Iowa 2024 Feature Series: Relentless Defenders
In today’s Iowa 2024 feature, we’re talking about another position that has recently been stacked with talent in the Hawkeye State. Bring on the defensive specialists. Pin hitters and setters have already been in the spotlight, and those features have…
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Continue ReadingIn today’s Iowa 2024 feature, we’re talking about another position that has recently been stacked with talent in the Hawkeye State. Bring on the defensive specialists.
Pin hitters and setters have already been in the spotlight, and those features have been a “who’s who” in Iowa’s Class of 2024. Big names are really starting to separate themselves and produce standout moments this year. That trend isn’t slowing down with the defensive specialists we’re discussing here.
So, here are just a few of the Iowa backcourt standouts I’ve been able to see in this action-packed 2022 season.
Holding the End Line
It’s hard to know where to start here.
Perhaps we begin with Finley Schelhaas, a defensive specialist that I’ve scouted at a variety of showcases and club events. There’s so much to like about what Schelhaas brings to Iowa PowerPlex 16U Black lineup. She plays low to the floor, can cover line or crosscourt, and also brings some light-hearted energy that regularly propels PowerPlex through close matches.
Club Ignit Select 16 Blue also has a couple of standout defenders to point out here. Megan Rembert Megan Rembert 5'8" | DS/L Ankeny | 2024 State IA is about as active and agile as any libero you’ll see in Iowa’s 2024 class. She constantly moves to get her feet to the ball and fills in any seams in 16 Blue’s floor defense. I’ve also seen a lot of improvement from Rembert’s second-ball contacts, as she consistently puts up hittable balls even when her team is out of system. Rembert is surely not the only name to know in 16 Blue’s backcourt, though, as Ashley Staun Ashley Staun 5'5" | DS/L Dowling Catholic | 2025 IA and Sydney Bilyeu have each had their moments in the spotlight this spring. I’m prepared to watch a lot more from this CIS group in the near and distant future.
Let’s bring Iowa Rockets 16R into this conversation. There’s a dynamic duo here, too, with Alyse Klinkkammer Alyse Klinkkammer 5'6" | DS/L West Branch | 2024 State IA and Natalee Hartman Natalee Hartman 5'7" | DS/L Marion | 2024 State IA anchoring the back row for Rockets. I’ve been impressed with how 16R lets the strengths of these two athletes flourish. Hartman holds down serve receive in zone 6 for this squad, while Klinkkammer thrives in the deep corners and picks up anything coming in the crosscourt. So, mark this down as another Iowa squad that will usually be led by good ball control.
Our discussion on Rockets doesn’t end here, though. Meg Berkland Meg Berkland 5'6" | DS/L Clear Creek Amana | 2024 State IA is playing up with 17R this year and has had fabulous showings on some of the biggest club stages in the Midwest. The way she leads 17R’s defense would never lead you to believe she’s younger than the 17s players around her. This is indicative of the confidence Berkland has in her ability, and she always plays without hesitation. I’m incredibly thankful to have been acquainted with this Iowa Rockets squad during my club travels.
Iowa Select 16 Mizuno has also shown its passing prowess at the events I’ve visited this year. While Illinois’ Kaiah Boudi often holds down the libero spot for this 16 Mizuno, Bettendorf product Annika Shevela has also been a standout in her defensive specialist role. She can lock down either middle-back or right-back and shows some great confidence in both areas of the court.
Of course, we can’t forget about Six Pack. Morgan Block has recently been making some big plays in her defensive specialist role and has a knack for defending zone 1 with great intensity. She works well in tandem with her fellow backcourt players, making this a tough Six Pack team to score against. That was a harbinger of success at the Show Me Qualifier earlier this year, and this won’t be the last I see from this group at a major national event.