Lone Star Classic Qualifier – 15 Open Champs Dallas Skyline
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The Lone Star Classic National Qualifier tournament held at the Kay Bailey Hutchinson Convention Center in Dallas took place this past Easter weekend. There were over a thousand talented teams from across the country competing in this awesome tournament and…
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Continue ReadingThe Lone Star Classic National Qualifier tournament held at the Kay Bailey Hutchinson Convention Center in Dallas took place this past Easter weekend. There were over a thousand talented teams from across the country competing in this awesome tournament and hundreds of college coaches were in attendance. This is widely regarded as the tournament with the toughest competition in the nation. It was a weekend full of cutthroat volleyball and I was super excited to have covered it for Texas. This series of articles will be focused on Texas teams that played, how they fared and some of the fantastic players who stood out to me.
Dallas Skyline 15 Royal came into the tourney ranked as the 9th overall seed and was primed for a solid run at Lone Star based off of their previous tournaments. They were due if you look at their results from previous qualifiers. They are currently 41-19 on the year and sit as the second ranked team in the North Texas region according to AES results. They are also ranked as the 17th best team in the nation according to AES. I have watched this team on three separate occasions already this year and they have some stars.
Pool one was no problem as they went undefeated and took over the 8th seed overall with the three wins. Day two consisted of a tougher pool of teams that either got first or second on day one. They won the first two matches easily and then were pitted against a team that is coming off of two Open National Qualifier championships and ranked as one of the best 15’s teams in the nation, Houston Skyline 15 Royal. It was a close match but Dallas fell to Houston in the end. This put them into the top eight which consisted of two pools of four teams each. Dallas Skyline went undefeated as they won three matches to go to the championship match against Austin Skyline. The championship match went to three sets but Dallas pulled out the victory (25-19, 18-25, 15-9).
Dallas Skyline 15 Royal proved that they are one of the most talented teams in the country by winning the championship of arguably the toughest Open division fields there is. 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.
Taylor Cook Taylor Cook 5'11" | S Prestonwood Christian Academy | 2025 State #87 Nation TX [2025] 5-11 Setter (HS: Melissa/Club: Dallas Skyline/Verbal: Uncommitted)
Taylor is currently ranked as the 7th best overall prospect and the best setter in the 2025 class according to our Prep Dig State Rankings. She plays at Melissa High School and for the amazing Dallas Skyline club program. We have profiled her a few times now and here is just a little from the last piece I wrote, “ Her laser jump serve is super tough and so consistent. When you watch her play, you will be amazed at how she just floats like a ghost from location to location so easily. It’s almost as if she has some super human ability while moving on the court. The ball also comes out of her hands so smoothly.” I was speaking to a few of my college coaching friends and they all have her on their list of players to watch. There are many reasons why I have her ranked as the best setter in the state in her grad class but this weekend just solidified it. Her ability to stay focused during the high-level play and remain poised is just another reason why she is able to deliver balls consistently to every location. Her physical attributes are what every spectator will notice, but when you truly watch her eyes as she deciphers the game it just seems as if she is playing volleyball at a completely different level than everyone else.
Kaelynn Sims Kaelynn Sims 6'0" | MB Sachse | 2025 State #88 Nation TX [2025] 6-0 Middle (HS: Garland/Club: Dallas Skyline/Verbal: Uncommitted)
Miss Sims is currently ranked as the 15th best overall prospect and 3rd best middle in the 2025 class according to our Prep Dig State Rankings. She plays at Garland High School and the nationally recognized Dallas Skyline club. I have written about her before and here is a refresher of what I stated, “Her natural athleticism is phenomenal and we think she has a very high ceiling to keep improving. I love watching her run the slide as I think it is one of her best weapons. She is so smooth on the court in every aspect of the game. In my opinion, she will have her choice of schools to attend in a few years. There might be taller players or players who may have a little more power, but this youngster is more polished at this age and will only get better with time.” This weekend was no exception as we watched her battle at the net against some amazing competition. Even against those elite middles, Miss Sims star shined brighter than others. She was super effective both offensively and blocking. I love watching how fluid her transition skills are and think she has a very high ceiling to still improve. If Lone Star National Qualifier gave out awards for exceptional play, she would have definitely been a recipient from what I witnessed.
Isabella Ocampo Isabella Ocampo 5'11" | OH Highland Park | 2025 State #146 Nation TX [2025] 5-10 Outside (HS: Highland Park/Club: Dallas Skyline/Verbal: Uncommitted)
Miss Ocampo comes in as the 34th ranked prospect in the 2025 Class according to our Prep Dig State Rankings. She plays at Highland Park High School and the nationally recognized Dallas Skyline club. I have watched this young lady play numerous times and every time I watch her, she gets better and better. The power in her right arm is something that lets me know she will be a stud for years to come. The scary part is that she is just now barely getting started. When you watch her play, you can see that she just gets the game on a very high level. Her volleyball IQ is high and coaches across the country are going to love that about her. She is a true six-rotation pin attacker who will excel at the high school level and the next level when she continues to progress. Stay tuned for more on Miss Ocampo as we will be watching her journey very closely.
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!