15 Minnesota Players You Need To Know Before The State Tournament
Minnesota athletes will be taking the state’s largest stage this weekend for the state tournament and with that will come some new faces and old. Eagan ‘ last=”]’ last=”] is back and will have one of the top teams not…
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Continue ReadingMinnesota athletes will be taking the state’s largest stage this weekend for the state tournament and with that will come some new faces and old. Eagan ‘ last=”]’ last=”] is back and will have one of the top teams not only in Minnesota, but in the entire country. Kennedy Orr has been the face of the program and will lead her team in attacking and as a setter too where she will do so after high school for Nebraska. North Branch is back with top outside hitter Cianna Selbitschka who led her team to a state title in 2018. Who are some of the new faces people need to know heading into the state tournament on Thursday?
Skylar Germann – Minnetonka
Germann is having herself quite the 2019. After leading her club team to a top-four finish at AAU Nationals in Florida, Germann was named an AAU All Star. The momentum continues as she will lead her Minnetonka squad into the state tournament. Germann is a swiss army knife type player who can set and hit, but she may also be one of the best beach players in Minnesota as well.
Lauren Stenman – North St. Paul
Speaking of swiss army knife, meet Lauren Stenman. Stenman is a key cog to the success of North St. Paul where she is also a solid attacker and can set. Following high school, Stenman with head to Lewis University which is a top NCAA D2 program in the Chicagoland area.
Yaiza Franco – North St. Paul
Franco has the size, strength, and physicality to completely take over a match at the net. The middle blocker has a long wingspan and quick lateral movement which creates a solid mismatch on the net, not only getting a touch on plenty of attacks, but also altering shots to get North St. Paul into system. Franco will head to LaSalle in Philadelphia to play Division One volleyball in the Atlantic 10 Conference.
Karsee Kampsen – BBE
Kampsen definitely fits into the swiss army knife category where she can set, swing, and defend. The Junior lefty has experience playing three matches at the state tournament last year with a final four finish. Kampsen will looking to lead her team back to the final four in deep Class A field which features the top two teams from last year in Minneota and Medford.
Natalee Rolbiecki – Minneota
Rolbiecki might be the best Sophomore you just don’t know about yet. A pure athlete, so solid who can make things happen out of nothing. In prior years she was always the supporting cast to Lydia Sussner, now she is developing into a leader for Minneota who continues to bring top athletes year after year. Their ball control is tough to match and they always have a hard-driven ball to the other side of the court.
Elle Cotton – Elk River
Cotton passing for Elk RiverElk River, welcome to the big show. Seeing this team at the Southwest Minnesota Challenge was entertaining. They just kept winning and winning some more, turning plenty of heads. Elle Cotton is a dazzling player to watch with how she can set and swing. She is efficient with how she moves and high IQ as far as positive touches to her teammates or finding a way to score points. She is definitely one to watch and keep on the radar this upcoming club season.
Shaina Zinter – Concordia Academy
Zinter came on to the scene as a freshman last year in the state semifinals catching fire right away. Concordia Academy is back and still has a roster full of talented underclassmen. Zinter is the fast-twitch middle that is a major mismatch problem. Whether its a deep shot to the corner or the quick tip to the open spot she definitely draws a crowd to free up some big swings for Kira Fallert on the pin.
Kate Thibault – Watertown-Mayer
Thibault is no stranger to the big stage of a state tournament after playing as an 8th grader last year while also being a top gymnast. Kate gets to play alongside her sister, Paige who is committed to Virginia for volleyball. Kate is one of the top liberos in the Class of 2023 and already has some success on the national level for MN Select where they finished in third in the nation at USAV 14 Open last July.
Logan Sherman of Marshall showing how dynamic she is on the right side as well as setting pic.twitter.com/rKV05Jt1uN
— Chris Fitzgerald (@PrepDigChris) September 7, 2019
Logan Sherman – Marshall
Sherman is another swiss army knife who can hammer on the right side while also setting for Marshall. The 6’0 Senior has committed to play at Valley City State University, an NAIA school in North Dakota. Marshall plays a brand of volleyball that is pure smash mouth. A highly aggressive team with a bunch of energy to go with where they will win multiple points on their hustle and grit alone.
Maddy Hornyak – Lakeville North (Title Photo)
Lakeville North had a big loss to graduation last year, including Elizabeth Juhnke who is having a huge season at South Dakota this year. Hornyak has stepped into the top outside hitter role and is thriving. A big jump and a violent swing, Hornyak is just fun to watch with watch she can do in any rotation on the court. She will be extremely key in scoring points for North this weekend.
Maddy Hornyak with the kill for @LNHSVolleyball1 pic.twitter.com/FIZnoIPSBQ
— Chris Fitzgerald (@PrepDigChris) September 7, 2019
Kate Long – Wayzata
Wayzata has a really physical frontline and plenty of high profile athletes, but one that has been a little under the radar is Kate Long. Long is an outside hitter who is just a high flyer. She can flat out score points and do so in an electric fashion. Wayzata has been a favorite all season long and has definitely delivered on the lofty expectations put on them at the beginning of the season.
Kate Bolz-Andolshek – Pequot Lakes
Just North of Brainer is Pequot Lakes who will be making their appearance in the Class AA State Tournament against defending state champion, North Branch. Bolz-Andolshek has put up some big numbers all season and has carried PL throughout the section tournaments. She will be a big piece to the puzzle throughout the whole weekend with her play at the net.
Hannah Howell – St. Louis Park
St. Louis Park comes to state from a wide-open sectional where they defeated Bloomington Jefferson to claim their first sectional title. The Orioles will be taking on Eagan ‘ last=”]’ last=”] in a first-round matchup. Hannah Howell will be one of the go-to attackers from the outside as SLP will look to make a splash in their first state tournament appearance.
Brooke Weichbrodt – Concordia Academy
Weichbrodt is an electric player who is really dynamic as a setter. She is a spark on the court where her energy is contagious. A key player for Kokoro when it comes to club ball, Weichbrodt can sure run the show where she can run a variety of tempos to her middles or can even take it herself on a second ball. With Concordia Academy another year older, with experience they will be looking to turn some heads this weekend.
Paige Sheehan – North Branch
Cianna Selbitschka provides plenty of big-time kill numbers for North Branch, but Paige Sheehan is the setter who gets to distribute and run the show. With teams really keying in on Selbitschka, Sheehan is able to keep the defense off-balance with some of attacking of her own she can swing with her left hand or push to the deep corner.