Big Ten Representation in Prep Dig 2023 Rankings

The Big Ten Conference continues to flex its dominance. If you want to stake a claim as the best college volleyball conference in the country, teams have to back that up on the recruiting trail. Powerhouse programs are built through the acquisition of top-tier prep talent, and we're seeing plenty of that from the Big Ten's Class of 2023 haul. So, amid Chris Fitzgerald's ongoing breakdown series of 2023 commits (SEC is <a href="https://prepdig.com/2022/05/what-pd-national-2023-recruits-are-heading-to-the-sec/">here!</a>), I've been invited to step in and talk about the Big Ten's commits from our new rankings release. It'll be like returning to my college volleyball beat reporting roots as a journalism student. I'm ready for it.   Illinois #70 - [player_tooltip player_id="85903" first="Gabby" last="Dean"] - 6'4 MB - Team Indiana #90 - [player_tooltip player_id="138658" first="Lily" last="Barry"] - 5'7 OH/DS - Illini Elite Illinois is bringing in a 2023 class with a nice Midwestern motif. Sometimes you find a prep athlete that just looks built for Big Ten volleyball, and that's what you get with Dean. Opposing teams regularly commit two blockers to Dean, but this Team Indiana standout still finds a way to go over the top. Her team will also not hesitate to let Dean attack off of two feet on the right pin. That versatility will certainly be appreciated by a Fighting Illini squad that is loaded with tall talents. Barry, meanwhile, was recruited as a defensive specialist but makes her presence felt in the frontcourt for Illini Elite. You don't often see five-foot-seven outside hitters making this much of an impact. Barry's tenacity on the left pin is matched by her gritty defense and unflappable passing, and those backcourt skills will be allowed to flourish in the hard-hitting gauntlet of the Big Ten.   Maryland #25 - [player_tooltip player_id="160339" first="Eva" last="Rohrbach"] - 6'3 MB - WAVE Rohrbach is prepared to make some coast-to-coast impact. Going from California to Maryland is not a quick jaunt, but Rohrbach has proven that she can travel around and make an impact just about anywhere. She has been a persistent standout for Wave and makes the most of her long frame at the middle blocker spot. Better yet, Maryland's recent track record with dominant middle blockers will put Rohrbach in an environment where she can surely succeed.   Michigan State #69 - [player_tooltip player_id="166353" first="Cameron" last="Berger"] - 5'10 S - Vital When I first watched Berger this year, she was an Illinois State commit. Since then, Leah Johnson and the Redbird staff have made the move to Michigan State to replace Cathy George, a trailblazing head coach during her long tenure with the Spartans. Naturally, Berger is making the same move with the staff that originally recruited her. Her precise location and consistent tempo drew me to Vital's court during NLQ, and I've loved keeping tabs on her Minnesota team ever since. Michigan State has brought in plenty of highly touted setter recruits lately, and they'll have another one in Berger. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Huge props to Vital 18-1 Gold for what they've done here. Really been turning heads as they earned their spot in Sunday Gold pools. Tough serving, great ball control. Setter [player_tooltip player_id="166353" first="Cameron" last="Berger"] is so precise. <a href="https://t.co/Y3GBdnk68Z">pic.x.com/Y3GBdnk68Z</a> — Austin Kingsley (@KingsleyATK) <a href="https://x.com/KingsleyATK/status/1487800943756275714?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 30, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>   Minnesota #14 - [player_tooltip player_id="195469" first="Laney" last="Choboy"] - 5'4 DS/L - NC Academy #20 - [player_tooltip player_id="99224" first="Calissa" last="Minatee"] - 6'0 MB - Dynasty #22 - [player_tooltip player_id="73491" first="Sydney" last="Schnichels"] - 6'4 OH/RS - MN Select Minnesota is obviously determined to stay among the Big Ten's top tier. Choboy has always been in the conversation for the best libero in the 2023 class. Her spectacular ball control yielded a spot on the youth national team last year, and Choboy has kept up her defensive rampage with NC Academy in 2022. She will fly in out of nowhere to make defensive plays that few prep liberos can make, so stay laser-focused when you watch this defender play. This is also an opportunity for me to marvel at how much Minatee has developed over the past couple of seasons. She has grown into such a natural middle blocker who is almost a sure scoring bet when swinging in front of the setter. Minatee's ascent also shows that top college programs would be wise to establish a strong foothold in Kansas City for years to come. Schnichels is another go-to attacker who will don the maroon and gold in 2023. Her transition to Minnesota Select has been a smooth one, and she brings a serious hammer to the right pin for her Nationals-bound squad. The Golden Gophers regularly strike gold with in-state recruits; I still think back to the mid-2010s Minnesota lineups that were comprised almost entirely of Northern Lights alums. Schnichels carries on that in-state tradition. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> It's an impressive, revamped <a href="https://x.com/MNSelect?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MNSelect</a> 17-1 this year.<a href="https://x.com/GopherVBall?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@GopherVBall</a> commit [player_tooltip player_id="73491" first="Sydney" last="Schnichels"] (7) is already having a huge impact. <a href="https://x.com/PrepDigMN?