Class of 2023 Middles Who Can Pound a Ball
Being a middle is an incredibly dynamic position. It requires reading the ball, putting up a block, running fast plays, reading both your own setter and the opposing setter, and so much more. But one thing everyone loves is when…
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Continue ReadingBeing a middle is an incredibly dynamic position. It requires reading the ball, putting up a block, running fast plays, reading both your own setter and the opposing setter, and so much more. But one thing everyone loves is when the middle goes up and just rips a ball. It brings a ton of momentum to a team when their middle hitter makes a beast play. There are a lot of talented hitters in this young class who can truly pound a ball and here are some of them.
Emily Honzelka Emily Honzelka 6'3" | MB Kettle Moraine Lutheran | 2023 State WI – Milwaukee Sting
Emily has an incredibly effective swing to the left side of the court. She is dynamic, running a play on every pass, no matter where it is. Her setters trust her to be there and she always is, ready to pound a ball. She is very smart and sees the court well.
Kyra Klumb Kyra Klumb 5'10" | MB Whitnall | 2023 State WI – Milwaukee Sting
Kyra Klumb Kyra Klumb 5'10" | MB Whitnall | 2023 State WI is super effective when running a 3 ball and loves using angles to her advantage. This means that when she isn’t pounding a ball she is usually tooling the block or finding and open spot on the court.
Kyla Dunaway Kyla Dunaway 6'4" | RS Kimberly | 2023 State WI – FC Elite
Kyla is an incredibly talented athlete. She plays right side in club but middle in high school and is awesome at both. She is very powerful and can hit over or through nearly any block. She has great timing and works to make herself available to hit on every play.
Rowan Schreiber Rowan Schreiber 6'5" | MB Madison Memorial | 2023 State WI – Balance
Rowan has a very large reach and hits over a lot of blocks. When her timing is on, she is nearly unstoppable. She has a wide range of shots in her toolbox and can hit the left corner or cut to the right at any moment.
Autumn Flynn Autumn Flynn 5'11" | MB Luxemburg-Casco | 2023 State WI – FC Elite
Autumn has a great vertical and a lot of power. She adjusts quickly to every play and makes herself an option for her setters. She powers through tough blocks like it is nothing and when given an open net can pound a ball.
Addison Schmotzer Addison Schmotzer 6'2" | MB Edgewood | 2023 State WI – Capital Volleyball Academy
Addison is great at hitting angles and puts some power behind them as well. She has a nice, consistent swing and uses it to her advantage. Her ability to make plays on both offense and defense are a great asset to every team she is on.
Sydney Bartels Sydney Bartels 5'11" | OH Freedom | 2023 State WI – FC Elite
Not only can Sydney pound a ball but she is also extremely fast, a dangerous combination. She runs plays flawlessly and has a great connection with her setters. From a 31 to a slide she can pound a ball from anywhere on the court.
Maddy McGath Maddy McGath MB Brookfield East | 2023 State WI – Milwaukee Sting
Power is Maddy’s middle name. Her sheer athleticism is impressive enough but when she gets up on a perfect set, she can put the ball down within the ten foot line. Her power, speed, and view of the court make her nearly unstoppable.
These middles are incredibly impressive and they still have several years of their high school and youth club careers to go. It will be awesome to watch them continue to impress throughout their future club and high school seasons.