Ohio Depth Among Nation's Best

With the launch of Prep Dig Ohio we are super excited to provide coverage of one of the nation’s biggest hotbeds of prep volleyball talent. With metro areas across the state, rural pockets of competitive programs, and a big commitment to the game among high schools and clubs, Ohio is developing talent early and often. A key indicator of the talent pool is in the initial rankings recently posted. We are pumped to be here and up close to be able to watch a lot of volleyball and evaluate as many prospects as we can, all of whom will feature a broad range of skills and interest in playing volleyball at the next level, whether it be DI, DII, DIII, with the NCAA or NAIA, or beyond. To kick off our coverage, below are six of the state’s premier athletes in the classes of 2021 and 2022, including their commitment to take their skills to elite Division I programs around the country. Welcome to Prep Dig Ohio! Class of 2021 [player_tooltip player_id="114376" first="Emma" last="Grome"] - 5’9 | S/OH | St. Ursula | Commitment: Kentucky The top-ranked senior for Prep Dig Ohio is Grome, one of the biggest impact players given her dual threat capabilities as a setter and attacker. She has a complete game and is a critical element to the success of her high school and club teams. She leads St. Ursula this season with 270+ kills and over 350 assists, which catapulted her beyond the 2,000 assists mark for her prep career earlier in October. She is also among team leaders in service aces and total digs. A 2019 Division I 2nd team all-state selection, Grome also competes well in the sand and will take her game to Kentucky, a perennial power in both the SEC and on the national stage. [player_tooltip player_id="114377" first="London" last="Davis"] - 6’0 | OH | Oletangy Orange | Commitment: Kansas The only junior named to the Division I all-state first team in 2019, Davis can score points. Eclipsing the 1,000 career kills mark, Davis has ability to swing with power and range. In the air she shows good torque that helps her generate heavy pace while affording her control needed to move the ball around. Her skills continue to develop as a six-rotation athlete as she has improved her ball control and defense, which allows her to remain a big offensive threat out of the back row. Leading Orange in total kills, Davis is terminating at a .378 average, which is very respectable for an outside hitter, especially with the volume of opportunities she sees. She is set to take her game to Kansas of the Big 12 and could make an early impact given her progress and college-ready elevation and power. [player_tooltip player_id="114378" first="Ava" last="Francis"] - 6’0 | OH | Jonathan Alder | Commitment: Arizona One of the more dynamic outside hitters in the 2021 class, Francis is ranked #3 in Prep Dig Ohio’s initial prospect rankings. Averaging 5.1 kills per set while hitting .370, Francis is the primary option for a Pioneers team that is currently undefeated and ranked #2 in Division II. A first team all-state selection in 2019, Francis is the complete package as a left side pin attacker. She can pass and defend with good vision, platform development, and pursuit, while also establishing dominance at times at the net on both sides of the ball. She has great quickness and is fluid in her footwork in all facets of the game. She gets her feet to the ball well, which allows her to maximize her jump to utilize great armwork when hitting. Next season we will get to see her compete in the highly competitive Pac 12 as a Wildcat at Arizona. Class of 2022 [player_tooltip player_id="114445" first="Carly" last="Hendrickson"] - 6’2 | OH | Mount Notre Dame | Commitment: Florida Hendrickson’s commitment to national power Florida is a great indication of her skill level and potential for impact any time she takes the court. With great length and mobility she makes significant contributions on both sides of the ball. She has great footwork and is fluid in her movements to shuffle or transition to attack the ball. Then, it is that length combined with her arm control that helps her produce points at a high rate. She opens up the 2022 rankings as the top-rated player for Prep Dig Ohio as she currently leads her team in total attempts and kills while hitting at a .348 clip, helping Mount Notre Dame to a Division I #2 state ranking. She was the only sophomore named to the Ohio’s Division I all-state first team a year ago. Be sure to check her out during the high school playoffs or over the upcoming club season. [player_tooltip player_id="114447" first="Lily" last="Cropper"] - 6’3 | MB | Lebanon | Commitment: NC State The #3-ranked prospect in Prep Dig Ohio’s class of 2022 rankings, Cropper’s presence and activity as a middle hitter and blocker is hard not to notice. She is very active and benefits from great length and quickness combined with good mobility laterally and in transition off the net. She identifies the ball well in transition and creates great space with her setter while using varied attack points. As she is able to swing through the full range of the court, her point production is a big part of what she brings to the court. The NC State commit is swinging at a terrific .494 percentage and is averaging 1.0 blocks per set making her a big threat on both sides of the ball. [player_tooltip player_id="114452" first="Cammy" last="Niesen"] - 5’6 | L/DS | Roger Bacon | Commitment: Ole Miss Niesen’s steadiness in the back row is a big reason why she is considered one of Ohio’s elite liberos. She plays with great patience and vision that simplifies the game for her, creating the ability for her to pursue the ball with great effieciency. She prepares well and utilizes her quickness and balance for good first-step movement in serve receive and defense which allows her to control the ball with great range while making it look easy among some of the most challenging circumstances. Niesen’s intial Prep Dig Ohio ranking is at #8 for the class of 2022 and she positioned as the top libero for this class. She was a Division II all-state honorable mention selection in 2019.