: 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

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vballrecruiter.com’s Top 50 National HS Rankings (Nov. 13)

November 13, 2023

The final week of the high school season is upon us. That’s the bad news. The good news is it has been a fun-filled and entertaining ride, one that is not over just yet. Major states like California and Texas wrap up this week. Not only is the national championship still up in the air, state tournaments also help shape and define who will be our Player of the Year for each class. Just like it’s impossible to be the national champion without winning a state tournament, it’s virtually impossible as well to be named a Freshman, Sophomore, Junior or Senior Player of the Year without hoisting the state trophy. As for the national championship puzzle, the pieces continue to fall into place. Top-ranked Mater Dei is still alive in the California Open Division state playoffs and is set to face Cathedral Catholic on Tuesday in the semifinals. The winner of that advances to face the winner of Archbishop Mitty–St. Francis/Mountain View in Saturday’s final. Mater Dei and Cathedral Catholic have split a pair of matches thus far, with Mater Dei beating Cathedral in the semifinals of Volleypalooza and Cathedral returning the favor by downing Mater Dei in the finals of the Dave Mohs tournament two weeks later. Cathedral Catholic knocked off Mira Costa over the weekend in the quarterfinals. That was a giant result because it ended any chance of Mira Costa finishing as the national champion. Mira Costa had a path to the title but would have needed to beat Cathedral Catholic, then Mater Dei then the Nor Cal representative in the final in order to make that claim. Cathedral Catholic went undefeated last year and claimed the national championship after winning the Open Division state championship. Despite losing a lot of talent, the Dons are interestingly in another position where they could possibly make an argument for once again being national champions. Should they win out, the Dons would have gone 2-1 against Mater Dei and 1-1 against Prestonwood Christian, which won the TAPPS 6A state championship. Cathedral Catholic did lose to Mira Costa at the Durango Fall Classic but avenged that loss in the state playoffs. The biggest obstacle is the loss to Grand Oaks in the third-place match at Volleypalooza. Grand Oaks is still alive in the semifinals of the Texas 6A state playoffs. Grand Oaks’ only loss remains to Prestonwood Christian in the semis of Volleypalooza. We’ll sort through all the results as the state finals conclude this coming weekend and will name a national champion next Monday. Until then, this week’s updated Top 50 can be viewed in its entirety below. vballrecruiter.com’S TOP 50 NATIONAL HS RANKINGS 1. Mater Dei CA (1 – previous ranking) 2. Hamilton Southeastern IN (3) 3. Prestonwood Christian TX (4) 4. Grand Oaks TX (5) 5. Cathedral Catholic CA (6) 6. Wayzata MN (7) 7. Mira Costa CA (2) 8. Assumption KY (8) 9. Mother McAuley IL (10) 10. Benet Academy IL (9) *** 11. Divine Savior Holy Angels WI (11) 12. O’Connor AZ (12) 13. Lincoln Southwest NE (13) 14. Middle Creek NC (14) 15. Archbishop Mitty CA (15) 16. Lake Catholic OH (16) 17. St. Francis/Mountain View CA (16) 18. Kings OH (18) 19. Papillion-La Vista NE (19) 20. Papillion-La Vista South NE (20) *** 21. Mill Valley KS (21) 22. Marist IL (22) 23. Notre Dame Academy KY (24) 24. Sierra Canyon CA (23) 25. Blue Valley North KS (25) 26. Harlan TX (n/r) 27. Dike-New Hartford IA (26) 28. Valor Christian CO (27) 29. Cinco Ranch TX (n/r) 30. Oconomowoc WI (29) *** 31. Seaman KS (31) 32. St. Thomas Aquinas KS (32) 33. Lafayette MO (34) 34. Dripping Springs TX (33) 35. Maize South KS (35) 36. St. James Academy KS (37) 37. Cornerstone Christian TX (38) 38. Carrollwood Day FL (40) 39. Northville MI (n/r) 40. Foothill CA (39) *** 41. Branson CA (41) 42. Lone Peak UT (43) 43. Plant FL (n/r) 44. Berkeley Prep FL (44) 45. Pace Academy GA (45) 46. North Branch MI (46) 47. Alpharetta GA (47) 48. Skyridge UT (48) 49. Glenbard West IL (49) 50. Pope GA (50) *** ON THE CUSP Lake Travis TXPerry AZXavier Prep AZSt. Ursula Academy OHSeton OHMercy McAuley OHHuntington Beach CAMarymount CALos Alamitos CAWinter Park FLSt. Thomas Aquinas FLKamehameha HIPunahou HIBishop Gorman NVHorizon AZMcGill-Toolen ALMountain Brook ALLas Cruces NMJenks OKWillowbrook IL

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HS Team Spotlight: 7 State Champions

