Live Eye, 20 Athletes From ‘23 To Recruit At Triple Crown
The Class of 2023 has had an interesting journey in their recruiting. This will be the first true year of recruiting where last year Division 1 college coaches were only able to see the Class of 2023 for a couple weeks before they were able to start communicating. For college coaches, there are still a lot of talent 2023’s out there. For 2023’s, there are still a lot of places looking for 2023’s. There are plenty of athletes across all courts from the Class of 2023 who will be playing this weekend, here his a guide, a cheat sheet of names to check out of athletes from the Class of 2023.
What is “Live Eye”? These are all athletes I have seen in the past year play live. I really don’t feel comfortable writing and putting names out there when I haven’t seen them myself. This weekend I’m looking to seeing new teams play from the likes of California, Arizona, Texas, and Florida (and everywhere in between). We will have multiple Prep Dig scouts on site at Triple Crown where we can’t wait to write about prospects from across the country!
Cordelia Kearns with the big swing and kill for Oconomowoc
Ocon 25-19, set one pic.twitter.com/Jf3RlDvXB4
— Chris Fitzgerald (@PrepDigChris) November 7, 2021
Cordelia Kerns – VC United 171
Kearns will be playing for a really talented VC United team out of Rockford, IL. She won a state title in Wisconsin this past fall and is a big time point scorer from the outside with a really fast arm.
Ella Christ – Northern Lights 17-1
Northern Lights 17-1 is just out of the power pools and will be a team to keep an eye on throughout the weekend. Christ is very athletic where she can do a variety of things in every rotation, mostly from the pin.
Vanessa Del Real – 1st Alliance 17 Gold
The “Real Deal Del Real”, Del Real is a DS/L for one of the top 17s in the country. I’ve seen her play on the high school and club courts and she is so consistent and dependable, having a major presence no matter what position she is put in.
Lily Dudley – MAVS KC 17-1
Speed doesn’t slump and that is exactly what Dudley plays with. She is a high flying, uber athletic pin who can play all six rotations. She takes what the defense gives her and can go line, cross, or tool the block for a fast tempo MAVS squad.
Kati Goba – MKE Sting 17 Gold
Goba commands the defense for Sting 17 Gold. I’ve seen her play since she was 15 and she just knows how to get it done. Her counterpart on on defense Molly Berezowitz is another high level player who works extremely well next to Goba and with the two of them on the court, serve receive is on point for Sting.
Neele’ge’ Sims – Michigan Elite 17 Mizuno
Sims brings plenty of athleticism and physicality to the middle for MI Elite 17 Mizuno, she has a great connection with Kentucky commit, setter Ava Sarafa. They will be in the power pools to kick off play.
Luca Fickell – Tri State Elite 17 Blue
Fickell is 6’1 and is so smooth in how she moves and uses her hands. She glides on the courts and makes it look easy to get to the ball and put up a hittable ball. She works really well with her middles that include another 2023 uncommitted in Ivey Stocks.
Gabriella Durham (Ella) with a real heavy swing for @MintonetteSport 71. Real competitive match vs MVA #centralzone pic.twitter.com/97VI3t4FHQ
— Chris Fitzgerald (@PrepDigChris) January 29, 2022
Gabriella “Ella” Durham – Mintonette m.71
Durham has a big, heavy swing from the outside, she plays with a lot of power and shows signs of a next level scorer. This Mintonette team is really physical and athletic with a big frontline. If they can pass and serve receive they will be dangerous.
Morgan Kealy – Kokoro 17-1
Kealy is extremely high IQ as a setter, she was an All State player in Wisconsin’s largest class and knows how to run the show. She sets for Kokoro 17-1 out of St. Paul, MN. A major hidden gem, she is one college coaches need to make sure they don’t miss.
@FCEliteVB jumps out to an early three set lead over Sting 16 Black. So much intensity on this court. Autumn Flynn on the block pic.twitter.com/ejwMPZAmJP
— Chris Fitzgerald (@PrepDigChris) May 31, 2021
Autumn Flynn – FC Elite 18 Elite
Flynn is a middle blocker on the FC Elite 18’s squad that is in the top power pool this weekend. She is lethal off one foot and could be used at the next level as a middle blocker or right side attacker with a dynamic skill set.
Lauren Janosy – AVC CLE Rox 17 Red
Just a fun player to watch. She smiles, she has great intangibles, and she has great vision as an outside hitter. Janosy knows how to find the open spot and avoid the block. She also knows how to use the block to her advantage. AVC has a real scrappy team that will be a tough out for squads.
Kate Simington – MN Select 17-1
Simington continues to improve each time she steps on the court. She has a really high ceiling. This MN Select 17-1 team is solid, very little weakness and I see them punching an open division ticket. Simington will be key to this where she is such a presence defensively with her block and out of the middle hitting a variety of angles.
More standouts from the #asicschallenge from multiple states
Morgan Burke – @SkuttCatholicVB
Paisley Douglas – @SkuttCatholicVB
Emma McDowell – Dunbar (Lexington, KY)
Ava Jackson – Dunbar
Peyton Mast – @NDA_athleticsP.S. there’s A LOT of high level liberos here
— Chris Fitzgerald (@PrepDigChris) October 2, 2021
Peyton Mast – NKYVC 17-1 Tsunami
I was able to see Mast play for Notre Dame Academy this fall at the Mother McAuley Asics Challenge and again at Central Zone. This lefty, right side is really dynamic where she can hit a variety of tempos and is available out of system. She is a bit of an X-Factor for her team where she can get points where her team really needs them.
Becky Barrett – Illini Elite 17 Cardinal
There’s Lily Barry and Becky Barrett for Illini Elite 17 Cardinal. I love some alliteration. Barry is the high flying outside and Barrett is the libero for this squad who moves really well along the court with a very controlled platform. She can handle a heavy volume of serves while also anticipating the next contract for her squad.
Ashley Sturzoiu – A5 Mizuno 17 Jing
An electric athlete to watch from the outside. Sturzoiu has a fast arm that puts a ton of pace on the ball where it’s tough to block and dig while keeping it in play. A5 always brings plenty of intensity and plays with a ton of speed and Sturzoiu represents all of that.
Sawyer Thomsen – KC Power 17-1
Thomsen is really dangerous along the front line. She connects really well with top setter Ella Swindle and she can attack off one foot. With her skill set, she can play out of the middle or right side where she knows how to turn in a block and score points.
Naija Gadis – Munciana 17 Pandas
Gadis is one of the top setters out of the Class of 2023 in Indiana where she brings plenty of court command and athleticism. Gadis can remain neutral with all of her tempos and with her speed, she can get her hands to the ball anywhere on the court. Munciana is always gritty and will be fun to see them take on the top teams in the country.
Ella Meyer – Six Pack 17-1
Meyer is another one I’ve seen play since she was a Freshman when she took on the Iowa State Tournament by storm as one of the top liberos. This past year her high school team won a state title and Meyer continues to be one who controls the backcourt. She’s got range and a spark that is contagious to the rest of her team.
Makya Clayton – PVA 17 Elite
Clayton doesn’t even need to swing, you just need to watch her jump to see her athleticism. She is absolutely lightning in a bottle with how explosive she is. Then when she does swing, she does it from anywhere. She can swing on either pin or come down the middle where she can pick her corner.
Catherine Burke – Adversity 17 Adidas
She’s touching ten feet and is 6’3 tall out of the middle. Catherine Burke is one to watch for 2023 middle this weekend. She can get from pin to pin to close the block as well as transition to score. She’s got a thunderous arm swing where she’s not afraid to be aggressive.