
Commitments & Signings Week of August 25-31
Congrats to all! Corrections? Questions? Additions? Email christi@vballrecruiter.com or DM on Social Media @vballphil 2024 2025 BEACH 2025
Congrats to all! Corrections? Questions? Additions? Email christi@vballrecruiter.com or DM on Social Media @vballphil 2024 2025 BEACH 2025
One of the attractions about the Nike TOC Southeast tournament being held at the Wiregrass Ranch Sports Complex in Wesley Chapel just outside of Tampa is that even though the field features plenty of teams from the Sunshine State, it also draws its share of teams outside of Florida. Texas, California, Nevada, Nebraska, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Missouri and Virginia were all represented as the two-day event kicked off Friday with both AM and PM pools. However, when it came to the National division – the top of the three that also includes Premier and Elite – the home state held firm and advanced six teams to Saturday’s quarterfinals and is guaranteed to have at least one school playing for the tournament championship. The exceptions were Cornerstone Christian TX and Bishop Gorman NV. The two squads actually play each other in the quarterfinals, meaning one will be eliminated from contention before the semis. Cornerstone – the top seed which finished runner-up a season ago – finished second last month at the Ann Kang Invitational in Hawaii after falling to Mira Costa CA in the final. Cornerstone did not play in last week’s Volleypalooza event in Texas, where Mater Dei CA topped Prestonwood Christian TX in the final. Prestonwood, meanwhile, was scheduled to travel to the event here in Florida but canceled because of the hurricane impacting the area. Cornerstone held its seed by sweeping Berkeley Prep FL, Pace GA and Saint Andrews FL. As for Bishop Gorman, the Nevada school arguably has its best team ever and opened as the No. 8 seed overall. Though Bishop Gorman made it through by going 3-0, it was a fight as Bishop Gorman defeated Mt. Paran Christian GA, St. Henry KY and Trinity Catholic FL each in three sets. Both Cornerstone and Bishop Gorman are scheduled to play at the Durango Fall Classic in Las Vegas later this month. Bishop Gorman is also set to travel to Southern California in early October for the Redondo Power Classic featuring Redondo Union CA and Mira Costa. The quarterfinals could have featured another Texas school in Keller but Winter Park FL survived a three-set thriller Friday morning to go 3-0 and make it out of the pool instead. Another team which impressed was Carrollwood Day FL, which also went 3-0 after sweeping past Skutt Catholic NE, Tampa Prep Fl and King’s Academy FL. Both Venice FL and Viera FL were surprises in going 3-0 and reaching the quarterfinal as well. Venice swept Lake Brantley FL, Gainesville FL and Bishop Kenny. Viera, boosted by the addition of 5-star Penn State commit Izzy Starck to the roster, downed defending champion Westminster Christian FL, Sandy Creek GA and North Allegheny PA in straight sets. Oviedo FL and Hagerty FL both advanced despite dropping matches. Oviedo finished tied with Plant FL at 2-1 but owned the head-to-head tiebreaker to move on. Hagerty finished in a three-way tie with Calvary Christian FL and Timber Creek FL at 2-1 and advanced based on having the best set percentage of the trio. Here’s how the quarterfinals line up for Saturday: *** DAY 1 SHOW STOPPERS Isabelle Bardin JR S/RS Flint Hill VA: A 3-star recruit, Bardin plays a vital role as a setter and hitter. She’s lanky and it allows her to make plays at the net attacking, blocking or playing tight balls while setting in the back row. Ryla Jones SR MB Flint Hill VA: Jones – a 4-star Pitt commit – is a difference maker in the middle. At 6-3, she’s a presence on both sides of the ball with her hitting and blocking and is one of the team’s emotional leaders. Talia Johnson SO OH Richmond Hill FL: Johnson is a 6-1 six-rotation outside with lots of upside. She’s a bit raw but is athletic and jumps well. Carson Reeves SR MB Richmond Hill FL: At 6-3, Reeves brings height to the front row. She did well putting up a solid block and getting touches. Olivia Guzman JR RS Lourdes Academy FL: A 4-star recruit, Guzman has shifted to the right side for high school after playing on the left during the club season. She has a lively arm and can bounce balls when given the chance. Ella Garcia JR OH Lourdes Academy FL: Garcia is a six-rotation outside who carries a lot of responsibility. She’s an aggressive attacker who challenges bigger blocks. Izabela Molina SR MB Doral Academy FL: Molina is a physical middle who puts up a wall of a block and can pound balls down with her powerful arm. Connor Rahn SR OH Middleburg FL: A 3-star University of Tampa commit, Rahn provides a lot of offense in her role. She has a solid arm and is a smart attacker with a range of shots. Camden Rahn SO RS Middleburg FL: A 3-star recruit, Rahn was holding down the right side and giving her team another scoring option that defenses needed to be mindful of. Charlotte Glass JR S Saint Andrew’s FL: Glass – a 5-star Duke commit – brings a lot to the floor and does a great job quarterbacking her squad. She has a clean, consistent release and at 6-1 can also make a ton of plays at the net. *** Grace Agolli SR RS Pace Academy GA: A Cal commit, Agolli can also set like she does in club. However, she was a six-rotation right side who showed off her powerful swing and was connecting well in carrying the offense with her scoring ability. Olivia Siskin SO S Pace Academy GA: A 3-star recruit, Siskin is a tall setter at 6-1. She’s a smooth disher with the ability to move the ball around well without sacrificing location. Brooklyn Tealer SR OH Gainesville FL: Tealer – a 4-star USC commit – is a major weapon for Gainesville and the go-to hitter the team relies heavily on for offense. She has a lively arm and can let it fly. Bella Schwantz JR OH Merritt
Earlier this month we took our first look at how the recruiting classes for the Class of 2025 are starting to stack up. We highlighted five of the top classes to date. This week, we continue diving into the Class of 2025 by looking at other programs which are off to great starts and/or where more 5-star recruits are landing, in no particular order. USC Breakdown: The Trojans came out of the gate on fire, landing a pair of 5-star talents in Messer and Deckert and a 4-star recruit in Loper. Both Messer and Deckert are at the top of the class at their respective positions. Depending on who you ask and what measures you want to use, Messer is arguably one of the top two setters in the class. The same goes for Deckert at libero, as many would consider her to be the top defender in the class. That’s two key positions locked up. Messer is playing high school at St. James Academy, which has the potential to be one of the top schools in the country this fall. Deckert is at Mira Costa, which has already shown it is one of the best teams in the nation thus far after winning the Ann Kang Invitational and defeating Mater Dei CA earlier this week. While Messer and Deckert are more polished players at the moment, Loper is intriguing because of her upside. She’s currently at San Clemente for high school. Being 6-2, she certainly has the length to excel at the next level. She had a strong club season in which she progressed nicely and will continue to improve as she adds more strength and power to her swing. *** DUKE Breakdown: There is no doubt the Blue Devils have made major waves with this class. The fact they have two 5-star athletes committed so far is remarkable. Glass is another highly-ranked setter and one of the best in the class. She’s taller at 6-1 and had a strong club season with Tribe 16 Elite Cardinal this past spring and summer. She plays high school at St. Andrew’s. Another great recruit for Duke is 6-3 middle Gillen-Malveaux. She too had a standout club campaign with Drive Nation 16 Red and will switch over to Skyline for next season. The junior is currently playing high school for Greenville. Zubchevich has flown under the radar but could be a solid contributor at the next level. She’s a 6-1 outside who is touching 10-2 with a lively arm. She plays club for City and high school at La Canada. Wayne is a recent commit. She’s a 6-4 middle who played club last season for Madfrog before moving to TAV for the upcoming campaign. She has a strong arm and will add versatility with her ability to shift and play on the pin as well. *** OREGON Breakdown: Though Oregon doesn’t currently have any 5-star commits, the Ducks have a solid class featuring three 4-star recruits. Cogill is a 6-4 middle who starred this past club season in role for the USAV 16 Open gold medalist Arizona Storm 16 Thunder. She plays high school for Perry. The Ducks went much further east for their next two 4-star commits. Bell – who plays high school at Roncali – is listed at 5-11 but plays taller than that with her jumping ability. She also has a whippy arm and is the type of player that has succeeded at Oregon under the current coaching staff. Mogridge is a 5-10 setter who moves very well and is consistent with her location. She should fit right in should the Ducks want to run a 6-2. She recently transferred high schools and is playing for Berkeley Prep. Mitchell is a local talent who adds another setting option and too could fit right in running a 6-2. *** KENTUCKY Breakdown: Kentucky’s featured recruit thus far is O’Brien, a 5-star setter who is among the top five at her position in her class. She’s among the taller setters in the class at 6-1. She’s a smooth disher with strong command of the offense and is currently starring at Cinco Ranch for high school. Watson is a lesser-known name as she didn’t play for a club that competed on the national stage in Open. However, she’s 6-3 and touching over 10 feet. She has a big arm and will add physicality to the attack. She plays high school at Huntley in Illinois. Ward is a solid ball control addition. She spent this past season as defensive specialist for KiVA 16 Red, which featured 5-star Wisconsin commit Kristen Simon at libero. For high school, Ward plays for Holy Cross. *** OHIO STATE Breakdown: With two commits so far, Ohio State’s class is one of the smaller ones we have noted. However, it does include a 5-star recruit in Gauthier. At 6-2 and with a powerful arm to match, she’s long been a next-level prospect. After playing 15s a season ago at Far Out, she moved up and competed on the 18s this year as a sophomore before finishing the season out at AAUs playing in 17 Open. She plays high school at Shelby. Stahler is a recent commit and brings the other side to the equation with her defense. She plays high school for Benjamin Logan in Ohio. *** PENN STATE Breakdown: With Collins playing for Niagara Frontier, she doesn’t get the attention of other top-level recruits playing for national powerhouses. However, Collins – who plays for Frontier in high school – has tons of upside and lots of room for growth to star in college. She’s 6-3 with a snappy swing that generates a lot of pace. She was Penn State’s first commit from the class. Nichols is not currently ranked but will be in our next update. She’s not as polished as other middles in the class, but she comes with tremendous potential being 6-4 and her level of athleticism. She could develop
We are in the midst of the big-time national high school tournaments. Volleypalooza started things off last week in the greater Austin area. Up next, is the Nike TOC Southeast tournament in Tampa. Still on the schedule is the Louisville Invitational Volleyball Tournament next weekend, as well as the Durango Fall Classic in Las Vegas (Sept. 22-23) and the Nike TOC Southwest in Phoenix (Sept. 29-30). The Nike TOC Southeast event is entering its fourth season, with last year being the first time it was played in one venue – at the Wiregrass Ranch Sports Complex. The two-day event returns to the facility this year and is broken down into three divisions (National, Premier and Elite) representing 80 teams. Below, we highlight the nationally-ranked teams participating, the top athletes to watch for as well as our outlook and predictions. Number of Teams: 80 *** vballrecruiter.com’s Nationally-Ranked Teams (5): *** 5-Star Athletes To Know *** 4-Star Athletes To Know *** OUTLOOK: We are mostly focused on the National division, given it features the top teams in the field. Prestonwood Christian TX is heading east a week after taking second in finishing runner-up to Mater Dei CA at Volleypalooza. Prestonwood opens as the No. 2 seed behind top-seeded Cornerstone Christian TX. Cornerstone finished in second place at last year’s Nike TOC Southeast and also took second place earlier this month in finishing runner-up to Mira Costa CA at the Ann Kang Invitational in Honolulu. It’s a true national tournament in the sense of the states being represented. Flint Hill VA went 36-0 last season and is taking the next step in traveling and participating in a tournament of this caliber. There is also a team from California in Clovis, as well as Skutt Catholic from Nebraska and Bishop Gorman of Nevada. Other teams traveling from out of state of note are Pace GA, Dorman SC, St. Henry KY and North Allegheny PA. One thing about the Texas schools traveling – Keller is another joining Prestonwood and Cornerstone – and schools from Georgia is they have played many more matches than anyone else and could have a leg up because of it. The field also features defending champion Westminster Christian FL. Update: Prestonwood Christian is no longer attending the Nike TOC due to the hurricane in the area. This is developing and needless to say will have implications. Stay tuned. PREDICTION: On paper, the tournament is set up to come down to the top two seeds in Cornerstone and Prestonwood. The question is will it hold up that way or will upsets spoil the all-Texas final? The expectation is that both schools will make it to the final and have a pseudo-rematch of last year’s Volleypalooza final. The call is Prestonwood beating Cornerstone in three sets to capture the tournament title. Revision: With Prestonwood no longer attending the event, are original prediction is no longer valid. Therefore, we are revising the pick for Cornerstone to beat Westminster Christian in a rematch of last year’s final.
