Five Athletes to Watch at the Division 2 State Finals
The Division 2 state semifinals in Battle Creek will be stacked with top-level talent from all grades, as the four-team field will put the very best on display. From Miss Volleyball this year to potential future Miss Volleyball winners in…
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Continue ReadingThe Division 2 state semifinals in Battle Creek will be stacked with top-level talent from all grades, as the four-team field will put the very best on display. From Miss Volleyball this year to potential future Miss Volleyball winners in years to come, you can’t miss these five players on Thursday night.
Corunna Jr. Outside Hitter Elizabeth Norris
No player at Battle Creek this weekend may mean more to her team than Norris. The junior has led the Cavs to the state semifinals by racking up 865 kills this season. She accounts for nearly half of the team’s kills this year. In Tuesday’s quarterfinal win over Kingsley, Norris has 28 of the team’s 39 kills. She is following in the footsteps of her sister, Meredith Norris – the 2016 Miss Volleyball winner, Elizabeth currently is 13th in the MHSAA record book for kills in a season. She also contributes on defense, posting 409 digs and 88 blocks. If Corunna is to do anything this weekend, it will likely be because of Norris.
Grand Rapids Christian Jr. Setter Jordyn Gates
It is tough to narrow down the Grand Rapids Christian hitters to one to see, but you definitely have to get your eyes on their junior setter, Jordyn Gates. The Arkansas commit is a big reason why the Eagles have so many formidable hitters to deal with, as she runs the offense with a lot of complexity and confidence. She averages over 10 assists per set this season and is among the team leaders in aces and digs. Gates ranks third in our Class of 2020 rankings and she will be one of the best players on the floor of Kellogg Arena.
Lakewood Soph. Middle Hitter Aubrey O’Gorman
The Vikings aren’t lacking in size at the net, with O’Gorman being their biggest asset. She is a 6-3 sophomore middle that is more than just length. O’Gorman shows a lot of athleticism in her attacks and defense. The Michigan State commit is second in our current 2021 Player Rankings and she still has a lot of potential improvement in her. In Tuesday’s quarterfinal win over St. Catherine Academy, O’Gorman had 15 kills. She will be tested on Thursday night against Grand Rapids Christian’s array of hitters, but O’Gorman seems up to the challenge.
Notre Dame Prep Sr. Outside Hitter Madeline Chinn
The winner of the 2018 Miss Volleyball award is looking to help lead the Irish to a second consecutive state championship this season. The 6-foot-3 Purdue commit has racked up 628 kills this year while hitting .463 and also has 134 blocks. Chinn has worked hard on the other aspects of her game in the last year and it has shown. She is second on the team in digs with 493 and has 55 aces. It’s not hard to miss Chinn due to her length, but you will be impressed with how smoothly she moves on the floor.
Notre Dame Prep Sr. Outside Hitter Natalie Risi
A Miss Volleyball finalist as well, Risi has been one of the most improved players in the state over her four years with the Irish. As Chinn drew a lot of defensive attention, it was Risi that stepped up for the Irish last year and now opponents have to pick their poison between the two. Risi has 532 kills in 2018 while hitting .449. She also is arguably the top server in the state with 178 aces and 456 service points. Defensively, she has 444 digs and 67 blocks and even contributed with setting early in the year. There’s nothing Risi can’t do and she does it all at an elite level. The future Ball State Cardinal will certainly impress you with her play this weekend.