Everything is Definitely Bigger in Texas Vol. 6
In the last article we discussed three talented players from all over Texas that are prototypical height players that college coaches love to have on their rosters. You are about to meet three young ladies who are all in the…
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Continue ReadingIn the last article we discussed three talented players from all over Texas that are prototypical height players that college coaches love to have on their rosters. You are about to meet three young ladies who are all in the 2023 class. Since Texas has its fair share of players over 6 feet tall, I figured I would spread this article around the state a little. Without further ado, here are the players in volume 6.
Stephanie Gutierrez Stephanie Gutierrez 6'1" | OH Boswell | 2023 State #157 Nation TX [2023] 6-1 Middle (HS: Boswell/Club: Texas Advantage/ Verbal: Uncommitted)
Stephanie is the 17th ranked prospect in the 2023 Class according to our Prep Dig State Rankings. She is a very polished middle blocker for her age that plays out of the North Texas area. She plays very big above the net and is a great defender and an even better attacker. We have her ranked pretty high on our rankings and believe she is the real deal. She hits every set on the middle spectrum and is able to score in a variety of ways with each. I love how strong her upper body is at such a young age. She has such a high ceiling within the position, which means she is going to get a lot better over the years. She reaches high when attacking and gives her setters a great target. Stephanie plays for a great club in TAV, which routinely pumps out collegiate prospects year in and year out. I love how ready she is to attack on quick sets, but she excels in her slide the most. If she is this comfortable running the one foot take-off at an early age, the volleyball world better watch out because Stephanie is coming for ya. We are excited that we get to watch her grow in the sport for the next three years.
Kate Hansen Kate Hansen 6'3" | MB Weatherford | 2023 State #67 Nation TX [2023] 6-2 Middle (HS: Weatherford/Club: TAV/Verbal: Uncommitted)
Miss Hansen comes in as the 19th ranked prospect in the 2023 Class according to our Prep Dig State Rankings. She has been a starter on her varsity high school program since bursting onto the scene last year. She is a very lengthy and strong middle in the North Texas area as well. She was with Skyline but has made the switch to TAV for this coming season. Kate is able to run crossing patterns very well already and is a huge target for her setters. She hits very high and is able to score in both corners well. She is also able to play on both pins and in the back row as well. I love her offensive weapons that she shows on all tempos across the net. She is a huge block no matter where you use her on the front row. This ability to showcase her all-around play is one of the primary reasons that she is ranked so high on our list. If she improves like I think she will, she is on the course to move up the rankings over the next couple of years.
Kennedy Kays Kennedy Kays 6'2" | OH Bridgeland | 2023 State TX [2023] 6-1 Outside/Right Side (HS: Bridgeland/Club: Houston Skyline/Verbal: Uncommitted)
Kennedy comes in as the 21st ranked prospect in the 2023 Class according to our Prep Dig State Rankings. She is listed at six foot one but the length in her arms make it look like she is playing at six foot four. As a left side hitter, she excels in all attacks that a pin hitter should execute. When she plays on the right side, it is lights out with her three step approach. On the left side pin, she likes to get deep at her touch point and uses a four step approach which helps her fly into the air. It is this understanding of different timing on each set that tells me how high her volleyball IQ is. She is coached very well at Houston Skyline which is one of the premier programs in the state. I have a strong feeling that Kennedy will move up the rankings as the years go by. She has all of the tools to be a fantastic player that all colleges will be looking at soon.
Be on the lookout for the rest of this series as we tap into more players who are blessed to be tall and play with such great skills. Stay tuned for more players in our next article. If you have any other players you think we should highlight, please email me at nov8vb@yahoo.com. Thank you so much for following our publication and don’t forget to share them on social media with your friends/followers.