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: Olivia LeDoyan. *** This week’s Player of the Week sponsored by Dick’s Sporting Goods is different than the ones before it. We’ve been focusing on high-school aged players while this week we shift our focus to an up-and-coming middle schooler. Her name is Olivia LeDoyan. She’s 12. She loves both indoor and beach volleyball. And she already has a large Instagram following of 12.7K (@olivialedoyen). LeDoyan spoke with us while her mom, Beth, was driving her an hour-and-a-half to beach practice at Madsand. LeDoyan also drives an hour each way for indoor practice. This coming club season she’ll be a setter for TAV 13 Black. No one can accuse her of lacking dedication to the sport, one she grew up around with her mom coaching before LeDoyan was even born. “I’ve been around volleyball my whole life,” she said. “I begged (my mom) and begged her to try it. I was about 7 when I did a rec league and then 8 when I started club. I started beach about a year after, when I was around 9 or 10.” Before volleyball LeDoyan spent time trying different sports and activities, including dancing, cheerleading, gymnastics, softball and basketball. When it came to volleyball, she “thought volleyball was perfect for me.” “It’s more upbeat,” she said. “The team is more connected and it’s more of a team effort in volleyball. It’s really fun.” LeDoyan isn’t sure which side of the sport she enjoys more – beach or indoor. She said the two are very different. Her mom said when her daughter is in beach season, she tends to like it better than indoor. However, when she switches to indoor she tends to like it better than beach. LeDoyan’s first year of club, she was 8 playing up on a 12s team, but currently plays with her own age group. She’s also just started middle school at Aledo and recently completed the tryout process for the volleyball team there. She made the top team as a libero. Another thing she’s excited about is getting to play with her school friends, something that doesn’t happen with beach and indoor because of the distance she has to travel for both. Outside of volleyball LeDoyan enjoys both dancing and modeling. She’s on the intermediate dance team at her school and said she loves being able to express herself and tell a story through dance. And a bonus is she said it helps a lot with volleyball. “Dancing you have to be strong and quick on your feet,” she said. “It helps my volleyball game by being quicker.” Then there’s the social media and building the following she has now. At first, her mom ran the account but now it’s all her, she said. While her postings are mostly about volleyball, she does share other things like dancing and hiking. “It’s really fun. I like it a lot,” she said. “I like social media because I have made a lot of friends who also love volleyball and then I get to meet them at national tournaments. It’s another thing I love about volleyball too, is making a lot of new friends.” As our featured Player of the Week sponsored by Dick’s Sporting Goods, we recently spoke with LeDoyan about volleyball and more. Who is a role model or someone you look up to? LeDoyan: I look up to Misty May. She’s really cool. She and her partner won three gold medals at the Olympics and I just think that is really cool. Also, I got to meet her at AAU when we won it my 10s year and wear her gold medal. What is your favorite food? LeDoyan: I like eating steak. I like eating it medium. My dad has a new grill and he makes it really good. Other than volleyball, what skill would you most like to learn and why? LeDoyan: I like learning to hit. But outside of volleyball I like learning how to dance. I think it’s really fun, just like I do with volleyball. If you could choose to do anything for a day, what would it be and why? LeDoyan: I would probably go to Paris because the Olympics are there. I want to see the Olympics and I also want to see the Eiffel Tower. Aside from necessities, what is one thing you could not go a day without? LeDoyan: Volleyball … and my animals and my pets. I have a lot. I have five dogs and five cats. What is one thing that instantly makes your day better or makes you smile? LeDoyan: I like going to tryouts in the morning and playing volleyball with my (school) friends. It makes it 10 times better and fun. In middle school I get to play with my friends who I don’t always get to play with. If you could have any superpower what would it be and why? LeDoyan: I would want to transform into anything I want. If I wanted to go somewhere I could turn into a bird and fly there. I also like to travel so I would like a door in the house that could take me anywhere. I would also use it to go to volleyball so we didn’t have to drive an hour and use the time to rest. Outside of volleyball what are you most passionate about and why? LeDoyan: Probably my swimming. I like swimming a lot. I like all types. At the beach, the pool or going to water parks. What is one thing that may surprise people about you? LeDoyan: It would probably be that I eat so much. I go to team dinners and order two entrees and an appetizer. I’m
One coach whose team was participating in the three-day Volleypalooza extravaganza noted that the field this year was the deepest he had ever seen it. It was hard to argue given what we witnessed Thursday, Friday and Saturday in the greater Austin area. There was so much talent on display it was dizzying at times trying to track all of it. With the tournament concluded and Mater Dei having captured its second Volleypalooza trophy in program history, we wrap up our coverage by presenting our All Red Hat Team. This is different from the All-Tournament Team announced by the tournament organizers and represents the top players we witnessed from the three days of action. The cut off, however, was that in order to make the All Red Hat Team schools needed to make the silver or gold brackets to be considered. OUTSIDESLayli Ostovar Mater DeiIsabel Clark Mater DeiCari Spears Prestonwood ChristianMikala Young Prestonwood ChristianHenley Anderson Dripping SpringsRiley Certain Dripping SpringsHalle Thompson Grand OaksSamara Coleman Grand OaksAvery Hamlin Lake TravisGabi Martinez Cinco RanchElla Lewis The WoodlandsHarley Krause RockwallAnnie Witt Liberty HillAniya Joseph SA HarlanFavor Anyanwu SachseTaylor Porter Cypress Ranch *** MIDDLESJenna Hanes Cathedral CatholicKennedy Jones DawsonJaela Auguste Grand OaksBeka Pfefferkorn BridgelandKennedy Washington Prestonwood ChristianTya Lynch Cypress RanchAshley Euston Dripping Springs *** RIGHT SIDESCaelyn Emmerling Grand OaksTiana Owens Cathedral CatholicGigi Mason Liberty HillJadyn Livings Prestonwood ChristianTaylor Clarke Prestonwood ChristianCymarah Gordon Mater DeiAmelia Creacy Bridgeland *** SETTER/RIGHT SIDESSuli Davis Colleyville HeritageAddison Moss DawsonPayton Stroud The WoodlandsDa’Mya Mann SA HarlanJulia Kakkis Mater DeiTaryn Gilreath Cypress RanchZora Bello Cypress RanchSydney Lund Dripping Springs *** SETTERSKacey Kazmierski Lake TravisKassidy O’Brien Cinco RanchGabi Ashcraft RockwallKalea Lee Cathedral CatholicAmanda Saeger Cathedral CatholicCamille Edwards Prestonwood ChristianTaylor Cook Prestonwood ChristianAyva Ostovar Mater Dei *** LIBEROSAlice Volpe BridgelandMaya Evens Cathedral CatholicMalyssa Cawa Mater DeiSarah Mendoza Colleyville HeritageGillian Pitts Prestonwood Christian
Mater Dei CA was not flawless on the last day of Volleypalooza, but the Monarchs played their best match of the tournament in defeating Prestonwood Christian TX in the championship match Saturday afternoon at Rouse. It capped three days of pure excitement and left us wishing there was more to come. However, that’s not the case. But we do have our top standouts from Day 3 featured below in our daily Show Stoppers. DAY 3 SHOW STOPPERS Alice Volpe SR L Bridgeland TX: Volpe – a 4-star TCU commit – is an under control libero who doesn’t get rattled or fazed. Teams were reluctant to challenge her in serve receive and her first touches on shots around her were often well played. Amelia Creacy SR RS Bridgeland TX: A 3-star Angelo State commit, Creacy brings an offensive presence to the front row. Bridgeland likes to get her the ball as often as they can and she has a solid arm to score with. Beka Pfefferkorn JR MB Bridgeland TX: Pfefferkorn – a 4-star recruit – brings some much-needed height to the lineup when she checks in. She moves well and can make plays on both sides of the ball. Maya Evens JR L Cathedral Catholic CA: Evens is a 4-star recruit who recently committed to Maryland. She does it all above average, from passing out of serve receive, to covering and defending, she’s a big part of Cathedral’s defensive identity. Jenna Hanes SR MB Cathedral Catholic CA: A 4-star Michigan commit, Hanes