Breaking Down Elite 2023 Setters in Kansas and Missouri
In this article:
The big June 15th threshold has passed, and the excitement is palpable. Naturally, our coverage of 2023s will not waver simply because June 15th has come and gone. Recruiting is usually a long and deliberate process. Many colleges will still…
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Continue ReadingThe big June 15th threshold has passed, and the excitement is palpable.
Naturally, our coverage of 2023s will not waver simply because June 15th has come and gone. Recruiting is usually a long and deliberate process. Many colleges will still be looking to complete their 2023 classes almost two years from now. It’s plenty of time for recruits to make their decisions, and it also allows new names to enter the fold. We want to be there to see that talent emerge.
So, our coverage of the Class of 2023 continues, and I’m venturing into Kansas and Missouri today. The Kansas City metro has been well represented at the events I’ve been to lately. I’ve seen several of these athletes multiple times over the past few months. Meanwhile, there are plenty of other players outside the big city that have piqued my interest.
I want to kick off my coverage of Kansas and Missouri 2023s with the one position that has simply blown me away this year: setters. This setter class is incredibly deep, and Kansas City might just be in the center of it all.
The Breakdown
The setters in this region have really set themselves apart from others around the country.
It’s hard to know where to start. Perhaps we should turn to Ella Swindle Ella Swindle 6'2" | S Rock Bridge | 2023 State #6 Nation MO , our top-ranked 2023 in Missouri. Her hands, finesse, and leadership has helped her KC Power team earn quite a few accolades this year. These attributes will surely allow Swindle to find success wherever her future lies.
Sydney Draper Sydney Draper 5'11" | S Pembroke Hill | 2023 State #143 Nation MO is another KC Power setter to watch. She has been playing up one age group for a while now, and that high-level experience has benefitted her tremendously. Like Swindle, Draper is an active, aggressive setter. The scoring threat she brings to the front row can pull blockers out of any given play. KC Power is set at the setting position.
Then there’s Ashley Mullen Ashley Mullen 5'10" | S Liberty | 2023 State #9 Nation MO , one of many exciting talents in the Dynasty program. She’s is the kind of setter who is not afraid to make the difficult play. Just when you think an attacking option is not available, Mullen figures out how to force it in and throw everyone off guard. Her club team will provide so many more thrills in the years to come.
As for MAVS, Logan Jones Logan Jones 5'10" | S Carl Junction | 2023 State #57 Nation MO is a player to follow. Known simply as “Lo,” Jones brings stunning athleticism and creativity to the setter spot. I’ve always known MAVS to be a club that values springy athletes who can absolutely ball out, and Jones embodies this. She can scramble after a pass, slide on her knees, and crank the ball to the opposite pin in one fluid motion. Her backsets are magic. This MAVS team showed out when I saw them at NLQ in Omaha, and they should continue to tear it up. Jones wouldn’t accept anything else.
You can find even more great setting talent as you venture away from KC and deeper into Kansas. Brailee Bogle Brailee Bogle 6'0" | S Wichita Northwest | 2023 State KS is a Wichita product who serves as the glue for her Air Capital Aces team. Like many of the others in this feature, Bogle is always a threat to score when she’s in the front row. Her smooth dishes to the left pin help the offense flow, and she has a way of distributing the ball. Put simply, Bogle does what you ask of your setter.
Other Names to Know
I’m excited to get more in-person observations of these players in the months and years ahead.
Makya Clayton Makya Clayton 5'6" | S Lee's Summit | 2023 State MO – 5’6 S – PVA
Brynne McGhie Brynne McGhie 5'10" | S St. Teresa's Academy | 2023 State MO – 5’9 S – Dynasty
Juliette Myrick Juliette Myrick 5'11" | S Eureka | 2023 State #100 Nation MO – 5’11 S – Rockwood Thunder