Noobs to the Rankings; Not As Noob As You Might Think
Our lives at Prep Dig are simple. First, make rankings. Second, talk about rankings. Third, find more kids that may or may not be seen on a regular basis and add them to the rankings. There are other articles, for…
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Continue ReadingOur lives at Prep Dig are simple. First, make rankings. Second, talk about rankings. Third, find more kids that may or may not be seen on a regular basis and add them to the rankings. There are other articles, for sure, but most of what we do is talk about kids that aren’t committed to schools to give them an opportunity that they might not normally get, and put those into a comparative ranking system that allows those kids to have a future in the sport that we all love.
With that being said, here are the ten “noobs” to my most recent 2021 rankings for the state of Indiana. The reason I titled this article as I did is because they’re new to ME, not new to the game. Each of these kids have recently been found on each of the programs listed. It is important to note that the pandemic has definitely limited the visibility of some of these players, so bear with me if you already know these kids from your area. Let’s get started!
#20: Lourdes Torres Lourdes Torres 5'9" | OH Munster | 2021 State IN , 5-9, OH, Munster
A six-rotation, all go, no quit outside hitter starts this article. She trains up at Michio Chicago, which makes sense, since some would consider Munster a suburb of Chicago. Add to it that she’ll probably have to shoulder the majority of the offensive load in the fall, and at first glance, you’ll see why.
#38: Libby Steinhart Libby Steinhart 5'7" | DS/L Mount Vernon (Posey) | 2021 State IN , 5-7, DS, Mount Vernon (Posey)
This Evansville United player can play any position in the back row and has, on occasion, been forced into action as an attacker. Libby has a high volleyball IQ, and will fit easily in multiple roles at most levels in college.
#46: Lauren Baker Lauren Baker 5'11" | OH Penn | 2021 State IN , 5-11, OH, Penn
I found this kid while watching her “Quarantine Grind” vlog she posted recently. Lauren is an engaging character and a gym/track rat. A primary passing outside who loves sprint workouts? And she drives over an hour to play club under Lloy Ball at Team Pineapple ? Me thinks this kid wants to play at the next level.
#59: Emma Hirchak Emma Hirchak 5'11" | OH Garrett | 2021 State IN , 5-11, OH, Garrett
Another Team Pineapple kid, this time courtesy of their recruiting coordinator, Pat Tolin. Garrett is “stuck” in the Angola sectional until further notice, and their last match of the 2019 season didn’t end well. Emma will be relied upon to carry the offensive load this fall. Hopefully, she gets a little help.
#65: Asia Crim Asia Crim 5'5" | DS/L Loogootee | 2021 State IN , 5-5, DS, Loogootee
Pronounced Luh-GO-tee, this libero-to-be travels over an hour and a half to club practice at Circle City three times a week to get exceptional training. Her ball control is smooth, and always seems to be where the ball is.
#66: Sadie Brenneman Sadie Brenneman 5'8" | OH Bethany Christian | 2021 State IN , 5-8, OH, Bethany Christian
Sadie is from a slew of athletes in her family, and has her own website to amplify her recruiting. Don’t call her undersized; because of her jumping ability (9-8?!?), she’s been forced to play middle, and is fully capable of doing so. Her future, however, is on the left pin, where she can be inserted from day one as a primary passing OH.
#82: Gabby Fish Gabby Fish 5'9" | RS Fort Wayne Carroll | 2021 State IN , 5-9, RS, Fort Wayne Carroll
This lefty thumper can hit in multiple spots along the front row and is getting great training from Team Pineapple ‘s staff. Another gem given to me by Coach Tolin. Carroll will definitely reap the benefits of her efforts.
#86: Kaitlyn Bair, 5-8, OH, Alexandria-Monroe
Undersized and under appreciated, Kaitlyn is the six-rotation OH that’s actually better on defense than offense. Projecting to be an O2 at the next level, I like her athleticism to turn mediocre sets into points for her team.
#96: Techiya Jackson Techiya Jackson 6'0" | MB New Haven | 2021 State IN , 6-0, MB, New Haven
A raw, natural athlete who’s only going to get better with reps and time. She’s just as effective in front of the setter as behind, and probably projects into an M1 at the next level.
#118: Madison Blickenstaff Madison Blickenstaff 5'11" | OH Pioneer | 2021 State IN , 5-11, OH, Pioneer
Forced to be a middle at the high school level, she’s probably a big right side or a three-rotation OH recruit. But even during her junior year, she had to step in on serve receive, which means the six-rotation option isn’t far behind. This is a raw, untapped talent that will surprise a few folks once she gets some more high-level training.