2020 Prep Season Preview: Division 4’s top outside hitters

<p>A strong outside in Division 4 can take a team a long way.</p> <p>The last few years have seen the division’s most dynamic hitter lead her team to a state championship.</p> <p>Here’s a look at the best outsides Division 4 has to offer for 2020.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="50300" first="Anna" last="Smith"], Sr. Mendon</strong></p> <p>Smith has been the face of D4 volleyball the last few years. She has led Mendon to back-to-back state championships and is a likely Miss Volleyball finalist for 2020. Smith put down over 700 kills in 2019, but also tallied over 300 digs and 100 aces with over 70 blocks. That put her First Team All-State. Smith does it all for Mendon and is as impactful for her team as anyone in the state. She is committed to Charleston.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="50291" first="Ashley" last="Nordmann"], Sr. Lansing Christian</strong></p> [caption id="attachment_104373" align="alignright" width="300"]<img class="size-medium wp-image-104373" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2020/08/Lansing-Christian-Ashley-Nordmann-300x298.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="298" /> [player_tooltip player_id="50291" first="Ashley" last="Nordmann"][/caption] <p>Nordmann is a great talent in Division 4 that is capable of playing anywhere. She plays very long and finishes at a very high rate. Last fall, Nordmann was Second Team All-State while hitting close to .400. In limited sets, she still finished with over 440 kills. Over her three years of high school play, Nordman is hitting close to .300. She should be one of the most dominant finishers in D4 this year.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="24854" first="Brooke" last="Dzwik"]. Jr. St. Phillip</strong></p> <p>As a junior, Dzwik had a breakout season to help the Fighting Tigers make another postseason run. She had 465 kills, 406 digs and 59 aces in 2019 to earn Second Team All-State honors. Dzwik has proven herself to be a reliable player anywhere on the court and she will have St. Philip making another push towards Battle Creek this year.</p> <p><strong>Sarah Veale, Sr. Fowler</strong></p> <p>Veale is a multi-sport athlete that has a lot of drive. She has been able to move around the floor during her prep career. Last fall, Veale took a big step up in performance and was named First Team All-State. Her work ethic has helped her emerge above the rest in the state and land her a spot at Saginaw Valley State next year.</p> <p><strong>Tatum Kareck, Sr. Leland</strong></p> <p>Kareck is one of many talented hitters at Leland, but she has the complete game to really shine on the court. In 2019, Kareck was Second Team All-State as she amassed over 350 kills, 380 digs and 80 aces. She helped Leland reach the D4 championship match. Coming into 2020, Kareck has the Eagles as one of the top contenders.</p> <p><strong>Alexis Koenig, Sr. Waterford Our Lady</strong></p> <p>Koenig has been the go-to hitter for a young Our Lady of the Lakes squad the past couple of years. After being named Third Team All-State in 2019, Koenig is looking to guide the Lakers to big things in 2020. She has the size and explosiveness to be dominant at the net. Now, she is adding new pieces to her game to be a more complete player.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="24866" first="Emma" last="Mirabelli"], Jr. TC Christian</strong></p> <p>Mirabelli was one of the top performing sophomores in Division 4 last year. She put up 488 kills while hitting over .400 for the Sabres. TC Christian reached a regional final behind her efforts and she was named Third Team All-State. Mirabelli wasn’t afraid to take on a lot of swings for TC Christian and that should continue in 2020. Her swing generates a lot of power.</p> <p><strong>Taylor Kedsch, Sr. Carney-Nadeau</strong></p> <p>Kedsch has been one of the best hitters in the U.P. and has had Nadeau as a real D4 power. The Wolves were a semifinalist in 2018 and a quarterfinalist in 2019. Last fall, Kedsch had over 350 kills and 350 digs to lead the Wolves. Her game took a noticeable improvement, as her passing was more crisp and she was able to mix up her attacks.</p> <p><strong>Honorable Mention: </strong>Breya Domke, Sr. Onaway; Sara Beelen, Sr. Rudyard.</p>