Commitments & Signings Week of Sept 1-7
September 13, 2023
Congrats to all! Corrections? Questions? Additions? Email christi@vballrecruiter.com or DM on Social Media @vballphil 2024 2025 BEACH 2024 2025
Congrats to all! Corrections? Questions? Additions? Email christi@vballrecruiter.com or DM on Social Media @vballphil 2024 2025 BEACH 2024 2025
Last week we brought you our first Top 50 HS Team Spotlights featuring teams off to strong starts and highlighting their success. With our second regular-season Top 50 National HS Rankings dropping earlier this week on Monday, we offer another edition. In line with last week’s spotlights, we once more highlight teams off to tremendous starts. In fact, the seven teams spotlighted below entered the week with a combined record of 84-3! *** ARCHBISHOP MITTY CA – The Monarchs are off to a strong start, beginning the week 9-0 and with a handful of matches before traveling to the Durango Fall Classic in Las Vegas in two weekends. It’s possible Archbishop Mitty could arrive at the 64-team tournament still unbeaten. One big bright spot so far this season has been the play of standout sophomore OH/RS McKenna Crosson, a 4-star recruit. The Monarchs have had a ton of contributors on offense, including seniors Katelyn Cook and Amiya Kuchibhotla and juniors Isabella Romero and Jasmine Shum. Directing the attack is 4-star Notre Dame commit and junior setter Maya Baker. Among Mitty’s impressive victories to date features beating St. Francis/Mountain View, last season’s California Open Division state runner up. DIVINE SAVIOR HOLY ANGELS WI – The defending Wisconsin Division 1 state champion is off to a flying start. The DHSA opened the week 13-0, including beating state runner-up Oconomowoc in tournament play. DHSA moved up a couple of spots from No. 14 to No. 12 in this week’s update. Featured on the talented roster is 5-star Wisconsin commit and junior outside Madison Quest and 4-star Michigan State commit and junior libero Olivia Durst. Other players who have shined brightly is senior outside Sophia Wendlick and junior setter Jordan Czajkowski (Belmont). A major upcoming test is the Asics Challenge hosted by Mother McAuley IL at the end of the month. LAFAYETTE MO – The Lancers captured last year’s Missouri Class 5A state championship and are another school that is off to a hot start. The Lancers have opened the year 10-0, including beating St. James Academy KS in tournament play over the weekend. With the majority of the lineup back from a season ago, Lafayette’s start is not unexpected. Still powering the attack are 4-star Vanderbilt commit and junior outside Maya Witherspoon and 3-star Northern Kentucky commit and senior outside Allison Risley. A new addition in 5-star freshman pin Shaye Witherspoon has also been instrumental. With 3-star Villanova commit and senior setter Alyssa Nelson guiding the offense, the Lancers are in great hands. Defensively, senior Amelia Moser has been holding it down at libero. Lafayette was one of the big movers in this week’s Top 50, climbing 17 places to No. 16. SETON OH – The Saints have been one of the early-season surprises. They have jumped out to a 10-0 mark. Among the key victories have been handing St. Ursula Academy its first loss as well as defeating Ursuline Academy earlier this week. After its big victory over St. Ursula, the Saints debuted in this week’s Top 50 at No. 17. Seton faces Mercy McAuley in another test later this week. Seniors Alli Kirch and Madison Lambers are leading the team in kills so far. Junior Millie Cluxton and sophomore Callie Combs have also contributed to the attack. Senior Taylor Grubbs and junior Reagan Miller have split the setting duties while 3-star UCLA commit and junior Sakura Codling has suited up and led the team defensively at libero. CARROLLWOOD DAY FL – As for early-season surprise, the Patriots are arguably leading the way in that category. They sit at 13-1 overall as of this writing, finishing runner up to Cornerstone Christian TX at the Nike TOC Southeast tournament and recently winning the FL Gem HS tournament this past weekend. The Patriots avoided a letdown in beating Berkeley Prep in four sets earlier this week and have shown they are the top team in the state of Florida so far. The lineup has been elevated by the presence of freshman right side Lydia Chinchar, a 4-star recruit who played up on No Name 16 this past club season. Two more key offensive pieces have been junior middle Sarah Dibbs-Frantz and sophomore outside Elena Dibbs-Frantz. Senior setter Naomi Chinchar has done well quarterbacking the offense and can even step in and hit on the outside in a pinch. Recent Purdue commit, Mattea Casale, a 3-star recruit, has been solid at libero and adds a strong defensive presence. Based on other results and teams moving up in the rankings, the Patriots actually moved down three positions to No. 19 but remain in the Top 20. BLUE VALLEY NORTH KS – The Mustangs are another school making its Top 50 debut this week. They check in at No. 21 based on their 11-0 start. They play Wednesday evening against Blue Valley Southwest. Blue Valley North has a couple of big matches on the horizon, facing both St. Thomas Aquinas and St. James Academy next week. At the helm is 4-star Cincinnati commit and senior setter Janelle Green. She’s also third on the team in kills. Another making key contributions is 5-star recruit and junior S/RS Logan Parks, who is second in assists and leds the squad in kills. Juniors Jenna McClure, Natalie Harrington and Aubrey Shaw, as well as freshman Reese Maslowski have been part of the attack too. Senior Felicia Wu leads the team in digs. LOS ALAMITOS CA – The Griffins tied with Sierra Canyon for third place at the Ann Kang Invitational last month in Hawaii, including handing Punahou HI its only loss of the season to date. Los Al entered the week 18-2 and lands at No. 41 in the Top 50. Senior setter/OH Kaia Herweg – a 3-star Grand Canyon commit – and 3-star junior outside Ashley Repetti have provided a lift and played a big role in Los Al’s success so far.
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: Madeline Kraft. *** It always has to start somewhere. When it came to Madeline Kraft’s beginning in the sport of volleyball, it was simple. “At first I did it because my friends were doing it and it just stuck,” she said. “Another interest I had in volleyball was going to a lot of (Minnesota) Gophers games. That also really got me into it.” Before taking up volleyball for the first time in fourth grade, Kraft had spent time doing gymnastics and dancing. She didn’t feel as comfortable with either of those as she did with volleyball. “It felt natural,” Kraft said of volleyball. Kraft – a 4-star libero/DS from the Class of 2026 – first played club for Northern Lights during her 12s season. Being part of a club like that and playing for a competitive team is when she started finding out how much she likes the sport. She’s been a defender throughout her relatively short volleyball career. With her dad being a 4-time All-American wrestler at Minnesota, Kraft has always had a competitive edge and she really enjoys bringing that mentality to the defensive side. “I love how relentless you have to be,” she said. “You don’t get to think too much about the play, you just have to react and go. It’s like being the quarterback of the defense and being a defensive leader, as well as cheering everyone up.” When we spoke with Kraft she was only two matches into her high school season with Eagan. The Wildcats currently sit at 6-1 as of this writing. It’s an exciting time at the school with the big coaching change this season. Longtime coach Kathy Gillen stepped down as head coach after 30 seasons. She was inducted into the Minnesota Hall of Fame in 2014, racked up over 700 victories and guided the program to seven state championships during her tenure. Gillen is now an assistant coach for her daughter, McKenna Melville, who has taken on head coaching duties this season. Melville – a Eagan alum who just concluded her collegiate career at the University of Central Florida – taking over the head position has created a buzz. She made a name for herself at UCF by leading the nation in kills and becoming the first player in program history to be named to the AVCA First Team All-America list. “We have a good team,” Kraft said. “We are all glad we get to play under her. Obviously, she’s a really good player and a really good role model.” As our featured Player of the Week sponsored by Dick’s Sporting Goods, we recently spoke with Kraft about volleyball and more. Who is a role model or someone you look up to? Kraft: It’s Mckenna (Melville), my (new) coach for Eagan. She just graduated (from Central Florida). I can really relate to her. She’s a good student-athlete and I want to be like her. I look up to her because she succeeded a lot in college. I knew of her before. I met her once before and I always watched her while growing up. She played at Eagan. She committed as a libero but she grew four inches and started hitting in college. What is your favorite food? Kraft: It’s probably pasta and pineapple. When it comes to pasta, I really like spaghetti. Other than volleyball, what skill would you most like to learn and why? Kraft: I would like to become fluent in another language, so I can travel the world and be able to communicate with other cultures and people throughout the world. If you could choose to do anything for a day, what would it be and why? Kraft: Probably spend time with my friends. It’s hard to make time for them with my busy schedule. I like hanging out with them. We’d probably go shopping. Aside from necessities, what is one thing you could not go a day without? Kraft: Starbucks. My everyday drink is the Strawberry Acai refresher with lemonade. What is one thing that instantly makes your day better or makes you smile? Kraft: Probably my dog. Whenever I’m sad she cheers me up. Her name is Olivia. She’s a Toy Poodle but she doesn’t really look like a poodle though. If you could have any superpower what would it be and why? Kraft: It probably would be teleportation. I can’t drive right now and it would make my life a lot easier to go wherever, whenever I want. If I want to go to the beach, I’d just be there. Outside of volleyball what are you most passionate about and why? Kraft: Just being a good person in general. Being a good friend, being a good sibling, being a good daughter. I’m always trying to think of the best in people and things. What is one thing that may surprise people about you? Kraft: I can get very serious in stressful times and I can shut everything out and be focused. It’s because I’m usually all over the place. I’m usually making jokes and being light-hearted but I can switch and just turn it on, especially on the court. What is your strangest irrational fear? Kraft: It’s mice or rodents. I don’t like hamsters or anything like that. They freak me out. They are little and fast. I had a hamster once and one day the cage was open and we never found it. What’s your favorite number and why? Kraft: It’s probably 6 because I’ve always been some sort of 6 when I play. I’m usually always 6 or 16. I randomly just get a 6 every time.
