The Durango Fall Classic never disappoints and 2023 was definitely not going to be an exception. With Mater Dei CA topping Mira Costa CA for the championship combined with other results, it will no doubt shake up the national rankings. Beyond that, the individual play was mind-blowing, as the field featured top players from around the country showcasing their skills. Below, we highlight the standouts with our Day 2 Show Stoppers.
DAY 2 SHOW STOPPERS
Charlie Fuerbringer SR S Mira Costa CA: A 5-star Wisconsin commit, Fuerbringer is a dynamic player who brings so much to the lineup. She’s a high IQ setter with accurate location and the ability to turn off balls into hittable sets. She typically runs a 5-1 but with her hitting ability Costa can switch to a 6-2 at times for more offense.
Taylor Deckert JR L Mira Costa CA: With Fuerbringer setting and Deckert taking the first ball, you can argue no team in the country has a better 1-2 touch than Costa. The 5-star USC commit is silky smooth and plays with tons of composure.
Audrey Flanagan SO Mira Costa CA: Flanagan is yet another 5-star recruit in the Mustangs lineup. She’s a handful to try and slow down on the attack. She’s a lanky outside with a whip for an arm and the way she can extend and let loose makes her a difficult cover.
Rachel Moglia SR MB Mira Costa CA: Moglia is a bit undersized in the middle but she knows how to score. She does well finding gaps and open spaces on the floor and she’s fearless on top of that.
Nora Williams SR RS Mira Costa: Williams brings her strong blocking and solid arm to the front row. She comes up with timely kills and blocks to help contribute.
Danica Rach SR OH Sierra Canyon CA: Rach – a 3-star Boston College commit – helps make up a solid 1-2 attack on the outside. She has a lively arm and is a threat front and back row, so teams always need to be aware of her.
Halie McGinest SR OH Sierra Canyon CA: A 3-star recruit, McGinest is the other half of the outside duo the Trailblazers rely on. She has a strong arm and she too can swing from both the front and back row, so they pair puts a lot of pressure on defenses.
Lauren Lynch JR L Sierra Canyon CA: Lynch – a 4-star San Diego commit – was another libero who was playing great and standing out on defense. She too plays under control and is a sharp passer and defender, as she doesn’t ever blink or get rattled.
Madeline Way SR MB Sierra Canyon CA: Way – a 3-star Hawaii commit – was great in the middle. She was an offensive weapon who defenses needed to matchup with. She has a strong arm and can unload on balls on the regular.
Kristen Simon JR L Assumption KY: Simon – a 5-star Wisconsin commit – was part of an outstanding libero group competing on Day 2 at Durango. She has great command of the back row and it’s difficult to get a ball down on her or past her.
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Chloe Smith SR OH Assumption KY: Smith – a 3-star Wofford commit – is part of a versatile offense that can attack from all over. She’s another who is able to extend and hit from high angles and she delivers with plenty of pace.
Bailey Blair JR MB Assumption KY: A 3-star recruit, Blair brings power to the attack. She can crush balls out of the middle. She also runs an effective slide and can boom balls out there as well.
Charlotte Moriarty SR OH Assumption KY: Moriarty – a 3-star Xavier commit – hits hard and passes well out of serve receive. She’s one of the glue pieces in the lineup as she brings leadership and stability.
Tessa Larkin FR OH Xavier Prep AZ: Larkin – a 4-star recruit – was among a few freshmen standouts who were doing their thing. She’s a wirey hitter with a loose arm who can let it fly from corner to corner.
Vivian Hickman SO S/OH Xavier Prep AZ: A 3-star recruit, Hickman is valuable because of her versatility. She’s a smooth disher who is capable of running a 5-1 but her arm is needed in the attack so hits too.
Maya Evens JR L Cathedral Catholic CA: Evens – a 4-star Maryland commit – is rarely off her game and has the ability to take it to a different level as she did Saturday. She was lights-out and making amazing digs all over the court.
Jenna Hanes SR MB Cathedral Catholic CA: Hanes is a featured part of the attack and changes the look of the offense when she’s front row. The 4-star Michigan commit is a scoring machine who can torch defenses even when everyone knows she’s getting the ball.
Tiana Owens SR RS Cathedral Catholic CA: Owens’ ability to score on the right side is huge. She helps balance out the attack and provides valuable offense.
Cari Spears JR OH Prestonwood Christian TX: A 5-star recruit, you won’t find anyone who hits harder than Spears. She has a heavy arm and can blast balls from sideline to sideline whether she’s front or back row.
Jadyn Livings SR RS Prestonwood Christian TX: Livings – a 5-star USC commit – can deliver on both sides of the ball. She puts up a strong block and can fire up her team with big stuffs. She also has a powerful arm and can rip winners.
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Gillian Pitts JR L Prestonwood Christian TX: A 5-star Houston commit, Pitts is an athletic libero who moves well and passes dimes. She brings a ton of energy to the defensive side as well.
Sam Pope JR S/RS Lone Peak UT: Pope is part of the reason Lone Peak put up a 10th-place finish in such a competitive field. Her ability to set and hit is a vital part of the lineup.
