Sunshine Classic Preview: Houston Middles to Watch
The Sunshine Volleyball Classic in Orlando, Florida gets underway on April 1st. One of the most competitive qualifiers across the country, teams from Texas are flying out to try and secure a bid. With its beautiful weather and prime location,…
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Continue ReadingThe Sunshine Volleyball Classic in Orlando, Florida gets underway on April 1st. One of the most competitive qualifiers across the country, teams from Texas are flying out to try and secure a bid. With its beautiful weather and prime location, Orlando makes for a great qualifier. Below we will analyze some middles who we believe will be making a splash at the Orange County Convention Center over the weekend.
Jordan Taylor- HJV 15 Elite
Houston Juniors 15 Elite will be competing in the 15 open division at the Sunshine Volleyball Classic, and with it, they bring their middle blocker, Jordan Taylor. She is a force at the net on the block. Standing at 6’5, this freshman has improved her game and her agility blocking pin to pin. Starting on varsity as a freshman for Langham Creek, she was given the opportunity to improve her blocking quickly, causing opponents to think twice on offense. This season at HJV, we have also seen her offense improve to hitting a variety of sets. One of the better improvements we have seen is her ability to connect with her setter on the slide.
Taylor Larkin – Houston Stellar 16 Elite
Houston Stellar 16 Elite will be playing in the 16 USA division, which is packed with 72 teams. Taylor Larkin serves as an athletic middle for Stellar. She is aggressive on the block and at 5’11 she works to close out pin to pin. Her long arms and athleticism help her accomplish tough blocks at the net. On offense, Taylor works to be available on every play and is not afraid to run a play behind her setter out of system. We look forward to seeing her make big plays over the weekend.
Alexis Bull – Houston Skyline 17 Royal
Houston Skyline 17 Royal will be competing in the 17 open division at the Sunshine Volleyball Classic starting on April 1st. One of their most versatile players will be joining them, middle blocker Alexis Bull. Alexis is a dynamic middle who is comfortable hitting outside of the middle position. She can put the ball away on either pin with ease, and will often transition off the net for some quality right-side swings. If you spend more than 5 minutes by her court, you will see she is aggressive and passionate. Finishing 4th as a team at the NEQ, look for Alexis Bull and company to make an impact in Orlando.
Jaeda Rawls-Fletcher – Texas Tornados 15 Adidas
Texas Tornados 15 Adidas will be joining in on this bid tournament competing in 15 USA. In Houston, and around Texas, Texas Tornados 15 Adidas has finished well in past tournaments. Jaeda Rawls-Fletcher provides a huge force on the net for this team. With her incredible reach and verticle, she is able to contact the ball high above most opponents block. She also works hard to transition off the net and get into the offense for Tordanos. This season we have seen her develop more as an offensive player, and we look forward to seeing her progress.
Zoe Humphrey Zoe Humphrey 6'2" | MB St. Pius X | 2024 State #32 Nation TX – HJV 16 Elite
Houston Juniors 16 Elite is coming down to Orlando to compete in the 16 open division. Zoe Humphrey Zoe Humphrey 6'2" | MB St. Pius X | 2024 State #32 Nation TX plays a colossal roll on this team as middle blocker. Touching well over 10 feet, she is a force on the block and makes opponents think twice about their swing. She has been working hard in the off season to improve her offensive game. Boasting some big 10 foot swings, Zoe is able to contact the ball high and with efficiency. Look for her to be an integral part of this teams success at the Sunshine Volleyball Classic.