Five Quick Highlights of The Wisconsin Top 250

Year two of the Prep Dig Top 250 is complete! With over 110 of the top players from across the state of Wisconsin and some from Illinois, took part in the event at the Milwaukee Sting Center this past Sunday. The pace is fast and furious with athletes showcasing a variety of skills in competition stations, positions, and six on six play. Throughout the event, there are different parts that tend to get highlighted and even for me personally, seeing many of these Wisconsin athletes the past few years I learn new things about them or see something that once again reminds me of this great opportunity I have at Prep Dig. Here are five highlights from the Wisconsin Prep Dig Top 250: <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Getting started on competitive stations on all courts <a href="https://t.co/mF7ntKShhv">pic.x.com/mF7ntKShhv</a> — Chris Fitzgerald (@PrepDigChris) <a href="https://x.com/PrepDigChris/status/1206231212408393728?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 15, 2019</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> The New Athletes At Prep Dig, we watch A LOT of volleyball through the high school and club season along with summer leagues, camps, and everything in between. Each event, there are always new athletes to be seen as well as athletes who are just entering the volleyball world their 14s and 15s year. This past weekend it was fun to see a couple of Seniors who jumped on the radar that I hadn't seen play live before in Lauren Glissendorf from Janesville Craig and Maycee Karpfinger of Wauwatosa West. Glissendorf is a libero who can really move and serve receive to get things rolling for the offense, where Karpfinger is a long, springy, and can really contact high to score points. Seniors, there are still opportunities out there to play at the next level and the ones from 2020 showed they would be a great catch up at the next level. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Two of the top athletes in the gym going head to head in <a href="https://prepdig.com/player/josie-halbleib/">Josie Halbleib</a> and <a href="https://prepdig.com/player/lindsay-krznarich/">Lindsay Krznarich</a> going head to head in the front row. Great competitors <a href="https://t.co/POmFZunXAC">pic.x.com/POmFZunXAC</a> — Chris Fitzgerald (@PrepDigChris) <a href="https://x.com/PrepDigChris/status/1206240893147238408?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 15, 2019</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> The Evolution of The Class of 2021 I might just have a little soft spot for the Class of 2021. When Prep Dig got rolling during the club season of 2018, these athletes were just getting started their 15s year. I have seen these some of these athletes develop throughout the past couple years where their 15s year they are just trying to find a way to jump and hit the ball hard to get a set from pin to pin. Since then these athletes have qualified for state, won state titles, competed at a national club level, and are developing into confident, strong leaders not only in their clubs and high schools, but in the state. The middle blocker duo of Monica LaFleur and <a href="https://prepdig.com/player/lindsay-krznarich/">Lindsay Krznarich</a> have become extremely dominant, outside hitters like <a href="https://prepdig.com/player/elle-truckenbrod/">Elle Truckenbrod</a>, <a href="https://prepdig.com/player/lauren-borchardt/">Lauren Borchardt</a>, and Grace Perrett have gotten stronger, even more athletic, physical all-around players who contribute in all the way around the court. <a href="https://prepdig.com/player/josie-halbleib/">Josie Halbleib</a> is now one of the top setters in her class where she can also score a ton of points on the pin. There are so many more, but collectively as a group, the Class of 2021 is deep with talent and college programs will benefit from these athletes not just by their volleyball skills, but how they will contribute to their future schools as young women as well. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <a href="https://prepdig.com/player/emma-baierl/">Emma Baierl</a> fresh off a state title for Howards Grove always smooth, under control and puts up a great ball. So smart in a game situation. <a href="https://t.co/MVShbFlZRL">pic.x.com/MVShbFlZRL</a> — Chris Fitzgerald (@PrepDigChris) <a href="https://x.com/PrepDigChris/status/1206250752261394432?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 15, 2019</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> Top Competition Watching the pin hitters blast away was something special with their athleticism while getting into competition stations and six on six had some intriguing matchups as well. State champions from the Class of 2022 really stood out with <a href="https://prepdig.com/player/emma-baierl/">Emma Baierl</a> of Howards Grove setting and Grace Holshuh of Luxemburg-Casco fly on the pin. <a href="https://prepdig.com/player/adriana-studer/">Adriana Studer</a> of Lake Country Lutheran showed why she is one of the top liberos out of the Class of 2022 as well with her ability to serve receive and control her platform whether it's in a controlled positional drill or six on six competitive situations. <a href="https://prepdig.com/player/robi-binagi/">Robi Binagi</a> of Kettle Moraine was electric, what a leaper! She is definitely rising on the list of 2021 outside hitters. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <a href="https://prepdig.com/player/robi-binagi/">Robi Binagi</a> or Kettle Moraine with the hammer! Hammer 🔨🙄😎 <a href="https://t.co/iiqjCwxoIQ">pic.x.com/iiqjCwxoIQ</a> — Chris Fitzgerald (@PrepDigChris) <a href="https://x.com/PrepDigChris/status/1206245132917334016?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 15, 2019</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> Variety of High School and Club Programs Across The State There were local athletes out of the Milwaukee area, but also plenty across the state from the Madison with a strong crew from Sun Prairie, Edgewood, and McFarland and the Green Bay/Fox Valley area along with some of the top players from Central and Northern Wisconsin. <a href="https://prepdig.com/player/dorci-walker/">Dorci Walker</a> is a really strong athlete who was an All State Honorable Mention athlete out of Columbus Catholic in Marshall along with Hayley Wagner, a libero from Wisconsin Rapids who showed what she could do in the backrow. The event also had Julianna Rettig from Antioch, Illinois, a 2023 libero who will be playing for Sky High. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> The <a href="https://x.com/PrepDigWI?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PrepDigWI</a> writing squad!!!!! <a href="https://x.com/BreitNelson?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BreitNelson</a> <a href="https://x.com/PrepDigJJ?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PrepDigJJ</a> and Rachel Kass! <a href="https://t.co/SOlrDR9Q8X">pic.x.com/SOlrDR9Q8X</a> — Chris Fitzgerald (@PrepDigChris) <a href="https://x.com/PrepDigChris/status/1206275771406389248?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 15, 2019</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> The Staff and Writers Jon Ellman, head coach at UW-Oshkosh was the lead coach with the headset and speaker directing the 100 plus athletes and designing a plan for all to showcase what they bring to the court with court coaches of current club and high school coaches as well as college athletes home on break. The Prep Dig Wisconsin staff of writers were all on hand after plenty of group chats, emails, and fun volleyball banter throughout the year, it's not very often we are all in the same gym at the same time often covering volleyball across the state or coaching. This is what is so great about the volleyball world is the community that it all entails. For these athletes, they might not know it yet, but they will always be apart of it.