November 7, 2023

We are under two weeks away from the 2023 high school season coming to a close. It’s that time of year when dreams are coming true and schools are raising state championship plaques and trophies. Below, we spotlight seven schools from our Top 50 National HS Rankings which finished on top of their respective divisions. ASSUMPTION: The Rockets added their state-record 23rd state championship by topping Notre Dame Academy in the Kentucky state final Saturday. Assumption handed NDA’s its first loss of the season by beating them in the Louisville Invitational Volleyball Tournament in early September and ended the season 3-1 against the Pandas. Assumption hadn’t won the state title since 2019. It was the longest drought since Assumption took home its first state title back in 1992. Senor Charlotte Moriarty led the way with 18 kills and tied junior libero Kristen Simon with a team-high 16 digs. Moriarty ended the season with 386 kills, followed by junior middle Bailey Blair with 323. Senior outside Chloe Smith (287 kills) and Emma Barnett (275) rounded out a balanced attack directed by junior setter Emilee Fuller (1,212 assists). Meanwhile, Simon wrapped up the year with 473 digs as Assumption finished the year 36-5 overall. DIVINE SAVIOR HOLY ANGELS: Led by 5-star Wisconsin commit and junior outside Madison Quest’s season-high 24 kills, Divine Savior defeated Oconomowoc in the Wisconsin Division 1 state final. It was the fourth time this season DSHA downed Oconomowoc in defending its state title. Senior outside and Creighton commit Sophia Wendlick added 22 kills. Four-star junior libero and Michigan State commit Olivia Durst put up 23 digs. Wendlick (556 kills) and Quest (515) combined for over 1,000 kills on the season. Junior setter and Belmont commit Jordan Czajkowski dished out 1,100 assists while Durst finished with 466 digs. DSHA went 47-1 this fall, with its only loss coming to Mother McAuley in the Asics Challenge tournament. LINCOLN SOUTHWEST: The Silver Hawks (33-4) ended the season on top of the Nebraska Class A state championship. Lincoln Southwest swept Papillion-La Vista in Saturday’s state final as 4-star and junior setter Malayah Long’s 31 assists. Senior outside Emerson Lionberger led the offense with 11 kills. Long directed a balanced attack on the year. Senior outside Julia Trost finished with a team-leading 274 kills. Senior middle Madison Rink had 265, while junior outside Shelby Harding (227 kills) and Lionberger (216) were also frequent contributors. MILL VALLEY: The Jaguars (37-5) were another school which ended the season on top of its respective division. Mill Valley swept Blue Valley North in the Kansas Class 6A state final two weeks ago. Senior outside Kaitlyn Burke put away 13 kills and sophomore setter Ella Florez delivered 24 assists. Mill Valley lost its first meeting of the year against Blue Valley North, but wound up 3-1 against after taking the state showdown. Florez racked up 943 assists this fall. Burke powered the offense with a team-high 349 kills. Freshman outside Riley Riggs played a key role, ending her rookie campaign with 299 kills. Junior middles Saida Jacobs (222 kills) and Ashlyn Blazer (203) were also an important part of the attack while sophomore libero Corinne Schwindt anchored the defense with 297 digs. DIKE-NEW HARTFORD: The Wolverines were stopped in last year’s Iowa Class 2A state final but weren’t going to be denied in 2023. Dike-New Hartford swept Hinton in last Thursday’s state championship match to cap a perfect 50-0 season. Senior outside and 4-star Louisville commit Payton Petersen registered 20 kills and hit. 368. Petersen ended her senior year with 616 kills and hitting .463. Senior outside Jadyn Petersen was next in line with 426 kills, followed by senior middle Maryn Bixby with 351. LAFAYETTE: Junior outside and 4-star Vanderbilt commit Maya Witherspoon recorded 21 kills to lift the Lancers to their second consecutive Missouri Class 5A state championship in a sweep of Howell last weekend. Senior setter Alyssa Nelson dished out 34 assists as well as Lafayette completed the year 36-2. Nelson amassed 1,036 assists to close out her career, while Witherspoon shined offensively with a team-leading 435 kills. Senior outside Allison Risley (303 kills) and freshman right side Shaye Witherspoon (252) were also favorite targets of Nelson. LONE PEAK: Freshman outside and 4-star recruit Ava Burgess waited until Utah’s 6A state final to deliver her best performance of the season. She totaled a season-best 17 kills as the Knights (28-5) took down Skyridge in four sets. The two sides split a pair of matches before meeting for a third time in the state final. Senior right side Cami Christiansen added 14 kills while 5-star senior middle and Kansas commit Zoey Burgess had 11. Junior Sam Pope and sophomore Nevaeh Tien combined for 42 assists. The Knights were yet another squad who ran a very balanced offense. Zoey Burgess (279 kills), Christiansen (236), McKynzee Beddes (220) and Ava Burgess (207) all finished with similar output.

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vballrecruiter.com’s Player of the Week: Ella Florez (FREE)

November 7, 2023

We’re proud to be a part of an ongoing partnership with Dick’s Sporting Goods, which is sponsoring our Player of the Week award. We’ll be releasing a featured vballrecruiter.com Player of the Week, sponsored by Dick’s Sporting Goods, on Tuesdays. Below is this week’s Player of the Week: 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

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vballrecruiter.com’s Top 50 National HS Rankings (Nov. 6)