We are at the point of the high school season where we are releasing an updating Top 50 National HS Rankings every week. It can be hit and miss with the amount of movement we see based on the results taking place around the country. We definitely saw a few big changes with this week’s update, but not at the very top. Mira Costa CA still holds the No. 1 spot after narrowly defeating Torrey Pines CA in five sets last Friday. One of the big changes though took place with Assumption KY, which captured the LIVT tournament title. Assumption dropped in last week’s Top 50 after suffering its first loss of the season to Sacred Heart Academy KY. However, Assumption climb way up the rankings this week after defeating previously-undefeated Notre Dame Academy KY in the final of the LIVT, as well as notching a victory over Mother McAuley IL in the semifinals. In other big moves, Seton OH jumped into the Top 50 this week after defeating previously-unbeaten St. Ursula Academy OH. Seton is undefeated itself. Also in the undefeated ranks is Lafayette MO, which climbed to No. 15 after beating St. James Academy KS. Another Kansas school in Blue Valley North, which is also unbeaten entering this week, broke through and sits at No. 21. You can check out the full rankings below. vballrecruiter.com’S TOP 50 NATIONAL HS RANKINGS 1. Mira Costa CA (1 – previous ranking) 2. Cornerstone Christian TX (5) 3. Papillion-La Vista South NE (4) 4. Archbishop Mitty CA (10) 5. Assumption KY (30) 6. Mater Dei CA (6) 7. Prestonwood Christian TX (9) 8. Grand Oaks TX (11) 9. Cathedral Catholic CA (13) 10. Notre Dame Academy KY (3) *** 11. Hamilton Southeastern IN (12) 12. Divine Savior Holy Angels WI (14) 13. St. Thomas Aquinas KS (15) 14. Wayzata MN (17) 15. Marist IL (23) 16. Lafayette MO (33) 17. Seton OH (n/r) 18. Torrey Pines CA (8) 19. Carrollwood Day FL (16) 20. Dripping Springs TX (18) *** 21. Blue Valley North KS (n/r) 22. Bellmont IN (19) 23. Mother McAuley IL (2) 24. St. Francis/Mountain View CA (20) 25. O’Connor AZ (21) 26. Oconomowoc WI (22) 27. Sacred Heart Academy KY (38) 28. Sierra Canyon CA (24) 29. Viera FL (25) 30. Corona del Sol AZ (26) *** 31. Calvary Christian FL (27) 32. St. James Academy KS (7) 33. Redondo Union CA (28) 34. Marymount CA (34) 35. Lake Catholic OH (35) 36. Winter Park FL (n/r) 37. Lone Peak UT (36) 38. Berkeley Prep FL (29) 39. St. Ursula Academy OH (31) 40. Pace Academy GA (30) *** 41. Los Alamitos CA (39) 42. Nixa MO (n/r) 43. Xavier Prep AZ (n/r) 44. Punahou HI (43) 45. Valor Christian CO (47) 46. Notre Dame Prep AZ (n/r) 47. Millennium AZ (n/r) 48. Kamehameha HI (n/r) 49. Skyridge UT (49) 50. Mercy McAuley OH (50) *** ON THE CUSP Clearwater Central Catholic FLRedlands CAByron Nelson TXPope GALiberty North MOCorner Canyon UTLewis Palmer CONorthville MIMaple Mountain UTFlint Hill VAPlant FLHagerty FLVenice FLWestminster Christian FLColleyville Heritage TXCypress Ranch TXHarlan TXRoncalli INYorktown INWashburn Rural KSProsper TXGlenbard West ILBenet Academy ILBrighton ILCardinal Gibbons NCGreen Hope NCGreen Level NCBishop Gorman NVMount Notre Dame OHLake Highland Prep FLHuntington Beach CAPerry AZQueen Creek AZ
With matches starting late Friday evening and ending late Saturday afternoon, all the action at the Louisville Invitational Volleyball Tournament takes place in under 24 hours. vballrecruiter.com was on hand covering both days of the short but intense action-packed tourney. The two-day event ended with Assumption KY downing previously-undefeated Notre Dame Academy KY in three sets, 25-14, 21-25, 25-16, in the championship to bring home the title. We also released our Day 2 Show Stoppers. Below, you can find The All Red Hat Team from the LIVT. It’s our version of an All-Tournament team, featuring our favorite players selected from schools which reached either the gold or silver brackets. THE ALL RED HAT TEAM OUTSIDESCharlotte Moriarty SR Assumption KYEmma Barnett JR Assumption KYAva Tilden JR Notre Dame Academy KYGrace Portwood SO Notre Dame Academy KYAnna Powell JR Sacred Heart Academy KYBridget Egan JR Sacred Heart Academy KYEllie White SR Mother McAuley ILSydney Buchanan JR Mother McAuley ILAddy Brus SR St. Ursula Academy OHClaire Morrissey SR OH St. Joseph Academy MOZoe Baliva JR OH St. Joseph Academy MOTaylor Bedinghaus SR Clearwater Central Catholic FLIsabella Pereira JR Clearwater Central Catholic FLLauren Hurst JR Cleveland TNKiernan Stamey SR Maryville TNLucy Trapp JR Ryle KYCara Richter SO Mount Notre Dame OHAlivia Skidmore SR St. Henry KY MIDDLE BLOCKERSBailey Blair JR Assumption KYAudrey Dyas SO Notre Dame Academy KYElise Hart JR MB Sacred Heart Academy KYEllery Rees SR Mother McAuley ILNia Jones JR St. Ursula Academy OHKatie Noschang SR Mount Notre Dame OHSydney Geselbracht SO Mount Notre Dame OH RIGHT SIDESChloe Smith SR Assumption KYRiley McCloskey JR Notre Dame Academy KYGabby Semona SO St. Ursula Academy OHDelany Gash SR Dunbar KYEmily Helmers SO St. Henry KYMalia Brinkman JR Mount Notre Dame OH SETTER/RIGHT SIDESKaeley Walz SR Sacred Heart Academy KYAnnabelle Groomes JR St. Joseph OH SETTERSEmilee Fuller JR Assumption KYPeyton Heatherly FR Mother McAuley ILEmsley Venard JR St. Ursula Academy OHJosephine Hensley JR Clearwater Central Catholic FLMacy Lentz SR St. Henry KYKinslee McGowan SR Cleveland TNIsabela Haggard JR Dunbar KYMorgan Heater SO Ryle KYKendall Hubbard FR Mount Notre Dame OH LIBEROSKristen Simon JR Assumption KYJulia Grace JR Notre Dame Academy KYJulia Frederick SR Sacred Heart Academy KYSamantha Falk SR Mother McAuley ILEmma Frietch SO St. Ursula Academy OHElizabeth Tabeling SR St. Henry KYKenzie Cogan SR Mount Notre Dame OH
Below, we present Part 2 of our Day 2 Show Stoppers from the Louisville Invitational Volleyball Tournament. You can find Part 1 here. DAY 2 SHOW STOPPERS Kristen Simon JR L Assumption KY: Simon – a 5-star Wisconsin commit – led a strong group of defenders who were doing their thing. She’s a vocal leader with a commanding backrow presence. She reads and reacts well and is a on-point passer. Charlotte Moriarty SR OH Assumption KY: A 3-star Xavier commit, Moriarty played well throughout the day but was especially on fire during her semifinal. She has a strong arm and was scoring equally well from both pins as she was tooling blocks left and right. Bailey Blair JR MB Assumption KY: Blair – a 3-star recruit – has a big, strong arm and can pound balls at times. She’s effective on 1s or getting out and running the slide and helps balance out the attack because of it. Emilee Fuller JR S Assumption KY: A 3-star setter, Fuller is a steadying presence at the position. She doesn’t get too high or low and does a nice job of putting her hitters in winnable match ups. Chloe Smith SR RS Assumption KY: Smith – a 3-star Wofford commit – is a lanky outside who can play on either pin and score equally well. She extends well and has a nice swing. She was tough for opponents to contain as she’s an aggressive hitter who doesn’t let up. Emma Barnett JR OH Assumption KY: Barnett is another hitter who can bring it whether playing on the left or right. She’s a physical hitter with a really strong arm who isn’t afraid to challenge bigger blockers. Ava Tilden JR OH Notre Dame Academy KY: A 4-star Xavier commit, Tilden is a long outside who can really extend and let loose. She’s a key part of the attack and carries her fair share of offensive duties. Gracie Portwood SO OH Notre Dame Academy KY: Portwood – a 3-star recruit – is a six-rotation contributor. She’s a consistent passer out of serve receive. When attacking, she’s a smart, aggressive hitter who knows when to challenge the block or go off speed to catch the defense off guard. Julia Grace JR L Notre Dame Academy KY: Another Xavier commit, Grace is a 3-star libero who did a great job patrolling the back court and making key digs. Audrey Dyas SO MB Notre Dame Academy KY: A 4-star recruit, Dyas makes plays on both sides of the ball. She puts up a strong block to give hitters something to think about, as well as being able to deliver when called upon. *** Riley McCloskey JR RS Notre Dame Academy KY: McCloseky – a 4-star recruit – has a strong arm and can bring it on the right side. She takes aggressive swings consistently and helps spread out the attack. Elise Hart JR MB Sacred Heart Academy KY: Hart – a 3-star Denver commit – is a scoring machine. She’s tough to cover with her ability to not only move her shots around but mix them up, including running a slide attack. Anna Powell JR OH Sacred Heart Academy KY: A 3-star Georgia Southern commit, Powell has a whippy arm and can let it fly. She too provides a lot of offense and does well staying aggressive and keeping pressure on defenders. Bridget Egan JR OH Sacred Heart Academy KY: Egan – a 3-star recruit – fills her role very well on the outside. She’s another smart hitter who does well providing a scoring lift when she checks in across the front row. Kaeley Walz SR S/RS Sacred Heart Academy KY: Walz – a Kennesaw State commit – played an instrumental role in Sacred Heart’s success. She’s a strong leader who doesn’t come off the court as a setter and hitter. She does a great job dishing and distributing to her various hitters. Julia Frederick SR L Sacred Heart Academy KY: The defense being played on Day 2 was high, with Frederick contributing to the mix. She showed up well in serve receive as well as defending shots coming her way. Samantha Falk SR L Mother McAuley IL: A 3-star Loyola-Chicago commit, Falk was holding it down in the back row. She faced a slew of big hitters and was hanging in and getting balls up. Ellie White SR OH Mother McAuley IL: White – a 4-star Michigan commit – is the key cog in the lineup for the Macs. She’s the go-to hitter and is always a threat whether front or back row. She has a lively arm and can blast balls from sideline to sideline. Sydney Buchanan JR OH Mother McAuley IL: Buchanan – a 3-star recruit – can get up and deliver on the outside. She keeps the offense going on the left when she checks in and helps provide a strong 1-2 punch for the Macs. Ellery Rees SR MB Mother McAuley IL: A 3-star Alabama commit, Rees brings size and length to the front row. It makes her impactful on both sides of the ball as she was giving her side a big block as well as a legit offensive threat. *** Peyton Heatherly FR S Mother McAuley IL: Heatherly – a 3-star recruit – doesn’t play like a rookie. The freshman set and hit in club but has been asked to run a 5-1 for the Macs. She did well running a variety of plays and mixing up her sets. Emma Frietch SO L/DS St. Ursula Academy OH: Frietch – a 3-star recruit – was playing both libero and DS in her role. She’s a quick defender who moves well and does a great job getting balls up. Addy Brus SR OH St. Ursula Academy OH: Brus – a 3-star Saint Louis commit – is a bit undersized but more than makes up for it with the way she explodes off the floor and unloads on the attack. Emsley Venard JR
