Recruiting Notebook: Live Eye Prospect Look at 2022s
I have the privilege of being able to see volleyball from plenty of angles. Attending an event, running an event, or even coaching at an event (Shoutout to those 9th grade and JV Volleyball coaches and athletes out there!). This…
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Continue ReadingI have the privilege of being able to see volleyball from plenty of angles. Attending an event, running an event, or even coaching at an event (Shoutout to those 9th grade and JV Volleyball coaches and athletes out there!). This past month I was able to see matches for the Wisconsin alternate high school season which ended in a championship, a showcase in Indianapolis, and Battle in the Valley in Appleton, Wi. I was able to see athletes from seven states without going to a National Qualifier. This was all in a pretty small setting where I was able to really watch and take notes. I use the term “live eye” meaning I have seen them play live. Not a video, not something on social media, IRL “In Real Life”. I am happy to report out on what I’ve seen the past month and what college coaches can take a look at heading into the summer recruiting period.
What’s Next In May?
Northern Lights Qualifier, Prep Dig Gauntlet at Milwaukee Sting, and a full study guide for those coaches who have not recruited in 16 months.
The Class of 2022
Middle Blockers
Kaitlin Fasbender – Academy 17-1 Tsunami
Prep Dig indy Spring Showcase
Fassbender might have been the most exciting player in the past month that I was able to see live. She is electric out of the middle and has such a grit to her style of play. She’s aggressive and physical at the net. At just over 6’0 tall, she’s got to be touching ten feet and is still extremely raw, but what she brings that you can’t teach is her edge to compete. She has plenty of athleticism and strength to compete at a high level and is also a top tier student as well. She will have plenty of options at the next level.
Berkley Mischler – Milwaukee Sting 17 Gold
Wisconsin Alternate Season
I was able to watch Mischler win an alternate state title for Appleton North. Mischler is long, athletic, and is a major presence as a middle blocker. She plays club for Sting 17 Gold and is accustomed to high level competition as well as top tier training for club and high school. She can change the game with how the other side has to know where she is at all times.
Kierney McDonald – Iowa Select 17 Mizuno
Battle in the Valley
I’ve written McDonald’s name plenty of times in the past few days. She plays for Iowa Select out of the Quad Cities and has gotten better each time she has stepped on the court. Big time point scorer and has a major presence with her block as well. Another middle on McDonald’s team this past weekend was Noelle Smith who typically plays on Iowa Select 17-Baden. Very strong athlete.
Jocelin Feutz – Impact 18 National
Wisconsin Alternate Season
This is a major hidden gem that is under the radar, but has a major upside. Feutz is out of Pulaski High School just West of Green Bay and is a 6’0 middle blocker who can really swing. She played a key part to the success of Impact 18 National who won the Winter Girls Championship in Indy and had a strong club season.
Outside/Pin Hitters
Brianna Cantrell – FC Elite 18 Elite
Cantrell was also on the Appleton North squad who won a state title and then went with her FC Elite 18 Elite squad to finish in the top eight of 18 Open at USAV’s in Columbus. Cantrell is the top available player in Wisconsin. As a six rotation outside she can score points from everywhere, she is dangerous out of the backrow with how she can pass and attack to score with ease.
Coming off an All State Alt Season, 2022 pin Olivia Sullivan scoring points for Impact 17 National pic.twitter.com/QboRTlhrT2
— Chris Fitzgerald (@PrepDigChris) May 1, 2021
Olivia Sullivan – Impact 17 National
Wisconsin Alternate Season/Battle in the Valley
Sullivan got an Honorable Mention All-State nod playing for Notre Dame Academy out of Green Bay. She also plays for Impact 17 National out of Appleton where she is on the pin and has also had to play a little bit of middle with some injuries on the squad. Sullivan has solid hand contact and is a major point scorer with how she can take what the defense gives her going line, cross, or a drop over the block.
Amaya Lowry – Academy 17-1 Tsunami
Indy Spring Showcase
In order to be successful at the next level, attackers have to be able to be effective and efficient out of system and that is what I noticed most out of Lowry. She can play all the way around, on either pin, and knows how to swing when its a scramble situation or off the net. A lot of attackers look great when its a lob to the outside, but Lowry looks good with its off the net as well.
