Despite Championships Canceled, Iowans Selected To USAV HP Training Teams
Covid-19 has given us plenty of new terms in our vocabulary, but ones that are overused are “Canceled”, “Virtual”, and “Until Further Notice”. The USA Volleyball High Performance Championships have been canceled where athletes from across the country are able…
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Continue ReadingCovid-19 has given us plenty of new terms in our vocabulary, but ones that are overused are “Canceled”, “Virtual”, and “Until Further Notice”. The USA Volleyball High Performance Championships have been canceled where athletes from across the country are able to participate as part of their region or under the USA Volleyball training program where they will be on a team with athletes from all over. Even though all camps and championships have been canceled for 2020, teams were still selected where athletes were honored with what level of camp they would have been selected to train with. A1 is the top tier which Iowa was represented by three athletes down to A3. Athletes were selected based on a player resume as well as evaluations on video. Take a look at some of the Iowans selected.
A1
Sydney Dennis Sydney Dennis 5'5" | DS/L Mount Vernon | 2021 State IA – Mount Vernon – Adrenaline
Class of 2021 – Committed to Iowa
Dennis was an early commit to Iowa and has risen to be one of the top players in the state. One of the best liberos in the Class of 2021 from the Midwst, Dennis would be competing among the best in the country with the A1 Juniors Womens Junior National Training Program. She will play her Senior year at Mount Vernon where they will look to repeat as Class 3A state champions. Dennis has always played an age group up for Iowa Rockets , EIX, and Adrenaline this past club season.
KubikPhyona Schrader Phyona Schrader 6'1" | S Ankeny | 2021 State IA – Ankeny – Nebraska Premier
Class of 2021 – Committed to Notre Dame
Schrader is the top player in the Class of 2021 in Iowa and has been a key piece to the Nebraska Premier 17 Gold squad that traditionally has been one of the top teams in the country. Left handed, extremely physical, and the type of athlete that puts so much pressure on the other side of the net. Schrader has played in multiple state tournaments and has a team coming back for her senior season that is very balanced and athletic. She will head to Notre Dame following her prep career.
Hayden Kubik Hayden Kubik 6'1" | OH West Des Moines Valley | 2022 State #11 Nation IA – West Des Moines Valley – Club Ignit Select
Class of 2022
Kubik is no stranger to Prep Dig as well as the national prep volleyball scene. She will be highly sought after by top college programs when they are allowed to start talking with the Class of 2022 on June 15. She has been a key piece to the success of Club Ignit Select 16 Blue where they took home the prestigious Triple Crown 16 Open Invitational. She will be a key upperclassman for Valley where they finished 2019 as the Class 5A state runner up.
A2
Meg Berkland – Williamsburg – Iowa Rockets
Class of 2024
Keep tabs on Berkland as she enters her Freshman year at Williamsburg and will be another top libero out of Eastern Iowa. She has spent this past club season playing up on the Iowa Rockets 15R squad where she just moves so easily on the court and anticipates the next move extremely well. Whether its in serve receive, picking up a tip, or taking pace off a hard driven ball, she knows how to get the ball to the setter in order to run the show.
@KoraRuff to @caliaclubb for @IowaRockets 15 R – off to a strong start pic.twitter.com/JQg4CM9aHa
— Chris Fitzgerald (@PrepDigChris) February 23, 2019
Calia Clubb Calia Clubb 5'10" | RS Clear Creek-Amana | 2022 State #138 Nation IA – Clear Creek-Amana – Iowa Rockets
Class of 2022
[player_tooltip player_id="79239" first="Kiersten" last="Schmitt"]Clubb brings quite the physicality to the net where she can swing on either pin. She can lock down an opposing attacker as a right side blocker and find a way to score points. She’s been on the radar to college coaches the past two seasons and will start her recruiting process come Monday when she can talk with Division 1 college coaches. With her overall athleticism, she is a huge asset to have in the gym.
Kiersten Schmitt Kiersten Schmitt 6'0" | OH Beckman | 2022 State #103 Nation IA – Beckman Catholic – Dubuque Elite National
Class of 2022
Schmitt has so much versatility in her game where she can play any position in the front row and can also set. She is listed as a right side hitter, but there isn’t anything I haven’t seen her do whether it was at the Iowa Top 250 or the state tournament for Beckman Catholic. She plays high above the net and is extremely active just knowing where to be at the right time. The biggest question with Schmitt is how she can be utilized with so many different skills and ways she helps her side of the net.