2025s Playing Up and Crushing The Competition
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Being a standout is tough, but to be a standout playing an age group up is special. Here are some athletes in the Class of 2025 who are doing just that playing up a level at the 16s Division. Many…
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Continue ReadingBeing a standout is tough, but to be a standout playing an age group up is special. Here are some athletes in the Class of 2025 who are doing just that playing up a level at the 16s Division. Many of these athletes will be playing in the 16 Open Division at USAV Championships in Indianapolis this summer. From there, it’s camp season – but still another year to talk with college coaches which will come for these athletes on June 15, 2023. I have seen all of these athletes live and have notes with a lot of notes coming before I realized they were playing up a level. Remember these names – they not only have a bright future, they are finding great success now!
Suli Davis Suli Davis 6'1" | OH Colleyville Heritage | 2025 State #9 Nation TX – Drive Nation 16 Red
Davis has a presence on the court where she plays beyond her hears. A 2025 who is one of the top players at the 16s level, Davis is someone who can play six rotations and is always a threat to score, she is just as deadly out of the backrow. She has all the shots and knows how to use the black. When she strikes then all it just sounds different, she’s that type of player. Her Drive Nation 16 Red squad qualified for 16 Open at Red Rock and will be a scary matchup come late June. She has another teammate who is an elite 2025 prospect in middle blocker, Zoe Gillen-Malveaux. These two are definitely on the radar among the best in Texa and the best in the country.
Madison Quest Madison Quest 6'3" | OH DSHA | 2025 State #13 Nation WI and Gabriella Pitcel Gabriella Pitcel 6'1" | MB Mukwonago | 2025 State #42 Nation WI – MKE 16 Gold
These two have been through a little bit of adversity in their jump up to the 16s level. They played on the Sting 14 Gold team who was a final four finisher at USAV 14 Open last season and battled some injuries this season. Now, they are healthy and building plenty of momentum where Sting 16 Gold punched their open ticket at the Windy City Qualifier with a healthy squad. Pitcel is the fast twitch middle blocker who flat out flies and Quest is a six rotation outside who can play on either pin with an extremely high IQ. Their next action will be at the Prep Dig Gauntlet that carries a loaded field with 1st Alliance, Northern Lights, Academy, Sky High, and Mission to name a few.
Abigail Mullen Abigail Mullen 6'3" | RS Liberty | 2025 State #3 Nation MO and Reese Messer Reese Messer 5'11" | S St. James | 2025 State #6 Nation KS – Dynasty 16 Adidas
The top team in the country with some of the best athletes in the Class of 2024 and 2025. Mullen can do it all where she has primarily played on the right side this season, but has the versatility and fundamentals to play on either pin. She has such great poise, she is under control, and plays within herself. What has been fun to watch is her development in the back court where she has shown she can handle the ball and is always a threat to score from the backcourt as well. Messer is a pure point guard on the court. She generates great momentum in being able to jump set and truly hit any tempo while remaining neutral. She also has the foot speed to get her hands to the ball out of system. What is amazing is how she does this with such ease. These two athletes don’t even have a drivers license and they have total control on the court.
Maya Witherspoon Maya Witherspoon 5'11" | OH Lafayette | 2025 State #44 Nation MO – Rockwood Thunder 16 Elite
Witherspoon is a highlight reel in the making. A lot of physicality and athleticism playing for the Rockwood Thunder 16 Elite team. I have seen Witherspoon thump it on the ten foot line off a quick tempo set off the middle and terminate with a high ball from the outside. She is the type of athlete who can terminate from any position, but her future just might be on the outside where she also has the ability to serve receive as well. Rockwood got their 16 Open bid at Big South and will be gearing up to face the top teams in the country with a well balanced attack.
@OTVAvolleyball 16 O Roberto holds off a fierce comeback bid from Drive Nation to win in three!
This last ball had to go to Amina N’diaye. Feed the hot hand to victory! pic.twitter.com/KT3tod0ILF
— Austin Kingsley (@KingsleyATK) March 19, 2022
Amina N’diaye – OTVA 16 Roberto
So smooth, N’diaye glides on the court as a six rotation outside hitter. She also jumps like a deer from the pin as well where she can do a lot of special things with her hangtime. I was able to see her live at the Northern Lights Qualifier where she was one of the top attackers in the 16s Division playing a year up, in fact a lot of these athletes were big time players at the Northern Lights Qualifier. N’diaye has had a strong season, but you can see where she has a major upside that is going to be scary as she continues to develop her game. She has the athleticism and length and once she brings on the physicality its going to be dangerous for the other side of the net.
Macaria Spears Macaria Spears 6'3" | OH Prestonwood Christian | 2025 State #5 Nation TX – Metro 16 Travel
Spears is going to be one that a lot of coaches will be eyeing over the next year. A lot of strength and physicality, Spears is a special athlete. The daughter of two former pro athletes, Spears has the blend of strength and finesse that allows her to be used in a variety of ways on the court. She has major power from the pins and can also be a threat from the backrow, along with being a steady passer. Metro got their 16 Open bid at Windy City and this team has a lot of depth and firepower which will make for an interesting matchup for plenty of teams.
Alea Goolsby Alea Goolsby 5'11" | OH St. Thomas Aquinas | 2025 State #36 Nation KS – KC Power 16-1
I was able to see Goolsby multiple times this season, but first impressions do last a while. KC Power was playing in a key sweet sixteen match of Triple Crown against Triangle and I was really impressed by the aggressive, hard swings of Goolsby, she went into her approach with a mentality that she was going to score. This was before I realized she was playing an age group up and was a 2025 prospect. This KC Power team is extremely gritty and all of their athletes have that killer instinct. They may not be the biggest team to take the court, but they play with no fear and a ton of energy and fire.
Annalise Grant – Six Pack 16-1
Quietly effective, Grant does all the things a great libero does and makes it look routine. I saw Grant play for Dowling Catholic in the Iowa’s Large Class (Class 5A) state tournament where the big stage looked routine for her. Grant has been a key piece for the the Six Pack 16-1 squad out of Cedar Falls, IA where they were in day three gold pools for MEQ, Show Me, and NLQ just missing out on an Open bid. Grant is solid in serve receive and with her quiet platform, just makes the plays to keep her side of the net in system.
Ava Harris Ava Harris 5'11" | S Angola | 2025 State IN – Team Pineapple 16 Black
Team Pineapple out of the Angola/Ft. Wayne, Indiana area has plenty of attackers on their 16 Black squad. Ava Harris Ava Harris 5'11" | S Angola | 2025 State IN is playing up on this squad and finds a variety of ways to get her attackers an open look. Harris connects extremely well with her middles and can get her pins a chance out of system. At 5’10, she can run a 5-1 and make her presence known at the net offensively and defensively.