Prep Dig State Ranking 2023 Stock Risers vol 2
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We are proud of our second update to the 2023 Class. We have grown to almost 100 athletes and the following players have made some serious moves on the list. It is through their play during this past season that…
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Continue ReadingWe are proud of our second update to the 2023 Class. We have grown to almost 100 athletes and the following players have made some serious moves on the list. It is through their play during this past season that has helped us decide who should be where on the rankings. We always say that it is not an exact science, however proving it on the court in their position always helps solidify the analysis. We will be profiling players who were previously ranked in the state, but through great play, they made some serious moves up the rankings. Without further ado, here are a few players who moved up:
Alyssa Manitzas Alyssa Manitzas 5'2" | DS/L Cornerstone | 2023 State #85 Nation TX [2023] 5-1 Libero (HS: Reagan/Club: Alamo/Verbal: Uncommitted)
Alyssa was originally ranked as the 29th best player on our 2023 Prep Dig State Rankings but we have moved her up to the 18th overall prospect and the number 1 libero in the state. We have written about her a couple of times since we launched in the spring, but we have really paid attention to her play during this high school season. Though only a sophomore, Alyssa plays like a senior. I have watched her personally in a tough match and believe me when I tell you that this one is a gamer. She never gets rattled no matter the opponent or the score. For a younger player to be as cool, calm, and collected as she is during a big match says everything about her future. This young lady is destined for greatness on the court and in life. As far as her skill-set is concerned she excels on both the defensive side of the ball and in serve reception. I love two things about her technique the most. The spacing and control of her platform while playing the ball allow her to create amazing angles to deliver to her setter. The second thing I love is her footwork. She is always balanced while moving without the ball and it helps during contact. Alyssa is extremely skilled and solid. While the oohs and aahs happen for the big swings, every college coach will drool over her play if they see her in person. I will be watching her career on the court very closely. We are excited to see her club team this season.
Emma Patmon Emma Patmon 5'8" | OH Cedar Ridge | 2023 State TX [2023] 5-8 Outside (HS: Cedar Ridge/Club: Austin Skyline/ Verbal: Uncommitted)
Emma has made the biggest jump in the rankings of everyone in her class. She was originally the 66th ranked prospect but after more research and seeing her updates this season we have moved her up to the 30th best prospect in the State of Texas in the 2023 class according to Prep Dig. We wrote an article on her in July and we said the following, “She has burst on the scene but we think she has a bright future ahead of her. Players like Emma are why I love to coach the game. She plays volleyball the way it was meant to be played. Emma has more heart and determination than a lot of players I have seen. She is a smaller player in size but don’t let that fool you, because this young lady can FLY on the court. And when she is in the air you will be wowed by how much power she has. Emma will slide up our rankings soon as she has promised me that she is going to work hard on her vertical this coming year. Her stats speak for themselves and she has a very high ceiling as she is under the direction of a great program at her Austin Skyline club. She can do it all. She plays exceptional defense in he back row and covers so much ground due to her quick feet. I absolutely love her motor and can’t wait to watch her high school season and see how far she moves up our rankings. Keep your eye on this young lady as she will be a great find for a college program in the next few years.” I said it once and I will say it again…don’t sleep on the smaller outsides. Players with a hang time like Emma are so explosive on the court and it is difficult for the opposition to time the block. As I wrote in the previous article, Miss Patmon has the mind-set that you want in a player. You will not stop someone with a determination like hers. A lot of people talk a big game, but this kid backs it up. The scary part about it all is that she has a few more years to get even better. All I have to say is watch out anyone that goes up against her or doubts her. Meanwhile, I’m grabbing my popcorn and am going to love to watch her progression.
Taylor Polivka Taylor Polivka 5'11" | S Keller | 2023 State TX [2023] 5-11 Setter (HS: Keller/Club: Excel/Verbal: Uncommitted)
Miss Polivka made the second largest jump in the rankings as she was originally ranked 62nd and is now the 37th best prospect in the 2023 Class according to our Prep Dig State Rankings. Previously we wrote this about her, “After following Taylor over the last couple of months and truly analyzing her skills, she will be moving up the rankings in our next update for sure. She is a very skilled setter who has amazing accuracy on all locations and tempos. She has worked with some awesome coaches over her young career and it shows in her play. She is a very technical setter who showcases phenomenal attention to detail in her technique with contact and release. Her coaches should be proud of how hard she works and how much their training has transferred into game-like settings. The way she is able to get around on a ball that is out of position is usually only seen in older setters. I have a strong feeling that this young lady is destined for greatness in the setting position. However, don’t sleep on her attacking skills as she is a solid hitter in the front row as well. Everything about her is fluid and I cannot wait to see what she does in her high school career moving forward. Stay tune to see how far she moves up the rankings in November.” I predicted a big jump and it came true. She has done some amazing work this year and deserved the push up the rankings. She had 300 assists this year playing varsity and led her team to a playoff showing. She was also recognized as a AVCA phenom watch list. Please help us congratulate her on the big jump in the rankings.
Stay tuned for more articles on your favorite athletes. If you have anyone you think we should watch out for, please shoot me an email with some info at nov8vb@yahoo.com. Also don’t forget to help these kids get more exposure by sharing our stories with your friends. Help us help them by simply retweeting on Twitter or sharing on Facebook. Thanks for following Texas Family!