11 Athletes Who Caught My Eye at the 18 Elite BRPL
When I swung by the Badger Region Power League on Saturday, there was a ton of top talent on every court. There were some athletes from various positions, teams, and ages that really stood out from start to finish. They…
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Continue ReadingWhen I swung by the Badger Region Power League on Saturday, there was a ton of top talent on every court. There were some athletes from various positions, teams, and ages that really stood out from start to finish. They made a huge difference on their team no matter what the score was.
Here are some of the athletes who impressed me at the 18 Elite/Regional Badger Region Power League.
Claire Peplinski – Southwest 18 Blue – Right Side – 2022
Claire was a go-to hitter on this team. She provided both power and consistency on the right side. Claire is a lefty who has a good vertical and high snap on the ball. She received a lot of sets during the day and earned many points for her team.
Cate Yunker Cate Yunker 5'10" | S The Prairie School | 2023 State WI – Wisconsin Juniors 17-1 – Setter – 2023
Cate stood out because she moved the ball around very well and was impactful for her team. She was consistent and had clean and crisp form. She was hard to read and gave her hitters great balls. Cate was also gritty on defense and an all-around impressive athlete.
Amaris Williams – Adversity 17-1 – Libero – 2022
Amaris is a scrappy libero who gets a touch on a lot of balls. She is not afraid to throw herself across the court to make a defensive move and seems to take up a lot of space with her defensive range. She also has a great serve that puts opponents out of system.
Sloane Freitag Sloane Freitag 5'8" | OH Hartford | 2023 State WI – Milwaukee Juniors 17 Elite – Outside Hitter – 2023
Sloane has a great swing out of both the front and back row. Her setter used her in all six rotations. Sloane had good ball control. She knew when to find a good shot for a ball and when she should swing away. She was also valuable on defense and serve receive.
Madison Cimbalnik – Wisconsin Juniors 17- Elite – Setter – 2023
Madison is a solid setter who has great hands and makes very smart decisions as a setter. She has a very good serve and went on runs nearly every time she went to the service line. Madison also has a great jump set which is hard to read.
Mia Anderson – Midwest Penguins 17 Black – Middle – 2024
At 6’2” Mia has a huge presence at the net. She is playing up a year and has a ton of potential to be a very impactful middle. Mia makes smart hits toward the corner and puts some fire behind the ball. She also puts up a massive block to help her team defensively.
Lauren Duenkel – Wisconsin Juniors 17-Elite – Outside Hitter – 2023
Lauren was a fierce competitor on the court. She went on huge service runs and was equally as effective on serve receive. She was great on out-of-system balls and always seemed to be able to find a good spot on the court to put a ball. Lauren was a fun pin to watch because she was always engaged on the court.
Sophia Schneider Sophia Schneider 5'10" | S Waterloo | 2023 State WI – FC Elite 17 White – Setter – 2023
Sophia is one of the grittiest athletes on the court. She can dig deep in any situation and make a play. She is also incredibly smart and fast. As a setter, she is a leader on her team and can contribute points from the service line and on offense. Sophia is a well-rounded athlete who has great court awareness and isn’t afraid to take risks on the court.
Isabella Ricci – FC Elite 17 White – Middle – 2023
Isabella is a solid middle with a great vertical and fast arm swing. She hit very well off of Sophia Schneider Sophia Schneider 5'10" | S Waterloo | 2023 State WI and was aggressive with her shots. Isabella was a valuable asset to this team on offense and defense. She put up a solid block and worked to be open for a set on every play.
Olivia Bartels Olivia Bartels 5'8" | S Lakeside Lutheran | 2023 State WI – River City 17 Blue – Setter – 2023
Olivia Bartels Olivia Bartels 5'8" | S Lakeside Lutheran | 2023 State WI is an underrated setter in this grade. She has great hands and a high volleyball IQ. She balances making smart sets and taking risks very well and really customizes her sets to her hitters. She is also gritty on defense. Olivia has a natural composure to her which makes her a great leader on the court.
Jada Henry – Midwest Penguins 17 Black – Libero – 2023
Jada is a consistent and passionate athlete who is always giving 100% on every play. She works well with her teammates and keeps the ball alive even on tough defensive plays. Jada works very hard on the court and is very dedicated to her team and trying to better the ball.
Please note that not all rosters have been uploaded yet because it is early in the season! There are a lot of athletes who will be getting some great coverage as the season goes on especially as rosters continue to come in!