New Names Rising In The Badger Region

<p><span style="font-weight: 400">There are athletes where they’ve always been one’s to watch, they’ve played on top teams since they were young, have been standouts since they have stood on the court.  At this time last year I didn’t know a lot of these athletes.   Here are a few players who have really jumped out with in the past year or even most recently this club season that are making a name for themselves. Who are the ones who are on the rise recently? </span></p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="56496" first="Payton" last="Kuepers"] - Milwaukee Sting 17 Black </strong></p> [caption id="attachment_78986" align="alignright" width="336"] [player_tooltip player_id="27728" first="Brooke" last="Anderson"][/caption] <p><span style="font-weight: 400">Kuepers first got on the radar playing at the Prep Dig Gauntlet when she was at the 16s level with Sting Madison United.  After a breakout year at Lakeside Lutheran and a strong start to her club season and Sting 17 Black, Kuepers has asserted herself as a point scorer on either pin.  She has the versatility and athleticism where she can find points to score in a variety of situations. A big arm as well, Kuepers is definitely one who will be sought after at the next level as the rest of her 17s year continues. </span></p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="27728" first="Brooke" last="Anderson"] - FC Elite 17 Navy </strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400">Anderson has been a top defender for Kimberly High School and has continued to steadily improve throughout her career.  As a libero, Anderson has plenty of range and a solid platform where she is under control and is able to anticipate well.  She’s been a DS for the FC Elite 17 Navy squad who recently won a National bid to USAV Nationals in Dallas this summer. </span></p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="56502" first="Robi" last="Binagi"] - Milwaukee Sting 17 Silver</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400">Binagi saw time this past fall for Kettle Moraine who made it to the Division 1 state tournament and took that momentum into the club season.  She’s a big leaper who can put some pop on the ball to score points. She will be a key point scorer heading into her Senior year for the Lasers who will be looking to make a return trip to the Resch. </span></p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="80747" first="Kaitlyn" last="Kolb"] - Epic 17 Black </strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400">Kolb has a big reach and a powerful left handed swing being a Class of 2021 right side.  The 6’3 Waterford Union prep jumped out at the Prep Dig Top 250 Expo this past December and is now getting looks from various schools at the next level.  Her best volleyball is definitely ahead of her as she continues to develop her all-around game, especially becoming a solid block to shut down an opposing pin hitter. </span></p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="81273" first="Emma" last="Johnson"] - FC Elite 18 Flyers</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400">Johnson is from the Class of 2022 and will most likely step into be the next setter at Luxemburg-Casco where they will look to come back to the Resch after walking out of there with the gold ball last season.  Johnson saw time as a serving specialist this past season, but has been extremely solid this club season as a 16 playing for an 18s team for FC Elite 18 Flyers White. She has developed an all around defensive game, can run a 5-1 and set all the tempos.  She is a product of superb training as well as her own hard work where she is bound to breakout this upcoming high school season. </span></p> <p><strong>Gabriella Magee - Wisconsin Premier 16 Teal </strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400">Magee is extremely dynamic where she can do a variety of things out of the middle from running  a variety of tempos and being a force along the net. She is a 5’10 Class of 2022 prep from Homestead High School and was really key to the success of Premier in their run to the Badger Region Qualifier title game where they earned an American bid to nationals. </span></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Make the middle pause a bit and get a one on one with the outside. <a href="https://x.com/wispremiervball?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@wispremiervball</a> tied at 13 w <a href="https://x.com/FCEliteVB?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FCEliteVB</a> in set two <a href="https://t.co/opWUB44Nu6">pic.x.com/opWUB44Nu6</a></p> — Chris Fitzgerald (@PrepDigChris) <a href="https://x.com/PrepDigChris/status/1234140829603815426?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 1, 2020</a></blockquote> <p></p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="81333" first="Stella" last="Zarling"] - Wisconsin Premier 16 Teal </strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400">Zarling plays alongside Magee where she was a big point scorer for Premier on the pin.  She does a really nice job of being able to mix up her shots from the outside where she can go for the big swing or she can go for the roll and find an open spot.  Both Zarling and Magee connect extremely well with their setter Elise Gillen. Zarling will be a Junior next fall for Kettle Moraine Lutheran. </span></p>