A Look at How Top-Ranked Players from 2019 Class are Doing in College
Putting out the player rankings is always a little bit tricky, because it’s really a ranking based on a perceived college-level ability of high school players. Therefore, maybe some players that are outstanding high school players are ranked a little…
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Continue ReadingPutting out the player rankings is always a little bit tricky, because it’s really a ranking based on a perceived college-level ability of high school players.
Therefore, maybe some players that are outstanding high school players are ranked a little lower than, say, a really good high school player that still has a lot of upside left untapped. As a result, you never really know how accurate the rankings are for at least three or four years after the class graduates from high school.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at how the top 20 players in the Class of 2019 rankings are doing in their first season in college.
#1 – Kyla Swanson, MH, Wahoo – at Illinois
After a standout high school career, Swanson stepped into an ultra-competitive situation at Illinois as one of three incoming freshmen middles for the #18-ranked Illini. Swanson has played in four of the 11 Illinois matches so far this season, earning a pair of starts. She had season-highs in kills (3), digs (6) and blocks (5) in season-opening match against Tennessee.
#2 – Kelsie Cada – OH, Bishop Neumann – at Wayne State
Cada wasted no time in becoming an impact player for Wayne State, which is currently 12-1 and ranked #15 in Division II. Cada has started every match and leads the team with 128 kills (3.12) per set. Cada also leads the team in serve receptions and is third in digs with 141 (3.44). Her best match of the year came against Southern New Hampshire when she had 13 kills, hit .545, had two aces and 15 digs.
#3 – Emma Grunkemeyer – MH – Millard North – at Iowa
Grunkemeyer has yet to appear in a match for the 7-6 Hawkeyes.
#4 – Lily Heyne – OH – Skutt Catholic – at Tulsa
Heyne has appeared in eight of the 16 matches so far this year for Tulsa, which is 9-7. Last week, Heyne had nine kills against both Wichita State and East Carolina with Tulsa winning both off those matches. Heyne also had five kills, nine digs and four blocks in a win over Northern Kentucky.
#5 – Mara LeGrand – Setter – Papillion-LaVista South – at Regis University
LeGrand has played in all 13 matches and started in seven of them for Regis, which is 10-3 and ranked #17 in Division II. She had 53 assists and 19 digs in a win over the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs. That performance helped her earn RMAC Setter of the Week last month.
#6 – Jaiden Centeno – Libero – Millard West – at Iowa State
Centeno has played in 11 of the 13 matches so far for the 9-4 Cyclones and has had three starts. She had a season-best 16 digs in a five-set loss to LSU and had 10 in a four-set loss against Texas last week.
#7 – Emily Bressman – OH/DS – Omaha Marian – at Creighton
Bressman has seen action in all 12 of Creighton’s matches this year, including five starts for the 9-3 and #14 Bluejays. She is used in the back row, but has recorded 10 kills and her 1.23 digs per set average is fifth-best on the team.
#8 – Taya Beller – MH – Humphrey-Lindsay Holy Family – at Wayne State
Beller has not appeared in a match this season for the Wildcats and is likely to redshirt.
#9 – Cecilia Beahm – OH – Hastings – at Hastings College
Beahm started her first career match at Hastings College but then suffered a devastating knee injury that ended her season. She recently had surgery to repair her knee and is hoping to be back to full strength by the start of the 2020 season.
#10 – Erin Williams – Libero – Lincoln Lutheran – at Omaha
Williams has played in all 16 matches this season for the Mavericks as a defensive specialist and serving specialist. She’s had three aces in a match four times this year, including in a match against Washington. Williams also had a season-best seven digs in a match against Kansas State.
#11 – Jordan McCormick – Libero – Elkhorn South – at Wayne State
McCormick has appeared in four matches for the Wildcats and has two serve receptions.
#12 – Sami Clarkson – Setter – Omaha Concordia – at Omaha
Clarkson has taken over as the starting setter for the Mavericks and she is averaging .38 kills, 10.84 assists, 2.0 digs and .3 blocks per set on the season. She had a season-best 58 assists in a Summit League win over North Dakota State and also tied a season-high with 11 digs in that match,
#13 – Elly Larson – OH – Wahoo – at Wayne State
Larson has played in five matches for Wayne State and has two kills and a dig.
#14 – Emersen Cyza – OH – Alliance – at Wyoming
So far this season for Wyoming, Cyza has played in eight of the Cowgirls’ 13 matches and has 26 kills and 10 digs. She recorded a season-high in kills (8) and digs (3) against New Mexico last week. She also had two ace serves against Creighton.
#15 – Hailey Zuroske – OH – Omaha Marian – at Wyoming
Zuroske has played in all 13 matches this season for 7-6 Wyoming and has 72 kills and 65 digs on the season. She has registered 12 kills in a match twice – against Buffalo and UC-Davis and she had a season-best 10 digs against Northern Colorado.
#16 – Mary Nibbe – Setter/RS – Red Cloud – at Concordia
Nibbe suffered an injury while on a summer vacation and has not yet recovered to the point of being able to play.
#17 – Jessie Brandl – Libero – Stanton – at Wayne State
Brandl has appeared in four matches for the Wildcats this season and has five serve receptions and two digs.
#18 – Emmy Grant – MH – Millard North – at Northwest Missouri State
Grant has not appeared in a match yet this season for the Bearcats.
#19 – Emma Gabel – Libero – Lincoln Pius X – at Nebraska
Gabel suffered a knee injury during club season prior to joining the Huskers and is out for the year.
#20 – Fallon Stutheit – MH – Johnson-Brock – at Nebraska
Stutheit has not appeared in a match yet this season for the Huskers.