Prep Dig Doppelgangers; Different States, Similar Players
Everyone has a doppelganger right? A what? Yes, a doppelganger, which is a theory that everyone has a double or twin out there, an old German term. Maybe you’ve received a text from a friend saying, “I found your doppelganger”,…
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Continue ReadingEveryone has a doppelganger right? A what? Yes, a doppelganger, which is a theory that everyone has a double or twin out there, an old German term. Maybe you’ve received a text from a friend saying, “I found your doppelganger”, meaning they thought they saw you, but in all actuality it was someone else. Before I get too deep into doppelganger stories, with all the volleyball I’ve seen over the past year across states there are players who remind me of each other, maybe it’s their volleyball doppelganger. This is all based on their style of play, their effectiveness for their team, and a requirement is that I had to see them play live. Here are the “Prep Dig Doppelgangers; Different States, Similar Players”.
Kiana Schmitt – Waunakee (WI) – Capital Volleyball Academy – Class of 2019
Olivia Tjernagel – Mayer Lutheran (MN) – High Voltage Volleyball – Class of 2020
Schmitt is one of the top athletes in the Class of 2019 in Wisconsin as a middle blocker and seeing Olivia Tjernagel of Mayer Lutheran, a 2020 prospect, it’s hard not to see flashes of Schmitt. Schmitt is committed to Creighton and commands the middle with such ease. She makes getting from pin to pin to block look so easy and when she comes around on a slide – watch out. Tjernagel, who has committed to play for UNI is much of the same. She has already been part of a state title team at Mayer Lutheran, and this past year was named to the all tournament team in Class A in Minnesota as well as all state honors. Both athletes are leaders on the court by their body language. Rarely rattled, they just find ways to make positive things happen for their team. Not only are they excelling on the volleyball hardwood, but the basketball court as well. I’m willing to bet these two will be facing each other across the net at some point with Creighton and Northern Iowa somehow finding a way to squareoff during the season, two of the top programs in the Midwest behind top tier coaches in Kirsten Booth at Creighton and Bobbi Petersen at Northern Iowa.
Kali Wolf – Waconia (MN) – Northern Lights – Class of 2020
Aubrey Hamilton – Arrowhead (WI) – Milwaukee Sting – Class of 2020
*Pictured in the title photo.
Both of these athletes are among some of the top outside hitters in the Midwest. Wolf stands at 6’2 and has a quite the repertoire of shots that she can score from. She has the ability to go over the block or thumb up, top spin a shot to the deep corner. Both of these athletes play for some of the top club teams in the country with Wolf at Northern Lights 17-1 and Hamilton for Milwaukee Sting 17 Gold. Hamilton plays a power game, but has the finesse to go with it. A Notre Dame commit, Hamilton is the top outside hitter in her class in the state of Wisconsin. With schedules that have these two teams attending a few of the same tournaments it will be quite the matchup on the pin between these two.
Julia Hanson on the left with Brianna Cantrell on the right.Brianna Cantrell – Appleton North (WI) – FC Elite – Class of 2022
Julia Hanson – Prior Lake (MN) – Northern Lights – Class of 2022
Solid in all six rotations, can jump out of the gym, and will be some of the top outsides in the up and coming Class of 2022. Hanson burst onto the scene this year at the Southwest Minnesota Challenge for Prior Lake who has a really young, but talented roster. She will be absolutely dynamite next year with a more developed back court game and the ability to score in all six rotations. I saw Cantrell play at the High Performance camp last summer and then again at the JVA Jamboree in Milwaukee and wow….she has really transformed her game and is becoming a physical attacker and lethal threat from any spot on the court. She also knows when and where to tip which will only add to her ability to score points.
Juhnke (left) was one of the top outsides in Minnesota while Vanden Berg (right) was the same in Wisconsin.Elizabeth Juhnke – Lakeville North (MN) – M1 – Class of 2019
Hannah Vanden Berg – Little Chute (WI) – FC Elite – Class of 2019
In order for these players to not swing and score points they’d have to be out of the gym. I’ve seen Juhnke do some special things where she swings and I think, “How did she do that?”, she makes nothing into something and she can score points just as easily in the backrow and she does in the front. Both of these athletes were on teams that clinched USAV open bids in Chicago in January. Vanden Berg can take 50 attempts a match and not break a sweat. For her high school team she had over 700 kills her Junior and Senior year, with her Senior season ending in the state semifinals. Juhnke will be heading to South Dakota, where Vanden Berg will be going to Marquette.
