<p>Athletic defenders are a big part of the Class of 2023 in our <a href="https://prepdig.com/michigan/rankings/2023-rankings/">most recent rankings</a>.</p>
<p>Nine defenders cracked the top 40 and all have shown promise to play at the next level. Here's a look at those nine in order and what they've been able to bring to the floor.</p>
<p><strong>1. [player_tooltip player_id="66308" first="Kaitlyn" last="Hoffman"], Novi/Legacy:</strong> Hoffman is really showing her range this fall with a new team in Novi, as she's playing a mixture of outside hitter and DS. She's one of the team leaders in digs and still an elite passer, but also showing a consistent ability to finish at the net. Along with a strong serve, Hoffman is proving she's got a lot of tools in her toolkit.</p>
<p><strong>2. [player_tooltip player_id="66305" first="Lauren" last="Heming"], Marian/Legacy</strong>: Top-ranked Marian has an absolutely loaded offense, but it's the defensive play of Heming that is a big aid in allowing the Mustangs to run so smoothly. She's a third-year veteran for the Mustangs and really was an unsung hero in last year's state championship run.</p>
<p><strong>3. Kendall White, St. Johns/Five:1:</strong> White is another third-year varsity standout defender in this class. She's racked up over 1,000 digs in her prep career and is a very confident player in the back row. She's got the vision and instincts to push for 2,000 digs before her time in St. Johns is over.</p>
<p><strong>4. [player_tooltip player_id="66295" first="Allison" last="Berent"], Notre Dame Prep/Legacy:</strong> Berent is another in a line of great defenders for the NDP program. Like Hoffman, Berent has displayed the ability to play around the court when needed. She's got all the athleticism and composure to be great.</p>
[caption id="attachment_130403" align="alignright" width="187"]<img class="wp-image-130403" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2021/02/53_Kalliann-Cook2-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="187" height="187" /> Kalliann Cook[/caption]
<p><strong>5. Kalliann Cook, Birch Run/Michigan Elite</strong>: Cook is another great defensive veteran in this class that has a lot of varsity experience and has helped Birch Run get to great heights as a program. Cook is technically sound, always looking the ball into her arms, but also has the dedication to throw herself on the floor to make the tough digs.</p>
<p><strong>6. [player_tooltip player_id="108714" first="Taryn" last="Rice"], Northville/Michigan Elite:</strong> Like Notre Dame Prep, Northville is a defensive-rich program over the years and Rice is another great product from them. She has a great drive and desire to be the best. Her play is able to help raise the game of her teammates.</p>
<p><strong>7. [player_tooltip player_id="66333" first="Ella" last="Shields"], Mercy/Legacy:</strong> Shields is in for a bigger role this season with Mercy and she's gotten a lot of great teaching in previous season to help her get ready for the opportunity. Shields keeps her cool in a lot of pressure points and is able to get low to the ground to dig out the tough attacks.</p>
<p><strong>8. [player_tooltip player_id="108758" first="Kate" last="Hotaling"], Forest Hills Central/MVA:</strong> The Rangers are off to a good start to 2021 and a deep roster of defenders is a big reason why. Hotaling is in that mix and showing a lot of maturity this season. She's not trying to do too much in the back row, as everyone is able to handle their load. However, Hotaling is still able to break out the highlight-reel dig when time calls for it.</p>
<p><strong>9. [player_tooltip player_id="140477" first="Madi" last="Derby"], Allendale/FaR Out</strong>: Derby is able to get to the ball from a variety of angles. She uses her athleticism to find ways to make plays and keeps herself on her toes to be able to quickly explode to attacks.</p>
