Class of 2023 Setters to Watch

<p>A good setter is important to the success of every team. They’re more than just the captain of the offense; they are the backbone of the squad. Here are four setters from the class of 2023 that you should keep a lookout for as they continue to grow into both court and stat leaders.</p> <p><b>[player_tooltip player_id="128678" first="Anna" last="Nelson"], North Hunterdon High School</b></p> [caption id="attachment_127955" align="alignleft" width="144"]<img class="wp-image-127955" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2021/01/nelson-189x300.png" alt="" width="144" height="228" /> Photo: NJ.com[/caption] <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">I first discovered Nelson at a recent club scrimmage. She is the sole setter on Core’s 17 Platinum team. Previously a pin hitter and briefly a defensive specialist in high school, Nelson is an explosive and versatile athlete. When the need for a setter arose, she stepped up to the plate. At only 5’5”, it can be easy to gloss over her talent if you’re looking for height first, but that would be a mistake. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">With her background as a hitter and DS fueling her play, she is a solid passer, server, hitter, and can even get up on the block. Now as a setter, she is able to use her knowledge of the other parts of the game to better understand her teammates and run a more effective offense. If you’re looking for a well-rounded, strong athlete to lead your team in the coming years, </span><b>[player_tooltip player_id="128678" first="Anna" last="Nelson"]</b><span style="font-weight: 400;"> is someone to keep close watch of.</span></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><b>[player_tooltip player_id="128675" first="Sarah" last="Wilcock"], Mendham High School</b></p> [caption id="attachment_127958" align="alignright" width="300"]<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2021/01/Screen-Shot-2021-01-26-at-5.34.39-PM-crop-632x415-1611700578.png"><img class="size-medium wp-image-127958" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2021/01/Screen-Shot-2021-01-26-at-5.34.39-PM-crop-632x415-1611700578-300x197.png" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a> Photo: Instagram[/caption] <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Wilcock had an incredible season last year. Setting opposite senior </span><b>Nora Mulligan</b><span style="font-weight: 400;">, she still managed to top team stats with 441 assists. She’ll have to fill that role on her own this season, but not without the help of two super-competent returning hitters and a strong returning libero. She and her older sister, Lauren, are avid beach volleyball players as well. </span><b>[player_tooltip player_id="99813" first="Lauren" last="Wilcock"]</b><span style="font-weight: 400;"> was recruit to play beach volleyball at the University of South Carolina next year, and her sister is likely to follow suit. It isn’t hard to imagine that she will be even </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">more</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> impressive in her junior and senior seasons.</span></p> <p><b>[player_tooltip player_id="128676" first="Mia" last="Pimentel"]</b><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><b>Bogota High School</b></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Pimental had 206 assists and 26 service points last season playing under senior setter </span><b>[player_tooltip player_id="99832" first="Amber" last="Vazquez"]</b><span style="font-weight: 400;"> at Bogota - a program that made it to the semifinals of the NJSIAA Tournament of Champions. Though she’s young, she’s certainly not inexperienced. Last year, she played up two age levels on the 16 National team at Sideout Sports. You may have seen her at Winterfest in Hartford, Connecticut where her team won first place in the 16 Open bracket last year.</span></p> <p><img class=" wp-image-127959 alignright" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2021/01/Screen-Shot-2021-01-26-at-5.39.24-PM-e1611700855845-200x300.png" alt="" width="166" height="250" /></p> <p><b>[player_tooltip player_id="128677" first="Lorie" last="Horta"], Roxbury High School</b></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Horta was a freshman setter on Roxbury’s squad last season. She was the second option under</span><b> Quinn Longo</b><span style="font-weight: 400;">, but still managed 62 assists, 40 service points, and 28 digs. We can expect more from Horta this high school season as she’s been honing her skills on the Garden State Elite 16 Premier team in the off-season. While there were not that many seniors who graduated after last season, Horta’s junior and senior seasons will be ones where she can really shine as a setter and server. Keep a close eye on this energetic, determined, and agile setter as she continues to develop.</span></p>