Kayce Litzau – Greendale (WI) – Milwaukee Sting – Class of 2019
Megan Renner – Linn-Mar (IA) – Iowa PowerPlex – Class of 2019
Two of the top setters in their respective states, it’s not only their setting ability that has brought them to the top of their class, but both can swing and score points. Renner led her high school team that past two seasons to the state tournament, most recently to the semifinals where even though she will set at Purdue, she was utilized as a setter and attacker. Litzau, who finished each of her high school seasons at the state tournament, was someone who could step in and do anything. The future Wichita State Shocker sets for Milwaukee Sting, but will also swing on the right side. Both are a perfect example of what it’s like to be able to play a complete all around game.
Ella Caffery – Wilton (IA) – Iowa Rockets – Class of 2022
Maddie Converse – Kasson-Mantorville (MN) – SMV – Class of 2022
Playing as a Freshman on varsity is no easy feat, let alone for a state contending team. For Caffery and Converse they were part of state caliber teams with Caffery running a 5-1 for Wilton who made it to the Class 2A state tournament in Iowa while Converse helped lead the Komets to a 3rd place finish in the Class AA state tournament in Minnesota. Playing in front of big crowds, bigger arenas, and adjusting to all things high school is tough and these two found a way to succeed through it all.
Elizabeth Dille – Sartell (MN) – Kandi Elite – Class of 2021
Danielle Johnson – Osage (IA) – Six Pack – Class of 2021
Just a couple of small town girls, who are crushing it in a volleyball world. Ok, that was a bit of a stretch with a little play on some Journey lyrics, but I saw Johnson be a key component for Osage on their way to a semifinal appearance in the Class 3A state tournament. The six rotation outside can do it all. Teaming up with setter, Rylie Olson they have not only had success on the volleyball court, but are currently the top two scorers for Osage’s basketball team who is 19-1 and on the path towards what could be another state tournament. Dille is playing up on the Kandi Elite 17’s team who is full of 2021 athletes who are rising to the occasion. Both can contact extremely high, hit a variety of shots, and have a huge ladder of potential that they will continue to climb up. I don’t know if these two will cross paths in their club schedules, but they are two of the top in 2021 in their respective states.
Class of 2021 rising prospect Elizabeth Dille finishes it off for @kandielite pic.twitter.com/u1cZ3f4Rdz
— Chris Fitzgerald (@PrepDigChris) January 27, 2019
@OsageVolleyball is heading back to the semifinals pic.twitter.com/U7tAFZh3NS
— Prep Dig Iowa (@PrepDigIA) November 7, 2018
Payton Addink – Sun Prairie (WI) – Capital Volleyball Academy – Class of 2021
Saari Kuehl – Gladbrook-Reinbeck (IA) – CIA – Class of 2021
Sophomore year just seems to be the year to breakout. For both of these outside hitters, they were a huge part of their teams success enroute to a state tournament bert, Addink in Wisconsin and Kuehl in Iowa. Addink is a major part of the success for Capital 15 Adidas with a high contact point and that sixth sense of just being able to find the open spot. She is effective in all six rotations and keeps climbing of the radar of top outside hitters. Kuehl was a 1st Team All State outside hitter, where GR wasn’t one of the favorites to make it out of their region to the state tournament, but behind the play of Kuehl they found themselves playing on the big stage in Cedar Rapids. Their style and teams success is eerily similar.
Hayden Kubik – West Des Moines Valley (IA) – Central Iowa Select – Class of 2022
Lizzie Binder – Sheboygan North (WI) – Milwaukee Sting – Class of 2021
Kubik and Binder may be one of the more physical attackers in their class in their respective states. They have both been through the high performance pipeline as well with Kubik in Iowa and Binder for Badger Region. What sets them both apart from their counterparts is their ability to score from either pin and put up a big block, a swiss army knife of options. I’m excited to see both again this weekend in Kansas City when they compete against some of the top clubs in the nation.
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???? https://t.co/5HsmtBvAN6 pic.twitter.com/KCdJW1l38R— Prep Dig Events (@PrepDigEvents) January 31, 2019