Potential Breakout 2023s

Each day we get a little closer to getting back in the gym. There are so many players who will be rising in the ranks of high school volleyball. I really enjoy making predictions, and I have some more for the 2020 season. Let’s take a look at which upcoming youngins are posed to draw some attention in their sophomore seasons. [player_tooltip player_id="61781" first="Zoe" last="Behrendt"] – 5’10 – Setter/Outside Hitter – Whitefish Bay Whitefish Bay had a solid 24-11 record during a highly competitive schedule. This squad will lose a their main first contact, their top blockers, and one of their top weapons. Behrendt takes the big swing for the Blue Dukes. I would expect to see her take on a leadership role and to really shine through after recording 310 kills and 215 digs in 2019. [player_tooltip player_id="91883" first="Jordan" last="LaScala"] – 5’11 - Outside Hitter – Middleton You don’t often see freshmen come in and have a high hitting efficiency on a varsity squad. LaScala, however, showed us how it’s done by hitting a .331, while recording 361 kills in her first season. She is physical at the net and helped lead the Cardinals to a 26-21 record in 2019. LaScala also contributed 217 digs and 43 aces as a six-rotation outside hitter. [caption id="attachment_88531" align="alignright" width="300"] [player_tooltip player_id="91875" first="Grace" last="Grocholski"][/caption] [player_tooltip player_id="91875" first="Grace" last="Grocholski"] – 6’0 – Outside Hitter – Kettle Moraine Grocholski and the Lasers may be losing some strong seniors, but they should also be a team to look out for in 2020. They had a strong freshman group in 2019 that will be a force to reckon with for years to come. If they have another strong middle to put up a strong block and get a kill here and there, they could be a serious contender in 2020. Grocholski led her squad with 53 aces, while also recording 371 kills and 308 digs. She is a top 2023 prospect, and I cannot wait to see what 2020 holds for her! [player_tooltip player_id="91893" first="Alexis" last="Kammerer"] – Setter/Pin Hitter – Brodhead Kammerer is new on our radar and will be going into her 2nd season with her top target, fellow 2023, [player_tooltip player_id="91891" first="Abbie" last="Dix"] (Pin Hitter/Middle Blocker). She led her team to a 31-12 record, while recording 242 digs and 993 assists. After her freshman season, Kammerer is on track to hit the 3,000 career assists milestone if she keeps up that pace. Kammerer has solid command of the court, and if the Cardinals have the personnel to get a solid first contact, she can run an effective offense. You could see them give Waterloo a challenge to the Resch in 2020! [player_tooltip player_id="91870" first="Reagan" last="Borchardt"] – 5’9 – Middle Blocker – Edgar Edgar is losing a big group of seniors but they have a lot of talented youth coming up with players like Borchardt. She is athletic, has great court sense, and she recorded 90 blocks and 110 kills. Borchardt will be returning, along with Gabbi Keim (2021 – 5’10 – Right Side Hitter), Desirae Rausch (2022 – 5’10 – Middle Blocker), and [player_tooltip player_id="91872" first="Kendalyn" last="Dahlke"] (2023 – 5’8 – Setter). [caption id="attachment_76207" align="alignright" width="300"] [player_tooltip player_id="92019" first="Morgan" last="Kealy"][/caption] [player_tooltip player_id="92019" first="Morgan" last="Kealy"] – 5’9 – Setter – River Falls The Wildcats went 39-7 in 2019, and Kealy will be the next big thing. I got to see her at the Sprawl while her older sister, who normally sets, was recovering from an injury, and she will be a star. She can run a 5-1 efficiently and keeps the opposing block honest by being able to attack on the 2nd contact. She will have a big weapon returning in [player_tooltip player_id="81259" first="Haley" last="Graetz"] (2022 – 5’11 – Middle Blocker). Kealy ran the offense a majority of the season and led her team with 580 assists. Anna Kudick – Pin Hitter – Mauston Kudick and the Golden Eagles will be bringing back all their major weapons from a 27-5 season. If they can replace their graduating libero, they could be really dangerous in Division 2. Kudick was averaging almost 1 ace every set she played, while totaling 77 aces for the season. She provides a threat from endline that keeps teams out of system and that makes her downright dangerous! Kennedy Schmitz – 5’1 – Libero – Fox Valley Lutheran Schmitz is a quick athlete, and you can plan on seeing Fox Valley Lutheran make a run for the Resch with a lot of quality returners. She is solid in serve-receive and good at reading the other side of the court. Schmitz recorded 624 digs and 37 aces in 2019. FVL has a lot of talent to keep an eye on, along with Schmitz! [caption id="attachment_60455" align="alignright" width="300"] Anika Torgerson[/caption] [player_tooltip player_id="91859" first="Annika" last="Torgerson"] – 6’1 – Setter/Outside Hitter – Turtle Lake Torgerson is a truly hidden gem that we discovered competing at the Menomonie Sprawl this past fall. The Lakers will lose some key players to graduation, but they have some young athletes returning. Turtle Lake will rely on Torgerson’s experience in 2020 after recording 157 kills, 162 digs, and 30 blocks in 2019. She led her squad with 81 aces and 384 assists as a true do-it-all player. Lauren Grier – 5’9 – Middle Blocker – Fond du Lac The Cardinals will graduate some key pieces giving players like Grier a chance to take on a bigger role. She started her high school campaign strong with 98 blocks, while recording 57 kills and hit a .142. I would expect her to continue to grow as a blocker but also become more lethal on offense as well. Can’t wait to see her in action in 2020! Samantha Barton – 5’5 - Libero – Mercer Mercer is losing a solid 2020 class. Barton took on a big role as a freshman and provides a solid first contact. Barton helped her team to a 31-6 record, while contributing 506 digs and 29 aces. If she keeps up at this pace, she could hit the 1,000 digs milestone in her sophomore season. The Tigers could be a contender in Division 4 in 2020 if they have a strong setter ready to step up for graduating [player_tooltip player_id="80227" first="Ella" last="Torkelson"] (2020 – 5’6 – Setter).