Where Do They Stand? Wisconsin D2 Preseason Top 15

Before we begin any chat on the rankings, lets give a hand to volleyball happening this summer. When school ended (virtually), there were so many variables in the air as far as what any type of volleyball would look like. Some teams had no gym to play in whether it was their school or rules from their county. Other teams could have zero affiliation with their coaches. And then we had the mask mandate. Give credit to these high school athletes. They found a way, they made it happen and it shows they will do what it takes to play the game they love. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Take a quick look at some of the teams in the <a href="https://x.com/PrepDigWI?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PrepDigWI</a> D2 Top 15 - highlights from the summer! <a href="https://t.co/pVix040BGu">pic.x.com/pVix040BGu</a> — Chris Fitzgerald (@PrepDigChris) <a href="https://x.com/PrepDigChris/status/1300495413640941568?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 31, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> As for rankings, it’s splitting hairs. I base a lot of these rankings of what I have seen with the live eye as well as having other coaches weigh in. For most summer teams, it varies week to week on who is there and how they play. A lot of these teams played throughout the summer, most of them against each other at some point. Would love to see some of these matchups happen again. The only team in this list I did not see play live this summer was Catholic Memorial. They have the tradition and power with experience back this year after a lineup that was full of youth in 2019. Here is a breakdown of the top 15 D2 teams in Wisconsin. [caption id="attachment_107202" align="alignright" width="441"]<img class=" wp-image-107202" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2020/08/DSC09407.jpg" alt="" width="441" height="294" /> [player_tooltip player_id="82893" first="Rachel" last="Rossing"] of Lake Country Lutheran[/caption] #15 - #11 15. Lake Country Lutheran 14. Freedom 13. Notre Dame 12. Luther Prep 11. Mosinee Lake Country Lutheran lost some key players to graduation, but with their program, there is always strong players coming up. [player_tooltip player_id="81255" first="Adriana" last="Studer"] is one of the top liberos in her class and will be passing to rising setter [player_tooltip player_id="82893" first="Rachel" last="Rossing"]. For Freedom, they are full of so many dynamic athletes, but will be led by [player_tooltip player_id="80728" first="Linnea" last="Willer"] who provides so much power and leadership for the Irish. Notre Dame out of Green Bay will be having their season in the fall as part of the Fox River Classic Conference. Their depth is their biggest strength where they are solid in every position. Luther Prep is quite the scrappy team where the setting and attacking duo of Andrea Bortulin and Grace Kiesling are extremely dynamic for the Phoenix. Mosinee has shown massive improvements this summer and are always a force in the northern section which they definitely will be again in 2020. #10 - #6 [caption id="attachment_107201" align="alignright" width="401"]<img class=" wp-image-107201" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2020/08/DSC09677.jpg" alt="" width="401" height="267" /> Wisco vs. FVL[/caption] 10. Lake Mills 9. Lakeside Lutheran 8. Wisconsin Lutheran 7. FVL 6. Sauk Prairie This is really splitting hairs here. Lake Mills was competitive at both sessions of the Sunset Slam where they won one of their brackets over Mosinee and then were in a gauntlet of ranked D2 teams for their second session. [player_tooltip player_id="81257" first="Sydney" last="Lewellin"] really makes is happen for LM as a setter. Lakeside Lutheran, Wisconsin Lutheran, and FVL all battled it out at the Wisconsin Lutheran College team camp in mid July. Plenty of three set matches all separated by just a few points. FVL has the edge with their amount of depth. Keep tabs on Sophomore libero Kennedy Schmitz who can really change the game for the Foxes. Sauk Prairie is scary dangerous as a team that is so athletic. They had match point on defending D3 champs Howards Grove and were two points from knocking off KML at the Sunset Slam. Outside hitter [player_tooltip player_id="90597" first="Aida" last="Shadewald"] is a prospect on the rise. #5 - #1 [caption id="attachment_107199" align="alignright" width="410"]<img class=" wp-image-107199" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2020/08/DSC09409.jpg" alt="" width="410" height="273" /> McFarland[/caption] 5. McFarland 4. Kettle Moraine Lutheran 3. Edgewood 2. Catholic Memorial 1. Luxemburg-Casco McFarland just finds a way to compete and wear teams down. With plenty of attackers back from their state runner-up squad in [player_tooltip player_id="81270" first="Avery" last="Pennekamp"], [player_tooltip player_id="57273" first="Hannah" last="Rounds"], and Katie Hildebrandt, the Spartans are always a force to contend with. A big however, is that their season will be moved to the Spring. Edgewood and Kettle Moraine Lutheran really could go either way. KML has six rotation outside hitter [player_tooltip player_id="21871" first="Elle" last="Truckenbrod"] and Junior, [player_tooltip player_id="90606" first="Stella" last="Zarlin"]g that are always going to be outlets, but Sophomore middle [player_tooltip player_id="82287" first="Emily" last="Honzelka"] will make her presence known. Edgewood has two Marquette recruits in Senior, [player_tooltip player_id="12970" first="Ella" last="Foti"] and Junior outside hitter [player_tooltip player_id="81254" first="Natalie" last="Ring"]. Foti can set or swing for the Crusaders. Another athlete to keep close tabs on will be rising junior, [player_tooltip player_id="81264" first="Ally" last="Barth"] who has a major spring in her jump as a middle blocker. Catholic Memorial took their lumps last year, but they return Baylor commit [player_tooltip player_id="80715" first="Kaitlyn" last="Riley"] in the middle and will add setter [player_tooltip player_id="81267" first="Lily" last="Lutz"] who can run the show. Luxemburg-Casco was on fire all summer and collected wins against Lakeside Lutheran, FVL, Howards Grove, Waukesha West, Edgewood, and McFarland. The Spartans have been led by a balanced attack which includes pins [player_tooltip player_id="81279" first="Grace" last="Holschuh"], Hannah Derenne, and Kenzie Hanson while [player_tooltip player_id="81273" first="Emma" last="Johnson"] has been a rising Junior setter. Their greatest strength is having very little weakness. They sideout extremely well.