November 6, 2023

We are two weeks away from the final Top 50 National HS Rankings being released. With it the national champion will be named. The national title picture is rapidly taking shape. There was a huge result this past Saturday as top-ranked Mater Dei CA swept No. 2 Mira Costa CA in the CIF Southern Section Division 1 final. That pushed Mater Dei’s mark to 2-1 against Mira Costa this season. Cathedral Catholic CA – which captured the CIF San Diego Section title with a five-set victory over Torrey Pines CA – is the only other school to beat Mater Dei, which also owns a victory over Cathedral Catholic. While there was no question of keeping Mater Dei at No. 1 following the Monarchs’ big victory, there was a question of where to place Mira Costa. We kept Mira Costa at No. 2 despite the loss based on strength of schedule. A big reason was because Mira Costa still has an opportunity to prove itself. The Mustangs open the California Open Division state playoffs this week against nationally-ranked Sierra Canyon. Up next could be a rematch with Cathedral Catholic, with the winner likely taking on Mater Dei in the semifinals. The California state playoffs are ultimately going to decide the final rankings and where Mater Dei, Mira Costa and Cathedral Catholic wind up in the final rankings. Also up in the air is the possibility that Hamilton Southeastern IN finishes at either No. 1 or No. 2 in the final rankings, ahead of its No. 3 ranking this week. Hamilton Southeastern wrapped up a 33-0 — and stretching its overall winning streak to 67 matches — season by claiming Indiana’s Class 4A state championship this past weekend. The question is whether or not that is enough to propel HSE to the top or not? While the roster is stacked with future Division 1 athletes, HSE’s strength of schedule is the biggest argument working against the program. The team didn’t face any out-of-state competition. A few schools HSE did beat did play teams from out-of-state, but none notched any victories of note. It leaves the hypothetical question of what would HSE’s record look like had it played in tournaments like Volleypalooza, Nike TOCs and the Durango Fall Classic? The bottom line is we won’t ever know the answer to that question and we are going to have to wait and see the final results of the season before making a final determination. Meanwhile, more states joined Indiana in bringing a close to their high school seasons. One of the biggest results was from Nebraska, where No. 9 Papillion-La Vista South fell in the state quarterfinals to Papillion-La Vista. Papillion-La Vista lost in the Class A state final to Lincoln Southwest, which vaulted into the national rankings as a result. Both finished ahead of Papillion-La Vista South, which was undefeated two weeks ago before falling to Papillion-La Vista in the last match of the regular season and then once more in state. Assumption regained its throne on top of the Kentucky state playoffs after knocking off Notre Dame Academy in the final. Notre Dame defeated Assumption in last year’s semifinals. Divine Savior Holy Angels repeated as Wisconsin’s Division 1 state champs after beating Oconomowoc for the fourth time this fall. Middle Creek earned its first-ever state title by beating Green Hope in the semifinals before topping Cox Mill for the North Carolina 4A state championship. Middle Creek’s only loss of the season came against Green Hope in August. Middle Creek avenged that loss in September and wound up taking the season series with the state semi victory. Dike-New Hartford capped a perfect 50-0 season after taking home the Iowa Class 2A state crown. Lafayette went back-to-back in Missouri’s Class 5A after sweeping Howell in the state final. Lone Peak finished off its season by downing Skyridge for the Utah 6A state championship. The schools entered the match 1-1 against each other. The Georgia state playoffs also came to an end over the weekend. Pace Academy left with the Class 4A state trophy while Alpharetta swept Pope for the 6A title. You can view the full Top 50 rankings below. vballrecruiter.com’S TOP 50 NATIONAL HS RANKINGS 1. Mater Dei CA (1 – previous ranking) 2. Mira Costa CA (2) 3. Hamilton Southeastern IN (3) 4. Prestonwood Christian TX (4) 5. Grand Oaks TX (5) 6. Cathedral Catholic CA (6) 7. Wayzata MN (7) 8. Assumption KY (10) 9. Benet Academy IL (12) 10. Mother McAuley IL (13) *** 11. Divine Savior Holy Angels WI (14) 12. O’Connor AZ (15) 13. Lincoln Southwest NE (n/r) 14. Middle Creek NC (21) 15. Archbishop Mitty CA (17) 16. Lake Catholic OH (20) 17. St. Francis/Mountain View CA (16) 18. Kings OH (22) 19. Papillion-La Vista NE (n/r) 20. Papillion-La Vista South NE (9) *** 21. Mill Valley KS (23) 22. Marist IL (11) 23. Sierra Canyon CA (24) 24. Notre Dame Academy KY (19) 25. Blue Valley North KS (25) 26. Dike-New Hartford IA (26) 27. Valor Christian CO (27) 28. Lake Travis TX (28) 29. Oconomowoc WI (18) 30. Hudsonville MI (29) *** 31. Seaman KS (31) 32. St. Thomas Aquinas KS (32) 33. Dripping Springs TX (33) 34. Lafayette MO (34) 35. Maize South KS (35) 36. Xavier Prep AZ (36) 37. St. James Academy KS (37) 38. Cornerstone Christian TX (38) 39. Foothill CA (n/r) 40. Carrollwood Day FL (39) *** 41. Branson CA (40) 42. Winter Park FL (41) 43. Lone Peak UT (44) 44. Berkeley Prep FL (n/r) 45. Pace Academy GA (45) 46. North Branch MI (47) 47. Alpharetta GA (48) 48. Skyridge UT (42) 49. Glenbard West IL (n/r) 50. Pope GA (49) ON THE CUSP Lake Highlands TXMcKinney Boyd TXSt. Ursula Academy OHSeton OHMercy McAuley OHLewis-Palmer COHuntington Beach CAMarymount CALos Alamitos CANorthville MIViera FLPlant FLVenice FLJupiter FLKamehameha HIPunahou HIBishop Gorman NVClear Creek-Amana IACorona del Sol AZLiberty AZSunrise Mountain AZMillennium AZBob Jones ALMountain Brook ALNorth Myrtle Beach SCDorman SCJenks

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More Top Classes From 2024 As Signing Day Approaches