provides instant offense. She completely changes the attack when she comes in. Cathedral feeds her the ball as often as possible and even when opponents know what’s coming they still struggle to slow her down. Tiana Owens SR RS Cathedral Catholic CA: Owens played well in her role on the right side. She provided consistent scoring when called upon and came through with timely kills as well. Taylor Porter JR OH Cypress Ranch TX: Porter – a 4-star Vanderbilt commit – has a quick arm and is the go-to hitter for Cypress Ranch. She shoulders a large load as a result and keeps coming with it. Zora Bello SO S/RS Cypress Ranch TX: A 3-star recruit, Bello did well in her role setting and hitting. She does a nice job locating her sets and when it comes to swinging she has a solid arm that helped produce points. Taryn Gilreath SR S/RS Cypress Ranch TX: Gilreatch – a 3-star East Carolina commit – was running a 5-1 on Day 1 and showed her versatility on Day 3 by running a 6-2 and hitting across the front. She represented herself well in both roles. Henley Anderson SO OH Dripping Springs TX: A 5-star recruit, Anderson is long at 6-3 and a force to be reckoned with because of it. She has a big arm and can hit at high angles the way she extends. It causes major problems for defenders to try and stop her. *** Sydney Lund SO S/RS Dripping Springs TX: Lund – a 4-star recruit – does a lot for her team in her two-way role setting and swinging. She has the length to make an impact at the net attacking and in turn can move the ball around when setting. Riley Certain JR OH Dripping Springs TX: Certain – a 3-star recruit – would be the star on many high school teams around the country. She’s a reliable attacker with a lively arm who can tool blocks or send balls around them consistently. Caelyn Emmerling SR RS Grand Oaks TX: Emmerling – a 3-star Texas State commit – could have put together her own offensive highlight reel with her attacking. She has a fluid swing and hits with lots of pace, which led to impressive kills over, through and around opposing blockers. Halle Thompson SO OH Grand Oaks TX: A 5-star recruit, Thompson is an advanced hitter for her age. Offensively, she’s the total package. She jumps and hits high. She has a very quick arm swing and can score front and back row, as well as take something off and place her shots when needed. Jaela Auguste SR MB Grand Oaks TX: Auguste, a 5-star Florida commit, is the real deal. She’s a game-changer across the front row both blocking and hitting. She’s another one who skies on the attack and send balls down at tough angles. Samara Coleman JR OH Grand Oaks TX: A 4-star Pitt commit, Coleman has a big arm and can unload at times. She’s a physical attacker who takes hard swings and pressures defenses with her relentlessness. Isabel Clark SR OH Mater Dei CA: Clark – a 4-star San Diego commit – had a monster day. She was playing very well and not only delivering highlight kills but doing so in the clutch when they were needed most. Ayva Ostovar JR S Mater Dei CA: A UCSB commit, Ostovar is a smart setter with a clean delivery and nice tempo. She also has a knack for going over on two and catching the defense slipping. Cymarah Gordon SR RS Mater Dei CA: Gordon – a 4-star Michigan commit – puts up a wall of a block. She also has a strong arm and was scoring well from both pins. Julia Kakkis SR S/RS Mater Dei CA: Kakkis – a 3-star recruit – plays a vital role for the Monarchs with her ability to contribute as both a setter and hitter. She too has a powerful arm and can pound balls. *** Malyssa Cawa SR L Mater Dei CA: Cawa – a 3-star Stanford commit – brings a lot of energy to the lineup and is a vocal libero who takes control of the back row. She was defending all over and making lots of hustle plays to keep her team in the point. Layli Ostovar SO OH Mater Dei CA: A 5-star recruit, Ostovar was on fire in the final against Prestonwood. She came through time and time
The anticipated showdown between the top two teams in the nation from vballrecruiter.com’s Initial Top 50 National High School Rankings came to fruition as No. 1 Prestonwood Christian TX faced off against No. 2 Mater Dei CA in the championship match of the Volleypalooza tournament Saturday afternoon at Rouse. There was plenty of drama preceding the two sides meeting up, but when the action was over for good it was Mater Dei celebrating a sweep, 25-21, 25-18, and capturing its second Volleypalooza championship. The Monarchs – which finished first at the event in 2021 – moved to 12-0 on the season. However, it’s no guarantee that Mater Dei will take over the top spot in our next updated Top 50. That’s because there is no rest for the Monarchs, who face national No. 4 Mira Costa CA in another highly-anticipated contest Tuesday when they visit the Mustangs in Manhattan Beach. Mira Costa, playing without 5-star Wisconsin recruit Charlie Fuerbringer, took home the Ann Kang Invitational tournament title earlier this month in Honolulu. It would be an exciting match under normal circumstances, but that the Volleypalooza champs are squaring off against the Ann Kang champs with the possible No. 1 spot in the nation on the line makes it a true heavyweight affair. Prestonwood opened the season as the top team in the nation, but already stumbled with an early loss to Boyd TX. While it’s usually near impossible to lay claim to the mythical high school national championship with a loss on your schedule, Prestonwood is playing arguably the toughest schedule in the country by participating in Volleypalooza, the Nike TOC Southeast and Durango Fall Classic tournaments. That gave Prestonwood a path to redemption after losing to Boyd. However, given Prestonwood’s defeat to Mater Dei at Volleypalooza, it created what appears to be a longshot scenario for now. Both Mater Dei and Mira Costa are also attending Durango, meaning not only could Prestonwood and Mater Dei meet once more, but the winner of Mater Dei and Mira Costa on Tuesday could become the front runner for the national championship. There are a lot of what ifs, but if Mater Dei could run the table like Cathedral Catholic CA did a year ago and win both Volleypalooza and Durango, plus hold a victory over Mira Costa, the Monarchs would have one of the best arguments around. Like Prestonwood, Mira Costa suffered an early loss – in it’s first match of the season at Ann Kang with a defeat against Punahou HI. Mira Costa did respond by winning the tournament, and with a victory over Mater Dei, winning Durango and not losing again this season could present a viable case to end No. 1. Of course, we are getting way ahead of ourselves! It’s just that a day like Saturday at Rouse plays a major factor in ultimately determining the final pecking order when the season is over. As for the final day of Volleypalooza, where to even start? The quarterfinals started off slowly, or rather quickly, depending how you want to view it. Given the talent in the gym there was an expectation that the morning matches would be closer than they ended up being. Prestonwood had no issues with Cypress Ranch TX (25-17, 25-14) while Cathedral Catholic – making the trip from California like Mater Dei – swept past surprise Bridgeland TX (25-16, 25-15). The two remaining quarterfinals that followed didn’t produce much drama either, with Grand Oaks TX handling Dripping Springs TX (25-16, 25-19) and Mater Dei beating another surprise in Sachse TX (25-14, 23-25, 25-11) in the closest match of the quarters. The Grand Oaks-Dripping Springs encounter featured the top two recruits from the Class of 2026 in sophomore outsides Halle Thompson (Grand Oaks) and Henley Anderson (Dripping Springs). Drippings Springs finished fifth overall. The semifinals, meanwhile, featured the tournament’s top four seeds and set up a Texas-California conclusion with top seed Prestonwood facing No. 4 Grand Oaks and No. 2 Cathedral Catholic taking on No. 3 Mater Dei. The Texas clash went Prestonwood’s way in three, 25-14, 17-25, 25-21. That was significant from the standpoint that it was Grand Oaks’ first loss on the season. In the other semi, Mater Dei handed Cathedral Catholic its first setback on the season in a close sweep, 28-26, 25-23. Grand Oaks outlasted Cathedral Catholic in three, 20-25, 25-19, 25-23, in the third-place contest to move to 27-1 as Cathedral fell to 7-2. Mater Dei and Cathedral Catholic could meet later in the season as well. Both are set to attend the Dave Mohs tournament in Orange County two weeks before heading to Las Vegas for Durango. With the final set, the drama didn’t quite follow. Mater Dei played its best match of the three-day event, defending with an intensity not seen the prior days. Matched with Prestonwood’s errors, the insane ending everyone wanted to witness just didn’t materialize.
