High Hopes and Expectations: Central Conference Players To Keep on Your Radar

Believe it or not summer is around the corner and even though matches are on pause for club volleyball, here is a look at some players in the Central Conference to keep an eye on for when play resumes. I visited with Chris Ericson, the head coach for the York Dukes who had a nice turn around record from 7-23 in 2018 to 18-14 and a District Runner-Up finish in 2019. They lose only one senior going into the fall. When I asked him his thoughts about the upcoming summer and heading into the fall he said, "I am excited to get on the court again. We had successes early in the year, but I really believe the last half of the season things started to gel. We began competing with a more confident mindset. Losing only one senior makes it exciting to get back at it with everyone being a year older, ready to take on a new season with bigger expectations." When I asked him about the upcoming summer he said, "one of the strengths was obviously experience, but our underclassmen are very talented and hungry to move up the ranks. It makes for some competitive practices and positions are going to be battled for. The daily grind in the practice gym will make the entire team better." He attributed the turnaround success to beginning to work with the youth program and offering club opportunities. He said in 2018 he was starting a lot of freshman and sophomores and in Class B and in particular the Central Conference that is a tough feat. "They were just falling short and not mentally confident to be on the other side of the net versus that competition", Ericson commented, "It has been, and continues to be, a culture change where new expectations are being established each year as well as goals. It is fun to watch the level of volleyball increase all the way down to our elementary ages." Here is a look at some returning York Dukes to keep an eye on and some other players in the Central Conference to keep tabs on as we head into the summer and look into the fall season. York: Brynn Hirschfeld - 2020 junior - Setter 526 Assists Brynn has great hands and is very athletic. [player_tooltip player_id="82640" first="Addison" last="Legg"] - 2020 senior - Outside 217 Kills; 179 Digs; 30 Aces [player_tooltip player_id="58275" first="Erin" last="Case"] - 2020 senior - Middle 219 Kills; 59 Blocks; 34 Ace Serves Natalie Rockenbach - 2020 senior - setter 375 Assists; 190 Digs; 40 Ace Serves [player_tooltip player_id="58791" first="Masa" last="Scheierman"] - 2020 junior - outside - plays club for VCN 394 Kills; .226 Hit Eff; 53 Blocks; 371 Digs Masa will be a huge force for the Dukes on the outside this fall, she is athletic and powerful. Maddie Portwine - 2020 senior - middle 54 Blocks; 82 Kills. Maddie has long levers and is very athletic. She moves well laterally and is very quick in the front row. Aurora: Cassidy Knust (participated in LaVista 2019 Prep Dig Expo 250) 5’2" Class of 2021 senior to be DS/L with 605 digs and 44 aces. She has great court vision and is high energy. She does a great job of getting hittable balls up for her pin hitters out of system. [player_tooltip player_id="78625" first="Kassidy" last="Hudson"]: 5’9" (participated in LaVista 2019 Prep Dig Expo 250) Class of 2021 She is a lefty who plays RS. She jumps well and has a great swing! She had 78 blocks and 206 kills for the Lady Huskies this fall. Adams Central: [player_tooltip player_id="103007" first="Jessica" last="Babcock"] 5’7" OH sophomore for the Patriots this past fall had 258 kills and 33 ace serves. Caitlyn Scott is a 5’8" OH/M senior to be who registered 339 kills and 38 aces last fall. Grand Island Northwest: [player_tooltip player_id="58802" first="Macey" last="Bosard"] 5’11" OH junior to be for the Lady Vikings she registered 215 kills and 104 blocks in her sophomore campaign. Lakeview: [player_tooltip player_id="103001" first="Lilly" last="Rowe"] 5’9" RS/OH as a junior last year recorded 248 kills, 37 aces, and 246 digs. [player_tooltip player_id="58251" first="Reese" last="Janssen"] a 5’8" senior setter to be for Viqueens had 47 aces, 264 digs and 830 set assists. When play resumes keep your eye on these players out of central Nebraska. It should be an exciting season in the Central Conference!