November 2, 2023

With national signing day approaching on Nov. 8, we already checked in on what we believe are the Top 10 recruiting classes from 2024. Below, we take a look at other noteworthy programs which also made splashes. TEXAS   Notes: The Longhorns’ class grew in size with the recent announcement coming from Ames that she was decommitting from Nebraska and staying in-state instead. It gives Texas its only 5-star recruit from the class. A 6-3 middle who runs the slide exceptionally well, Ames is among the top players at her position from 2024. The Longhorns are bringing in a pair of setters. It’ll add depth but with Ella Swindle setting as a freshman this season, Texas is in good hands for years to come. KANSAS   Notes: It’s a diverse class for the Jayhawks, topped by Burgess. She’s an athletic middle who moves really well and gives Kansas the option to possibly use her on the right side. She’ll have work to do to see the court out of the gate, as Kansas has five of its middles set to return next season. Behind Burgess is three 4-star recruits, including Nelson. She’s a powerful outside who hits a heavy ball. She might not get a bunch of playing time right away, but she’ll make her mark soon enough. Ptacek is a 6-2 middle. She’ll also be part of a packed position, but she can possibly play on the pin as well. Devers will add to the defense with her ability to patrol the back row. PURDUE   Notes: Count Purdue among the schools who landed a 5-star recruit. Shondell is a high IQ setter with lots of experience and the ability to run an offense effectively. McAleer is a strong defender who will give the Boilermakers another presence on that side of the ball. NOTRE DAME   Notes: The Fighting Irish did well with the 2024 class. They were able to land a 5-star recruit in Gaerte. The 6-4 outside is long with a strong arm. She’s going to provide an immediate boost upon her arrival and is very likely to be starting out of the gate. Notre Dame currently has four middles on its roster, with two being seniors. Bringing in a pair of 4-star recruits in Bjork and Bohl will fill that void and they both could vie for playing time as rookies. Radeff will add depth to the outside. She’s 6-1 and has continually progressed through her club seasons. BYU   Notes: The Cougars are bringing in a large class, with the highlight being 5-star setter Alex Bower, the younger sister of BYU’s current setter Whitney Bower. With the older Bower a senior, the younger one could fight for playing time right away. While BYU is adding nice pins in Hoybjerg, Bobik and Mortensen, it’ll be interesting to see how it plays out in a crowded position. The Cougars have six outsides on the roster and are set to return five of them. CINCINNATI   Notes: The Bearcats have one of their stronger classes overall. Frame is a high-caliber libero who should help fortify the defensive side. Green is a high-energy setter with great leadership and setting skills. Stewart has nice size and length and a solid arm to help bolster the attack. All three should contend for playing time next season. KENTUCKY   Notes: It’s not a big class for the Wildcats but Benjamin makes it a legit one. The 5-star outside will help strengthen a position Kentucky needs help in. It’s possible to see her playing right away and contributing in a big way similar to what we see with freshman Brooklyn DeLeye this season. Thigpen will add another option on the outside as well, though it’ll be harder for her to crack the lineup right away. TENNESSEE   Notes: The Volunteers have a balanced class coming in. Stucky figures to have the best shot at competing for playing time right away. Tennessee has three setters on the roster and two are graduate players. The other is redshirt freshman Caroline Kerr. Chapman would have some work to do to break into the rotation on the left. Meanwhile, Tennessee is set to bring back three of its four middles from this season so Sutton would bring that total back to the same number next season. It’s the same case for the defenders. The Volunteers currently have five L/DSs on the roster, but two are graduate players.

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HS Player Spotlight: 13 Impactful Freshmen

November 16, 2023

Once the high school schedule officially wraps up, we’ll start releasing our Player of the Year candidates for the 2024-2027 classes. It’s likely you’ll see many of the names below listed as our Freshman of the Year candidates for the 2023 season. What all 13 ninth-graders below have in common is that their respective seasons are completed and all made tremendous impacts towards their team success. Lauren Garcia S/RS Reagan TX: Garcia – a 3-star recruit – had a big freshman season in helping the Rattlers reach the regional quarterfinals. She finished off the year second in kills with 428, averaging 3.2 per set. She also led the team in assists with 798, averaging 6.0 per set. She was third in digs with 375 and first in aces with 54. She recorded a season-high 17 kills in a September victory over Johnson. She twice reached a season-best 33 assists. The first came in a victory against Churchill in September. The next was in an October bi-district triumph over New Braunfels. Mallory Wandel OH Rockford MI: The Rams’ run came to an end in the Division 1 regional final. Still, it was a tremendous rookie campaign for Wandel. She was second in kills with 373. She averaged 2.8 per set. One of her best matches came in August when she had 13 kills and hit .647. She had a season-high 17 kills in a September victory over Caledonia. Louise Neuhart OH Virginia Academy VA: Neuhart played a key role in the Patriots making it to the Virginia Division 2 state semifinals. The freshman outside led the offense with 366 kills. She averaged 2.9 per set and hit .290. Neuhart twice registered a season-high 17 kills. One was in a victory against St. Anne’s-Belfield as she hit .412. The other time came against Chelsea Academy, when she hit .406. McKenna McIntosh OH St. Mary’s CA: McIntosh – a 3-star recruit – made an immediate impact for the Rams, who captured the CIF Sac-Joaquin Division 1 championship and qualifed for the CA Open Division state playoffs, where they fell to Foothill in the Round of 16. McIntosh led the attack with 362 kills. She averaged 4.5 kills per set and hit .350. She was also second in both digs (179) and blocks (22) and third in aces (48). McIntosh had a couple of her biggest outings late in the season. It included dropping 17 kills and hitting .308 as St. Mary’s beat Rocklin in the sectional final. In the sectional semis, she had a season-best 20 kills and hit .462. Marissa Jones S Woodward Academy GA: Jones – a 5-star recruit – guided Woodward Academy to the Georgia 6A state quarterfinals before falling to eventual champ Alpharetta. She dished out 702 assists, averaging 7.5 per set. She also finished first in blocks with 71 and third in digs with 239. She twice recorded a season-best 35 assists, as well as a season-high seven blocks in an August loss to McIntosh. Lauren Forelli OH Liberty AZ: With Forelli leading the charge on offense, the Lions advanced to the Arizona 6A state quarterfinals this fall. The 4-star recruit sent down a team-leading 250 kills. In her best match of the season, she put away a high of 21 kills and hit .439 in a five-set victory against Pinnacle in October. Kendall Omoruyi MB Sunnyslope AZ: The Vikings also made it to the Arizona 6A state quarterfinals. A 5-star recruit, Omoruyi was an important factor in the middle. She ended third in kills with 171, averaging 2.3 per set. She made a bigger impact defensively, sending down 83 blocks and averaging 1.1 per set. She amassed a season-high 14 kills in a five-set victory against Mountain Ridge in September. She also twice had a season-high nine blocks. It came against Lake Highlands Prep FL and Bishop’s CA during the Nike TOC Southwest tournament. Calli LeFevre OH Marian MI: LeFevre’s role in helping the Mustangs reach the Michigan Division 1 state quarterfinals cannot be overlooked. The 3-star outside wrapped up the year second in kills with 338. She averaged 2.7 per set and was third in digs with 300, averaging 2.4. She tallied a season-high 15 kills in a five-set loss to Lake Orion in September. Amelie Pankonin OH River Falls WI: The Wildcats advanced to the Wisconsin Division 1 state quarterfinals before falling to eventual champion and nationally-ranked Divine Savior Holy Angels. Pankonin played a vital part on offense, finishing the year second in kills with 322. That was one short of tying for the team lead. She averaged 3.4 per set. Four times she totaled 20 kills or more, including a season-high 22 and hitting .388 in a four-set victory over Eau Claire Memorial in the second round of state. Ellyson Randolph OH Reagan NC: The Raiders suffered their only loss of the fall in the North Carolina 4A state semifinals when Cox Mill prevailed in four sets. It was quite the season for the 6-2 Randolph, who led the team in kills. She put down 311 and averaged 3.2 per set while hitting .314. She notched a season-high 15 kills in a four-set victory against East Surry in October. Caroline Ward OH Tri-West Hendricks IN: Ward – a 5-star talent – played a crucial role in the Bruins finishing on top of the Indiana 3A state playoffs. She finished second in kills with 312, averaging 2.8 per set. She was also third in blocks with 45. She had 19 kills and hit .640 in a victory against Westner Boone in mid-October. She set her season high of 24 kills while hitting .439 in a five-set triumph over Center Grove in early October. Addyson Avery MB Briarcrest Christian TN: The Saints came out on top of the Tennessee Division 2AA state playoffs. Avery contributed in a big way out of the middle. She finished fourth in kills with 166, averaging 1.6 per set and hitting .352, and led the way blocking with 139. That