After an opening day setting up Saturday’s bracket play, the top teams finally faced off against each other as the Louisville Invitational Volleyball Tournament came to a close. It was Assumption KY handing Notre Dame Academy KY its first loss of the season as the Rockets prevailed in three, 25-14, 21-25, 25-16, in the championship match. Below, we highlight the standout players we witnessed from both the gold and silver brackets. DAY 2 SHOW STOPPERS Nia Jones JR MB St. Ursula Academy OH: Jones is a real threat out of the middle and changes the dynamic of the attack when she’s in the front row. She’s a strong hitter and a reliable scorer. Gabby Semona SO RS St. Ursula Academy OH: Semona – 3-star recruit – provides a real presence on the right side. She puts up a solid block and is also a reliable scorer who does well finding the open spaces in the defense. Claire Morrissey SR OH St. Joseph Academy MO: A 3-star Missouri commit, Morrissey packs a punch on the outside. She carries a big arm and can boom balls down with the best of them in the tournament. Zoe Baliva JR OH St. Joseph Academy MO: Baliva – a 3-star Florida State beach commit – fills out a strong 1-2 punch on the left for St. Joseph. She has nice extension and can send balls with a bang when the opportunity presents itself. Isabella Pereira JR OH Clearwater Central Catholic FL: A 3-star recruit, Pereira is a six-rotation outside who is a solid passer and heady attacker. She’s a bit undersized but has a good arm and hits with pace. Taylor Bedinghaus SR OH Clearwater Central Catholic FL: Bedinghaus – a 3-star recruit – is a six-rotation mainstay who brings stability to the lineup. She’s solid out of serve receive and is a smart hitter who can score swinging or going off speed. *** Josephine Hensley JR S Clearwater Central Catholic FL: Hensley runs a 5-1 and sets with consistent location. She has a clean release too. Elizabeth Tabeling SR L St. Henry KY: Tabeling – a 4-star Ball State commit – can make difficult plays look effortless. She’s quick and reacts well, which leads to her getting balls up others would struggle with. Macy Lentz SR S St. Henry KY: Lentz – a 3-star recruit – did well dishing and running the attack. She puts up a hittable ball and is consistent with her location. Alivia Skidmore SR OH St. Henry KY: A 3-star Western Kentucky commit, Skidmore is the go-to hitter who provides electrifying kills at times. She gets off the ground well and has a fluid swing to bounce balls with. Simone Searles SO RS Walton GA: Searles had to fill a role on the right side due to a starter being out this weekend. She flies under the radar some but she has a strong arm and can even run the slide effectively. Annabelle Groomes JR S/RS St. Joseph OH: Groomes – a 5-star San Diego commit – was showcasing her versatility with her setting and hitting. It’s hard to say which she excels at more. She has great hands and dishes well. She also has a powerful arm and can crush balls on the right side. Kinslee McGowan SR S Cleveland TN: A 3-star North Alabama commit, McGowan was among the standout setters who was running a 5-1. She has nice hands and can move the ball around well to get all her hitters involved. Lauren Hurst JR OH Cleveland TN: Hurst – a 4-star recruit – is an athletic outside with a good arm. She can get up and hammer balls in leading the attack. Kiernan Stamey SR OH Maryville TN: Stamey – a 4-star Kennesaw State commit – is a lanky outside with the ability to unleash when the chance present itself. She can extend nicely and hit at a high point, sending balls down with it. Isabela Haggard JR S Dunbar KY: Haggard – a 3-star Indiana commit – can set and hit as she does in club but runs a 5-1 for her high school squad. She has a smooth release and isn’t off her mark too often. *** Delaney Gash SR OH Dunbar KY: A 3-star Akron commit, Gash is a physical attacker with a really strong arm. She’s also aggressive and has no problem challenging blockers and going off their hands. Morgan Heater SO S Ryle KY: Heater – a 3-star recruit – is an up-and-coming setter. She plays under control and has a clean, consistent release. Cara Richter SO OH Mount Notre Dame OH: A 3-star recruit, Richter is one of the main offensive weapons for her side. She has a solid arm and can hit with power or finesse. Kenzie Cogan SR L Mount Notre Dame OH: Cogan – a 3-star Illinois commit – brings a presence to the defensive side with her energy and hustle. She does a solid job of keeping balls in play and extending rallies for her side. Sydney Geselbracht SO MB Mount Notre Dame OH: A 4-star recruit, Geselbracht adds length and size to the front row. She does well scoring and finding gaps in the defense. She also moves well and gets her share of touches at the net. Kendall Hubbard FR S Mount Notre Dame OH: Hubbard – a 3-star recruit – was one of the standout freshmen in the field showcasing her skills. She sets and hits in club but directs a 5-1 and does a fine job. She has nice hands and is able to move the ball around too. Malia Brinkman JR RS Mount Notre Dame OH: A six-rotation right side, Brinkman passes out of serve receive at times. She also provides valuable offense too. Katie Noschang SR MB Mount Notre Dame OH: Noschang is a bit undersized in the middle but provides valuable offense. She can line up and hit on the left and can unload out of the middle
We’ll get to Assumption KY capturing the Louisville Invitational Volleyball Tournament in a moment. First, let’s skip ahead to the Durango Fall Classic in two weeks in Las Vegas. And why are we talking about that given Assumption’s victory at the LIVT? It’s because Assumption finishing on top of the 24-team field in Louisville makes for a remarkable storyline and sets up a tournament-championship of sorts at Durango. Mira Costa CA – the Ann Kang Invitational champion; Mater Dei CA – the Volleypalooza champion; Cornerstone Christian TX – the Nike TOC champion; and Assumption – the LIVT champ – are all participating at Durango. Since we can’t help but always getting way ahead of ourselves, what type of potential ramifications are on the line when that 64-team event takes place? For starters, a possible national championship. Mira Costa is currently our top-ranked team in the nation. After fending off Torrey Pines CA in five sets this past Friday, the Mustangs will remain there in our next update this week. Should Mira Costa finish first at Durango – without losing in between – no doubt it’ll keep its stranglehold on the top spot. It gets a bit dicey after that. What would happen if Mater Dei were to win? Who knows, given the Monarchs have a loss to Mira Costa and then dropped their second match of the season with a loss to Cathedral Catholic CA in Saturday’s Dave Mohs final. Mater Dei did defeat Cathedral Catholic at Volleypalooza, where Mater Dei downed Prestonwood Christian TX in the final. Prestonwood Christian presents a monkey-wrench of sorts, given the Texas school is also set to play at Durango and is certainly talented enough to beat everyone there and take home the title. We don’t even want to think what that would do to the rankings given Prestonwood has three losses on its slate to date. As for Cornerstone Christian, the Warriors certainly could be playing to take over No. 1 at Durango. The Warriors’ only loss on the season remains falling to Mira Costa in the final of the Ann Kang Invitational – or else there would be no debate as to who is No. 1 right now. Should Cornerstone capture the Durango championship, the school would have a serious argument to jump to No. 1 in the country. Then there is Assumption. The Rockets have already lost once this season, to Sacred Heart Academy KY in five sets. A quick note on Sacred Heart, which came into the LIVT with three losses already but did defeat previously unbeaten Mother McAuley IL on Thursday ahead of the tournament. Mother McAuely – which lost to Assumption in Saturday’s semifinals – extracted a measure of revenge by beating Sacred Heart in Saturday’s third-place match. Sacred Heart going down to Notre Dame Academy KY in Saturday’s semifinals prevented a rematch between Assumption and Sacred Heart in the championship match. As it turned out, Assumption outlasted Notre Dame in the final, 25-14, 21-25, 25-16. So the Rockets currently sit with one loss. No doubt Assumption will climb back up in our latest Top-50 rankings, but what happens to the Rockets should they prove the team to beat at Durango? They too could have a case for becoming the top team in the country. The good news – or bad depending on the havoc it causes – is it’ll all play out soon enough in Vegas, which this year is proving the home of the champions. As for the LIVT, a bit of the thunder was taken out of the weekend with results taking place before Friday. As we noted in our Day 1 recap, there were three teams which started the week undefeated and that could have set up a thrilling LIVT. The tournament still produced like it always does, it’s just the storylines changed quickly. That’s because previously undefeated St. Ursula Academy OH fell to Seton OH on Tuesday for its first loss. As stated above, Mother McAuley lost to Sacred Heart on Thursday. That left Notre Dame as the only unbeaten team in the field. But obviously Notre Dame is no longer undefeated having fallen to Assumption in the championship. And like Assumption, now sit with one loss on its schedule. Assumption fought past St. Ursula, 23-25, 25-15, 25-16, in the quarterfinals. St. Ursula finished in fifth place after sweeping past Clearwater Central Catholic FL, 25-14, 25-18. Notre Dame had its hands full in both the quarters and semis. First, Notre Dame edged St. Henry KY, 25-21, 19-25, 25-19, before getting past Sacred Heart, 26-24, 19-25, 25-20.