Day 2 of Volleypalooza was action-packed as we hit the courts once again. I started off in the morning at Liberty Hill High School, where we witnessed some thrilling matches featuring Cathedral Catholic CA, Mater Dei CA, The Woodlands TX, Bishop Lynch TX, Liberty Hill TX, SA Johnson TX, Highland Park TX, and Austin TX. There were definitely a ton of exciting matches on those courts. I then made our way to Glenn High School to watch the pool with Grand Oaks TX, Keller TX, Brandeis TX and Cinco Ranch TX. Talk about another group of truly remarkable athletes gracing the court. Right next door was the pool that featured host Glenn along with Churchill TX, Plano TX, and Waco Midway TX. And for the end of my day, I headed to Cedar Park to catch the end of the pools. I was able to catch the final moments of the Flower Mound TX match against Cedar Park and Walnut Grove TX versus Lake Travis TX. So much talent in these gyms right now! Odds and Ends There’s nothing quite like the electric energy radiating from exceptional athletes during crucial plays. Grand Oaks middle Jaela Auguste and Sachse middle Favor Anyanwu immediately come to mind. When they dominate the net or their teammates score, they both have a fiery enthusiasm that is palpable. Another athlete who left a lasting impression with her infectious energy was SA Johnson TX right side Anais Velazquez, a true force to be reckoned with on the court. Her vivacity was definitely inspirational. And let’s not forget about Keller’s Carley Wright, the right side who delivered timely blocks and incredible kills while bringing an unparalleled level of passion and energy to her squad. But the energy doesn’t stop there. Danielle Whitmire from Walnut Grove is another true all-around talent. As a right side, she dominates the net with her imposing presence and serves as a skilled quarterback setter for her squad. These athletes embody the indomitable spirit of the game, leaving us in awe of their unwavering passion and unmatched drive. Team Spotlight I love being able to see Cathedral Catholic play in Texas this weekend. They might have lost some serious studs to the 2023 graduating class but don’t be fooled because they have a ton of great talent on the court. Seniors Jenna Hanes, Tiana Owens, Avya Moi, and Amanda Saeger are just a few of the leaders for this well rounded squad. Junior libero Maya Evens does a great job sweeping up the court defensively and watchout, freshman Kale’a Lee is making her presence known. *** DAY 2 SHOW STOPPERS Jenna Hanes, SR MB, Cathedral Catholic- Hanes, a 4-star recruit committed to Michigan, is just huge in the middle. She was literally hitting over people when I was watching. Maya Evens, JR L, Cathedral Catholic- Evens, a 4-star recruit committed to Maryland, owns the back row with lots of range and presence. Tiana Owens, SR RS, Cathedral Catholic- Owens, committed to Colgate, is an offensive weapon who can sky and crush it, making her tough to dig. Ella Lewis, JR OH, The Woodlands- Lewis, a 3-star recruit, passes consistently well and is a fearless attacker who can hit from the back row as well. Mia Zepeda, SR RS, The Woodlands- Zepeda collects timely blocks and brings a lot of energy to the court in the front row. Malyssa Cawa, SR L, Mater Dei- Cawa, a 3-star recruit committed to Stanford, is smooth and steady at the position. She also covers the court well. Layli Ostovar, SO OH, Mater Dei- Ostovar, a 5-star recruit, is a physical presence and a dynamic attacker who also brings a lot of offensive “smarts” to the court. Brooklyn Bailey, SO MB/RS, Highland Park- Bailey, a 3-star recruit, plays a bit in the middle and the right side. And she runs the slide incredibly well. Talia Davison Lardner, JR MB, Highland Park- Lardner was doing a great job at the net defensively. Gigi Mason, SR RS, Liberty Hill- Mason, a committed to Vanderbilt, is a lefty with a big jump and long wingspan which makes her a threat both offensively and defensively. Ava Kostroun, JR MB, Liberty Hill- Kostroun makes an impact on both sides with her scoring and blocking. Annie Witt, JR OH, Liberty Hill- Witt plays with lots of energy and a high spirit. She has a good arm and is fearless, as she keeps coming at defenses time and time again. Aleida Moreno, SR L, Austin- Moreno is sound in serve receive and putting passes and digs right on target. Emmy Swift, JR MB, Austin- Swift is a bit undersized in the middle but she was producing regularly. She was very efficient. Ada Awagu, JR MB, SA Johnson- Awagu, a 3-star recruit, is an athletic gem in the middle. And let’s just say her huge reach is something that propels her on both sides of the ball. Anais Velazquez, SR RS, SA Johnson- Velazquez is a physical presence with a ton of electric energy. Riley Seitz, SR MB, Bishop Lynch- Seitz did a good job controlling the net offensively for her squad. Kassidy O’Brien, JR S, Cinco Ranch- O’Brien, a 5-star recruit committed to Kentucky, sets a clean ball that is rarely off the mark. She sets on the move as well and does a nice job of connecting with all her hitters everywhere on the court. Gabi Martinez, JR OH, Cinco Ranch- Martinez, a Cal Baptist commit, can crush it at times. She’s aggressive and challenges defenses to make plays on her. Jade Washington, JR L, Waco Midway- Washington is extremely fast and has a knack for making incredibly athletic defensive plays. Sophia Kuyn, SR MB, Brandeis- Kuyn, a Fordham commit, did a good job at the net. She’s fearless and doesn’t hold back. Lola Isaeff, JR OH, Brandeis- Isaeff was not holding back. She was attacking with aggression and was a threat to hit from different spots on the court. Anna Boatner, SR
The top five seeds – Prestonwood Christian TX, Cathedral Catholic CA, Mater Dei CA, Grand Oaks TX and Dripping Springs TX – respectively made it through to the eight-team championship bracket as the three-day Volleypalooza extravaganza is set to conclude Saturday at Rouse. It’s the other three participants who have turned heads so far and will look to continue to take down higher-seeded squads in hopes of stunning the field. The biggest surprise in the final eight is Bridgeland TX, which opened Thursday seeded No. 41 overall. However, the Bears were able to upset No. 7 Prosper TX on Day 1 and kept at it on Day 2. Despite a setback against Round Rock TX, Bridgeland managed to make it out on top of its pool after clipping Rockwall TX in three, 23-25, 25-23, 25-22, in the 1 v 2 outing. Bridgeland and Rockwall tied at 2-1, but the head-to-head victory carried Bridgeland – which also beat Southlake Carroll TX – in the tiebreaker scenario. Not far behind Bridgeland is Sachse TX. The Mustangs entered Day 1 seeded No. 26 and finished in a three-way tie at 2-1 with Stratford TX and Clark TX. Sachse took second based on the tiebreakers, placing the Bears as the No. 4 team in Pool 6 on Friday. That was not an issue, as Sachse rose up and went 3-0, including beating No. 6 overall seed Lake Travis TX handily in two, 25-19, 25-21. Sachse swept Walnut Grove TX earlier before clinching first place by outlasting Pearland TX in three, 16-25, 25-23, 25-20, to close out its afternoon. Rounding out the eight-team championship bracket is Cypress Ranch TX. The Mustangs didn’t have as far to climb as Bridgeland or Sachse, as they started off seeded No. 18 overall. After a 3-0 Day 1, Cy Ranch stayed alive by beating both Allen TX and Stratford in a three-team pool. That set up a crossover showdown for a spot in the final eight against No. 8 overall seed Colleyville Heritage TX. Cy Ranch prevailed in three, 25-22, 15-25, 25-21. Before that, Colleyville held off Prosper, 26-24, 22-25, 25-23, to open play Friday. It was Prosper’s loss on Thursday that set up the early showdown and essentially ended Prosper’s chances at the final eight with the defeat to Colleyville. Here’s how the quarterfinals stack up for Saturday: • Prestonwood v Cypress Ranch• Dripping Springs v Grand Oaks• Mater Dei v Sachse• Cathedral Catholic v Bridgeland *** DAY 2 SHOW STOPPERS Sarah Hickman SO RS Stratford TX: A 6-4, 4-star recruit, Hickman brings plenty of length to the lineup. She contacts the ball at a high point and is tough to cover because of it as she can go over blocks at tough angles. Gwen Koss SO OH Stratford TX: A 3-star recruit, Koss carries her share of the offensive responsibilities, getting a lot of swings on the outside. She’s a steady attacker who doesn’t try to overdo it and does well finding open spaces. Alyssa Boyte SR MB/RS Allen TX: Boyte once again showed her skills. The Metro State commit played both middle and right side, as well as defending in the back row. She’s a near automatic on offense out of the middle, and helped complete a comeback victory over Stratford with four kills in the final five points in Game 3. Kennedy Crayton SO OH Allen TX: Crayton is an undersized pin with an explosive jump. She gets up in a hurry and can unleash with a fury. Sophia Wilson SR S Allen TX: Wilson – a Stephen F. Austin commit – is an undersized setter who does a great job running the offense. She not only locates consistently, she does well moving the ball around and mixing her sets up. Avery Penrod JR L Allen TX: Penrod came alive as the match went on against Stratford. She was doing a great job picking off cross-court shots coming her way and extending rallies. Sarah Mendoza JR L Colleyville Heritage TX: Mendoza – a 4-star recruit – fought through a collision with a teammate and kept on ticking. She was solid out of serve receive and did well making plays in the back row. Suli Davis JR S/RS Colleyville Heritage TX: Davis – a 5-star recruit – starred once more in her dual role. She helped carry Colleyville to a key victory over Prosper. While she does a nice job setting, she really shines attacking with her massive arm and the way she can slam balls from sideline to sideline. Maddie Bird SR OH Colleyville Heritage TX: Bird is a six-rotation glue piece. She’s not a flashy player but she doesn’t get fazed and was contributing in many ways, from solid serve receive to smart attacking and defensive prowess. Hannah Beauford JR S/RS Prosper TX: A 4-star recruit, Beauford is a smooth disher who carries a strong arm when attacking across the front row. She’s a key piece in what Prosper does and had her hand in a lot of plays. Ayden Ames SR OH Prosper TX: A 5-star Nebraska commit, Ames can be a wrecking ball at times. She can hit all over the court and with her size and length can hit hard angles like few can. Jayla Jackson SO OH/RS Prosper TX: Jackson provided an offensive lift with her ability to score on either pin. She’s a bit undersized but knows how to use the block and tools well. Karol Lopez SR L Vista Ridge TX: Vista Ridge is a smaller team overall and has to rely heavily on defense and digging. Lopez fits that bill to a tee, passing well and getting balls up all over the court. Taylor Porter JR OH Cy Ranch TX: Porter – a 4-star Vanderbilt commit – is a six-rotation mainstay. She has a fluid arm and can rip balls from corner to corner. Zora Bello SO RS Cy Ranch TX: A 3-star recruit, Bello does well on the right side adding offensive firepower to the
Congrats to all! Corrections? Questions? Additions? Email christi@vballrecruiter.com or DM on Social Media @vballphil 2024 2025 BEACH 2025