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Vballrecruiter Elite ID Clinic: Atlanta Red Hat Invites and Standout Players

November 15, 2023

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:

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vballrecruiter.com’s Player of the Week: Keoni Williams (FREE)

November 14, 2023

We’re proud to be a part of an ongoing partnership with Dick’s Sporting Goods, which is sponsoring our Player of the Week award. We’ll be releasing a featured vballrecruiter.com Player of the Week, sponsored by Dick’s Sporting Goods, on Tuesdays. Below is this week’s Player of the Week: 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

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vballrecruiter.com’s Top 50 National HS Rankings (Nov. 13)

November 13, 2023

The final week of the high school season is upon us. That’s the bad news. The good news is it has been a fun-filled and entertaining ride, one that is not over just yet. Major states like California and Texas wrap up this week. Not only is the national championship still up in the air, state tournaments also help shape and define who will be our Player of the Year for each class. Just like it’s impossible to be the national champion without winning a state tournament, it’s virtually impossible as well to be named a Freshman, Sophomore, Junior or Senior Player of the Year without hoisting the state trophy. As for the national championship puzzle, the pieces continue to fall into place. Top-ranked Mater Dei is still alive in the California Open Division state playoffs and is set to face Cathedral Catholic on Tuesday in the semifinals. The winner of that advances to face the winner of Archbishop Mitty–St. Francis/Mountain View in Saturday’s final. Mater Dei and Cathedral Catholic have split a pair of matches thus far, with Mater Dei beating Cathedral in the semifinals of Volleypalooza and Cathedral returning the favor by downing Mater Dei in the finals of the Dave Mohs tournament two weeks later. Cathedral Catholic knocked off Mira Costa over the weekend in the quarterfinals. That was a giant result because it ended any chance of Mira Costa finishing as the national champion. Mira Costa had a path to the title but would have needed to beat Cathedral Catholic, then Mater Dei then the Nor Cal representative in the final in order to make that claim. Cathedral Catholic went undefeated last year and claimed the national championship after winning the Open Division state championship. Despite losing a lot of talent, the Dons are interestingly in another position where they could possibly make an argument for once again being national champions. Should they win out, the Dons would have gone 2-1 against Mater Dei and 1-1 against Prestonwood Christian, which won the TAPPS 6A state championship. Cathedral Catholic did lose to Mira Costa at the Durango Fall Classic but avenged that loss in the state playoffs. The biggest obstacle is the loss to Grand Oaks in the third-place match at Volleypalooza. Grand Oaks is still alive in the semifinals of the Texas 6A state playoffs. Grand Oaks’ only loss remains to Prestonwood Christian in the semis of Volleypalooza. We’ll sort through all the results as the state finals conclude this coming weekend and will name a national champion next Monday. Until then, this week’s updated Top 50 can be viewed in its entirety below. vballrecruiter.com’S TOP 50 NATIONAL HS RANKINGS 1. Mater Dei CA (1 – previous ranking) 2. Hamilton Southeastern IN (3) 3. Prestonwood Christian TX (4) 4. Grand Oaks TX (5) 5. Cathedral Catholic CA (6) 6. Wayzata MN (7) 7. Mira Costa CA (2) 8. Assumption KY (8) 9. Mother McAuley IL (10) 10. Benet Academy IL (9) *** 11. Divine Savior Holy Angels WI (11) 12. O’Connor AZ (12) 13. Lincoln Southwest NE (13) 14. Middle Creek NC (14) 15. Archbishop Mitty CA (15) 16. Lake Catholic OH (16) 17. St. Francis/Mountain View CA (16) 18. Kings OH (18) 19. Papillion-La Vista NE (19) 20. Papillion-La Vista South NE (20) *** 21. Mill Valley KS (21) 22. Marist IL (22) 23. Notre Dame Academy KY (24) 24. Sierra Canyon CA (23) 25. Blue Valley North KS (25) 26. Harlan TX (n/r) 27. Dike-New Hartford IA (26) 28. Valor Christian CO (27) 29. Cinco Ranch TX (n/r) 30. Oconomowoc WI (29) *** 31. Seaman KS (31) 32. St. Thomas Aquinas KS (32) 33. Lafayette MO (34) 34. Dripping Springs TX (33) 35. Maize South KS (35) 36. St. James Academy KS (37) 37. Cornerstone Christian TX (38) 38. Carrollwood Day FL (40) 39. Northville MI (n/r) 40. Foothill CA (39) *** 41. Branson CA (41) 42. Lone Peak UT (43) 43. Plant FL (n/r) 44. Berkeley Prep FL (44) 45. Pace Academy GA (45) 46. North Branch MI (46) 47. Alpharetta GA (47) 48. Skyridge UT (48) 49. Glenbard West IL (49) 50. Pope GA (50) *** ON THE CUSP Lake Travis TXPerry AZXavier Prep AZSt. Ursula Academy OHSeton OHMercy McAuley OHHuntington Beach CAMarymount CALos Alamitos CAWinter Park FLSt. Thomas Aquinas FLKamehameha HIPunahou HIBishop Gorman NVHorizon AZMcGill-Toolen ALMountain Brook ALLas Cruces NMJenks OKWillowbrook IL

