2020 Prep Season Preview: Division 3’s top outside hitters

<p>Last fall, Division 3 produced the Miss Volleyball runner-up, an outside hitter.</p> <p>Coming into 2020, D3 has some very impactful outside hitters set to take the floor once again. Don’t be surprised to see some on the Miss Volleyball list. Don’t be surprised to see one win.</p> <p>Here’s a look at the top outside hitters in D3 this fall.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="50288" first="Mikayla" last="Haut"], Sr. SMCC</strong></p> <p>The senior outside for the Kestrels has been a staple of D3 volleyball since she was a freshman. Sure to be a Miss Volleyball finalist, Haut is coming off a third consecutive First Team All-State season in 2019. Last fall, Haut approached 500 kills and had over 400 digs, 70 aces and 75 blocks. Haut led the Kestrels to the state championship in 2019 and is sure to be the go-to outside in the division in 2020.</p> <p><strong>Molly Gerow, Sr. Beaverton</strong></p> [caption id="attachment_104229" align="alignright" width="300"]<img class="size-medium wp-image-104229" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2020/08/Molly-Gerow-2-300x277.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="277" /> Molly Gerow[/caption] <p>Gerow was a First Team All-State selection in 2019 as she helped the Beavers reach the D3 semifinals. One of the most productive outsides in D3, Gerow had 637 kills and 378 digs for Beaverton last fall. After helping Beaverton make some history last year, she comes back even hungrier in 2020 with a game that has taken another step forward.</p> <p><strong>Callier Bauer, Sr. Hudson</strong></p> <p>Bauer finishes as well as anyone at the net. Already with over 1,800 kills in her prep career, Bauer put down 730 kills in 2019 while hitting .385. That landed her with First Team All-State honors. Also with the ability to set, Bauer has 833 assists in her career. She has the complete game, with 1,244 digs over three years as well. Hudson is sure to hit some milestone numbers in 2020 while helping Hudson to another deep playoff run.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="24840" first="Braelyn" last="Berry"], Jr. Morley Stanwood</strong></p> <p>Berry was a standout sophomore in 2019 and helped the Mohawks earn a district championship. Named Second Team All-State last fall, Berry racked up 282 kills, 393 digs and 59 aces. Only standing 5’8”, Berry uses speed and quickness to be a strong finisher at the net, and a top-level passer on defense.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="50306" first="Keilyn" last="Carpenter"], Sr. Maple Valley</strong></p> <p>Maple Valley has a special player in Carpenter, who was Third Team All-State in 2019. Carpenter is a finisher, as she displayed last fall with a 34-kill performance in a single match against Lansing Christian. However, she’s more than just a swing. Carpenter has a consistent passing game and a serve that is very challenging to receive.</p> <p><strong>Anna Dean, Sr. SMCC</strong></p> <p>The Kestrels had a lot of offensive weapons to work with and a lot of balance amongst them. While Haut was the featured outside, Dean made quite an impact as well. She had over 330 kills, but was also an integral part of the defense. Dean plays with a lot of composure in the big points of the big matches. She was Second Team All-State in 2019.</p> <p><strong>Peyton Barnikowski, Sr. Valley Lutheran</strong></p> <p>It was a big 2019 for Barnikowski, as she pushed the Chargers to the D3 state semifinals. A Third Team All-State pick, Barnikowski was just shy of 450 kills last fall. She added 340 digs and 69 aces as well. Already an on-court leader, Barnikowski has all the tools to help Valley Lutheran make a return trip to Battle Creek in 2020.</p> <p><strong>Kalyin Poole, Sr. Traverse City St. Francis</strong></p> <p>Poole has made an impact for the Gladiators since she was a freshman. In 2019, as a junior, Poole helped St. Francis win a regional championship. She put up 540 kills, 393 digs and 71 aces for the season and was Honorable Mention All-State. Poole’s game has noticeably improved with each season. The 2020 campaign should be her best yet.</p> <p><strong>Honorable Mention: </strong>Avery Ekkens, Sr. Kalamazoo Christian; Grace Schlaud, Sr. Brown City; Kate Leach, Sr. Vandercook Lake; [player_tooltip player_id="50304" first="Milan" last="Lee"], Sr. Sacred Heart; [player_tooltip player_id="66323" first="Kristina" last="Peach"], Soph. Whitmore Lake.</p>