One of the attractions about the Nike TOC Southeast tournament being held at the Wiregrass Ranch Sports Complex in Wesley Chapel just outside of Tampa is that even though the field features plenty of teams from the Sunshine State, it also draws its share of teams outside of Florida. Texas, California, Nevada, Nebraska, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Missouri and Virginia were all represented as the two-day event kicked off Friday with both AM and PM pools. However, when it came to the National division – the top of the three that also includes Premier and Elite – the home state held firm and advanced six teams to Saturday’s quarterfinals and is guaranteed to have at least one school playing for the tournament championship. The exceptions were Cornerstone Christian TX and Bishop Gorman NV. The two squads actually play each other in the quarterfinals, meaning one will be eliminated from contention before the semis. Cornerstone – the top seed which finished runner-up a season ago – finished second last month at the Ann Kang Invitational in Hawaii after falling to Mira Costa CA in the final. Cornerstone did not play in last week’s Volleypalooza event in Texas, where Mater Dei CA topped Prestonwood Christian TX in the final. Prestonwood, meanwhile, was scheduled to travel to the event here in Florida but canceled because of the hurricane impacting the area. Cornerstone held its seed by sweeping Berkeley Prep FL, Pace GA and Saint Andrews FL. As for Bishop Gorman, the Nevada school arguably has its best team ever and opened as the No. 8 seed overall. Though Bishop Gorman made it through by going 3-0, it was a fight as Bishop Gorman defeated Mt. Paran Christian GA, St. Henry KY and Trinity Catholic FL each in three sets. Both Cornerstone and Bishop Gorman are scheduled to play at the Durango Fall Classic in Las Vegas later this month. Bishop Gorman is also set to travel to Southern California in early October for the Redondo Power Classic featuring Redondo Union CA and Mira Costa. The quarterfinals could have featured another Texas school in Keller but Winter Park FL survived a three-set thriller Friday morning to go 3-0 and make it out of the pool instead. Another team which impressed was Carrollwood Day FL, which also went 3-0 after sweeping past Skutt Catholic NE, Tampa Prep Fl and King’s Academy FL. Both Venice FL and Viera FL were surprises in going 3-0 and reaching the quarterfinal as well. Venice swept Lake Brantley FL, Gainesville FL and Bishop Kenny. Viera, boosted by the addition of 5-star Penn State commit Izzy Starck to the roster, downed defending champion Westminster Christian FL, Sandy Creek GA and North Allegheny PA in straight sets. Oviedo FL and Hagerty FL both advanced despite dropping matches. Oviedo finished tied with Plant FL at 2-1 but owned the head-to-head tiebreaker to move on. Hagerty finished in a three-way tie with Calvary Christian FL and Timber Creek FL at 2-1 and advanced based on having the best set percentage of the trio. Here’s how the quarterfinals line up for Saturday: *** DAY 1 SHOW STOPPERS Isabelle Bardin JR S/RS Flint Hill VA: A 3-star recruit, Bardin plays a vital role as a setter and hitter. She’s lanky and it allows her to make plays at the net attacking, blocking or playing tight balls while setting in the back row. Ryla Jones SR MB Flint Hill VA: Jones – a 4-star Pitt commit – is a difference maker in the middle. At 6-3, she’s a presence on both sides of the ball with her hitting and blocking and is one of the team’s emotional leaders. Talia Johnson SO OH Richmond Hill FL: Johnson is a 6-1 six-rotation outside with lots of upside. She’s a bit raw but is athletic and jumps well. Carson Reeves SR MB Richmond Hill FL: At 6-3, Reeves brings height to the front row. She did well putting up a solid block and getting touches. Olivia Guzman JR RS Lourdes Academy FL: A 4-star recruit, Guzman has shifted to the right side for high school after playing on the left during the club season. She has a lively arm and can bounce balls when given the chance. Ella Garcia JR OH Lourdes Academy FL: Garcia is a six-rotation outside who carries a lot of responsibility. She’s an aggressive attacker who challenges bigger blocks. Izabela Molina SR MB Doral Academy FL: Molina is a physical middle who puts up a wall of a block and can pound balls down with her powerful arm. Connor Rahn SR OH Middleburg FL: A 3-star University of Tampa commit, Rahn provides a lot of offense in her role. She has a solid arm and is a smart attacker with a range of shots. Camden Rahn SO RS Middleburg FL: A 3-star recruit, Rahn was holding down the right side and giving her team another scoring option that defenses needed to be mindful of. Charlotte Glass JR S Saint Andrew’s FL: Glass – a 5-star Duke commit – brings a lot to the floor and does a great job quarterbacking her squad. She has a clean, consistent release and at 6-1 can also make a ton of plays at the net. *** Grace Agolli SR RS Pace Academy GA: A Cal commit, Agolli can also set like she does in club. However, she was a six-rotation right side who showed off her powerful swing and was connecting well in carrying the offense with her scoring ability. Olivia Siskin SO S Pace Academy GA: A 3-star recruit, Siskin is a tall setter at 6-1. She’s a smooth disher with the ability to move the ball around well without sacrificing location. Brooklyn Tealer SR OH Gainesville FL: Tealer – a 4-star USC commit – is a major weapon for Gainesville and the go-to hitter the team relies heavily on for offense. She has a lively arm and can let it fly. Bella Schwantz JR OH Merritt
Earlier this month we took our first look at how the recruiting classes for the Class of 2025 are starting to stack up. We highlighted five of the top classes to date. This week, we continue diving into the Class of 2025 by looking at other programs which are off to great starts and/or where more 5-star recruits are landing, in no particular order. USC Breakdown: The Trojans came out of the gate on fire, landing a pair of 5-star talents in Messer and Deckert and a 4-star recruit in Loper. Both Messer and Deckert are at the top of the class at their respective positions. Depending on who you ask and what measures you want to use, Messer is arguably one of the top two setters in the class. The same goes for Deckert at libero, as many would consider her to be the top defender in the class. That’s two key positions locked up. Messer is playing high school at St. James Academy, which has the potential to be one of the top schools in the country this fall. Deckert is at Mira Costa, which has already shown it is one of the best teams in the nation thus far after winning the Ann Kang Invitational and defeating Mater Dei CA earlier this week. While Messer and Deckert are more polished players at the moment, Loper is intriguing because of her upside. She’s currently at San Clemente for high school. Being 6-2, she certainly has the length to excel at the next level. She had a strong club season in which she progressed nicely and will continue to improve as she adds more strength and power to her swing. *** DUKE Breakdown: There is no doubt the Blue Devils have made major waves with this class. The fact they have two 5-star athletes committed so far is remarkable. Glass is another highly-ranked setter and one of the best in the class. She’s taller at 6-1 and had a strong club season with Tribe 16 Elite Cardinal this past spring and summer. She plays high school at St. Andrew’s. Another great recruit for Duke is 6-3 middle Gillen-Malveaux. She too had a standout club campaign with Drive Nation 16 Red and will switch over to Skyline for next season. The junior is currently playing high school for Greenville. Zubchevich has flown under the radar but could be a solid contributor at the next level. She’s a 6-1 outside who is touching 10-2 with a lively arm. She plays club for City and high school at La Canada. Wayne is a recent commit. She’s a 6-4 middle who played club last season for Madfrog before moving to TAV for the upcoming campaign. She has a strong arm and will add versatility with her ability to shift and play on the pin as well. *** OREGON Breakdown: Though Oregon doesn’t currently have any 5-star commits, the Ducks have a solid class featuring three 4-star recruits. Cogill is a 6-4 middle who starred this past club season in role for the USAV 16 Open gold medalist Arizona Storm 16 Thunder. She plays high school for Perry. The Ducks went much further east for their next two 4-star commits. Bell – who plays high school at Roncali – is listed at 5-11 but plays taller than that with her jumping ability. She also has a whippy arm and is the type of player that has succeeded at Oregon under the current coaching staff. Mogridge is a 5-10 setter who moves very well and is consistent with her location. She should fit right in should the Ducks want to run a 6-2. She recently transferred high schools and is playing for Berkeley Prep. Mitchell is a local talent who adds another setting option and too could fit right in running a 6-2. *** KENTUCKY Breakdown: Kentucky’s featured recruit thus far is O’Brien, a 5-star setter who is among the top five at her position in her class. She’s among the taller setters in the class at 6-1. She’s a smooth disher with strong command of the offense and is currently starring at Cinco Ranch for high school. Watson is a lesser-known name as she didn’t play for a club that competed on the national stage in Open. However, she’s 6-3 and touching over 10 feet. She has a big arm and will add physicality to the attack. She plays high school at Huntley in Illinois. Ward is a solid ball control addition. She spent this past season as defensive specialist for KiVA 16 Red, which featured 5-star Wisconsin commit Kristen Simon at libero. For high school, Ward plays for Holy Cross. *** OHIO STATE Breakdown: With two commits so far, Ohio State’s class is one of the smaller ones we have noted. However, it does include a 5-star recruit in Gauthier. At 6-2 and with a powerful arm to match, she’s long been a next-level prospect. After playing 15s a season ago at Far Out, she moved up and competed on the 18s this year as a sophomore before finishing the season out at AAUs playing in 17 Open. She plays high school at Shelby. Stahler is a recent commit and brings the other side to the equation with her defense. She plays high school for Benjamin Logan in Ohio. *** PENN STATE Breakdown: With Collins playing for Niagara Frontier, she doesn’t get the attention of other top-level recruits playing for national powerhouses. However, Collins – who plays for Frontier in high school – has tons of upside and lots of room for growth to star in college. She’s 6-3 with a snappy swing that generates a lot of pace. She was Penn State’s first commit from the class. Nichols is not currently ranked but will be in our next update. She’s not as polished as other middles in the class, but she comes with tremendous potential being 6-4 and her level of athleticism. She could develop
We are in the midst of the big-time national high school tournaments. Volleypalooza started things off last week in the greater Austin area. Up next, is the Nike TOC Southeast tournament in Tampa. Still on the schedule is the Louisville Invitational Volleyball Tournament next weekend, as well as the Durango Fall Classic in Las Vegas (Sept. 22-23) and the Nike TOC Southwest in Phoenix (Sept. 29-30). The Nike TOC Southeast event is entering its fourth season, with last year being the first time it was played in one venue – at the Wiregrass Ranch Sports Complex. The two-day event returns to the facility this year and is broken down into three divisions (National, Premier and Elite) representing 80 teams. Below, we highlight the nationally-ranked teams participating, the top athletes to watch for as well as our outlook and predictions. Number of Teams: 80 *** vballrecruiter.com’s Nationally-Ranked Teams (5): *** 5-Star Athletes To Know *** 4-Star Athletes To Know *** OUTLOOK: We are mostly focused on the National division, given it features the top teams in the field. Prestonwood Christian TX is heading east a week after taking second in finishing runner-up to Mater Dei CA at Volleypalooza. Prestonwood opens as the No. 2 seed behind top-seeded Cornerstone Christian TX. Cornerstone finished in second place at last year’s Nike TOC Southeast and also took second place earlier this month in finishing runner-up to Mira Costa CA at the Ann Kang Invitational in Honolulu. It’s a true national tournament in the sense of the states being represented. Flint Hill VA went 36-0 last season and is taking the next step in traveling and participating in a tournament of this caliber. There is also a team from California in Clovis, as well as Skutt Catholic from Nebraska and Bishop Gorman of Nevada. Other teams traveling from out of state of note are Pace GA, Dorman SC, St. Henry KY and North Allegheny PA. One thing about the Texas schools traveling – Keller is another joining Prestonwood and Cornerstone – and schools from Georgia is they have played many more matches than anyone else and could have a leg up because of it. The field also features defending champion Westminster Christian FL. Update: Prestonwood Christian is no longer attending the Nike TOC due to the hurricane in the area. This is developing and needless to say will have implications. Stay tuned. PREDICTION: On paper, the tournament is set up to come down to the top two seeds in Cornerstone and Prestonwood. The question is will it hold up that way or will upsets spoil the all-Texas final? The expectation is that both schools will make it to the final and have a pseudo-rematch of last year’s Volleypalooza final. The call is Prestonwood beating Cornerstone in three sets to capture the tournament title. Revision: With Prestonwood no longer attending the event, are original prediction is no longer valid. Therefore, we are revising the pick for Cornerstone to beat Westminster Christian in a rematch of last year’s final.
