Six Standout Liberos 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 in today’s article, we’ll list some of the most efficient liberos from H-Town.
Gabriela Mansfield Gabriela Mansfield 5'4" | DS/L Klein | 2022 State TX – H Skyline 18 Royal – HS: Jersey Village – 2022
Playing for a second-straight season for Houston Skyline’s top 18s team, Gabriela ‘Gaby’ Mansfield is very comfortable on the court. She’s one of those defenders who make a tremendous impact on the game by helping their teams on both sides of the ball. She’s a phenomenal defender, combining excellent positioning and outstanding technique, and perhaps an even better passer, guaranteeing her team an inch-perfect first contact to start their offensive plays. Besides all her technical skills, the 5’4” Mansfield is also very focused on the court, which significantly limits her number of mistakes.
Laura Weatherford – Asics Willowbrook 18 Gold – HS: Cooper – 2022
Consistency and reliability are two words that describe Laura Weatherford’s game very fairly. Coaches are happy when they know exactly what they’re getting from their liberos and that’s exactly what Weatherford’s coaches get with her. The 5’5” libero is very clean on her game and will rarely make a technical mistake. Her ball control is excellent and she gets to make a tremendous impact on her team’s defensive and passing systems.
Olivia Abbott Olivia Abbott 5'7" | OH Stratford | 2023 TX – AVA TX 17 Adidas – HS: Stratford – 2023
The first time I watched Olivia Abbott Olivia Abbott 5'7" | OH Stratford | 2023 TX play, she was filling in as a setter and I thought she was pretty good. I was fortunate to watch her play her real position after that and found out she’s even better than I first thought. The 5’7” Abbott is extremely technical and that’s a great feature to have as a libero. She is very intelligent on the backcourt and moves extremely fast, touching a lot of balls not many others would. Abbott has produced impressive numbers during her high school career with Stratford and will certainly do the same as a senior.
Alice Volpe Alice Volpe 5'5" | DS/L Bridgeland | 2024 State #83 Nation TX – HJV 16 Elite – HS: Bridgeland – 2024
Alice Volpe Alice Volpe 5'5" | DS/L Bridgeland | 2024 State #83 Nation TX is one of the most exciting, up-and-coming liberos in the Houston area. She plays like a veteran on the court, displaying an excellent level of confidence and an impressive understanding of the game. The 5’6” Volpe stands out for her ability to dig balls and is one of those players who make their teammates better with their game. She works really hard on the court, but also seems to have a lot of fun with volleyball by frequently smiling during matches.
Kristen Kuehn Kristen Kuehn 5'7" | DS/L Brenham | 2024 State TX – Woodlands Revolution 16 Premier – HS: Brenham – 2024
Kristen Kuehn Kristen Kuehn 5'7" | DS/L Brenham | 2024 State TX is one of the players who saw their stock rise the most during this club season. She has been lights out for Woodlands Revolution 16 Premier and is certainly in the conversation about the best liberos in the area in her age group. The 5’7” Kuehn, who also plays beach volleyball and used to play as a setter, has an excellent all-around game and that’s one of the things that make her stand out on the court. She plays with a lot of energy and hustle and positively affects her teammates on the court.
Gabriella Gaines – AVA TX 15 Adidas – HS: Clear Springs – 2025
There is a handful of interesting class of 2025 liberos coming up in the Houston area, but I decided to highlight Gabriella Gaines after watching her play not long ago at the Power League. She was really impressive and a key piece in her AVA TX 15 Adidas team with her great reading of the game and ability to react. The 5’3” Gaines is also very technical and contributes a lot on serve receiving.