Players to Watch at Iowa Top 250 Expo: Middle Blockers
Our preview series of the Iowa Top 250 Expo rolls on! We’re less than a week away from watching some of the best rising talents in the Midwest showcase their skills in Grimes. Be sure to check out our preliminary…
Access all of Prep Dig
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingOur preview series of the Iowa Top 250 Expo rolls on! We’re less than a week away from watching some of the best rising talents in the Midwest showcase their skills in Grimes.
Be sure to check out our preliminary look at some of the outside hitters slated to appear at this event. Like I pointed out in that preview, we expect to add plenty more athletes to the entry list in the coming days, and there’s no way these previews can be totally comprehensive. We’re here to discover some hidden gems!
Now, on to the middle blockers.
Sophia Deyak – 6’3 MB – Iowa City West – Class of 2023
Iowa City West is a fun team to watch, and Deyak is an important piece of that group. She brings some great length at the net and came up with some critical stuff blocks during the 2021 season. This middle is eager to grow her game during this upcoming club campaign.
Claudia Aschenbrenner Claudia Aschenbrenner 5'10" | OH Osage | 2023 State IA – 5’10 MB – Osage – Class of 2023
It’s exciting to see Aschenbrenner on the entry list, as she’s one of Iowa’s top 2023s regardless of position. She works incredibly hard in all phases of the game and hits some angles that are simply tough to defend. This is definitely one I’ll be watching on Saturday.
Kamryn Hilsabeck Kamryn Hilsabeck 6'0" | MB North Polk | 2023 State IA – 6’0 MB – North Polk – Class of 2023
Hilsabeck is a long, fluid player who could find success in a variety of positions. As a middle blocker, she’s often successful in front of the setter and will undoubtedly show her hitting range at the expo.
Megan Cooley – 5’11 MB – Gladbrook-Reinbeck – Class of 2023
Here’s another middle who had an incredibly productive 2021 season. Cooley put down nearly 300 kills on the year and is a difficult athlete to slow down when she’s in rhythm.
Averi Weichers Averi Weichers 6'2" | MB Waverly-Shell Rock | 2023 State IA – 6’2 MB – Waverly-Shell Rock – Class of 2023
Weichers made some huge strides in her junior campaign and became one of Iowa’s most efficient attackers with an impressive .385 season hitting percentage. Her long frame and quick arm is bound to draw some eyes at this event.
Layla Streeter – 5’10 MB – Durant – Class of 2024
Streeter was a big part of the Durant attack in 2021, and she is looking to raise her stock even further this winter. That may start at the Top 250 Expo, where is another athlete to watch among a field of talented middles.
Sarah Lester – 6’1 MB/OH – Indianola – Class of 2024
Lester is one of several players on this feature that can play in the middle or on the pin, and she should have an opportunity to put that versatility on display in Grimes. Overall, I’m excited to learn a lot more about what Iowa’s 2024 class has to offer.
Reagan Hanfelt – 5’11 MB – Ankeny – Class of 2025
It’s only fitting to end with a 2025 prospect, as many of them present unknowns that are soon to be answered. The Ankeny area has produced plenty of great middle blocker talent, and Hanfelt might be the next in line.