Division 1 game-changers for 2020

Each team in the state of Michigan will have a new look as we approach a new season in the fall of 2020. The top contenders from 2019 have some big holes to fill if they hope to hold their positions among the top of the state. Here's a look at players from those top teams that could really make their 2020 season a special one. [player_tooltip player_id="50292" first="Kaylin" last="Collins"] – Sr. Mercy OH With [player_tooltip player_id="14089" first="Jess" last="Mruzik"] moving on to college, Mercy certainly losses a lot of production on the court heading into the 2020 season. Collins complimented Mruzik well on the outside before suffering a season-ending knee injury late in the 2019 championship run. Healed and ready to go, Collins will have a chance to really take on a bigger role this year. With a talented setter in [player_tooltip player_id="14163" first="Julia" last="Bishop"], and capable middles like Charli Atiemo and [player_tooltip player_id="50293" first="Ellie" last="Tisko"], Mercy has a championship run in its sights as long as the outsides can still produce consistently. Collins hit over .350 in 2019 and should be ready to take the lead in 2020. [player_tooltip player_id="66321" first="Aubreigh" last="Oswald"] – Soph. MH/OPP Lowell [caption id="attachment_100052" align="alignright" width="300"]<img class="size-medium wp-image-100052" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2020/07/Aubreigh-Oswald-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" /> [player_tooltip player_id="66321" first="Aubreigh" last="Oswald"][/caption] Oswald came on strong in the later parts of the 2019 season, giving Lowell a lot of hope for her future. With [player_tooltip player_id="14123" first="Meghan" last="Meyer"] graduating, the Red Arrows will have a big hole to fill in the middle. [player_tooltip player_id="14192" first="Jenna" last="Reitsma"] is a dynamic outside, but having a steady presence in the middle made her job easier. [player_tooltip player_id="24876" first="Emily" last="Struckmeyer"], a junior, will join Oswald as the go-to middles for Lowell in 2020. If Oswald can take a big step forward as a sophomore, Lowell will certainly be a top contender in the state once again. [player_tooltip player_id="89347" first="Lauren" last="Staruch"] – Sr. OH/OPP Lake Orion Lake Orion had then-freshman [player_tooltip player_id="66309" first="Nina" last="Horning"] take on a six-rotation outside position in 2019 to fill in a void at outside hitter last season. As the year progressed, Horning got some help on the outside from Staruch, who proved to be a top-level finisher herself. With Lake Orion already strong in the middle behind [player_tooltip player_id="14193" first="Kendall" last="Robertson"] and [player_tooltip player_id="50303" first="Reagan" last="Goeke"], Staruch becomes a big key heading into her senior season. If she builds on her strong 2019 finish, Lake Orion will be dominant at the net. [player_tooltip player_id="60856" first="Lauren" last="Lee"] – Jr. S Ann Arbor Skyline Lee didn't get to enjoy much of the 2019 season due to injury, but Skyline was too strong to stop behind [player_tooltip player_id="14097" first="Kendall" last="Murray"] and [player_tooltip player_id="66319" first="Harper" last="Murray"] on the outside. Ready to take back the starting setter position with Stacie Warner graduating, it will be important for Lee to be on top of her game to work in new hitters. With [player_tooltip player_id="14097" first="Kendall" last="Murray"] off to Michigan, [player_tooltip player_id="66319" first="Harper" last="Murray"] is going to need some help at the net finishing points. The quicker Lee can develop chemistry with those other hitters, the quicker Skyline can take off. [player_tooltip player_id="50334" first="Savannah" last="Hall"] – Sr. S Mattawan Hall is a high-profile player as is, but she's got a lot of weight on her shoulders heading into 2020. The Wildcats lost libero Allie Wiese, outside [player_tooltip player_id="14130" first="Taylor" last="Rutgers"] and middle [player_tooltip player_id="14100" first="Natalie" last="Foster"] from the 2019 team that was near the top of the D1 rankings throughout the season. Hall will have to really showcase her leadership on the court, and also play at a high level to raise the game of new starting hitters. Hall seems up to the challenge. [player_tooltip player_id="24848" first="Tatum" last="Casper"] – Jr. OH/MH Marian Marian was a young team in 2019, but the Mustangs did graduate [player_tooltip player_id="14126" first="Christine" last="Audette"], a fierce competitor at OPP that was a great compliment to [player_tooltip player_id="24846" first="Ava" last="Brizard"]. The Mustangs will have to find a way to replace that leadership, but Casper seems like someone that will be ready to replace that production. Casper can move around the net and posted over 200 kills as a sophomore. The 2020 season will be a chance for her to help Marian get past Mercy in the heated CHSL rivalry. [player_tooltip player_id="89339" first="Alana" last="Watlington"] – Sr. MH Clarkston Clarkston has been crossing its fingers for quite a while, hoping Watlington can avoid the injury bug for 2020 after missing the last season-and-a-half with two different knee injuries. In 2018, Watlington played 85 sets and had 160 kills while hitting .378 as a sophomore. Already returning strong hitters like [player_tooltip player_id="50296" first="Claire" last="Nowicki"] and Sydney Hasenfratz, the Wolves are hoping a healthy Watlington can provide them with a fire power they need to make a run deep in Division 1. [player_tooltip player_id="14172" first="Mackenzie" last="Gross"] – Sr. OH Grand Haven You can't replace a player like [player_tooltip player_id="14101" first="Ashley" last="Slater"], but Gross is going to have to be the go-to hitter for Grand Haven in 2020. Gross approached 400 kills for the 2019 season last fall, which is impressive. She will have to lead by example on the floor with the team also graduating setter [player_tooltip player_id="89354" first="Samantha" last="Boeve"]. It could be a big mountain for Gross to have to climb this season, but she's a tough competitor that will give it her all. [player_tooltip player_id="89349" first="Ella" last="Markevics"] – Sr. S Stoney Creek Markevics did a little bit of everything for Stoney Creek last season and the Cougars will need her to do the same in 2020. Already a vocal leader, Markevics had over 100 aces and 60 blocks in 2019 while amassing over 1,450 assists. With [player_tooltip player_id="14107" first="Kate" last="Stration"] graduating, Markevics will have to work her game to raise the level of her hitters. She has great arms in [player_tooltip player_id="50298" first="Ainsley" last="Guse"] and [player_tooltip player_id="24881" first="Sydney" last="Tomlak"], but will have to develop a new star or two as well. [player_tooltip player_id="91609" first="Leah" last="Rogers"] – Jr. MH/RS Hudsonville Rogers drew a lot of positive reviews from her shortened club season at FaR Out and now she's hoping it will lead to a breakout prep season in 2020 with Hudsonville. The Eagles were one of the top teams in Division 1 in 2019, falling to Lowell in a competitive regional final. However, Hudsonville graduated its top two hitters in [player_tooltip player_id="14142" first="Mallory" last="Keller"] and [player_tooltip player_id="14140" first="Braely" last="Herrema"]. Rogers, along with [player_tooltip player_id="60841" first="Olivia" last="Howlett"] will have to raise their game in the middle, or the outside, for Hudsonville to stay competitive in a tough region.