Five Great Middles Available In The Class Of ’24
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Moving right along, we have the bigs of the volleyball world, the middle blockers. All five of these have unique traits that make each of them very marketable and must-haves at the next level. Ella Boersema Ella Boersema 6'2" |…
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Continue ReadingMoving right along, we have the bigs of the volleyball world, the middle blockers. All five of these have unique traits that make each of them very marketable and must-haves at the next level.
Ella Boersema Ella Boersema 6'2" | MB Churubusco | 2024 State #178 Nation IN , 6-1, Churubusco
A Team Pineapple product, Ella is very fast in transition, long and lean, and terminates well. She’ll speed past the big, lumbering middles, and goes over the smaller blockers. Her length allows her to defend pin to pin, and always seems to get a touch on every attack. Although I’m a huge fan of how quick she gets up as an M2, she’s exceptional behind the setter as well.
Taylor Lewis Taylor Lewis 6'1" | OH Cathedral | 2024 State #179 Nation IN , 6-1, Cathedral
Big, strong and athletic. It’s been a while since I’ve said that about a middle from Cathedral, but Taylor fits that mold perfectly. Always ready to hit and relentless defending the net, Miss Lewis is a great M2 candidate for the next level. She can hit any angle in front of the setter, and works best with a setter that can make her reach high.
Scarlett Kimbrell Scarlett Kimbrell 6'0" | OH Franklin Community | 2024 State IN , 6-0 MB/OH, Franklin Community
I realize I put two different positions for Miss Kimbrell, and I didn’t put a position for anyone else. Hear me out, please. I’ve known her to be a middle since she burst on the scene as a freshman two years ago. Fast forward to this past Tuesday, and she’s a primary-passing outside for her high school program. Now, that doesn’t mean she’s NOT going to play middle in college, but she did lead the team with 15 kills in a sweep of Greenwood. An exceptional defending middle, she did show some rawness as a passer, but still hits a heavy ball and can get up with some of the best of them. I’m not sure what to put as her “primary position” in the rankings, but it’s nice to know that if I put either middle or outside, I’m not wrong.
Tiffany Snook Tiffany Snook 6'2" | MB Hamilton Southeastern | 2024 State #186 Nation IN , 6-2, Hamilton Southeastern
Speaking of recent matches, I had the pleasure of watching Miss Snook attack, defend and bomb away from the service line last night against New Palestine. They swept the Dragons, and has improved so much since I first saw her two years ago. Long and lean, she goes from pin to pin with ease on defense, and is always up to attack as an M2. The Royals run a 6-2, so I didn’t get to see a lot of one-footed attacks from Tiffany, but her length got her to a ton of balls that weren’t quite perfect.
Marlina Anderson Marlina Anderson 6'0" | MB North Central | 2024 State IN , 6-0, North Central
Marlina has probably the strongest upper body on this list, and she hits a heavy ball to prove that fact. She’s smart, coachable, has a relentless work ethic and her training at the Academy has increased her volleyball acuity quickly in the short time I’ve seen her play. As of this writing, I’m thinking she’s another M2 candidate at the next level, but I wouldn’t be surprised if she learns how to attack more efficiently off of one foot by the start of club season in January.