Zoey Burgess SR MB Lone Peak UT: Burgess – a 5-star Kansas commit – was among the top middles. She moves well and has a great arm. Lone Peak looks to get her the ball as often as possible as she can deliver over and over.
Ava Burgess FR OH Lone Peak UT: Burgess – a 4-star commit – was another freshman playing a big role and providing much-needed offense for her side. She has a solid arm and knows how to score.
Megan Fitch JR OH Cornerstone Christian TX: A 5-star Texas AM commit, Fitch is a relentless attacker and the go-to hitter. She’s a threat front and back row with her lively arm.
Grace Carroll SR RS Cornerstone Christian TX: Carroll – a 4-star Baylor commit – can drop the hammer on the right side. She’s a powerful hitter who booms balls over, around or off blocks consistently.
Olivia Foye JR L Huntington Beach CA: Foye – a 3-star Princeton commit – flies under the radar but she should not be overlooked. She’s a solid defender who passes well out of serve receive and makes plenty of digs to keep rallies going.
Addison Williams SO OH Huntington Beach CA: Williams was a highlight for the Oilers. The way she was scoring was a boost and helped HB tie for seventh place.
Elena Fisher JR OH Branson CA: Branson showed well by taking ninth place. Fisher – a 3-star Stanford beach commit – is a cagey attacker who jumps well. She can frustrate defenders with the variety of ways she can score.
Lauren Dignan JR L Branson CA: Dignan was a big reason Branson performed so well. She helps make up a strong defensive group and displays the scrappiness Branson plays with.
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Logan Tusher SR S Branson CA: Tusher – a 3-star Stanford beach commit – brings lots of leadership to the court. She doesn’t get flustered and added to that she’s a smart setter who can fling the ball around to her various hitters.
Alanah Clemente JR RS Bishop Alemany CA: A 4-star recruit, Clemente keeps the pressure on defenses. The lefty plays all the way around and can score both front and back row. She hits hard too and was the go-to hitter for a surprising Alemany team that finished 12th.
Havyn Rolle SR MB Bishop Alemany CA: Rolle – a 3-star recruit – changed the dynamic of the offense across the front row. She’s a springy attacker with a solid arm and blockers had trouble timing her up.
Taylor Williams SR OH St. Francis/Mountain View CA: A 4-star Duke commit, Williams is part of why St. Francis can compete with the best teams in the country. She’s a lanky outside with the ability to extend and unleash over blockers.
Whitney Wallace SR L St. Francis/Mountain View CA: Wallace – 3-star Oklahoma commit – is a high IQ defender who doesn’t get caught out of position often. She’s also solid on first-ball contacts and brings a defensive edge to the lineup.
Hannah Maguire SR S St. Francis/Mountain View CA: Maguire does well in her role. She puts up a nice ball and does well connecting with her hitters.
Ella Zimmerman SR MB Redondo Union CA: Zimmerman takes up a lot of space in the middle. She’s a solid blocker and can turn around and pound balls down on the attack.
Abby Zimmerman SO S/RS Redondo Union CA: A 4-star commit, Zimmerman brings versatility to the lineup. Earlier this season she was playing on the outside but at Durango was setting and hitting.
Maya Baker JR S Archbishop Mitty CA: Baker – a 4-star Notre Dame commit – was among the best setters in the gym Saturday. She has great hands and is location is spot on.
Makenna Crosson SO OH Archbishop Mitty CA: A 4-star recruit, Crosson was among the underclassmen making noise. She’s a smart hitter who knows when to go for it and when to let off and not do too much.
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Isabel Clark SR OH Mater Dei CA: Clark – a 4-star San Diego commit – has no problems producing highlight kills. She has a huge arm and with the way she can get up and pound balls it is unreal.
Julia Kakkis SR S Mater Dei CA: Kakkis – a 3-star Brown commit – was named tournament MVP. With injuries in the lineup, she was forced to run a 5-1 all weekend. She did well mixing up her sets and getting all her hitters involved.
Cymarah Gordon SR RS Mater Dei CA: A 4-star Michigan commit, Gordon is a two-way force with the physicality she brings. She can get up and unload on balls on either pin. She also put up one of the biggest blocks in the gym.
Malyssa Cawa SR L Mater Dei CA: Cawa – 3-star Stanford commit – had a great day in helping Mater Dei to the championship. She was making plays all over the court and did well extending rallies.
Layli Ostovar SO OH Mater Dei CA: A 5-star recruit, Ostovar possesses a lively arm. When she loads up and lets it go, watch out. She produced her share of highlight moments when she was able to let it fly.
Emma Kingston FR MB Mater Dei CA: Kingston – a 3-star recruit – was the unsung hero of Mater Dei’s victory over Mira Costa. She made a huge impact in the middle with her scoring as well as her ability to get touches and timely blocks helped swing the match around into Mater Dei’s favor.
Finley Krystkowiak SO OH Torrey Pines CA: A 5-star recruit, Krystkowiak carries a large load on offense. She’s another outside who can really extend and pressure defenses with her ability to hit from high angles and attack all areas of the court.