More than anything, the opening day of the Louisville Invitational Volleyball Tournament was one of what-ifs rather than any real upsets taking place. All top eight seeds advanced to Saturday’s quarterfinals, but it could have been a much different story had the two big what-ifs played out. Both top-seeded Mother McAuley IL and fourth-seeded Assumption KY dropped the opening sets of their final pool-play matches. It could have created huge waves on Day 1 but instead both rallied to win the final two sets and move on. It was St. Joseph OH pushing Mother McAuley to a decisive set, while Cleveland TN had Assumption temporarily on the ropes. Mother McAuley defeated Assumption in last year’s championship match, winning the LIVT title for the first time in school history. Mother McAuley was one of three schools participating in this weekend’s tournament which started the week undefeated. However, Mother McAuley, along with St. Ursula OH, both suffered their first losses prior to the start of the LIVT. Mother McAuley was edged in five sets by Sacred Heart Academy KY in a showdown Thursday. Meanwhile, St. Ursula was also upset by Seton OH in a five-set loss Tuesday. That left Notre Dame Academy KY as the only undefeated team in the field. The remaining top seeds, including Notre Dame, Sacred Heart and St. Ursula, didn’t drop a set Friday. The others to sweep both matches were No. 6 Clearwater Central FL, No. 7 St. Henry KY and No. 8 St. Joseph’s MO. Here’s how the quarterfinals stack up for Saturday: *** DAY 1 SHOW STOPPERS Isabela Haggard JR S Dunbar KY: A 3-star Indiana commit, Haggard is a smooth disher who was running a 5-1. She locates the ball well and has a clean, consistent release. Aleicea Watson SR MB Manual KY: Watson was a factor across the front row. She spiced up the attack with her scoring ability. She was effective running the slide and let loose on a few impressive kills. Ellie Melton SR L Manual KY: Melton is a hard-working defender who hustles around the court and did well keeping rallies alive. Julia Frederick SR L Sacred Heart KY: Frederick is part of a strong roster and held it down in her defensive role. She was passing soundly and helping keep her team in system. Anna Powell JR OH Sacred Heart KY: Powell – a 3-star Georgia Southern commit – was a reliable scorer. She has a solid arm and hits with plenty of pace. Elise Hart JR MB Sacred Heart KY: Hart – 3-star Denver commit – helped balance out the attack when she checked in. She runs a nice slide and has a fluid swing. Kaeley Walz SR S/RS Sacred Heart KY: Walz was a key component of Sacred Heart’s success. She set across the back and hit in the front. She did well moving the ball around and getting her hitters involved. Bridget Egan JR OH Sacred Heart KY: A 3-star recruit, Egan was yet another piece to the attack opponents had to worry about. She too has a lively arm and helps give Sacred Heart a solid 1-2 punch on the outside. Morgan Heater SO S Ryle KY: Heater — a 3-star recruit — showed up well in her role running a 5-1. She’s an under-control setter with nice hands and consistent location. Lucy Trapp JR OH Ryle KY: Trapp is a bit of undersized outside but she’s relentless on the attack. She’s an aggressive attacker who held it down on the leftside and did well dropping in off-speed shots. *** Addy Brus SR OH St. Ursula OH: Brus – a 3-star Saint Louis commit – can get off the ground quickly and unleash with a fury. She’s a smart hitter who can blast balls off the block and was the go-to outside. Nia Jones JR MB St. Ursula OH: Jones was a scoring machine out of the middle. She has a strong arm and was going off blocks or around them and gave her team a reliable option and threat who defenses had to be mindful of. Emsley Venard JR S St. Ursula OH: Venard – a 3-star West Virginia commit – has good command of the offense. She did well moving the ball around and getting all her hitters going. Gabby Semona SO RS St. Ursula OH: Semona – a 3-star recruit as well – held it down with authority on the right side. She’s a big presence on both sides of the ball. She puts up a strong block and can turn around and pound it down on offense. Julia Grace JR L Notre Dame KY: A 3-star Xavier commit, Grace was among the standout defenders. She was strong out of serve receive and brought a defensive edge to the lineup. Riley McCloskey JR RS Notre Dame KY: McCloskey – a 4-star recruit – made herself known on the right side. She has a solid arm and was providing an offense boost when called upon. Audrey Dyas SO MB Notre Dame KY: A 4-star recruit, Dyas was among the standout middles with the way she was scoring and getting touches on the ball defensively. Ava Tilden JR OH Notre Dame KY: Tilden – a 4-star Xavier commit – is lanky and showed nice extension when attacking. She was scoring consistently and sending balls down the floor. Josephine Henley JR S Clearwater Central FL: Henley has the ability to set and hit but was running a 5-1. She was effective in locating her sets and connecting with her hitters. Taylor Bedinghaus SR OH Clearwater Central FL: A 3-star recruit, Bedinghaus is a six-rotation, go-to outside. She’s a smart attacker who can score in a variety of ways. *** Kiernan Stamey SR OH Maryville TN: Stamey, a Kennesaw State commit, has the ability to connect when the opportunity presents itself. And watch out when she does because she can let it fly. Elizabeth Tabeling SR L St. Henry KY: Tabeling – a 4-star
Another weekend forthcoming, another national tournament on the slate. This Friday and Saturday features the Louisville Invitational Volleyball Tournament taking place at Assumption and KiVA. It’s a smaller affair than the past two weeks with Volleypalooza and the Nike TOC Southeast. Still, the tournament packs a punch with three defending state champions in the field in Mother McAuley IL, Notre Dame Academy KY and Clearwater Central Catholic FL. Check out the nationally-ranked teams competing, the 3, 4 and 5-star athletes participating and our outlook and predictions below. Number of Teams – 24 vballrecruiter.com’s Nationally-Ranked Teams (6): 5-Star Athletes to Know: 4-Star Athletes to Know: 3-Star Athletes to Know: OUTLOOK: Last year’s tournament played out with Mother McAuley IL taking home the title for the first time in program history as the Macs went on to capture the 4A state championship in Illinois. The defending tournament champions return and are aiming to go back-to-back as the Macs start off as the top seed. Right behind Mother McAuley is Notre Dame Academy, which claimed the Kentucky state championship a season ago and returns the majority of its roster. Both Sacred Heart Academy KY and Assumption KY have what it takes to contend, while a team to watch out for is fifth-seeded St. Ursula Academy OH. The Bulldogs have young talent on the roster and will look to take it to the more experienced teams seeded ahead of them. The sixth overall seed is Clearwater Central Catholic. The Marauders handed Westminster Christian FL its only loss by beating the Warriors in the Florida 3A state championship a season ago. The two-day tournament starts off with eight, three-team pools. The pool winners advance to Saturday’s eight-team gold bracket. PREDICTION: There’s no doubt all eyes are on Mother McAuley to repeat, but this tournament has a way of surprising. Therefore, the pick is for Assumption to reverse its fortune from last year and take down Mother McAuley in Saturday’s final.
