2024 Updated Player Rankings: The Young Pins
With the release of the brand new 2024 player rankings last Friday, and the end of regional competition in Indiana, we go into the semi-state championships with most looking forward to club season, but with four high school teams in…
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Continue ReadingWith the release of the brand new 2024 player rankings last Friday, and the end of regional competition in Indiana, we go into the semi-state championships with most looking forward to club season, but with four high school teams in each of the four classes still remaining. Obviously, the great majority of the players we mention in this series of articles have completed their first high school season, they have SO much more to look forward to, including increased recruiting and higher-level club ball. Here is a short list of our favorite pin attackers.
Lauren Harden Lauren Harden 6'3" | OH Hamilton Southeastern | 2024 State #36 Nation IN , 6-2, OH, Hamilton Southeastern
Congrats to McCutcheon, knocking off the consensus #1 team in the state of Indiana in an epic five-set battle Saturday evening. The bad news for the rest of us is that we won’t get a chance to see Lauren play again until at least January. A six-rotation player, Lauren makes volleyball look easy. She’s smooth, jumps well, long and lean, and can do most everything with ease. Miss Harden actually led the Royals throughout the season in kills as a freshman. That’s saying a lot, considering the conference and the schedule she just finished.
Kamryn Utley Kamryn Utley 5'8" | S Cathedral | 2024 State IN , 5-7, OH, Lawrence North
From one extreme to the other, Kamryn did not see a lot of time on varsity because of the number of experienced pin attackers already on that squad. Miss Utley is, without a doubt, the highest-jumping attacker on this list, and she goes FAST. Another six-rotation player, she seemed even more effective from the back row as an attacker than the front, and her setter in high school (we’ll talk about her on Wednesday) located the ball very well for her. Combine a heavy arm with a relentless attacking attitude, and I’m really looking forward to what Kamryn brings to the table come January.
Morgan Gaerte Morgan Gaerte 6'4" | OH Angola | 2024 State #26 Nation IN , 6-4, RS, Angola
Most kids this size at this age look like newborn giraffes on the court. All arms and legs and awkward at best. Not Morgan. Coached by Lloy Ball in high school, Morgan can take over a match with ease in both the attack and the block. She jumps well, moves well, and is keen on knowing how to make her size an advantage by not trying to hit low against the blockers she goes against. I list her as a RS for obvious reasons; Morgan could play either pin at the next level. I’m really looking forward to her development as a passer in the coming months.
Lauren Evans Lauren Evans 6'0" | OH Carmel | 2024 State #136 Nation IN , 6-0, OH, Carmel
Our second Lauren and third freshman starting on varsity, Lauren was the centerpiece of a Greyhound squad that had exactly zero attacking (read: front row) seniors. She finished second in kills (269, 3.6 per set), third in aces (37, .5 per set) and second in digs (214, 2.9 per set). Not bad for a first-time varsity player. Miss Evans can easily play six rotations, and is only going to get stronger and more athletic. Here’s to hoping the training pushes her to the next level as such.
Melaina Hawblitzel Melaina Hawblitzel 5'10" | RS Warsaw | 2024 State IN , 5-10, RS, Warsaw
The third option on a solid Tiger program, Melaina could play either pin, as she was used at Warsaw HS. What intrigued me the most about her was her ability to play with control and smoothness. Yet another freshman seeing significant playing time on varsity, her club season should be interesting; she’s gone from Dunes to Boiler Juniors. Where does she land next?