Shutdown Middle Blockers for the Class of 2022
Middle blockers are such an effective asset on all volleyball teams. Having a player who is versatile in their attack and aggressive in their block is a must-have. Middles have a lot more responsibility than they are given credit for.…
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Continue ReadingMiddle blockers are such an effective asset on all volleyball teams. Having a player who is versatile in their attack and aggressive in their block is a must-have. Middles have a lot more responsibility than they are given credit for. They must provide both a balanced amount of offense and defense. They have lots of pressure to hit for high percentages and to slow down their opponents. A team cannot be successful without good connections from their middles.
Laila Ndiaye – 6’4″ – Middle – Lake Brantley
Ndiaye is a talented middle who has the potential to be great in any position on the court. She strikes the ball with such power and force. She is able to adjust to any set she is given and makes the most of every play. She is used to playing incredibly tough opponents out of the central Florida area. She is hitting an efficient .336 as only a sophomore. She has a high vertical that allows her to extend and press over the net. She is a fantastic well-rounded hitter who contributes to multiple different areas for her team.
Amaya Thomas Amaya Thomas 6'3" | MB University International Bach. | 2022 State #20 Nation FL – 6’3″ – Middle – University High School
Thomas is an extremely deadly force in the middle. Her long arms allow her to reach high for attacks. She also takes advantage of her tall frame by blocking very proficiently. She has great form at the net when she closes off the seams. She is lethal when her setter throws the ball up to her. Hitting right at .455, she puts away almost every other ball that she is set. In addition to her defense, she is also a weapon at the service line with 25 aces. She has good court vision which makes her a very reliable option on the net.
Alannah Nelson Alannah Nelson 6'1" | MB Timber Creek | 2022 State FL – 6’1″ – Middle – Timber Creek
Nelson is a high flyer standing at just over 6 feet tall. She has leaps that throw her opponents off guard. She gets up and over on the net with amazing pace and agility. She has blocked 113 balls for Timber Creek in just her last 2 years on varsity. She is skilled at stuffing other hitters straight down, which makes it nearly impossible for defenders to cover. She plays with a tremendous amount of spunk and exuberance on the court. Having a leader in the middle like Nelson can really get a team fired up.
Breanna McDonough Breanna McDonough 5'10" | MB Berkely Prep | 2022 State FL – 5’10″ – Middle – Berkely Prep
Mcdonough has an energy on the court that is very rare. She plays with so much passion and emotion, it truly drives her team forward. She is versatile and can run behind and in front of the setter. She uses a variety of shots to keep teams guessing where she is going to place the ball next. She runs her slide route very quickly and low to the net which doesn’t allow the opposing block to set up. She takes so much momentum from her approach and carries that power over to the ball. She is a player with an enormous amount of patience and discipline.