Congrats to all! Corrections? Questions? Additions? Email christi@vballrecruiter.com or DM on Social Media @vballphil 2024 2025 BEACH 2024 2025
Last week we brought you our first Top 50 HS Team Spotlights featuring teams off to strong starts and highlighting their success. With our second regular-season Top 50 National HS Rankings dropping earlier this week on Monday, we offer another edition. In line with last week’s spotlights, we once more highlight teams off to tremendous starts. In fact, the seven teams spotlighted below entered the week with a combined record of 84-3! *** ARCHBISHOP MITTY CA – The Monarchs are off to a strong start, beginning the week 9-0 and with a handful of matches before traveling to the Durango Fall Classic in Las Vegas in two weekends. It’s possible Archbishop Mitty could arrive at the 64-team tournament still unbeaten. One big bright spot so far this season has been the play of standout sophomore OH/RS McKenna Crosson, a 4-star recruit. The Monarchs have had a ton of contributors on offense, including seniors Katelyn Cook and Amiya Kuchibhotla and juniors Isabella Romero and Jasmine Shum. Directing the attack is 4-star Notre Dame commit and junior setter Maya Baker. Among Mitty’s impressive victories to date features beating St. Francis/Mountain View, last season’s California Open Division state runner up. DIVINE SAVIOR HOLY ANGELS WI – The defending Wisconsin Division 1 state champion is off to a flying start. The DHSA opened the week 13-0, including beating state runner-up Oconomowoc in tournament play. DHSA moved up a couple of spots from No. 14 to No. 12 in this week’s update. Featured on the talented roster is 5-star Wisconsin commit and junior outside Madison Quest and 4-star Michigan State commit and junior libero Olivia Durst. Other players who have shined brightly is senior outside Sophia Wendlick and junior setter Jordan Czajkowski (Belmont). A major upcoming test is the Asics Challenge hosted by Mother McAuley IL at the end of the month. LAFAYETTE MO – The Lancers captured last year’s Missouri Class 5A state championship and are another school that is off to a hot start. The Lancers have opened the year 10-0, including beating St. James Academy KS in tournament play over the weekend. With the majority of the lineup back from a season ago, Lafayette’s start is not unexpected. Still powering the attack are 4-star Vanderbilt commit and junior outside Maya Witherspoon and 3-star Northern Kentucky commit and senior outside Allison Risley. A new addition in 5-star freshman pin Shaye Witherspoon has also been instrumental. With 3-star Villanova commit and senior setter Alyssa Nelson guiding the offense, the Lancers are in great hands. Defensively, senior Amelia Moser has been holding it down at libero. Lafayette was one of the big movers in this week’s Top 50, climbing 17 places to No. 16. SETON OH – The Saints have been one of the early-season surprises. They have jumped out to a 10-0 mark. Among the key victories have been handing St. Ursula Academy its first loss as well as defeating Ursuline Academy earlier this week. After its big victory over St. Ursula, the Saints debuted in this week’s Top 50 at No. 17. Seton faces Mercy McAuley in another test later this week. Seniors Alli Kirch and Madison Lambers are leading the team in kills so far. Junior Millie Cluxton and sophomore Callie Combs have also contributed to the attack. Senior Taylor Grubbs and junior Reagan Miller have split the setting duties while 3-star UCLA commit and junior Sakura Codling has suited up and led the team defensively at libero. CARROLLWOOD DAY FL – As for early-season surprise, the Patriots are arguably leading the way in that category. They sit at 13-1 overall as of this writing, finishing runner up to Cornerstone Christian TX at the Nike TOC Southeast tournament and recently winning the FL Gem HS tournament this past weekend. The Patriots avoided a letdown in beating Berkeley Prep in four sets earlier this week and have shown they are the top team in the state of Florida so far. The lineup has been elevated by the presence of freshman right side Lydia Chinchar, a 4-star recruit who played up on No Name 16 this past club season. Two more key offensive pieces have been junior middle Sarah Dibbs-Frantz and sophomore outside Elena Dibbs-Frantz. Senior setter Naomi Chinchar has done well quarterbacking the offense and can even step in and hit on the outside in a pinch. Recent Purdue commit, Mattea Casale, a 3-star recruit, has been solid at libero and adds a strong defensive presence. Based on other results and teams moving up in the rankings, the Patriots actually moved down three positions to No. 19 but remain in the Top 20. BLUE VALLEY NORTH KS – The Mustangs are another school making its Top 50 debut this week. They check in at No. 21 based on their 11-0 start. They play Wednesday evening against Blue Valley Southwest. Blue Valley North has a couple of big matches on the horizon, facing both St. Thomas Aquinas and St. James Academy next week. At the helm is 4-star Cincinnati commit and senior setter Janelle Green. She’s also third on the team in kills. Another making key contributions is 5-star recruit and junior S/RS Logan Parks, who is second in assists and leds the squad in kills. Juniors Jenna McClure, Natalie Harrington and Aubrey Shaw, as well as freshman Reese Maslowski have been part of the attack too. Senior Felicia Wu leads the team in digs. LOS ALAMITOS CA – The Griffins tied with Sierra Canyon for third place at the Ann Kang Invitational last month in Hawaii, including handing Punahou HI its only loss of the season to date. Los Al entered the week 18-2 and lands at No. 41 in the Top 50. Senior setter/OH Kaia Herweg – a 3-star Grand Canyon commit – and 3-star junior outside Ashley Repetti have provided a lift and played a big role in Los Al’s success so far.
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: Madeline Kraft. *** It always has to start somewhere. When it came to Madeline Kraft’s beginning in the sport of volleyball, it was simple. “At first I did it because my friends were doing it and it just stuck,” she said. “Another interest I had in volleyball was going to a lot of (Minnesota) Gophers games. That also really got me into it.” Before taking up volleyball for the first time in fourth grade, Kraft had spent time doing gymnastics and dancing. She didn’t feel as comfortable with either of those as she did with volleyball. “It felt natural,” Kraft said of volleyball. Kraft – a 4-star libero/DS from the Class of 2026 – first played club for Northern Lights during her 12s season. Being part of a club like that and playing for a competitive team is when she started finding out how much she likes the sport. She’s been a defender throughout her relatively short volleyball career. With her dad being a 4-time All-American wrestler at Minnesota, Kraft has always had a competitive edge and she really enjoys bringing that mentality to the defensive side. “I love how relentless you have to be,” she said. “You don’t get to think too much about the play, you just have to react and go. It’s like being the quarterback of the defense and being a defensive leader, as well as cheering everyone up.” When we spoke with Kraft she was only two matches into her high school season with Eagan. The Wildcats currently sit at 6-1 as of this writing. It’s an exciting time at the school with the big coaching change this season. Longtime coach Kathy Gillen stepped down as head coach after 30 seasons. She was inducted into the Minnesota Hall of Fame in 2014, racked up over 700 victories and guided the program to seven state championships during her tenure. Gillen is now an assistant coach for her daughter, McKenna Melville, who has taken on head coaching duties this season. Melville – a Eagan alum who just concluded her collegiate career at the University of Central Florida – taking over the head position has created a buzz. She made a name for herself at UCF by leading the nation in kills and becoming the first player in program history to be named to the AVCA First Team All-America list. “We have a good team,” Kraft said. “We are all glad we get to play under her. Obviously, she’s a really good player and a really good role model.” As our featured Player of the Week sponsored by Dick’s Sporting Goods, we recently spoke with Kraft about volleyball and more. Who is a role model or someone you look up to? Kraft: It’s Mckenna (Melville), my (new) coach for Eagan. She just graduated (from Central Florida). I can really relate to her. She’s a good student-athlete and I want to be like her. I look up to her because she succeeded a lot in college. I knew of her before. I met her once before and I always watched her while growing up. She played at Eagan. She committed as a libero but she grew four inches and started hitting in college. What is your favorite food? Kraft: It’s probably pasta and pineapple. When it comes to pasta, I really like spaghetti. Other than volleyball, what skill would you most like to learn and why? Kraft: I would like to become fluent in another language, so I can travel the world and be able to communicate with other cultures and people throughout the world. If you could choose to do anything for a day, what would it be and why? Kraft: Probably spend time with my friends. It’s hard to make time for them with my busy schedule. I like hanging out with them. We’d probably go shopping. Aside from necessities, what is one thing you could not go a day without? Kraft: Starbucks. My everyday drink is the Strawberry Acai refresher with lemonade. What is one thing that instantly makes your day better or makes you smile? Kraft: Probably my dog. Whenever I’m sad she cheers me up. Her name is Olivia. She’s a Toy Poodle but she doesn’t really look like a poodle though. If you could have any superpower what would it be and why? Kraft: It probably would be teleportation. I can’t drive right now and it would make my life a lot easier to go wherever, whenever I want. If I want to go to the beach, I’d just be there. Outside of volleyball what are you most passionate about and why? Kraft: Just being a good person in general. Being a good friend, being a good sibling, being a good daughter. I’m always trying to think of the best in people and things. What is one thing that may surprise people about you? Kraft: I can get very serious in stressful times and I can shut everything out and be focused. It’s because I’m usually all over the place. I’m usually making jokes and being light-hearted but I can switch and just turn it on, especially on the court. What is your strangest irrational fear? Kraft: It’s mice or rodents. I don’t like hamsters or anything like that. They freak me out. They are little and fast. I had a hamster once and one day the cage was open and we never found it. What’s your favorite number and why? Kraft: It’s probably 6 because I’ve always been some sort of 6 when I play. I’m usually always 6 or 16. I randomly just get a 6 every time.