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HS Team Spotlight: 7 State Champions

November 7, 2023

We are under two weeks away from the 2023 high school season coming to a close. It’s that time of year when dreams are coming true and schools are raising state championship plaques and trophies. Below, we spotlight seven schools from our Top 50 National HS Rankings which finished on top of their respective divisions. ASSUMPTION: The Rockets added their state-record 23rd state championship by topping Notre Dame Academy in the Kentucky state final Saturday. Assumption handed NDA’s its first loss of the season by beating them in the Louisville Invitational Volleyball Tournament in early September and ended the season 3-1 against the Pandas. Assumption hadn’t won the state title since 2019. It was the longest drought since Assumption took home its first state title back in 1992. Senor Charlotte Moriarty led the way with 18 kills and tied junior libero Kristen Simon with a team-high 16 digs. Moriarty ended the season with 386 kills, followed by junior middle Bailey Blair with 323. Senior outside Chloe Smith (287 kills) and Emma Barnett (275) rounded out a balanced attack directed by junior setter Emilee Fuller (1,212 assists). Meanwhile, Simon wrapped up the year with 473 digs as Assumption finished the year 36-5 overall. DIVINE SAVIOR HOLY ANGELS: Led by 5-star Wisconsin commit and junior outside Madison Quest’s season-high 24 kills, Divine Savior defeated Oconomowoc in the Wisconsin Division 1 state final. It was the fourth time this season DSHA downed Oconomowoc in defending its state title. Senior outside and Creighton commit Sophia Wendlick added 22 kills. Four-star junior libero and Michigan State commit Olivia Durst put up 23 digs. Wendlick (556 kills) and Quest (515) combined for over 1,000 kills on the season. Junior setter and Belmont commit Jordan Czajkowski dished out 1,100 assists while Durst finished with 466 digs. DSHA went 47-1 this fall, with its only loss coming to Mother McAuley in the Asics Challenge tournament. LINCOLN SOUTHWEST: The Silver Hawks (33-4) ended the season on top of the Nebraska Class A state championship. Lincoln Southwest swept Papillion-La Vista in Saturday’s state final as 4-star and junior setter Malayah Long’s 31 assists. Senior outside Emerson Lionberger led the offense with 11 kills. Long directed a balanced attack on the year. Senior outside Julia Trost finished with a team-leading 274 kills. Senior middle Madison Rink had 265, while junior outside Shelby Harding (227 kills) and Lionberger (216) were also frequent contributors. MILL VALLEY: The Jaguars (37-5) were another school which ended the season on top of its respective division. Mill Valley swept Blue Valley North in the Kansas Class 6A state final two weeks ago. Senior outside Kaitlyn Burke put away 13 kills and sophomore setter Ella Florez delivered 24 assists. Mill Valley lost its first meeting of the year against Blue Valley North, but wound up 3-1 against after taking the state showdown. Florez racked up 943 assists this fall. Burke powered the offense with a team-high 349 kills. Freshman outside Riley Riggs played a key role, ending her rookie campaign with 299 kills. Junior middles Saida Jacobs (222 kills) and Ashlyn Blazer (203) were also an important part of the attack while sophomore libero Corinne Schwindt anchored the defense with 297 digs. DIKE-NEW HARTFORD: The Wolverines were stopped in last year’s Iowa Class 2A state final but weren’t going to be denied in 2023. Dike-New Hartford swept Hinton in last Thursday’s state championship match to cap a perfect 50-0 season. Senior outside and 4-star Louisville commit Payton Petersen registered 20 kills and hit. 368. Petersen ended her senior year with 616 kills and hitting .463. Senior outside Jadyn Petersen was next in line with 426 kills, followed by senior middle Maryn Bixby with 351. LAFAYETTE: Junior outside and 4-star Vanderbilt commit Maya Witherspoon recorded 21 kills to lift the Lancers to their second consecutive Missouri Class 5A state championship in a sweep of Howell last weekend. Senior setter Alyssa Nelson dished out 34 assists as well as Lafayette completed the year 36-2. Nelson amassed 1,036 assists to close out her career, while Witherspoon shined offensively with a team-leading 435 kills. Senior outside Allison Risley (303 kills) and freshman right side Shaye Witherspoon (252) were also favorite targets of Nelson. LONE PEAK: Freshman outside and 4-star recruit Ava Burgess waited until Utah’s 6A state final to deliver her best performance of the season. She totaled a season-best 17 kills as the Knights (28-5) took down Skyridge in four sets. The two sides split a pair of matches before meeting for a third time in the state final. Senior right side Cami Christiansen added 14 kills while 5-star senior middle and Kansas commit Zoey Burgess had 11. Junior Sam Pope and sophomore Nevaeh Tien combined for 42 assists. The Knights were yet another squad who ran a very balanced offense. Zoey Burgess (279 kills), Christiansen (236), McKynzee Beddes (220) and Ava Burgess (207) all finished with similar output.

