Michigan Top 250 Expo: 2023 Setter & DS Evaluations

<p>In the Class of 2023, the setter and defensive positions are in good hands in the state of Michigan.</p> <p>A collection of some of the best came together for the <strong>Michigan Top 250 Expo </strong>last week and pushed each other to bring out their best.</p> <p>Here’s my evaluations for each of the positions from the Class of 2023 participants.</p> <h4><strong>Setters</strong></h4> [caption id="attachment_130408" align="alignright" width="300"]<img class="wp-image-130408 size-medium" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2021/02/59_Megan-Grose2-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" /> [player_tooltip player_id="66304" first="Megan" last="Grose"][/caption] <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="66304" first="Megan" last="Grose"], St. Catherine Academy/Michigan Elite – </strong>Grose was one of the top all-around players at the event. She can set, she can hit, she can defend, and she can serve. Grose also had a very calm and collected demeanor, treating her strong play like it was business as usual.</p> <p><strong>Chloe Kiser, Howell/Michigan Elite – </strong>Kiser only stands 5’9”, but she has a long wingspan and that makes her even more dangerous as a setter. She uses that added length well. Kiser made some athletic sets throughout the night, but also is a force at the net when it comes to blocking.</p> <p><strong>Madison Melczarczyk, St. Clair/Michigan Elite – </strong>Melczarczyk was consistently putting up good sets for her hitters and meshing well with the different styles she worked with. Her ability to adapt and bring the best out of her peers says a lot about her skills.</p> <p><strong>Sarah Milam, Rochester/Michigan Elite – </strong>Milam wore a number of hats throughout the night, playing nearly every position on the floor at some point. Her diverse skills made her a valuable asset to her scrimmage groups. She has all the fundamental tools to succeed, but that just brings out the best in her setting.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="66322" first="Avery" last="Palmateer"], Caledonia/FaR Out – </strong>Palmateer adjusted well throughout the night, making good corrections to any hiccups that occurred. Once she got comfortable and settled in, Palmateer was running a smooth offense for her squads.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="66328" first="Ava" last="Sarafa"], Marian/Michigan Elite – </strong>Sarafa continues to grow in confidence and her court control really stands out. She has a great combination of size (6’0”) and athleticism to truly be great at her position. Sarafa had great chemistry with all the hitters she worked with.</p> <h4><strong>Liberos/Defensive Specialists</strong></h4> [caption id="attachment_130406" align="alignright" width="300"]<img class="wp-image-130406 size-medium" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2021/02/56_Kennedy-Hudson2-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" /> Kennedy Hudson[/caption] <p><strong>Kalliann Cook, Birch Run/Michigan Elite – </strong>Cook is another standout defender from Friday’s event. Everything just looked very smooth for her on the floor. She easily glided into proper position to make each pass and dig look relatively effortless.</p> <p><strong>Kennedy Hudson, Lakeland/Team Detroit – </strong>Watching Hudson’s eyes told you a lot about her play. She had great court vision and properly looked in every serve she would receive. Her eyes put her in the right position in each drill and for each point.</p> <p><strong>Kathleen Rachwal, Salem/Team Detroit – </strong>Rachwal had one of the most explosive serves in the class of 2023 prospects. It was consistently causing problems for her peers. Add to that a solid foundation of skills as a DS, and Rachwal can be a very impactful player.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="108714" first="Taryn" last="Rice"], Northville/Michigan Elite – </strong>Rice was easy to notice because of her effort level. She put everything into each drill and each point. She’s an athletic DS that has a solid swing from the back row, a strong serve, and a consistent passing skillset.</p> <p><strong>Mia Swierbut, Grand Haven/Inside Out – </strong>Swierbut was one of the smaller players at the Expo, standing 5’3”, but she made up for her size with her scrappiness. Swierbut was determined to make every play that came her way and often did. Her competitive fire will take her places.</p> <p><strong>Franny Young, Rockford/FaR Out – </strong>Young was moving around the court well and doing her best to get to every ball hit in her direction. She can make the athletic dig just as easily as she can make the basic pass.</p> <p><strong><em><a href="https://bit.ly/3s4XKJd">Related: Michigan Top 250 Expo 2023 Hitter Evaluations</a></em></strong></p> <p><a href="https://bit.ly/3s0UC17"><strong><em>Related: Michigan Top 250 Expo 2022 Hitter Evaluations</em></strong></a></p> <p><a href="https://bit.ly/2NAKoW0"><strong><em>Related: Michigan Top 250 Expo 2022 Setter &amp; DS Evaluations</em></strong></a></p> <p><a href="https://bit.ly/3qnf8IM"><strong><em>Related: Michigan Top 250 Expo Eye-Catching Performers</em></strong></a></p>