We are at the point of the high school season where we are releasing an updating Top 50 National HS Rankings every week. It can be hit and miss with the amount of movement we see based on the results taking place around the country. We definitely saw a few big changes with this week’s update, but not at the very top. Mira Costa CA still holds the No. 1 spot after narrowly defeating Torrey Pines CA in five sets last Friday. One of the big changes though took place with Assumption KY, which captured the LIVT tournament title. Assumption dropped in last week’s Top 50 after suffering its first loss of the season to Sacred Heart Academy KY. However, Assumption climb way up the rankings this week after defeating previously-undefeated Notre Dame Academy KY in the final of the LIVT, as well as notching a victory over Mother McAuley IL in the semifinals. In other big moves, Seton OH jumped into the Top 50 this week after defeating previously-unbeaten St. Ursula Academy OH. Seton is undefeated itself. Also in the undefeated ranks is Lafayette MO, which climbed to No. 15 after beating St. James Academy KS. Another Kansas school in Blue Valley North, which is also unbeaten entering this week, broke through and sits at No. 21. You can check out the full rankings below. vballrecruiter.com’S TOP 50 NATIONAL HS RANKINGS 1. Mira Costa CA (1 – previous ranking) 2. Cornerstone Christian TX (5) 3. Papillion-La Vista South NE (4) 4. Archbishop Mitty CA (10) 5. Assumption KY (30) 6. Mater Dei CA (6) 7. Prestonwood Christian TX (9) 8. Grand Oaks TX (11) 9. Cathedral Catholic CA (13) 10. Notre Dame Academy KY (3) *** 11. Hamilton Southeastern IN (12) 12. Divine Savior Holy Angels WI (14) 13. St. Thomas Aquinas KS (15) 14. Wayzata MN (17) 15. Marist IL (23) 16. Lafayette MO (33) 17. Seton OH (n/r) 18. Torrey Pines CA (8) 19. Carrollwood Day FL (16) 20. Dripping Springs TX (18) *** 21. Blue Valley North KS (n/r) 22. Bellmont IN (19) 23. Mother McAuley IL (2) 24. St. Francis/Mountain View CA (20) 25. O’Connor AZ (21) 26. Oconomowoc WI (22) 27. Sacred Heart Academy KY (38) 28. Sierra Canyon CA (24) 29. Viera FL (25) 30. Corona del Sol AZ (26) *** 31. Calvary Christian FL (27) 32. St. James Academy KS (7) 33. Redondo Union CA (28) 34. Marymount CA (34) 35. Lake Catholic OH (35) 36. Winter Park FL (n/r) 37. Lone Peak UT (36) 38. Berkeley Prep FL (29) 39. St. Ursula Academy OH (31) 40. Pace Academy GA (30) *** 41. Los Alamitos CA (39) 42. Nixa MO (n/r) 43. Xavier Prep AZ (n/r) 44. Punahou HI (43) 45. Valor Christian CO (47) 46. Notre Dame Prep AZ (n/r) 47. Millennium AZ (n/r) 48. Kamehameha HI (n/r) 49. Skyridge UT (49) 50. Mercy McAuley OH (50) *** ON THE CUSP Clearwater Central Catholic FLRedlands CAByron Nelson TXPope GALiberty North MOCorner Canyon UTLewis Palmer CONorthville MIMaple Mountain UTFlint Hill VAPlant FLHagerty FLVenice FLWestminster Christian FLColleyville Heritage TXCypress Ranch TXHarlan TXRoncalli INYorktown INWashburn Rural KSProsper TXGlenbard West ILBenet Academy ILBrighton ILCardinal Gibbons NCGreen Hope NCGreen Level NCBishop Gorman NVMount Notre Dame OHLake Highland Prep FLHuntington Beach CAPerry AZQueen Creek AZ
With matches starting late Friday evening and ending late Saturday afternoon, all the action at the Louisville Invitational Volleyball Tournament takes place in under 24 hours. vballrecruiter.com was on hand covering both days of the short but intense action-packed tourney. The two-day event ended with Assumption KY downing previously-undefeated Notre Dame Academy KY in three sets, 25-14, 21-25, 25-16, in the championship to bring home the title. We also released our Day 2 Show Stoppers. Below, you can find The All Red Hat Team from the LIVT. It’s our version of an All-Tournament team, featuring our favorite players selected from schools which reached either the gold or silver brackets. THE ALL RED HAT TEAM OUTSIDESCharlotte Moriarty SR Assumption KYEmma Barnett JR Assumption KYAva Tilden JR Notre Dame Academy KYGrace Portwood SO Notre Dame Academy KYAnna Powell JR Sacred Heart Academy KYBridget Egan JR Sacred Heart Academy KYEllie White SR Mother McAuley ILSydney Buchanan JR Mother McAuley ILAddy Brus SR St. Ursula Academy OHClaire Morrissey SR OH St. Joseph Academy MOZoe Baliva JR OH St. Joseph Academy MOTaylor Bedinghaus SR Clearwater Central Catholic FLIsabella Pereira JR Clearwater Central Catholic FLLauren Hurst JR Cleveland TNKiernan Stamey SR Maryville TNLucy Trapp JR Ryle KYCara Richter SO Mount Notre Dame OHAlivia Skidmore SR St. Henry KY MIDDLE BLOCKERSBailey Blair JR Assumption KYAudrey Dyas SO Notre Dame Academy KYElise Hart JR MB Sacred Heart Academy KYEllery Rees SR Mother McAuley ILNia Jones JR St. Ursula Academy OHKatie Noschang SR Mount Notre Dame OHSydney Geselbracht SO Mount Notre Dame OH RIGHT SIDESChloe Smith SR Assumption KYRiley McCloskey JR Notre Dame Academy KYGabby Semona SO St. Ursula Academy OHDelany Gash SR Dunbar KYEmily Helmers SO St. Henry KYMalia Brinkman JR Mount Notre Dame OH SETTER/RIGHT SIDESKaeley Walz SR Sacred Heart Academy KYAnnabelle Groomes JR St. Joseph OH SETTERSEmilee Fuller JR Assumption KYPeyton Heatherly FR Mother McAuley ILEmsley Venard JR St. Ursula Academy OHJosephine Hensley JR Clearwater Central Catholic FLMacy Lentz SR St. Henry KYKinslee McGowan SR Cleveland TNIsabela Haggard JR Dunbar KYMorgan Heater SO Ryle KYKendall Hubbard FR Mount Notre Dame OH LIBEROSKristen Simon JR Assumption KYJulia Grace JR Notre Dame Academy KYJulia Frederick SR Sacred Heart Academy KYSamantha Falk SR Mother McAuley ILEmma Frietch SO St. Ursula Academy OHElizabeth Tabeling SR St. Henry KYKenzie Cogan SR Mount Notre Dame OH
Below, we present Part 2 of our Day 2 Show Stoppers from the Louisville Invitational Volleyball Tournament. You can find Part 1 here. DAY 2 SHOW STOPPERS Kristen Simon JR L Assumption KY: Simon – a 5-star Wisconsin commit – led a strong group of defenders who were doing their thing. She’s a vocal leader with a commanding backrow presence. She reads and reacts well and is a on-point passer. Charlotte Moriarty SR OH Assumption KY: A 3-star Xavier commit, Moriarty played well throughout the day but was especially on fire during her semifinal. She has a strong arm and was scoring equally well from both pins as she was tooling blocks left and right. Bailey Blair JR MB Assumption KY: Blair – a 3-star recruit – has a big, strong arm and can pound balls at times. She’s effective on 1s or getting out and running the slide and helps balance out the attack because of it. Emilee Fuller JR S Assumption KY: A 3-star setter, Fuller is a steadying presence at the position. She doesn’t get too high or low and does a nice job of putting her hitters in winnable match ups. Chloe Smith SR RS Assumption KY: Smith – a 3-star Wofford commit – is a lanky outside who can play on either pin and score equally well. She extends well and has a nice swing. She was tough for opponents to contain as she’s an aggressive hitter who doesn’t let up. Emma Barnett JR OH Assumption KY: Barnett is another hitter who can bring it whether playing on the left or right. She’s a physical hitter with a really strong arm who isn’t afraid to challenge bigger blockers. Ava Tilden JR OH Notre Dame Academy KY: A 4-star Xavier commit, Tilden is a long outside who can really extend and let loose. She’s a key part of the attack and carries her fair share of offensive duties. Gracie Portwood SO OH Notre Dame Academy KY: Portwood – a 3-star recruit – is a six-rotation contributor. She’s a consistent passer out of serve receive. When attacking, she’s a smart, aggressive hitter who knows when to challenge the block or go off speed to catch the defense off guard. Julia Grace JR L Notre Dame Academy KY: Another Xavier commit, Grace is a 3-star libero who did a great job patrolling the back court and making key digs. Audrey Dyas SO MB Notre Dame Academy KY: A 4-star recruit, Dyas makes plays on both sides of the ball. She puts up a strong block to give hitters something to think about, as well as being able to deliver when called upon. *** Riley McCloskey JR RS Notre Dame Academy KY: McCloseky – a 4-star recruit – has a strong arm and can bring it on the right side. She takes aggressive swings consistently and helps spread out the attack. Elise Hart JR MB Sacred Heart Academy KY: Hart – a 3-star Denver commit – is a scoring machine. She’s tough to cover with her ability to not only move her shots around but mix them up, including running a slide attack. Anna Powell JR OH Sacred Heart Academy KY: A 3-star Georgia Southern commit, Powell has a whippy arm and can let it fly. She too provides a lot of offense and does well staying aggressive and keeping pressure on defenders. Bridget Egan JR OH Sacred Heart Academy KY: Egan – a 3-star recruit – fills her role very well on the outside. She’s another smart hitter who does well providing a scoring lift when she checks in across the front row. Kaeley Walz SR S/RS Sacred Heart Academy KY: Walz – a Kennesaw State commit – played an instrumental role in Sacred Heart’s success. She’s a strong leader who doesn’t come off the court as a setter and hitter. She does a great job dishing and distributing to her various hitters. Julia Frederick SR L Sacred Heart Academy KY: The defense being played on Day 2 was high, with Frederick contributing to the mix. She showed up well in serve receive as well as defending shots coming her way. Samantha Falk SR L Mother McAuley IL: A 3-star Loyola-Chicago commit, Falk was holding it down in the back row. She faced a slew of big hitters and was hanging in and getting balls up. Ellie White SR OH Mother McAuley IL: White – a 4-star Michigan commit – is the key cog in the lineup for the Macs. She’s the go-to hitter and is always a threat whether front or back row. She has a lively arm and can blast balls from sideline to sideline. Sydney Buchanan JR OH Mother McAuley IL: Buchanan – a 3-star recruit – can get up and deliver on the outside. She keeps the offense going on the left when she checks in and helps provide a strong 1-2 punch for the Macs. Ellery Rees SR MB Mother McAuley IL: A 3-star Alabama commit, Rees brings size and length to the front row. It makes her impactful on both sides of the ball as she was giving her side a big block as well as a legit offensive threat. *** Peyton Heatherly FR S Mother McAuley IL: Heatherly – a 3-star recruit – doesn’t play like a rookie. The freshman set and hit in club but has been asked to run a 5-1 for the Macs. She did well running a variety of plays and mixing up her sets. Emma Frietch SO L/DS St. Ursula Academy OH: Frietch – a 3-star recruit – was playing both libero and DS in her role. She’s a quick defender who moves well and does a great job getting balls up. Addy Brus SR OH St. Ursula Academy OH: Brus – a 3-star Saint Louis commit – is a bit undersized but more than makes up for it with the way she explodes off the floor and unloads on the attack. Emsley Venard JR
