Iowa Clubs Take On Presidents Day - Who Were The Gamechangers?

Iowa clubs were competing against some of the best in the country between Omaha, Kansas City, St. Louis, and more with Presidents Day being one of the biggest weekends when it comes to club volleyball. For Iowa, it also happens to fall during post season basketball which includes some late nights and athletes who are competing for a state tournament berth in basketball. I was in Omaha and Kansas City and between the two I was able to see quite a few teams. I apologize for some of the clubs I wasn’t able to get on their courts over the weekend, but I will be front and center at Iowa Regionals in March as well as other national qualifiers this season. Here are a few standouts to note from Iowa this past weekend. Phyonna Schrader - Nebraska Premier 16 Gold - Class of 2021 This team is loaded with Division 1 talent and Schrader, who preps at Ankeny is one making a huge impact at Premier. As a setter, she is in complete control of the show. She can attack, she is all wrists when she releases, and puts up an aggressive block. The future Notre Dame setter was in full swing (no pun intended) and was such a treat to watch in all six rotations. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> Hey don’t forget about #8 <a href="https://x.com/vballphy?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@vballphy</a> for <a href="https://x.com/Premier_VB?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Premier_VB</a> - the <a href="https://x.com/VB_Ankeny?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@VB_Ankeny</a> Iowa native is playing lights out. So fun to watch. Committed to <a href="https://x.com/NDvolleyball?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NDvolleyball</a> <a href="https://t.co/S2ym9ig6VB">pic.x.com/S2ym9ig6VB</a> — Chris Fitzgerald (@PrepDigChris) <a href="https://x.com/PrepDigChris/status/1097217542324740104?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 17, 2019</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> Allena Shimon - IPVA 17 Black - Setter - Class of 2020 Shimon runs the show for IPVA and connects extremely well with middle Kara Peter. The 2020 setter from Dowling Catholic has experience in the state tournament and also makes a deadly combination with fellow high school teammate, Anna Godfredson. Shimon has great feet and hands, emphasis on the quick and efficient movement of the feet which gets her in position to dish to the open hitter. Malea Daugherty - IPVA 17 Black - Outside Hitter - Class of 2020 IPVA 17 Black has a team full of athletes who have success in multiple sports. Their outside hitter, Malea Daugherty is another high caliber athlete who has experience in the state tournament with Ankeny High - most of these athletes for IPVA has finished their seasons at the US Cellular Center in Cedar Rapids. Daugherty may not be the prototypical outside that going to hit over the block, but is crafty with her shots and finds way to score. Given the chance she can put the hammer down as well. IPVA was able to defeat fellow metro club rival where some of the athletes definitely cross paths in the high school season with an exciting three set thriller in favor of IPVA. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> Finally getting a chance to watch some Iowa teams this weekend. <a href="https://x.com/CISvolleyball?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CISvolleyball</a> <a href="https://x.com/iowapowervb?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@iowapowervb</a> and more to come in KC <a href="https://t.co/GqyPuvNzlV">pic.x.com/GqyPuvNzlV</a> — Chris Fitzgerald (@PrepDigChris) <a href="https://x.com/PrepDigChris/status/1096791733071941633?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 16, 2019</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> Layanna Green - CIS 16 - Middle Blocker - Class of 2021 What an athlete, Green is extremely fun to watch control the net and makes such a presence in the middle. Right at six feet tall, Green can close the block with the best of the middles and has some major hangtime. She is a tough matchup because she can beat the other middle with her speed. The ceiling is incredibly high for Green who will continue to rise as a 2021 prospect and will continue to build off her athleticism. Faith DeRonde - CIS 16 - Outside Hitter - Class of 2022 Heavy swing, top spin, over the block, DeRonde is tough to stop on the pin with a great arm. The first team all conference athlete from Oskaloosa has a bright future in her prep career and beyond. With a continued development of her backcourt game, she will continue to score points from all six rotations. With continued training at CIS and facing top tier competition week in and out, she will look to be in the mix for All-State next year as a Sophomore. Saari Kuehl - CIA 16 Black - Outside Hitter - Class of 2021 Kuehl finished her high school basketball season Friday night and was able to take the court Saturday morning in Kansas City. The Sophomore led her high school team of Gladbrook-Reinbeck to the state tournament while earning 1st Team All State honors. Kuehl has a six rotation game where she can hit some absurd angles with a really loose arm swing, she also has a top float that just sinks after crossing the net. Always a threat to score she is tough to stop and is one the defense always has to be aware of. Kaitlyn Morgan - Iowa Select 17 Mizuno - Right Side - Class of 2020 Emma Powell - Iowa Select 17 Mizuno - Outside Hitter - Class of 2020 Morgan is one of five Pleasant Valley athletes for Iowa Select, this group will be gearing up for a big Senior season in Southeast Iowa. Over the course of the weekend on the right side she had 64 kills, good enough for 3.5 kills per set along with leading the team in blocks. On the other side of the pin was Emma Powell of North Scott who had 3.1 kills per set and hit a blistering .445 over the course of the weekend. Maggie Weller - Iowa Select 17 Mizuno - Libero - Class of 2021 Weller is playing up on the 17s group and commands the backrow. This past weekend in Omaha, Weller was able to lead the team in digs, passing %, and aces. This group was able to break into the gold bracket on day 3 and Weller was a major part of the late weekend momentum with serving runs of five or more points. Aubrin Dittmer - Iowa Select 18 Mizuno - Outside Hitter - Class of 2019 Dittmer was a factor all weekend for Iowa Select with double digit kills in six of seven matches. The Durant High School prep led a major comeback for Select along with Delaney Kelly. With Select down 9-14 in one of the last matches of the night she went off on a tear to lead a comeback win for the match 19-17. Over the course of the weekend Dittmer had 79 kills total, good for 4.65 per set. Abbey Griffin - CIS 16 - Middle Blocker - Class of 2020 Griffin can play middle and on the outside. However, it wasn’t her play on the court where I first noticed Griffin. Coaches always are telling players to be encouraging and engaged while on the bench. Griffin was on point for her team, constantly engaged on the bench with not only encouragement, but coaching them on open spots, if the libero was out and where to attack the middle in the backrow, and constantly communicating. I even had a college coach ask me if I noticed that which I’m glad we were both seeing the same thing. Major kudos to Griffin. People do notice body language and a positive attitude and Griffin was able to show both...as well as some major springs in her jump. *Other major Iowa news to note was Iowa Rockets 15 R won the Nike Presidents Day Open Tournament with a perfect 9-0 record with some of the top clubs in the Chicago area and St. Louis. Any Presidents Day Tournament win is highly distinguished. This will be quite a matchup when CIS 15s and Iowa Rockets 15-R compete against each other as well as the rest of the Iowa Region in late March. Prep Dig will be providing a full weekend of coverage at the Iowa Regionals for 16s-18s March 16-17.