Club Team Spotlight – Alamo 16 Premier
We are coming to the end of the volleyball season soon and we wanted to write a few articles on certain club teams who we think deserve some recognition for their season. Qualifier season is now coming to an end and…
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Continue ReadingWe are coming to the end of the volleyball season soon and we wanted to write a few articles on certain club teams who we think deserve some recognition for their season. Qualifier season is now coming to an end and some teams have punched their ticket to USA Volleyball Junior Nationals, which will be held in Indianapolis later on this summer. Let’s take a look at a team who has had a great season so far and who we will be seeing at Nationals. Take a bow Alamo 16 Premier…you have earned it.
Alamo has had some ups and downs this season but have always had the individual talent to go up against anyone in the country. They were just looking to put it all together with a total team effort in order to earn their spot at USA Volleyball Junior Nationals. I have been able to watch them multiple times this season at some big tourneys across the country and they have always impressed. Last week in Dallas, I thought they had a great chance to do something amazing. They were due for a great showing and it all came together so perfectly. 16 Premier played like a true team and ended up placing 5th in the Open division of the toughest qualifier in the nation and in doing so they qualified for Nationals. We are proud of their success and look forward to seeing them in Indy. Even though we can write about each and every athlete that contributed to their success, I am only going to cover a few players that stood out while I was watching. Let’s meet a few of them.
Gabriella Reeves Gabriella Reeves 5'7" | S Antonian College Preparatory | 2024 State TX [2024] 5-6 Setter (HS: Reagan/Club: Alamo/Verbal: Uncommitted)
Gabby is currently ranked as the 56th best overall prospect in the 2024 Class according to our Prep Dig State Rankings. She plays high school volleyball at Reagan High School and also club for Alamo. This young lady is a very talented setter who has exceptional accuracy to every location along the net. She plays superb defense out of the right back zone and covers hitters like a libero. I have had the opportunity to see this youngster in action multiple times and am always impressed not only in her physical skill-set, but in how she approaches the game. She has so much fun playing at a high level and the competition only makes her better in my opinion. She has a very quick release and pushes a fast tempo to her pins. I like how she understands spreading the ball around to all hitters in order to keep the opponent off-balance. She will only get better as she continues to progress and we think she still has room to grow. All college coaches she be giving her a shot because she is proving her worth on the court against amazing competition.
Grace Carroll Grace Carroll 6'5" | RS Cornerstone | 2024 State #21 Nation TX [2024] 6-4 Setter/Right Side (HS: Alamo Heights/Club: Alamo/Verbal: Uncommitted)
Miss Carroll is currently ranked as the 3rd best prospect overall in the 2024 Class according to our Prep Dig State Rankings. She is a fantastic right side that plays at San Antonio Reagan and for the nationally known Alamo volleyball program. Every spectator will easily notice her height and power offensively because it stands out. But when I watch her play I see a player who is real game changer. She is able to affect the game blocking at the net and also with her volume scoring ability. Yes she is tall, but she truly does create a lot of momentum with her approach and reach very high to hit and block. Miss Carroll is attracting a lot of college interest and proving that it is warranted with her play on the court. While some may fold under pressure, she is showing that she will star at the next level. Stay tuned for more on Grace as she is special.
Kalina Calvillo Kalina Calvillo 6'1" | OH Antonian | 2024 State TX [2024] 5-11 Outside (HS: Antonian/Club: Alamo/ Verbal: Uncommitted)
Kalina is currently listed as the 68th best overall prospect in the state. She is a talented pin attacker for Antonian High School and also for the amazing Alamo volleyball club. There are outside hitters and there are point scorers. Miss Calvillo in my opinion is a kill waiting to happen. She is a true point scoring pin attacker who can score from anywhere on the court. Her athleticism and body control while she is in the air is remarkable and it truly helps her to be able to attack with precision at many different angles. I am very high on this young lady after watching her multiple times in person this season and think she deserves to move up our rankings when I update them soon. Don’t sleep on her defense either because she can block and dig with the best of them. Stay tuned for more on Kalina as we will be watching her very closely and reporting what we see. She can definitely help a college squad NOW, let alone in a few years. Coaches you need to add her to your list of pins to watch.
Lola Davila Lola Davila 5'6" | DS/L Brandeis | 2024 State TX [2024] 5-6 Libero (HS: Brandeis/Club: Alamo/Verbal: Uncommitted)
Lola is currently ranked as the 74th best overall prospect in the 2024 Class according to our Prep Dig State Rankings. She plays high school volleyball at Brandeis High School and also club for Alamo out of the San Antonio area. In a club that is known for its amazing liberos, Lola is anointed as the next one. She is a stud defensively and has amazing serve receive skills. Her base is always very well balanced and strong, which means that she is extremely coachable. You can see it when you see her posture and body control before, during and after contact in serve receive. She is a floor general in the back row and when you watch her play you can see her leadership. I haven’t seen a libero get split out so much in serve receive and be able to cover so much ground and still deliver a beautiful ball to her setter in a while. Alamo routinely divides the court in half in serve receive and lets Lola determine where she needs to be in order to pass nails. As a coach, this is the best respect you can give a libero and Miss Davila commands it. She is someone who will be playing at the next level soon so keep her name on your list of players to watch.
Other notable players who have been starring for this legit squad are super powerful middle Austin Smoak Austin Smoak 6'1" | MB Brandeis | 2024 State TX , versatile pin Macie Mathis Macie Mathis 5'11" | OH Smithson Valley | 2024 State TX , high-flying pin Alysa Walker Alysa Walker 5'7" | OH Keystone | 2024 State TX , super strong pin Talan Dodson, and big middle Thea Carter. We will be highlighting others from this team in another article soon as they gear up for Nationals. Stay tuned for more from this wonderful team.
As always stay tuned for more articles on your favorite athletes. If you have anyone you think we should watch out for, please shoot me an email with some info at nov8vb@yahoo.com. Also don’t forget to help these kids get more exposure by sharing our stories with your friends. Help us help them by simply retweeting on Twitter or sharing on Facebook. Thanks for following us, Prep Dig Texas Family! Don’t be afraid to interact with us. We love the likes, shares, and quotes/comments. Keep them coming!