After an opening day setting up Saturday’s bracket play, the top teams finally faced off against each other as the Louisville Invitational Volleyball Tournament came to a close. It was Assumption KY handing Notre Dame Academy KY its first loss of the season as the Rockets prevailed in three, 25-14, 21-25, 25-16, in the championship match. Below, we highlight the standout players we witnessed from both the gold and silver brackets. DAY 2 SHOW STOPPERS Nia Jones JR MB St. Ursula Academy OH: Jones is a real threat out of the middle and changes the dynamic of the attack when she’s in the front row. She’s a strong hitter and a reliable scorer. Gabby Semona SO RS St. Ursula Academy OH: Semona – 3-star recruit – provides a real presence on the right side. She puts up a solid block and is also a reliable scorer who does well finding the open spaces in the defense. Claire Morrissey SR OH St. Joseph Academy MO: A 3-star Missouri commit, Morrissey packs a punch on the outside. She carries a big arm and can boom balls down with the best of them in the tournament. Zoe Baliva JR OH St. Joseph Academy MO: Baliva – a 3-star Florida State beach commit – fills out a strong 1-2 punch on the left for St. Joseph. She has nice extension and can send balls with a bang when the opportunity presents itself. Isabella Pereira JR OH Clearwater Central Catholic FL: A 3-star recruit, Pereira is a six-rotation outside who is a solid passer and heady attacker. She’s a bit undersized but has a good arm and hits with pace. Taylor Bedinghaus SR OH Clearwater Central Catholic FL: Bedinghaus – a 3-star recruit – is a six-rotation mainstay who brings stability to the lineup. She’s solid out of serve receive and is a smart hitter who can score swinging or going off speed. *** Josephine Hensley JR S Clearwater Central Catholic FL: Hensley runs a 5-1 and sets with consistent location. She has a clean release too. Elizabeth Tabeling SR L St. Henry KY: Tabeling – a 4-star Ball State commit – can make difficult plays look effortless. She’s quick and reacts well, which leads to her getting balls up others would struggle with. Macy Lentz SR S St. Henry KY: Lentz – a 3-star recruit – did well dishing and running the attack. She puts up a hittable ball and is consistent with her location. Alivia Skidmore SR OH St. Henry KY: A 3-star Western Kentucky commit, Skidmore is the go-to hitter who provides electrifying kills at times. She gets off the ground well and has a fluid swing to bounce balls with. Simone Searles SO RS Walton GA: Searles had to fill a role on the right side due to a starter being out this weekend. She flies under the radar some but she has a strong arm and can even run the slide effectively. Annabelle Groomes JR S/RS St. Joseph OH: Groomes – a 5-star San Diego commit – was showcasing her versatility with her setting and hitting. It’s hard to say which she excels at more. She has great hands and dishes well. She also has a powerful arm and can crush balls on the right side. Kinslee McGowan SR S Cleveland TN: A 3-star North Alabama commit, McGowan was among the standout setters who was running a 5-1. She has nice hands and can move the ball around well to get all her hitters involved. Lauren Hurst JR OH Cleveland TN: Hurst – a 4-star recruit – is an athletic outside with a good arm. She can get up and hammer balls in leading the attack. Kiernan Stamey SR OH Maryville TN: Stamey – a 4-star Kennesaw State commit – is a lanky outside with the ability to unleash when the chance present itself. She can extend nicely and hit at a high point, sending balls down with it. Isabela Haggard JR S Dunbar KY: Haggard – a 3-star Indiana commit – can set and hit as she does in club but runs a 5-1 for her high school squad. She has a smooth release and isn’t off her mark too often. *** Delaney Gash SR OH Dunbar KY: A 3-star Akron commit, Gash is a physical attacker with a really strong arm. She’s also aggressive and has no problem challenging blockers and going off their hands. Morgan Heater SO S Ryle KY: Heater – a 3-star recruit – is an up-and-coming setter. She plays under control and has a clean, consistent release. Cara Richter SO OH Mount Notre Dame OH: A 3-star recruit, Richter is one of the main offensive weapons for her side. She has a solid arm and can hit with power or finesse. Kenzie Cogan SR L Mount Notre Dame OH: Cogan – a 3-star Illinois commit – brings a presence to the defensive side with her energy and hustle. She does a solid job of keeping balls in play and extending rallies for her side. Sydney Geselbracht SO MB Mount Notre Dame OH: A 4-star recruit, Geselbracht adds length and size to the front row. She does well scoring and finding gaps in the defense. She also moves well and gets her share of touches at the net. Kendall Hubbard FR S Mount Notre Dame OH: Hubbard – a 3-star recruit – was one of the standout freshmen in the field showcasing her skills. She sets and hits in club but directs a 5-1 and does a fine job. She has nice hands and is able to move the ball around too. Malia Brinkman JR RS Mount Notre Dame OH: A six-rotation right side, Brinkman passes out of serve receive at times. She also provides valuable offense too. Katie Noschang SR MB Mount Notre Dame OH: Noschang is a bit undersized in the middle but provides valuable offense. She can line up and hit on the left and can unload out of the middle
We’ll get to Assumption KY capturing the Louisville Invitational Volleyball Tournament in a moment. First, let’s skip ahead to the Durango Fall Classic in two weeks in Las Vegas. And why are we talking about that given Assumption’s victory at the LIVT? It’s because Assumption finishing on top of the 24-team field in Louisville makes for a remarkable storyline and sets up a tournament-championship of sorts at Durango. Mira Costa CA – the Ann Kang Invitational champion; Mater Dei CA – the Volleypalooza champion; Cornerstone Christian TX – the Nike TOC champion; and Assumption – the LIVT champ – are all participating at Durango. Since we can’t help but always getting way ahead of ourselves, what type of potential ramifications are on the line when that 64-team event takes place? For starters, a possible national championship. Mira Costa is currently our top-ranked team in the nation. After fending off Torrey Pines CA in five sets this past Friday, the Mustangs will remain there in our next update this week. Should Mira Costa finish first at Durango – without losing in between – no doubt it’ll keep its stranglehold on the top spot. It gets a bit dicey after that. What would happen if Mater Dei were to win? Who knows, given the Monarchs have a loss to Mira Costa and then dropped their second match of the season with a loss to Cathedral Catholic CA in Saturday’s Dave Mohs final. Mater Dei did defeat Cathedral Catholic at Volleypalooza, where Mater Dei downed Prestonwood Christian TX in the final. Prestonwood Christian presents a monkey-wrench of sorts, given the Texas school is also set to play at Durango and is certainly talented enough to beat everyone there and take home the title. We don’t even want to think what that would do to the rankings given Prestonwood has three losses on its slate to date. As for Cornerstone Christian, the Warriors certainly could be playing to take over No. 1 at Durango. The Warriors’ only loss on the season remains falling to Mira Costa in the final of the Ann Kang Invitational – or else there would be no debate as to who is No. 1 right now. Should Cornerstone capture the Durango championship, the school would have a serious argument to jump to No. 1 in the country. Then there is Assumption. The Rockets have already lost once this season, to Sacred Heart Academy KY in five sets. A quick note on Sacred Heart, which came into the LIVT with three losses already but did defeat previously unbeaten Mother McAuley IL on Thursday ahead of the tournament. Mother McAuely – which lost to Assumption in Saturday’s semifinals – extracted a measure of revenge by beating Sacred Heart in Saturday’s third-place match. Sacred Heart going down to Notre Dame Academy KY in Saturday’s semifinals prevented a rematch between Assumption and Sacred Heart in the championship match. As it turned out, Assumption outlasted Notre Dame in the final, 25-14, 21-25, 25-16. So the Rockets currently sit with one loss. No doubt Assumption will climb back up in our latest Top-50 rankings, but what happens to the Rockets should they prove the team to beat at Durango? They too could have a case for becoming the top team in the country. The good news – or bad depending on the havoc it causes – is it’ll all play out soon enough in Vegas, which this year is proving the home of the champions. As for the LIVT, a bit of the thunder was taken out of the weekend with results taking place before Friday. As we noted in our Day 1 recap, there were three teams which started the week undefeated and that could have set up a thrilling LIVT. The tournament still produced like it always does, it’s just the storylines changed quickly. That’s because previously undefeated St. Ursula Academy OH fell to Seton OH on Tuesday for its first loss. As stated above, Mother McAuley lost to Sacred Heart on Thursday. That left Notre Dame as the only unbeaten team in the field. But obviously Notre Dame is no longer undefeated having fallen to Assumption in the championship. And like Assumption, now sit with one loss on its schedule. Assumption fought past St. Ursula, 23-25, 25-15, 25-16, in the quarterfinals. St. Ursula finished in fifth place after sweeping past Clearwater Central Catholic FL, 25-14, 25-18. Notre Dame had its hands full in both the quarters and semis. First, Notre Dame edged St. Henry KY, 25-21, 19-25, 25-19, before getting past Sacred Heart, 26-24, 19-25, 25-20.