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: Olivia LeDoyan. *** This week’s Player of the Week sponsored by Dick’s Sporting Goods is different than the ones before it. We’ve been focusing on high-school aged players while this week we shift our focus to an up-and-coming middle schooler. Her name is Olivia LeDoyan. She’s 12. She loves both indoor and beach volleyball. And she already has a large Instagram following of 12.7K (@olivialedoyen). LeDoyan spoke with us while her mom, Beth, was driving her an hour-and-a-half to beach practice at Madsand. LeDoyan also drives an hour each way for indoor practice. This coming club season she’ll be a setter for TAV 13 Black. No one can accuse her of lacking dedication to the sport, one she grew up around with her mom coaching before LeDoyan was even born. “I’ve been around volleyball my whole life,” she said. “I begged (my mom) and begged her to try it. I was about 7 when I did a rec league and then 8 when I started club. I started beach about a year after, when I was around 9 or 10.” Before volleyball LeDoyan spent time trying different sports and activities, including dancing, cheerleading, gymnastics, softball and basketball. When it came to volleyball, she “thought volleyball was perfect for me.” “It’s more upbeat,” she said. “The team is more connected and it’s more of a team effort in volleyball. It’s really fun.” LeDoyan isn’t sure which side of the sport she enjoys more – beach or indoor. She said the two are very different. Her mom said when her daughter is in beach season, she tends to like it better than indoor. However, when she switches to indoor she tends to like it better than beach. LeDoyan’s first year of club, she was 8 playing up on a 12s team, but currently plays with her own age group. She’s also just started middle school at Aledo and recently completed the tryout process for the volleyball team there. She made the top team as a libero. Another thing she’s excited about is getting to play with her school friends, something that doesn’t happen with beach and indoor because of the distance she has to travel for both. Outside of volleyball LeDoyan enjoys both dancing and modeling. She’s on the intermediate dance team at her school and said she loves being able to express herself and tell a story through dance. And a bonus is she said it helps a lot with volleyball. “Dancing you have to be strong and quick on your feet,” she said. “It helps my volleyball game by being quicker.” Then there’s the social media and building the following she has now. At first, her mom ran the account but now it’s all her, she said. While her postings are mostly about volleyball, she does share other things like dancing and hiking. “It’s really fun. I like it a lot,” she said. “I like social media because I have made a lot of friends who also love volleyball and then I get to meet them at national tournaments. It’s another thing I love about volleyball too, is making a lot of new friends.” As our featured Player of the Week sponsored by Dick’s Sporting Goods, we recently spoke with LeDoyan about volleyball and more. Who is a role model or someone you look up to? LeDoyan: I look up to Misty May. She’s really cool. She and her partner won three gold medals at the Olympics and I just think that is really cool. Also, I got to meet her at AAU when we won it my 10s year and wear her gold medal. What is your favorite food? LeDoyan: I like eating steak. I like eating it medium. My dad has a new grill and he makes it really good. Other than volleyball, what skill would you most like to learn and why? LeDoyan: I like learning to hit. But outside of volleyball I like learning how to dance. I think it’s really fun, just like I do with volleyball. If you could choose to do anything for a day, what would it be and why? LeDoyan: I would probably go to Paris because the Olympics are there. I want to see the Olympics and I also want to see the Eiffel Tower. Aside from necessities, what is one thing you could not go a day without? LeDoyan: Volleyball … and my animals and my pets. I have a lot. I have five dogs and five cats. What is one thing that instantly makes your day better or makes you smile? LeDoyan: I like going to tryouts in the morning and playing volleyball with my (school) friends. It makes it 10 times better and fun. In middle school I get to play with my friends who I don’t always get to play with. If you could have any superpower what would it be and why? LeDoyan: I would want to transform into anything I want. If I wanted to go somewhere I could turn into a bird and fly there. I also like to travel so I would like a door in the house that could take me anywhere. I would also use it to go to volleyball so we didn’t have to drive an hour and use the time to rest. Outside of volleyball what are you most passionate about and why? LeDoyan: Probably my swimming. I like swimming a lot. I like all types. At the beach, the pool or going to water parks. What is one thing that may surprise people about you? LeDoyan: It would probably be that I eat so much. I go to team dinners and order two entrees and an appetizer. I’m
One coach whose team was participating in the three-day Volleypalooza extravaganza noted that the field this year was the deepest he had ever seen it. It was hard to argue given what we witnessed Thursday, Friday and Saturday in the greater Austin area. There was so much talent on display it was dizzying at times trying to track all of it. With the tournament concluded and Mater Dei having captured its second Volleypalooza trophy in program history, we wrap up our coverage by presenting our All Red Hat Team. This is different from the All-Tournament Team announced by the tournament organizers and represents the top players we witnessed from the three days of action. The cut off, however, was that in order to make the All Red Hat Team schools needed to make the silver or gold brackets to be considered. OUTSIDESLayli Ostovar Mater DeiIsabel Clark Mater DeiCari Spears Prestonwood ChristianMikala Young Prestonwood ChristianHenley Anderson Dripping SpringsRiley Certain Dripping SpringsHalle Thompson Grand OaksSamara Coleman Grand OaksAvery Hamlin Lake TravisGabi Martinez Cinco RanchElla Lewis The WoodlandsHarley Krause RockwallAnnie Witt Liberty HillAniya Joseph SA HarlanFavor Anyanwu SachseTaylor Porter Cypress Ranch *** MIDDLESJenna Hanes Cathedral CatholicKennedy Jones DawsonJaela Auguste Grand OaksBeka Pfefferkorn BridgelandKennedy Washington Prestonwood ChristianTya Lynch Cypress RanchAshley Euston Dripping Springs *** RIGHT SIDESCaelyn Emmerling Grand OaksTiana Owens Cathedral CatholicGigi Mason Liberty HillJadyn Livings Prestonwood ChristianTaylor Clarke Prestonwood ChristianCymarah Gordon Mater DeiAmelia Creacy Bridgeland *** SETTER/RIGHT SIDESSuli Davis Colleyville HeritageAddison Moss DawsonPayton Stroud The WoodlandsDa’Mya Mann SA HarlanJulia Kakkis Mater DeiTaryn Gilreath Cypress RanchZora Bello Cypress RanchSydney Lund Dripping Springs *** SETTERSKacey Kazmierski Lake TravisKassidy O’Brien Cinco RanchGabi Ashcraft RockwallKalea Lee Cathedral CatholicAmanda Saeger Cathedral CatholicCamille Edwards Prestonwood ChristianTaylor Cook Prestonwood ChristianAyva Ostovar Mater Dei *** LIBEROSAlice Volpe BridgelandMaya Evens Cathedral CatholicMalyssa Cawa Mater DeiSarah Mendoza Colleyville HeritageGillian Pitts Prestonwood Christian
Mater Dei CA was not flawless on the last day of Volleypalooza, but the Monarchs played their best match of the tournament in defeating Prestonwood Christian TX in the championship match Saturday afternoon at Rouse. It capped three days of pure excitement and left us wishing there was more to come. However, that’s not the case. But we do have our top standouts from Day 3 featured below in our daily Show Stoppers. DAY 3 SHOW STOPPERS Alice Volpe SR L Bridgeland TX: Volpe – a 4-star TCU commit – is an under control libero who doesn’t get rattled or fazed. Teams were reluctant to challenge her in serve receive and her first touches on shots around her were often well played. Amelia Creacy SR RS Bridgeland TX: A 3-star Angelo State commit, Creacy brings an offensive presence to the front row. Bridgeland likes to get her the ball as often as they can and she has a solid arm to score with. Beka Pfefferkorn JR MB Bridgeland TX: Pfefferkorn – a 4-star recruit – brings some much-needed height to the lineup when she checks in. She moves well and can make plays on both sides of the ball. Maya Evens JR L Cathedral Catholic CA: Evens is a 4-star recruit who recently committed to Maryland. She does it all above average, from passing out of serve receive, to covering and defending, she’s a big part of Cathedral’s defensive identity. Jenna Hanes SR MB Cathedral Catholic CA: A 4-star Michigan commit, Hanes