Rising Elite 2023: Five Hitters to Watch

As the high school season is coming to an end, we dive into some rising elite athletes and their talents that bring that status to them. These athletes have shown their athletic talents and produced impressive numbers that have caught my eye and are definitely going to be ones to keep an eye on. Delaney Lemay- Wauconda Lemay is a very determined and strong athlete that will catch your eye. Standing at 5’10", the OH is a very talented individual and continues to make her way to being a well rounded elite player. Lemay is a all-conference team athlete for Wauconda and continues to make a name for herself with her athletic abilities. She is a very concise and consistent player and is powerful with her swing. Lemay is quick on her feet and works well with her setters to set up the perfect kill and moves accordingly amongst the floor. Last season, the sophomore was seen in 66 sets with 119 kills, 106 digs and 7 aces. Those stats are impressive for her first year in her volleyball career and only continue to get better. Lemay is going to be an athlete to watch and transition into an elite athlete. Lilli Burton- Round Lake High School Burton is another elite that is climbing her way to developing into an elite athlete. Burton is a very powerful MH and is one athlete that shows her aggression, competitiveness and hunger in her athletic ability. Burton has a developing strong right swing and is consistent with her swings when it comes to her setter setting up the kill for her. She can communicate amongst the floor and a stand out trait that shows in Burton is that she is coachable. Burton is a determined player and is not afraid to be moved around the court to player in new positions if need be, which is very impressive. Burton can most definitely become an elite athlete with development in her fundamental skills, however, Burton has a solid foundation and is well on her way. [player_tooltip player_id="138661" first="Jessica" last="Horwath"]- Barrington High School Horwath is an athlete that is just going to blow you out of the water when you see her in action on the court. The 6’1" OH has a solid foundation and it shows in her athletic skills. Horwath has been a starter on varsity since the beginning of her high school career and is a top 10 pin hitter in Illinois. She is a very high skilled individual as she is can also be seen playing as a DS for her club and high school teams. Horwath currently has a career of 120 sets played with 379 kills, 27 blocks, 205 digs and 22 aces. She is a very well diverse athlete and is going to be an athlete to follow throughout both her high school seasons and club seasons. Horwath’s work ethic and ability to be so well diverse puts her on the map of becoming a rising elite athlete. [player_tooltip player_id="138667" first="Lucy" last="Arndt"]- Aquin Catholic Arndt is another athlete that I have continuously been able to observe and am impressed with her athletic ability. Arndt is definitely on the radar of becoming an athlete, because of her ability to move across the floor and her powerful swing that she has. The OH has an arm of steel and she is not afraid to use the power that she has. Arndt has been seen in 28 sets this season and has managed to collect 167 kills, 25 aces and 110 digs. Arndt is very attentive on the court and moves swift across the court in correlation with her setters. She is definitely going to be one to watch evolve into an elite athlete and continues to prove her athletic ability. Cydney Anderson- Bolingbrook High School Anderson is an outstanding athlete and continues to prove that with her athletic abilities on the court. Anderson is a very powerful and strong OH when she steps out on the court. Her right swing and the perfect high sets that her setters contribute with make her kills consistent and fearful. Anderson moves well with the ball and is always going to be at the right place at the right time. She reacts fast and has outstanding ball control. Anderson has all the qualities to become an elite athlete and continues to bring light to herself on the court. She is going to be on the look out for during the rest of her athletic career.

As the high school season is coming to an end, we dive into some rising elite athletes and their talents that bring that status to them. These athletes have shown their athletic talents and produced impressive numbers that have caught my eye and are definitely going to be ones to keep an eye on.

Delaney Lemay- Wauconda

Lemay is a very determined and strong athlete that will catch your eye. Standing at 5’10", the OH is a very talented individual and continues to make her way to being a well rounded elite player. Lemay is a all-conference team athlete for Wauconda and continues to make a name for herself with her athletic abilities. She is a very concise and consistent player and is powerful with her swing. Lemay is quick on her feet and works well with her setters to set up the perfect kill and moves accordingly amongst the floor. Last season, the sophomore was seen in 66 sets with 119 kills, 106 digs and 7 aces. Those stats are impressive for her first year in her volleyball career and only continue to get better. Lemay is going to be an athlete to watch and transition into an elite athlete.

Lilli Burton- Round Lake High School

Burton is another elite that is climbing her way to developing into an elite athlete. Burton is a very powerful MH and is one athlete that shows her aggression, competitiveness and hunger in her athletic ability. Burton has a developing strong right swing and is consistent with her swings when it comes to her setter setting up the kill for her. She can communicate amongst the floor and a stand out trait that shows in Burton is that she is coachable. Burton is a determined player and is not afraid to be moved around the court to player in new positions if need be, which is very impressive. Burton can most definitely become an elite athlete with development in her fundamental skills, however, Burton has a solid foundation and is well on her way.

Jessica Horwath Jessica Horwath OH Barrington | 2023 State IL - Barrington High School

Horwath is an athlete that is just going to blow you out of the water when you see her in action on the court. The 6’1" OH has a solid foundation and it shows in her athletic skills. Horwath has been a starter on varsity since the beginning of her high school career and is a top 10 pin hitter in Illinois. She is a very high skilled individual as she is can also be seen playing as a DS for her club and high school teams. Horwath currently has a career of 120 sets played with 379 kills, 27 blocks, 205 digs and 22 aces. She is a very well diverse athlete and is going to be an athlete to follow throughout both her high school seasons and club seasons. Horwath’s work ethic and ability to be so well diverse puts her on the map of becoming a rising elite athlete.

Lucy Arndt Lucy Arndt 5'11" | OH Aquin Catholic | 2023 State IL - Aquin Catholic

Arndt is another athlete that I have continuously been able to observe and am impressed with her athletic ability. Arndt is definitely on the radar of becoming an athlete, because of her ability to move across the floor and her powerful swing that she has. The OH has an arm of steel and she is not afraid to use the power that she has. Arndt has been seen in 28 sets this season and has managed to collect 167 kills, 25 aces and 110 digs. Arndt is very attentive on the court and moves swift across the court in correlation with her setters. She is definitely going to be one to watch evolve into an elite athlete and continues to prove her athletic ability.

Cydney Anderson- Bolingbrook High School

Anderson is an outstanding athlete and continues to prove that with her athletic abilities on the court. Anderson is a very powerful and strong OH when she steps out on the court. Her right swing and the perfect high sets that her setters contribute with make her kills consistent and fearful. Anderson moves well with the ball and is always going to be at the right place at the right time. She reacts fast and has outstanding ball control. Anderson has all the qualities to become an elite athlete and continues to bring light to herself on the court. She is going to be on the look out for during the rest of her athletic career.