Top Moments That Were The Prep Dig Top 250
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There were so many times throughout the Top 250 where I just said, “Wow”! Sometimes it was a series of plays, one big swing, or a crazy dive that kept the ball alive, and I felt like I was scrambling…
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Continue ReadingThere were so many times throughout the Top 250 where I just said, “Wow”! Sometimes it was a series of plays, one big swing, or a crazy dive that kept the ball alive, and I felt like I was scrambling to take notes, videos, and pictures of ALL the amazing action. But in the end, these players/groups are what stood out and stuck. I could probably make this an eight-part series, but I will try to stick to some BIG highlights that were the 2020 Prep Dig Top 250.
Claire Ammeraal Claire Ammeraal 6'0" | S Madison LaFollette | 2022 State #179 Nation WI Is A Total Game Changer
Ammeraal (2022 – 6’1 – Setter – Madison La Follette – Capital) has been on our radar since the inception of Prep Dig Wisconsin. Her first big moment may have been the first time she made the Badger High Performance Camp. Ammeraal is a long, athletic, physical setter who knows just how to pick apart the defense with her attacking, jump setting, and finding the right angles. I have no doubt her stats are impressive. Ammeraal will be a HUGE pickup for any college program and I can’t wait to see where she chooses to go.
Crossing Borders
I’m always excited to see our Wisconsin kids, but we had quite a few players that came from other states to participate in our event. Lily Bechina Lily Bechina 5'11" | S Jones College Prep | 2022 State IL (2022 – 5’11 – Setter – Jonas College Prep – Chicago Elite) was part of a good size group from Illinois that came to play, including Lily Boland (2022 – 5’5 – Libero – Loyola Academy – Chicago Elite) who showed the gym how it’s done when playing hand-to-hand combat with a crazy hand dig which scored a point for her side. Cailyn Harrington (2022 – 5’6 – Setter – Saint Vaitor – MOD VBC) moves super smooth, gets her feet to the ball and has a fast armswing, while Tricia Kennedy (2023 – 6’2 – Middle Blocker – Cary Grove – Sky High) showed us her booming swing.
Kiya Levy Kiya Levy 6'0" | MB St. Ignatius College Prep | 2022 State IL (2022 – 6’0 – Middle Blocker – St. Ignatius College Prep – Chicago Elite VBC) has a heavy swing that just gave off a different sound when she contacted the ball out of the middle, along with an explosive Saniya Spalding (2022 – 5’10 – Middle Blocker – Merrillville – Chicago Elite). One of the best setters in the gym during the second session was Ava Schabes (2023 – 5’9 – Setter – Chicago – 1st Alliance VBC), while from Iowa we had Maggie Johnson (2024 – 5’10 – Middle Blocker – Assumption HS Davenport – Iowa Select) who showed off her explosive quick armswing.
Masters of Middle Back
Loving how @ellademetrician made this dig look easy at the Top 250 Expo pic.twitter.com/Kh3aJaR8hk
— PrepDigRachel (@prepdigrachel) November 26, 2020
I’ve seen Ella Demitrician play plenty of times over the past couple of months, and her contact point and swings from the pin are some of the best in the state. In game play, opposing hitters were trying to hit the corners, but she was owning the deep court and making it look so effortless, Isabelle Shea (2024 – Libero – Oshkosh West – FC Elite) gave 110% hustle and gets so many amazing touches to keep the ball in play. Alexah Mellenberger Alexah Mellenberger 5'8" | OH New Glarus | 2021 State WI (2021 – 5’8 – Pin Hitter – New Glarus – Capital) showed us great court movement and that she is crazy fast with super hustle to cover 75% of the court.
Alia Schlimgen Alia Schlimgen 5'5" | DS/L Sauk Prairie | 2022 State WI (2023 – 5’5 – Libero – Sauk Prairie – Capital) operates so smoothly and hustles to cover both corners, as well as diving for the short shot to keep the ball in play. I was lucky enough to officiate Gilman a couple times this year and got to see Gracie Tallier Gracie Tallier 5'7" | DS/L Gilman | 2023 State WI (2023 – 5’7 – Libero – Wisconsin Ice), and she is such a quick defender. Tallier can get balls that no one else can.
I’ve been able to see Dylan Wall Dylan Wall 5'8" | DS/L SPASH | 2021 State WI (2021 – 5’8 – Pin Hitter – SPASH – One Wisconsin) play in a grass quads league, as well as at some Fall Tournaments, and I’ve seen how tenacious she can be on defense. Wall does not let a ball drop without extreme hustle. Elle Kennedy (2024 – 5’5 – Libero – Sheboygan North – Milwaukee Sting) is skilled and shows a ton of energy and hustle to get the job done. I love seeing new faces, or nowadays, eyes. Georgia Koscielak (2024 – 5’6 – Libero – WFB – Milwaukee Sting) is new on my radar and she is super scrappy, will play any position you want, and just goes after it.
Reaching New Heights
When I think of highflyers, I can’t help but think back to players like Lexi Donarski Lexi Donarski 5'11" | OH La Crosse Aquinas | 2020 State WI of whom we’ve captured pictures at the State Tournament with her shoulders over the net. I was so impressed by some of the explosive athletes we saw at the Top 250. You just can’t ignore these players because they are playing way above the tape. Berkley Mischler Berkley Mischler 6'1" | MB Appleton North | 2022 State WI (2022 – 6’1 – Middle Blocker – Milwaukee Sting) has been a high contact player out of Appleton North, but joining her last weekend were players like Abbi Martin (2022 – 6’0 – Middle Blocker – Mosinee – Wisconsin Ice), Monika Stevens Monika Stevens 6'0" | MB Little Chute | 2023 WI (2023 – 6’1 – Middle Blocker – Little Chute – FC Elite), and Gwen Crull Gwen Crull 6'2" | MB McFarland | 2023 State WI (2023 – 6’1 – Middle Blocker – McFarland – Balance) who have grown from defensive blockers to dynamic offensive threats.
Top Talent
There was so much talent in the gym for both sessions it was almost overwhelming. There are so many elite athletes who will be looking for a college program to call home and extend their playing careers four more years. It was just fun to see top recruits such as Molly Lawlis Molly Lawlis 5'10" | MB Pacelli | 2021 State WI (2021 – 5’10 – Middle Blocker – Pacelli – Wisconsin Ice) with the super fast armswing and hard cutting angle. Then there is Sydney Lewellin Sydney Lewellin S Lake Mills | 2022 State WI (2022 – 5’11 – Setter – Lake Mills – Milwaukee Sting) who has great hands, a wicked lefty swing, and always a killer instinct and can really do anything. Then there are the two big swings from the class of 2023 that make everything look easy, have a high contact point, and a monster swing from Kyla Dunaway Kyla Dunaway 6'4" | RS Kimberly | 2023 State WI (6’3 – Pin Hitter – Kimberly – Milwaukee Sting) and Kennedy Martin (6’5 – Pin Hitter – De Pere – FC Elite).