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vballrecruiter.com’s Player of the Week: Ella Florez (FREE)

November 7, 2023

We’re proud to be a part of an ongoing partnership with Dick’s Sporting Goods, which is sponsoring our Player of the Week award. We’ll be releasing a featured vballrecruiter.com Player of the Week, sponsored by Dick’s Sporting Goods, on Tuesdays. Below is this week’s Player of the Week: 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

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vballrecruiter.com’s Top 50 National HS Rankings (Nov. 6)

November 6, 2023

We are two weeks away from the final Top 50 National HS Rankings being released. With it the national champion will be named. The national title picture is rapidly taking shape. There was a huge result this past Saturday as top-ranked Mater Dei CA swept No. 2 Mira Costa CA in the CIF Southern Section Division 1 final. That pushed Mater Dei’s mark to 2-1 against Mira Costa this season. Cathedral Catholic CA – which captured the CIF San Diego Section title with a five-set victory over Torrey Pines CA – is the only other school to beat Mater Dei, which also owns a victory over Cathedral Catholic. While there was no question of keeping Mater Dei at No. 1 following the Monarchs’ big victory, there was a question of where to place Mira Costa. We kept Mira Costa at No. 2 despite the loss based on strength of schedule. A big reason was because Mira Costa still has an opportunity to prove itself. The Mustangs open the California Open Division state playoffs this week against nationally-ranked Sierra Canyon. Up next could be a rematch with Cathedral Catholic, with the winner likely taking on Mater Dei in the semifinals. The California state playoffs are ultimately going to decide the final rankings and where Mater Dei, Mira Costa and Cathedral Catholic wind up in the final rankings. Also up in the air is the possibility that Hamilton Southeastern IN finishes at either No. 1 or No. 2 in the final rankings, ahead of its No. 3 ranking this week. Hamilton Southeastern wrapped up a 33-0 — and stretching its overall winning streak to 67 matches — season by claiming Indiana’s Class 4A state championship this past weekend. The question is whether or not that is enough to propel HSE to the top or not? While the roster is stacked with future Division 1 athletes, HSE’s strength of schedule is the biggest argument working against the program. The team didn’t face any out-of-state competition. A few schools HSE did beat did play teams from out-of-state, but none notched any victories of note. It leaves the hypothetical question of what would HSE’s record look like had it played in tournaments like Volleypalooza, Nike TOCs and the Durango Fall Classic? The bottom line is we won’t ever know the answer to that question and we are going to have to wait and see the final results of the season before making a final determination. Meanwhile, more states joined Indiana in bringing a close to their high school seasons. One of the biggest results was from Nebraska, where No. 9 Papillion-La Vista South fell in the state quarterfinals to Papillion-La Vista. Papillion-La Vista lost in the Class A state final to Lincoln Southwest, which vaulted into the national rankings as a result. Both finished ahead of Papillion-La Vista South, which was undefeated two weeks ago before falling to Papillion-La Vista in the last match of the regular season and then once more in state. Assumption regained its throne on top of the Kentucky state playoffs after knocking off Notre Dame Academy in the final. Notre Dame defeated Assumption in last year’s semifinals. Divine Savior Holy Angels repeated as Wisconsin’s Division 1 state champs after beating Oconomowoc for the fourth time this fall. Middle Creek earned its first-ever state title by beating Green Hope in the semifinals before topping Cox Mill for the North Carolina 4A state championship. Middle Creek’s only loss of the season came against Green Hope in August. Middle Creek avenged that loss in September and wound up taking the season series with the state semi victory. Dike-New Hartford capped a perfect 50-0 season after taking home the Iowa Class 2A state crown. Lafayette went back-to-back in Missouri’s Class 5A after sweeping Howell in the state final. Lone Peak finished off its season by downing Skyridge for the Utah 6A state championship. The schools entered the match 1-1 against each other. The Georgia state playoffs also came to an end over the weekend. Pace Academy left with the Class 4A state trophy while Alpharetta swept Pope for the 6A title. You can view the full Top 50 rankings below. vballrecruiter.com’S TOP 50 NATIONAL HS RANKINGS 1. Mater Dei CA (1 – previous ranking) 2. Mira Costa CA (2) 3. Hamilton Southeastern IN (3) 4. Prestonwood Christian TX (4) 5. Grand Oaks TX (5) 6. Cathedral Catholic CA (6) 7. Wayzata MN (7) 8. Assumption KY (10) 9. Benet Academy IL (12) 10. Mother McAuley IL (13) *** 11. Divine Savior Holy Angels WI (14) 12. O’Connor AZ (15) 13. Lincoln Southwest NE (n/r) 14. Middle Creek NC (21) 15. Archbishop Mitty CA (17) 16. Lake Catholic OH (20) 17. St. Francis/Mountain View CA (16) 18. Kings OH (22) 19. Papillion-La Vista NE (n/r) 20. Papillion-La Vista South NE (9) *** 21. Mill Valley KS (23) 22. Marist IL (11) 23. Sierra Canyon CA (24) 24. Notre Dame Academy KY (19) 25. Blue Valley North KS (25) 26. Dike-New Hartford IA (26) 27. Valor Christian CO (27) 28. Lake Travis TX (28) 29. Oconomowoc WI (18) 30. Hudsonville MI (29) *** 31. Seaman KS (31) 32. St. Thomas Aquinas KS (32) 33. Dripping Springs TX (33) 34. Lafayette MO (34) 35. Maize South KS (35) 36. Xavier Prep AZ (36) 37. St. James Academy KS (37) 38. Cornerstone Christian TX (38) 39. Foothill CA (n/r) 40. Carrollwood Day FL (39) *** 41. Branson CA (40) 42. Winter Park FL (41) 43. Lone Peak UT (44) 44. Berkeley Prep FL (n/r) 45. Pace Academy GA (45) 46. North Branch MI (47) 47. Alpharetta GA (48) 48. Skyridge UT (42) 49. Glenbard West IL (n/r) 50. Pope GA (49) ON THE CUSP Lake Highlands TXMcKinney Boyd TXSt. Ursula Academy OHSeton OHMercy McAuley OHLewis-Palmer COHuntington Beach CAMarymount CALos Alamitos CANorthville MIViera FLPlant FLVenice FLJupiter FLKamehameha HIPunahou HIBishop Gorman NVClear Creek-Amana IACorona del Sol AZLiberty AZSunrise Mountain AZMillennium AZBob Jones ALMountain Brook ALNorth Myrtle Beach SCDorman SCJenks