provides instant offense. She completely changes the attack when she comes in. Cathedral feeds her the ball as often as possible and even when opponents know what’s coming they still struggle to slow her down. Tiana Owens SR RS Cathedral Catholic CA: Owens played well in her role on the right side. She provided consistent scoring when called upon and came through with timely kills as well. Taylor Porter JR OH Cypress Ranch TX: Porter – a 4-star Vanderbilt commit – has a quick arm and is the go-to hitter for Cypress Ranch. She shoulders a large load as a result and keeps coming with it. Zora Bello SO S/RS Cypress Ranch TX: A 3-star recruit, Bello did well in her role setting and hitting. She does a nice job locating her sets and when it comes to swinging she has a solid arm that helped produce points. Taryn Gilreath SR S/RS Cypress Ranch TX: Gilreatch – a 3-star East Carolina commit – was running a 5-1 on Day 1 and showed her versatility on Day 3 by running a 6-2 and hitting across the front. She represented herself well in both roles. Henley Anderson SO OH Dripping Springs TX: A 5-star recruit, Anderson is long at 6-3 and a force to be reckoned with because of it. She has a big arm and can hit at high angles the way she extends. It causes major problems for defenders to try and stop her. *** Sydney Lund SO S/RS Dripping Springs TX: Lund – a 4-star recruit – does a lot for her team in her two-way role setting and swinging. She has the length to make an impact at the net attacking and in turn can move the ball around when setting. Riley Certain JR OH Dripping Springs TX: Certain – a 3-star recruit – would be the star on many high school teams around the country. She’s a reliable attacker with a lively arm who can tool blocks or send balls around them consistently. Caelyn Emmerling SR RS Grand Oaks TX: Emmerling – a 3-star Texas State commit – could have put together her own offensive highlight reel with her attacking. She has a fluid swing and hits with lots of pace, which led to impressive kills over, through and around opposing blockers. Halle Thompson SO OH Grand Oaks TX: A 5-star recruit, Thompson is an advanced hitter for her age. Offensively, she’s the total package. She jumps and hits high. She has a very quick arm swing and can score front and back row, as well as take something off and place her shots when needed. Jaela Auguste SR MB Grand Oaks TX: Auguste, a 5-star Florida commit, is the real deal. She’s a game-changer across the front row both blocking and hitting. She’s another one who skies on the attack and send balls down at tough angles. Samara Coleman JR OH Grand Oaks TX: A 4-star Pitt commit, Coleman has a big arm and can unload at times. She’s a physical attacker who takes hard swings and pressures defenses with her relentlessness. Isabel Clark SR OH Mater Dei CA: Clark – a 4-star San Diego commit – had a monster day. She was playing very well and not only delivering highlight kills but doing so in the clutch when they were needed most. Ayva Ostovar JR S Mater Dei CA: A UCSB commit, Ostovar is a smart setter with a clean delivery and nice tempo. She also has a knack for going over on two and catching the defense slipping. Cymarah Gordon SR RS Mater Dei CA: Gordon – a 4-star Michigan commit – puts up a wall of a block. She also has a strong arm and was scoring well from both pins. Julia Kakkis SR S/RS Mater Dei CA: Kakkis – a 3-star recruit – plays a vital role for the Monarchs with her ability to contribute as both a setter and hitter. She too has a powerful arm and can pound balls. *** Malyssa Cawa SR L Mater Dei CA: Cawa – a 3-star Stanford commit – brings a lot of energy to the lineup and is a vocal libero who takes control of the back row. She was defending all over and making lots of hustle plays to keep her team in the point. Layli Ostovar SO OH Mater Dei CA: A 5-star recruit, Ostovar was on fire in the final against Prestonwood. She came through time and time
The anticipated showdown between the top two teams in the nation from vballrecruiter.com’s Initial Top 50 National High School Rankings came to fruition as No. 1 Prestonwood Christian TX faced off against No. 2 Mater Dei CA in the championship match of the Volleypalooza tournament Saturday afternoon at Rouse. There was plenty of drama preceding the two sides meeting up, but when the action was over for good it was Mater Dei celebrating a sweep, 25-21, 25-18, and capturing its second Volleypalooza championship. The Monarchs – which finished first at the event in 2021 – moved to 12-0 on the season. However, it’s no guarantee that Mater Dei will take over the top spot in our next updated Top 50. That’s because there is no rest for the Monarchs, who face national No. 4 Mira Costa CA in another highly-anticipated contest Tuesday when they visit the Mustangs in Manhattan Beach. Mira Costa, playing without 5-star Wisconsin recruit Charlie Fuerbringer, took home the Ann Kang Invitational tournament title earlier this month in Honolulu. It would be an exciting match under normal circumstances, but that the Volleypalooza champs are squaring off against the Ann Kang champs with the possible No. 1 spot in the nation on the line makes it a true heavyweight affair. Prestonwood opened the season as the top team in the nation, but already stumbled with an early loss to Boyd TX. While it’s usually near impossible to lay claim to the mythical high school national championship with a loss on your schedule, Prestonwood is playing arguably the toughest schedule in the country by participating in Volleypalooza, the Nike TOC Southeast and Durango Fall Classic tournaments. That gave Prestonwood a path to redemption after losing to Boyd. However, given Prestonwood’s defeat to Mater Dei at Volleypalooza, it created what appears to be a longshot scenario for now. Both Mater Dei and Mira Costa are also attending Durango, meaning not only could Prestonwood and Mater Dei meet once more, but the winner of Mater Dei and Mira Costa on Tuesday could become the front runner for the national championship. There are a lot of what ifs, but if Mater Dei could run the table like Cathedral Catholic CA did a year ago and win both Volleypalooza and Durango, plus hold a victory over Mira Costa, the Monarchs would have one of the best arguments around. Like Prestonwood, Mira Costa suffered an early loss – in it’s first match of the season at Ann Kang with a defeat against Punahou HI. Mira Costa did respond by winning the tournament, and with a victory over Mater Dei, winning Durango and not losing again this season could present a viable case to end No. 1. Of course, we are getting way ahead of ourselves! It’s just that a day like Saturday at Rouse plays a major factor in ultimately determining the final pecking order when the season is over. As for the final day of Volleypalooza, where to even start? The quarterfinals started off slowly, or rather quickly, depending how you want to view it. Given the talent in the gym there was an expectation that the morning matches would be closer than they ended up being. Prestonwood had no issues with Cypress Ranch TX (25-17, 25-14) while Cathedral Catholic – making the trip from California like Mater Dei – swept past surprise Bridgeland TX (25-16, 25-15). The two remaining quarterfinals that followed didn’t produce much drama either, with Grand Oaks TX handling Dripping Springs TX (25-16, 25-19) and Mater Dei beating another surprise in Sachse TX (25-14, 23-25, 25-11) in the closest match of the quarters. The Grand Oaks-Dripping Springs encounter featured the top two recruits from the Class of 2026 in sophomore outsides Halle Thompson (Grand Oaks) and Henley Anderson (Dripping Springs). Drippings Springs finished fifth overall. The semifinals, meanwhile, featured the tournament’s top four seeds and set up a Texas-California conclusion with top seed Prestonwood facing No. 4 Grand Oaks and No. 2 Cathedral Catholic taking on No. 3 Mater Dei. The Texas clash went Prestonwood’s way in three, 25-14, 17-25, 25-21. That was significant from the standpoint that it was Grand Oaks’ first loss on the season. In the other semi, Mater Dei handed Cathedral Catholic its first setback on the season in a close sweep, 28-26, 25-23. Grand Oaks outlasted Cathedral Catholic in three, 20-25, 25-19, 25-23, in the third-place contest to move to 27-1 as Cathedral fell to 7-2. Mater Dei and Cathedral Catholic could meet later in the season as well. Both are set to attend the Dave Mohs tournament in Orange County two weeks before heading to Las Vegas for Durango. With the final set, the drama didn’t quite follow. Mater Dei played its best match of the three-day event, defending with an intensity not seen the prior days. Matched with Prestonwood’s errors, the insane ending everyone wanted to witness just didn’t materialize.
