Everything is Definitely Bigger in Texas
Every coach has used the quote, “You can’t teach height” at least once in their life. These young ladies have the height that college coaches drool over. They are four very talented Houston area players who have so much more…
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Continue ReadingEvery coach has used the quote, “You can’t teach height” at least once in their life. These young ladies have the height that college coaches drool over. They are four very talented Houston area players who have so much more to their game than being tall. Each has both power and grace in their game and they are so much fun to watch. While everyone may see their court presence and be in awe, I love watching their form. Without further ado, here are four Big stories:
Kingsley Wallace [2021] 6-3 Right Side (HS: Memorial/Club: Houston Skyline/ Verbal: Army)
The six foot three right side from memorial high school has committed to the United States Military Academy at West Point. We are so honored to hear that a Texas woman will be serving her country in this manner. She is a dominant force at the net for her Houston Skyline club team. Her size shuts down opposing outside hitters. She also excels when attackers run the second tempo near her zone. She quickly supports her middle and is a show stopper at the net. She shows great offensive skills as well regularly hitting the deep cross court attack. The US Military academy will be getting a great young lady to represent their program.
Laci Gratkowski [2021] 6-3 Right Side (HS: St. John XXIII/Club: Katy United/Verbal: Texas A&M Corpus Christi)
This tall drink of water is a force to be reckoned with. Standing at six foot three, you would expect her to be a little slower on her approach. Nope! Her approach footwork is so fluid and quick. She looks as if she is gliding on air to attack the ball. Her arms as they go back and up to attack are picture perfect. She is committed to Texas A&M Corpus Christi and will do great things for them. This left-handed scorer is a gem to have on a team for a new club out of Katy Texas, Katy United. She is a true prototypical right side defender and attacker for a college program. I’m excited to cover her for the rest of this year and also her senior year.
Photo Credit: Jeff Sheldon – World Herald
Ally Batenhorst 6-4 Outside (HS: Seven Lakes/Club: Houston Juniors/Verbal: Nebraska)
This Nebraska commit is worth the price of admission. Nebraska has some great volleyball players in its state, so when a player from Texas is recruited to one of the best programs in the country, it says a lot about the player. She is the real deal. Standing at six foot four and playing on either pin she has been a joy to watch. She is a very gifted athlete who hits with so much power. She has every offensive weapon in her arsenal. In high school it is almost a guaranteed kill when she got the set. She regularly got over 25 kills in a match. Seven Lakes high school set her in the front row and the backrow and she scored at will. We are looking forward to watching her play college volleyball on television.
Photo Credit: SportsRecruits – TAV
Megan Wilson [2021] 6-3 Outside/Middle (HS: Kingwood/Club: TAV Houston/Verbal: Oklahmoa)
This lengthy outside hitter has all of the tools necessary to be a force in the college game in a few years. She hits the ball with both power and grace. Most coaches will tell you that it is easier to score out of transition defense rather than serve receive because the defense has more time to set up during serve receive. But this young lady scores at a very high rate when her club team receives the ball. She has a soft touch on off-speed shots but can crank when there is a split in the block. She plays for a talented team and has great support from her TAV Houston Director Joe Lind who has extensive college coaching experience. I know he will have her ready for Oklahoma with one more year under his tutelage.