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More Top Classes From 2024 As Signing Day Approaches

November 2, 2023

With national signing day approaching on Nov. 8, we already checked in on what we believe are the Top 10 recruiting classes from 2024. Below, we take a look at other noteworthy programs which also made splashes. TEXAS   Notes: The Longhorns’ class grew in size with the recent announcement coming from Ames that she was decommitting from Nebraska and staying in-state instead. It gives Texas its only 5-star recruit from the class. A 6-3 middle who runs the slide exceptionally well, Ames is among the top players at her position from 2024. The Longhorns are bringing in a pair of setters. It’ll add depth but with Ella Swindle setting as a freshman this season, Texas is in good hands for years to come. KANSAS   Notes: It’s a diverse class for the Jayhawks, topped by Burgess. She’s an athletic middle who moves really well and gives Kansas the option to possibly use her on the right side. She’ll have work to do to see the court out of the gate, as Kansas has five of its middles set to return next season. Behind Burgess is three 4-star recruits, including Nelson. She’s a powerful outside who hits a heavy ball. She might not get a bunch of playing time right away, but she’ll make her mark soon enough. Ptacek is a 6-2 middle. She’ll also be part of a packed position, but she can possibly play on the pin as well. Devers will add to the defense with her ability to patrol the back row. PURDUE   Notes: Count Purdue among the schools who landed a 5-star recruit. Shondell is a high IQ setter with lots of experience and the ability to run an offense effectively. McAleer is a strong defender who will give the Boilermakers another presence on that side of the ball. NOTRE DAME   Notes: The Fighting Irish did well with the 2024 class. They were able to land a 5-star recruit in Gaerte. The 6-4 outside is long with a strong arm. She’s going to provide an immediate boost upon her arrival and is very likely to be starting out of the gate. Notre Dame currently has four middles on its roster, with two being seniors. Bringing in a pair of 4-star recruits in Bjork and Bohl will fill that void and they both could vie for playing time as rookies. Radeff will add depth to the outside. She’s 6-1 and has continually progressed through her club seasons. BYU   Notes: The Cougars are bringing in a large class, with the highlight being 5-star setter Alex Bower, the younger sister of BYU’s current setter Whitney Bower. With the older Bower a senior, the younger one could fight for playing time right away. While BYU is adding nice pins in Hoybjerg, Bobik and Mortensen, it’ll be interesting to see how it plays out in a crowded position. The Cougars have six outsides on the roster and are set to return five of them. CINCINNATI   Notes: The Bearcats have one of their stronger classes overall. Frame is a high-caliber libero who should help fortify the defensive side. Green is a high-energy setter with great leadership and setting skills. Stewart has nice size and length and a solid arm to help bolster the attack. All three should contend for playing time next season. KENTUCKY   Notes: It’s not a big class for the Wildcats but Benjamin makes it a legit one. The 5-star outside will help strengthen a position Kentucky needs help in. It’s possible to see her playing right away and contributing in a big way similar to what we see with freshman Brooklyn DeLeye this season. Thigpen will add another option on the outside as well, though it’ll be harder for her to crack the lineup right away. TENNESSEE   Notes: The Volunteers have a balanced class coming in. Stucky figures to have the best shot at competing for playing time right away. Tennessee has three setters on the roster and two are graduate players. The other is redshirt freshman Caroline Kerr. Chapman would have some work to do to break into the rotation on the left. Meanwhile, Tennessee is set to bring back three of its four middles from this season so Sutton would bring that total back to the same number next season. It’s the same case for the defenders. The Volunteers currently have five L/DSs on the roster, but two are graduate players.

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