Six Productive Middles from the Houston area
The club volleyball season is entering its fifth month in the state of Texas and a lot has happened since the very first tournaments in December. I’ve been fortunate to cover in-person a lot of what has happened in the…
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Continue ReadingThe club volleyball season is entering its fifth month in the state of Texas and a lot has happened since the very first tournaments in December.
I’ve been fortunate to cover in-person a lot of what has happened in the Houston area and it’s been really exciting to see some prospects I already knew of find ways to further improve their games and others that I didn’t surprise me with impressive skill sets.
I’m taking this week to highlight some of the most interesting players I saw during these first four months of coverage in each position and today we’ll focus on the middle blockers.
Alexis Roberson Alexis Roberson 6'4" | MB Ridge Point | 2022 State #163 Nation TX – HJV 18 Elite – HS: Ridge Point – 2022
Alexis Roberson Alexis Roberson 6'4" | MB Ridge Point | 2022 State #163 Nation TX entered the club season coming from a tremendous high school campaign with Ridge Point and has just gotten better since then. The 6’4” middle is one of the most dominant players in the entire state of the net as, besides the size, she also has excellent physical tools and understanding of the game. She’s a force on offense, hitting very quick sets with tremendous power, and is also of the most difficult blockers to get past at the net. Roberson will head to LSU in the summer.
Devyn Lewis Devyn Lewis 6'1" | MB Manvel | 2023 State TX – AVA TX 17 Adidas – HS: Manvel – 2023
Devyn Lewis Devyn Lewis 6'1" | MB Manvel | 2023 State TX ‘ versatility is truly impressive and one of her main assets as a player. She can hit from anywhere at the net with a very high level of efficiency and is an extremely productive blocker too. The 6’1” Lewis has an excellent all-around game and can help with passing and defense too. She has one of the heaviest arms in the Houston area and is the centerpiece and primary scoring option for her high school team Manvel, where she had an excellent high school season a few months ago.
Mikala Sampson Mikala Sampson 6'1" | MB Klein | 2023 State #109 Nation TX – Asics Willowbrook 17 Gold – HS: Klein – 2023
An athletic freak, Mikala Sampson Mikala Sampson 6'1" | MB Klein | 2023 State #109 Nation TX has an excellent presence at the net for her Asics Willowbrook 17 Gold team. The 6’1” prospect has very quick feet and is an excellent jumper, two skills that tremendously strengthen her game. Sampson thrives on offense because of her extremely high contact point and explosiveness and is also an intelligent and effective blocker. Her floater is no joke either and helps her team keep opponents out-of-system.
Jaela Auguste Jaela Auguste 6'0" | MB Grand Oaks | 2024 State #17 Nation TX – TAV Houston 16 Adidas – HS: Grand Oaks – 2024
Length, athleticism and mobility are some of the things that make of Jaela Auguste Jaela Auguste 6'0" | MB Grand Oaks | 2024 State #17 Nation TX a very interesting middle blocker in the Houston area. Also a track and field athlete, the 6’2” Auguste frequently overpowers her opponents at the net and she’s very good on both sides of the ball. Her offense is well-diversified and extremely explosive while her blocking has excellent size, technique and reading. Auguste is a key player for both her TAV Houston 16 Adidas club team and her high school side Grand Oaks.
Mackenzie Collins – HJV 15 Elite – HS: Shadow Creek – 2025
Mackenzie Collins is an important part of an HJV 15 Elite team that has established itself as one of the best in the entire state in the age group. She stands at 5’10” and is extremely active and is involved with a lot of what the team does on the court. She’s a fantastic leaper and has a very quick and heavy arm, which she uses to bounce balls every time she has a chance. Collins has immediately become an impactful player for her high school team Shadow Creek.
Carly Paugh – Woodlands Revolution 15 Premier – HS: Willis – 2025
Carly Paugh’s game is still developing but she has a tremendous upside. Her 6’2” frame is obviously a key part of her game but what stands out in Paugh’s game is the fact that she’s always connected to the match, never losing focus or shutting down, regardless of the score. She can score in bunches when in rhythm and is also a very productive blocker. Paugh is always considerably physical and will probably improve a lot in that area as she gets older.