More than anything, the opening day of the Louisville Invitational Volleyball Tournament was one of what-ifs rather than any real upsets taking place. All top eight seeds advanced to Saturday’s quarterfinals, but it could have been a much different story had the two big what-ifs played out. Both top-seeded Mother McAuley IL and fourth-seeded Assumption KY dropped the opening sets of their final pool-play matches. It could have created huge waves on Day 1 but instead both rallied to win the final two sets and move on. It was St. Joseph OH pushing Mother McAuley to a decisive set, while Cleveland TN had Assumption temporarily on the ropes. Mother McAuley defeated Assumption in last year’s championship match, winning the LIVT title for the first time in school history. Mother McAuley was one of three schools participating in this weekend’s tournament which started the week undefeated. However, Mother McAuley, along with St. Ursula OH, both suffered their first losses prior to the start of the LIVT. Mother McAuley was edged in five sets by Sacred Heart Academy KY in a showdown Thursday. Meanwhile, St. Ursula was also upset by Seton OH in a five-set loss Tuesday. That left Notre Dame Academy KY as the only undefeated team in the field. The remaining top seeds, including Notre Dame, Sacred Heart and St. Ursula, didn’t drop a set Friday. The others to sweep both matches were No. 6 Clearwater Central FL, No. 7 St. Henry KY and No. 8 St. Joseph’s MO. Here’s how the quarterfinals stack up for Saturday: *** DAY 1 SHOW STOPPERS Isabela Haggard JR S Dunbar KY: A 3-star Indiana commit, Haggard is a smooth disher who was running a 5-1. She locates the ball well and has a clean, consistent release. Aleicea Watson SR MB Manual KY: Watson was a factor across the front row. She spiced up the attack with her scoring ability. She was effective running the slide and let loose on a few impressive kills. Ellie Melton SR L Manual KY: Melton is a hard-working defender who hustles around the court and did well keeping rallies alive. Julia Frederick SR L Sacred Heart KY: Frederick is part of a strong roster and held it down in her defensive role. She was passing soundly and helping keep her team in system. Anna Powell JR OH Sacred Heart KY: Powell – a 3-star Georgia Southern commit – was a reliable scorer. She has a solid arm and hits with plenty of pace. Elise Hart JR MB Sacred Heart KY: Hart – 3-star Denver commit – helped balance out the attack when she checked in. She runs a nice slide and has a fluid swing. Kaeley Walz SR S/RS Sacred Heart KY: Walz was a key component of Sacred Heart’s success. She set across the back and hit in the front. She did well moving the ball around and getting her hitters involved. Bridget Egan JR OH Sacred Heart KY: A 3-star recruit, Egan was yet another piece to the attack opponents had to worry about. She too has a lively arm and helps give Sacred Heart a solid 1-2 punch on the outside. Morgan Heater SO S Ryle KY: Heater — a 3-star recruit — showed up well in her role running a 5-1. She’s an under-control setter with nice hands and consistent location. Lucy Trapp JR OH Ryle KY: Trapp is a bit of undersized outside but she’s relentless on the attack. She’s an aggressive attacker who held it down on the leftside and did well dropping in off-speed shots. *** Addy Brus SR OH St. Ursula OH: Brus – a 3-star Saint Louis commit – can get off the ground quickly and unleash with a fury. She’s a smart hitter who can blast balls off the block and was the go-to outside. Nia Jones JR MB St. Ursula OH: Jones was a scoring machine out of the middle. She has a strong arm and was going off blocks or around them and gave her team a reliable option and threat who defenses had to be mindful of. Emsley Venard JR S St. Ursula OH: Venard – a 3-star West Virginia commit – has good command of the offense. She did well moving the ball around and getting all her hitters going. Gabby Semona SO RS St. Ursula OH: Semona – a 3-star recruit as well – held it down with authority on the right side. She’s a big presence on both sides of the ball. She puts up a strong block and can turn around and pound it down on offense. Julia Grace JR L Notre Dame KY: A 3-star Xavier commit, Grace was among the standout defenders. She was strong out of serve receive and brought a defensive edge to the lineup. Riley McCloskey JR RS Notre Dame KY: McCloskey – a 4-star recruit – made herself known on the right side. She has a solid arm and was providing an offense boost when called upon. Audrey Dyas SO MB Notre Dame KY: A 4-star recruit, Dyas was among the standout middles with the way she was scoring and getting touches on the ball defensively. Ava Tilden JR OH Notre Dame KY: Tilden – a 4-star Xavier commit – is lanky and showed nice extension when attacking. She was scoring consistently and sending balls down the floor. Josephine Henley JR S Clearwater Central FL: Henley has the ability to set and hit but was running a 5-1. She was effective in locating her sets and connecting with her hitters. Taylor Bedinghaus SR OH Clearwater Central FL: A 3-star recruit, Bedinghaus is a six-rotation, go-to outside. She’s a smart attacker who can score in a variety of ways. *** Kiernan Stamey SR OH Maryville TN: Stamey, a Kennesaw State commit, has the ability to connect when the opportunity presents itself. And watch out when she does because she can let it fly. Elizabeth Tabeling SR L St. Henry KY: Tabeling – a 4-star
Another weekend forthcoming, another national tournament on the slate. This Friday and Saturday features the Louisville Invitational Volleyball Tournament taking place at Assumption and KiVA. It’s a smaller affair than the past two weeks with Volleypalooza and the Nike TOC Southeast. Still, the tournament packs a punch with three defending state champions in the field in Mother McAuley IL, Notre Dame Academy KY and Clearwater Central Catholic FL. Check out the nationally-ranked teams competing, the 3, 4 and 5-star athletes participating and our outlook and predictions below. Number of Teams – 24 vballrecruiter.com’s Nationally-Ranked Teams (6): 5-Star Athletes to Know: 4-Star Athletes to Know: 3-Star Athletes to Know: OUTLOOK: Last year’s tournament played out with Mother McAuley IL taking home the title for the first time in program history as the Macs went on to capture the 4A state championship in Illinois. The defending tournament champions return and are aiming to go back-to-back as the Macs start off as the top seed. Right behind Mother McAuley is Notre Dame Academy, which claimed the Kentucky state championship a season ago and returns the majority of its roster. Both Sacred Heart Academy KY and Assumption KY have what it takes to contend, while a team to watch out for is fifth-seeded St. Ursula Academy OH. The Bulldogs have young talent on the roster and will look to take it to the more experienced teams seeded ahead of them. The sixth overall seed is Clearwater Central Catholic. The Marauders handed Westminster Christian FL its only loss by beating the Warriors in the Florida 3A state championship a season ago. The two-day tournament starts off with eight, three-team pools. The pool winners advance to Saturday’s eight-team gold bracket. PREDICTION: There’s no doubt all eyes are on Mother McAuley to repeat, but this tournament has a way of surprising. Therefore, the pick is for Assumption to reverse its fortune from last year and take down Mother McAuley in Saturday’s final.