21 Athletes From The Class of 2021 Continue To Rise
Sophomore year always seems like a year of change and transition. For some athletes they might be changing positions from an outside hitter to a defensive specialist, a middle blocker to a pin, or maybe they’ve had a position taken…
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Continue ReadingSophomore year always seems like a year of change and transition. For some athletes they might be changing positions from an outside hitter to a defensive specialist, a middle blocker to a pin, or maybe they’ve had a position taken away from them going from being a setter to now hitting on the pin or playing backrow. What I have enjoyed about the 15s and 16s is the progression seen from one year to the next. So much improvement all around. These athletes have been putting work into their game and it shows. Here are 21 athletes from the Class of 2021 to take a look at.
Linnea Willer – FC Elite 16 Navy – Freedom – Pin Hitter
Willer has been incredibly efficient for FC Elite 16 Navy where she can swing on either pin play a little backrow and be relied upon to keep the ball in the court to score. A multisport athlete, Willer definitely is the all around athlete and student to keep tabs on for the next level.
Camryn Lukenbill – Milwaukee Sting 16 Gold – Burlington – Middle Hitter
In two years, Lukenbill has been part of two state titles for Burlington High School as a major presence in the middle. She is really efficient on the slide and can put up a solid block.
Elizabeth Danelski – Midwest Penguins 16 Black – Oconomowoc – Middle/Right Side
The Midwest Penguin 16-Black team has been one to surprise a lot of people this club season. Solid all around, Danelski can play in the middle, but I think she could score points and block from the pin as well. She was one of the top athletes at the Prep Dig Top 250 this past December.
Tatum Catalano – Milwaukee Sting 16 Black – Germantown – Pin Hitter
Extremely quick and athletic, her speed is something that is hard to top – especially as someone who can play any front row position. Her 16 Black team made it to the elite eight of the 16 Open JVA World Challenge Gold Bracket.
Robyn Kirsch – Wisconsin Ice – Wausau West – Outside Hitter
#6 Robyn KirschHigh flyer! Kirsch has been on the radar since her Freshman year racking up kills for Wausau West and Wisconsin Ice. Solid in six rotations, her vert is impressive and she can play above the net despite only being 5’7.
Brianna Geurts – FC Elite 16 Navy – De Pere – Pin Hitter
One of the most improved players I’ve seen from a 15s to 16s year. Geurts primarily played middle as a 15s, but now has been playing on the right side where she is really a strong blocker and can put a ball away too.
Mackenzie Holzwart – Howards Grove – Libero
Holzwart is a multi-sport athlete for Howards Grove who will bring back a loaded team for 2019 and will be a major contender in D3. In 2018, Holzwart led the team in digs with 432.
Maggie Craker – Eau Claire Air – McDonnell Catholic Central – Setter
Craker might be one of the best kept secrets in Western Wisconsin. A really dynamic athlete, Craker has been racking up honors the past two years of her high school season with two years left. With graduations in Clayton, the Macs have their eyes on a trip to state in 2019.
Maia Johnson – Capital 16 Adidas – Madison Memorial – Middle Blocker
Johnson is really smooth along the net with how she can get from pin to pin. Capital has plenty of offensive weapons along with Johnson who can do a little bit of everything as a middle.
Grace Demetrician – One Wisconsin 16-1 – Appleton North – Libero
Lot of fire, lot of intensity, Demetrician is a spark on the court and is able to play any spot in the backrow. She can read and react while also constantly communicating to her hitters the best place to score. High IQ player.
Amanda Viel – Milwaukee Sting 16-Black – Burlington – Libero
Viel has started to own the libero position for Sting 16-Black. She has been solid in the backrow for Sting and has seen time on the court in Burlington’s most recent state title run. The Demons will be graduating Maddie Berezowitz in the backrow, but will be returning libero Sam Naber, Viel, and the Sting 16 White libero Mackenzie Leach.
Sting 16 White in Action at the JVA JamboreeElle Truckenbrod – Milwaukee Sting 16-White – Kettle Moraine Lutheran – Pin Hitter
Truckenbrod was a big part of the state runner-up team for KML this past fall as a solid six rotation outside and always counted on for a big kill during a clutch time. The three sport athlete and her Sting White team is extremely well balanced and has knocked off some high quality opponents.
Abby Fregein – Midwest Penguins 16-Black – Waukesha West – Outside Hitter/DS
Fregein has such a natural IQ for the game. I can see her being a solid pick up at the next level as a libero or defensive specialists because she reads well and is so steady in the backrow. However for now she is an effective pin where she may be 5’6 or 5’7. Great court vision, high efficiency and just knows how to use certain shots to find the open spot.
Eva Beeth – One Wisconsin 16-1 – Oshkosh West – Outside Hitter
Beeth is a natural athlete where her movement on the court looks effortless, until she approaches and swings with authority. A six rotation outside who is part of a stacked 2021 class at Oshkosh West which also has Morgan Yenter and Randi Welhoefer who are playing for Sting 16 Gold and 16 Black, and Natalie Johanknecht playing for FC Elite 16 Navy.
Monica LeFleur – Milwaukee Sting 16-White – Arrowhead – Middle Blocker
Lefleur, like most of these 2021 athletes has seen drastic improvements since her 15s year where she was relatively new to volleyball and was a competitive swimmer. With a high reach and natural quickness, her improvements are still soaring and developing to quite the presence in the middle with fellow club and high school teammate Lindsay Krznarich
Kallissa Jaeger – Motion MVP 16 Blue – DSHA – Libero/DS
Jaeger has been a solid and dependable backrow player for MVP this season as a DS or libero. She preps at DSHA which is always a big contender come tournament time with their rigorous schedule, tradition, and not to mention really good players.
Chloe Epker – Motion MVP 16 Blue – SWCHA – Setter
Epker trained with Badger Region High Performance last summer in Green Bay and this past fall was one of the setters who led SWCHA to a national championship in the National Christian Homeschool Championships in Omaha. A really solid athletic who has a lot of quickness will be looking to get SWCHA back to nationals and compete for more hardware.
Janelle Stuempfig – Milwaukee Sting 16-White – Hamilton – Setter
What a difference a year makes as Steumpfig made major gains throughout the high school and club season as a setter who can put her hitters in position to terminate. She’s got to be nearing the 5’10-6’0 range with long arms which puts her as a threat in the front row as well. She will be part of a Hamilton High School team that is ready to take the state by storm this year.
Lily Lutz – Milwaukee Sting 15 Gold – Whitnall – Setter
Lutz might get lost in the shuffle a bit playing for 15 Gold, a year down, but she is still one of the better setters in the Class of 2021. Incredibly quick and a high IQ for the game, Lutz could also be a fit at libero or DS at the next level with her all around ability.
Alyssa Koska – One Wisconsin 16-1 – Bay Port – Outside Hitter
Koska has been starting for Bay Port since her Freshman year. The 5’8 outside hitter has a high contact point and a solid all around game. With Koska and Brooke Clement on the outside for Bay Port there is always an outlet. She teams up well on the club scene with Grace Perrett, another athlete from the FRCC who plays for Green Bay Preble.
Joslyn Wolff – Milwaukee Sting 18-Silver – Waterloo – Outside Hitter
Wolff was on the Sting 18 Silver team which gave her a new look playing against athletes with more experience. She will be a major part of the success of Waterloo this year as her and Illinois commit Brooke Mosher will be the two go-to players for the Pirates. Wolff was an honorable mention All State player in 2018.