Day 2 of Volleypalooza was action-packed as we hit the courts once again. I started off in the morning at Liberty Hill High School, where we witnessed some thrilling matches featuring Cathedral Catholic CA, Mater Dei CA, The Woodlands TX, Bishop Lynch TX, Liberty Hill TX, SA Johnson TX, Highland Park TX, and Austin TX. There were definitely a ton of exciting matches on those courts. I then made our way to Glenn High School to watch the pool with Grand Oaks TX, Keller TX, Brandeis TX and Cinco Ranch TX. Talk about another group of truly remarkable athletes gracing the court. Right next door was the pool that featured host Glenn along with Churchill TX, Plano TX, and Waco Midway TX. And for the end of my day, I headed to Cedar Park to catch the end of the pools. I was able to catch the final moments of the Flower Mound TX match against Cedar Park and Walnut Grove TX versus Lake Travis TX. So much talent in these gyms right now! Odds and Ends There’s nothing quite like the electric energy radiating from exceptional athletes during crucial plays. Grand Oaks middle Jaela Auguste and Sachse middle Favor Anyanwu immediately come to mind. When they dominate the net or their teammates score, they both have a fiery enthusiasm that is palpable. Another athlete who left a lasting impression with her infectious energy was SA Johnson TX right side Anais Velazquez, a true force to be reckoned with on the court. Her vivacity was definitely inspirational. And let’s not forget about Keller’s Carley Wright, the right side who delivered timely blocks and incredible kills while bringing an unparalleled level of passion and energy to her squad. But the energy doesn’t stop there. Danielle Whitmire from Walnut Grove is another true all-around talent. As a right side, she dominates the net with her imposing presence and serves as a skilled quarterback setter for her squad. These athletes embody the indomitable spirit of the game, leaving us in awe of their unwavering passion and unmatched drive. Team Spotlight I love being able to see Cathedral Catholic play in Texas this weekend. They might have lost some serious studs to the 2023 graduating class but don’t be fooled because they have a ton of great talent on the court. Seniors Jenna Hanes, Tiana Owens, Avya Moi, and Amanda Saeger are just a few of the leaders for this well rounded squad. Junior libero Maya Evens does a great job sweeping up the court defensively and watchout, freshman Kale’a Lee is making her presence known. *** DAY 2 SHOW STOPPERS Jenna Hanes, SR MB, Cathedral Catholic- Hanes, a 4-star recruit committed to Michigan, is just huge in the middle. She was literally hitting over people when I was watching. Maya Evens, JR L, Cathedral Catholic- Evens, a 4-star recruit committed to Maryland, owns the back row with lots of range and presence. Tiana Owens, SR RS, Cathedral Catholic- Owens, committed to Colgate, is an offensive weapon who can sky and crush it, making her tough to dig. Ella Lewis, JR OH, The Woodlands- Lewis, a 3-star recruit, passes consistently well and is a fearless attacker who can hit from the back row as well. Mia Zepeda, SR RS, The Woodlands- Zepeda collects timely blocks and brings a lot of energy to the court in the front row. Malyssa Cawa, SR L, Mater Dei- Cawa, a 3-star recruit committed to Stanford, is smooth and steady at the position. She also covers the court well. Layli Ostovar, SO OH, Mater Dei- Ostovar, a 5-star recruit, is a physical presence and a dynamic attacker who also brings a lot of offensive “smarts” to the court. Brooklyn Bailey, SO MB/RS, Highland Park- Bailey, a 3-star recruit, plays a bit in the middle and the right side. And she runs the slide incredibly well. Talia Davison Lardner, JR MB, Highland Park- Lardner was doing a great job at the net defensively. Gigi Mason, SR RS, Liberty Hill- Mason, a committed to Vanderbilt, is a lefty with a big jump and long wingspan which makes her a threat both offensively and defensively. Ava Kostroun, JR MB, Liberty Hill- Kostroun makes an impact on both sides with her scoring and blocking. Annie Witt, JR OH, Liberty Hill- Witt plays with lots of energy and a high spirit. She has a good arm and is fearless, as she keeps coming at defenses time and time again. Aleida Moreno, SR L, Austin- Moreno is sound in serve receive and putting passes and digs right on target. Emmy Swift, JR MB, Austin- Swift is a bit undersized in the middle but she was producing regularly. She was very efficient. Ada Awagu, JR MB, SA Johnson- Awagu, a 3-star recruit, is an athletic gem in the middle. And let’s just say her huge reach is something that propels her on both sides of the ball. Anais Velazquez, SR RS, SA Johnson- Velazquez is a physical presence with a ton of electric energy. Riley Seitz, SR MB, Bishop Lynch- Seitz did a good job controlling the net offensively for her squad. Kassidy O’Brien, JR S, Cinco Ranch- O’Brien, a 5-star recruit committed to Kentucky, sets a clean ball that is rarely off the mark. She sets on the move as well and does a nice job of connecting with all her hitters everywhere on the court. Gabi Martinez, JR OH, Cinco Ranch- Martinez, a Cal Baptist commit, can crush it at times. She’s aggressive and challenges defenses to make plays on her. Jade Washington, JR L, Waco Midway- Washington is extremely fast and has a knack for making incredibly athletic defensive plays. Sophia Kuyn, SR MB, Brandeis- Kuyn, a Fordham commit, did a good job at the net. She’s fearless and doesn’t hold back. Lola Isaeff, JR OH, Brandeis- Isaeff was not holding back. She was attacking with aggression and was a threat to hit from different spots on the court. Anna Boatner, SR
The top five seeds – Prestonwood Christian TX, Cathedral Catholic CA, Mater Dei CA, Grand Oaks TX and Dripping Springs TX – respectively made it through to the eight-team championship bracket as the three-day Volleypalooza extravaganza is set to conclude Saturday at Rouse. It’s the other three participants who have turned heads so far and will look to continue to take down higher-seeded squads in hopes of stunning the field. The biggest surprise in the final eight is Bridgeland TX, which opened Thursday seeded No. 41 overall. However, the Bears were able to upset No. 7 Prosper TX on Day 1 and kept at it on Day 2. Despite a setback against Round Rock TX, Bridgeland managed to make it out on top of its pool after clipping Rockwall TX in three, 23-25, 25-23, 25-22, in the 1 v 2 outing. Bridgeland and Rockwall tied at 2-1, but the head-to-head victory carried Bridgeland – which also beat Southlake Carroll TX – in the tiebreaker scenario. Not far behind Bridgeland is Sachse TX. The Mustangs entered Day 1 seeded No. 26 and finished in a three-way tie at 2-1 with Stratford TX and Clark TX. Sachse took second based on the tiebreakers, placing the Bears as the No. 4 team in Pool 6 on Friday. That was not an issue, as Sachse rose up and went 3-0, including beating No. 6 overall seed Lake Travis TX handily in two, 25-19, 25-21. Sachse swept Walnut Grove TX earlier before clinching first place by outlasting Pearland TX in three, 16-25, 25-23, 25-20, to close out its afternoon. Rounding out the eight-team championship bracket is Cypress Ranch TX. The Mustangs didn’t have as far to climb as Bridgeland or Sachse, as they started off seeded No. 18 overall. After a 3-0 Day 1, Cy Ranch stayed alive by beating both Allen TX and Stratford in a three-team pool. That set up a crossover showdown for a spot in the final eight against No. 8 overall seed Colleyville Heritage TX. Cy Ranch prevailed in three, 25-22, 15-25, 25-21. Before that, Colleyville held off Prosper, 26-24, 22-25, 25-23, to open play Friday. It was Prosper’s loss on Thursday that set up the early showdown and essentially ended Prosper’s chances at the final eight with the defeat to Colleyville. Here’s how the quarterfinals stack up for Saturday: • Prestonwood v Cypress Ranch• Dripping Springs v Grand Oaks• Mater Dei v Sachse• Cathedral Catholic v Bridgeland *** DAY 2 SHOW STOPPERS Sarah Hickman SO RS Stratford TX: A 6-4, 4-star recruit, Hickman brings plenty of length to the lineup. She contacts the ball at a high point and is tough to cover because of it as she can go over blocks at tough angles. Gwen Koss SO OH Stratford TX: A 3-star recruit, Koss carries her share of the offensive responsibilities, getting a lot of swings on the outside. She’s a steady attacker who doesn’t try to overdo it and does well finding open spaces. Alyssa Boyte SR MB/RS Allen TX: Boyte once again showed her skills. The Metro State commit played both middle and right side, as well as defending in the back row. She’s a near automatic on offense out of the middle, and helped complete a comeback victory over Stratford with four kills in the final five points in Game 3. Kennedy Crayton SO OH Allen TX: Crayton is an undersized pin with an explosive jump. She gets up in a hurry and can unleash with a fury. Sophia Wilson SR S Allen TX: Wilson – a Stephen F. Austin commit – is an undersized setter who does a great job running the offense. She not only locates consistently, she does well moving the ball around and mixing her sets up. Avery Penrod JR L Allen TX: Penrod came alive as the match went on against Stratford. She was doing a great job picking off cross-court shots coming her way and extending rallies. Sarah Mendoza JR L Colleyville Heritage TX: Mendoza – a 4-star recruit – fought through a collision with a teammate and kept on ticking. She was solid out of serve receive and did well making plays in the back row. Suli Davis JR S/RS Colleyville Heritage TX: Davis – a 5-star recruit – starred once more in her dual role. She helped carry Colleyville to a key victory over Prosper. While she does a nice job setting, she really shines attacking with her massive arm and the way she can slam balls from sideline to sideline. Maddie Bird SR OH Colleyville Heritage TX: Bird is a six-rotation glue piece. She’s not a flashy player but she doesn’t get fazed and was contributing in many ways, from solid serve receive to smart attacking and defensive prowess. Hannah Beauford JR S/RS Prosper TX: A 4-star recruit, Beauford is a smooth disher who carries a strong arm when attacking across the front row. She’s a key piece in what Prosper does and had her hand in a lot of plays. Ayden Ames SR OH Prosper TX: A 5-star Nebraska commit, Ames can be a wrecking ball at times. She can hit all over the court and with her size and length can hit hard angles like few can. Jayla Jackson SO OH/RS Prosper TX: Jackson provided an offensive lift with her ability to score on either pin. She’s a bit undersized but knows how to use the block and tools well. Karol Lopez SR L Vista Ridge TX: Vista Ridge is a smaller team overall and has to rely heavily on defense and digging. Lopez fits that bill to a tee, passing well and getting balls up all over the court. Taylor Porter JR OH Cy Ranch TX: Porter – a 4-star Vanderbilt commit – is a six-rotation mainstay. She has a fluid arm and can rip balls from corner to corner. Zora Bello SO RS Cy Ranch TX: A 3-star recruit, Bello does well on the right side adding offensive firepower to the