Avery Pennekamp – Balance VBC (WI)
Wisconsin Alternate Season
Pennekamp has a ton of athleticism. Some of the pictures I was able to capture were looking photoshopped with how much space was between her feet and the floor. She was a key piece to the McFarland High School run to the final four where she was an outside hitter. Every time she approaches and swings, its always exciting to watch with how she can let her athleticism take over to score points.
Ella Buddenhagen – Milwaukee Sting 17 Gold
Wisconsin Alternate Season
Buddenhagen is a six rotation outside for Sting 17 Gold and Kimberly High School. A high motor, high academic athlete, Buddenhaggen is well trained and knows what it takes to compete at a high level. She was on the Kimberly squad that fell just short of a state tournament appearance losing to Appleton North in the Sectional Final.
Estelle Harsh – Impact 17 Black
Battle In The Valley
For our scouting squad out of Wisconsin, we were captivated by Harsh’s performance at the Battle in the Valley in Appleton this past weeked playing for Impact 17 Black out of the St. Paul, MN area. Harsh can score from the front and backrow where she moves so easily from passing to attacking. She has great court vision and knows where to find the open spots. She was new to all of us heading into the weekend, but is now on the radar.
Setters
Madison Kmetz – Michio Chicago 17 National
Indy Spring Showcase
Kmetz was the top setter I saw this past month live out of the Class of 2022 where she really stood out at the Indy Spring Showcase. Great footwork, smooth release, and makes the game look pretty easy. She connected extremely well with players that she hasn’t played with before. She had a major presence on the court. She plays her high school ball out of Indiana and club for Michio out of Chicago and will be one to watch once D1 schools can get back in the gyms.
Maddy Fortune – Balance 17s VBC
Wisconsin Alt Season
Hard nosed and a tough athlete, Fortune ran the show for McFarland High School enroute to their state tournament run for Wisconsin’s alternate season. She’s quick, reads her passers to anticipate the next move, and is a total floor general. She plays for Balance 17s which comprises top athletes out of the Madison, WI area. Fortune is a strong multi-sport athlete.
Cadence Maxfield – Impact 17 National
Wisconsin Alt Season/Battle in the Valley
Maxfield brings a physical style to the court where she is a solid defender in the backrow and isn’t afriad to be offensive at the net. She has connected plenty of times with club and high school teammate Olivia Sullivan for Notre Dame Academy and Impact 17 National. She was also an All State member of the Wisconsin Alternate Season.
Elise Gillen – Wisconsin Premier 17 National
Battle in the Valley
Gillen is so smooth. She is a conductor and I’ve used plenty of adjectives to describe her style of play, but she just gets it done. Watching Gillen play, she won’t be overly offensive, but she knows how to get her attackers in the right spot to score points as well as defending her position extremely well. Wisconsin Premier 17 National had a huge month and will be looking to build momentum heading into the summer.
Libero/DS
Madisen Miller – Sting 17 Gold
Wisconsin Alt Season
Miller is a gamechanger from the libero position where she is able to get the offense started from the first contact. She can take pace off the ball, serve receive, but where she excels the most is being extremely active picking up the tips, block coverage, and seeing the scramble and finding another rally for her team. She will have a big summer ahead of her where she will be playing at Triple Crown and USAV Nationals in Vegas with Sting.
Libero Madisen Miller has been making huge plays all night. Uncommitted 2022 plays club for @stingvb1988 17 Gold
North 23
Manty 20 pic.twitter.com/whixv7USWp— Chris Fitzgerald (@PrepDigChris) April 18, 2021
Livia Thomsen – Iowa Select 17 Mizuno
Battle In The Valley
Thomsen is so smooth with what she does from the libero position. She was able to wear the ‘bro jersey for the Battle in the Valley and was solid, steady, and dependable. We all need teammates like that, but we want the libero to definitely have those adjectives. Iowa Select 17 Mizuno has weapons all over and Thomsen is the smooth criminal of a team full of powerful attackers.