Division 4: Talented Players Create Consistency

As the 2021 season came to a close, we got to see a great field of Division 4 teams battle it out for the Gold ball. It’s a wonderful time of year to see who is peaking at the right time and which athletes are stepping up to lead their respective teams. Each team showed strength in their outside hitters. This division was loaded with great individual talent, and here are a few key players that made a big difference for their teams. Monticello [caption id="attachment_165395" align="alignright" width="300"]<img class="wp-image-165395 size-medium" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2021/11/M-8-Ellie-Gustafson.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /> [player_tooltip player_id="91856" first="Ellie" last="Gustafson"][/caption] [player_tooltip player_id="91856" first="Ellie" last="Gustafson"] – 2023 – 5’11 – Outside Hitter – Committed to St. Thomas This junior outside hitter has exploded on the scene in the past year. Gustafson does take on an extreme workload, and it has led to tremendous success for the Ponies. She has a heavy contact and arm swing along with good court awareness. Gustafson has great vision and demonstrates it through a range of termination techniques. She executes with placement, finesse, and power. Gustafson is a six-rotation player who is effective from anywhere on the court. [player_tooltip player_id="118263" first="Hannah" last="Clark"] – 2022 – 5’10 – Middle Blocker – Committed to Edgewood The Edgewood-bound middle came ready to play in the D4 Semifinals. She showed composure as the Ponies’ primary threat out of the middle. She capped off an amazing prep career with a trip to the Resch. Clark was one of the most effective offensive middles among the D4 field. She could terminate with conviction and competed well at the net on the big stage. <img class="size-medium wp-image-165396 alignleft" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2021/11/M-13-Kelsy-Grant-2.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" />Kelsy Grant – 2025 – 5’8 – Setter The Ponies’ setter put a lot on her young shoulders to lead their offense all season using strategy and athleticism. She can move the ball well from pin to pin, and at 5’8, she puts up a solid presence at the net defensively. Grant had options to help balance out Gustafson’s workload, and this experience will help her continue to develop her situational IQ as a setter. McDonell Central [player_tooltip player_id="165403" first="Destiny" last="Baughman"] – 2022 – 5’8 – Outside Hitter Baughman has a big powerful approach and a fast arm that gives her a lot of force through the ball. This use of the core creates great speed and skill to hit various areas of the floor. Baughman was relied on a lot in the championship match where she tallied 12 kills while hitting a .310. She came through, not only with a high quantity but great quality, in her work for the Macks. Wonewoc-Center [caption id="attachment_165394" align="alignright" width="300"]<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2021/11/WC-17-Kelsy-Justman-crop-4408x2894-1636845368.jpg"><img class="wp-image-165394 size-medium" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2021/11/WC-17-Kelsy-Justman-crop-4408x2894-1636845368-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a> Kelsy Justman[/caption] [player_tooltip player_id="165406" first="Kelsey" last="Justman"] – 2024 – 5’9 – Outside Hitter This sophomore was a big factor at the left pin for the Wolves, and she did a lot of damage with her athleticism and active arm. She has established herself as one of the players to watch coming up in the ranks of the Wisconsin 2024. Justman is primed to lead the Wolves back to the Resch for another couple years. Laona-Wabeno [player_tooltip player_id="165407" first="Elizabeth" last="Krawze"] – 2022 – 5’8 – Outside Hitter Krawze has been the Rebels’ offensive leader all season, and this senior outside has created a swing on the ball that is hard to bring back, let alone allow the opposing defense to get in-system to return the attack. Since the Rebels don’t use a libero, you will notice Krawze is also the team’s leader in digs, as well as a six-rotation athlete. She sees the court extremely well and has a lot of range on defense. <img class="size-medium wp-image-165397 alignleft" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2021/11/LW-10-Allison-Albrecht.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" />Allison Albrecht – 2025 – 5’8 – Middle Blocker The 5’8 freshman middle may have been the x-factor for the Rebels as she provided a threat out of the middle offensively. Albrecht was a great accompaniment to Krawze with variety in her attack strategy that made it tough to track her. She has a high contact point and puts good pace and movement on the ball. Albrecht will be a force to reckon with for 3 more years. Graze Krawze – 2023 – 5’4 - Setter As the Rebels’ assist leader, she led her team to a 38-9 overall record. She was an absolute unknown 2 weeks ago, and her quick hands and balanced footwork made her tough to read at times. Krawze utilized her position on the court, even when out-of-system, to consistently deliver pin to pin and against flow.