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PrepDigMN</a> <a href="https://t.co/Bsw0eMLPgR">pic.x.com/Bsw0eMLPgR</a> — Austin Kingsley (@KingsleyATK) <a href="https://x.com/KingsleyATK/status/1487428935243554820?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 29, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>   Nebraska #1 - [player_tooltip player_id="66319" first="Harper" last="Murray"] - 6'2 OH - Legacy #4 - [player_tooltip player_id="114534" first="Caroline" last="Jurevicius"] - 6'2 OH/RS - AVC #8 - [player_tooltip player_id="195471" first="Bergen" last="Reilly"] - 6'1 S - Kairos #63 - [player_tooltip player_id="195499" first="Andi" last="Jackson"] - 6'2 MB - The Diff The Big Red recruiting machine is not slowing down. It's another top-tier haul for last year's national runner-up, this time in the Class of 2023. Murray spearheads this group as the unquestioned number one, and she hasn't let off the gas in 2022. From Triple Crown NIT to last month's Prep Dig Open, I have seen Murray take over matches with her indefensible angles and incredible contact point. Her six-rotation skills have progressed since competing with the USAV U20 team last summer, and there's really no stage too big for the Ann Arbor native. Jurevicius and Reilly joined Murray on that U20 team last year. While we're seeking out connections and commonalities, Jurevicius and Reilly also played up this year and competed in 18s with AVC and Kairos, respectively. AVC leaned on Jurevicius as a left-side hitter this year, but Jurevicius probably has ambitions of playing opposite at the next level. Meanwhile, Reilly's decorated career at setter has continued after securing a state championship with O'Gorman to close out 2021. And, if you're seeking out 2023 athletes with staggering athleticism, Jackson is a must-watch. Her ridiculous approach touch keeps getting higher and higher, and she moves so fluidly for someone as long as she is. Jackson currently competes with The Diff as a left-side hitter, but it's easy to see why Nebraska is anxious to give this high-flying athlete a shot at middle blocker. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Flying high in the early points of Championship Sunday here at <a href="https://x.com/hashtag/PDTheOpen?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PDTheOpen</a>. That [player_tooltip player_id="66319" first="Harper" last="Murray"] 2-ball from <a href="https://x.com/LegacyLvc?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@LegacyLvc</a> 17-1 Adidas is always tough to stop. <a href="https://x.com/hashtag/Huskers?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Huskers</a> <a href="https://t.co/7TmcYymrcm">pic.x.com/7TmcYymrcm</a> — Austin Kingsley (@KingsleyATK) <a href="https://x.com/KingsleyATK/status/1520738893099847681?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 1, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>   Northwestern #51 - [player_tooltip player_id="138650" first="Gigi" last="Navarrete"] - 5'6 DS/L - 1st Alliance Northwestern is keeping this Mother McAuley libero in Chicago, and they'll be glad they did. It's hard to find another 2023 defensive specialist who brings as much of a positive on-court influence as Navarrete. Her 1st Alliance team showed such a loose, light-hearted attitude during its dominant NLQ run, and Navarrete was the centerpiece for a lot of that energy. Of course, this libero brings some defensive prowess to back up that attitude and is looking to take up as much court as possible in serve receive. Before joining the Wildcats in 2023, Navarrete has some unfinished business on the Nationals stage in Indianapolis.   Ohio State [caption id="attachment_197708" align="alignright" width="400"]<img class="wp-image-197708" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2022/05/IMG_8740-crop-4040x2653-1653589064-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="400" height="263" /> Brandewie attacks for Mintonette at the Show Me Qualifier.[/caption] #9 - [player_tooltip player_id="114513" first="Eloise" last="Brandewie"] - 6'2 MB - Mintonette #44 - [player_tooltip player_id="195485" first="Mia" last="Tuman"] - 6'0 S - Pittsburgh Elite #47 - [player_tooltip player_id="138648" first="Grace" last="Egan"] - 6'1 OH - 1st Alliance Through my 2022 club travels, I've been able to get a long look at each of these Buckeye-bound athletes. My first stop at NLQ in January brought Egan and 1st Alliance into focus in Omaha. I watched in awe as 1st Alliance swept through the entire 17 Open field, and Egan was perhaps the most eye-popping 17s player in the gym that weekend. This was a whole new gear from Egan that helped solidify her current standing in the 2023 rankings. Next, I got a live look at Brandewie at the Show Me Qualifier in Kansas City. She quickly presented the physical dominance that helped land her on the USAV U20 National Team back in 2021. Brandewie's consistent scoring onslaught was enough to secure a Nationals bid for Mintonette m.71 at Show Me, so my live looks at this talented middle blocker will resume this summer. Finally, I crossed paths with Tuman and Pittsburgh Elite at the Prep Dig Open to wrap up April. After picking up setter Sarah White from the same club in the 2021 class, Ohio State seems content with keeping that pipeline alive. Tuman has an incredibly soft touch and will not hesitate to set against the grain, so watch out for these skills when she transitions to the next level.   Penn State #56 - [player_tooltip player_id="114560" first="Karis" last="Willow"] - 6'3 OH/RS - Impact It's a whole new era for Penn State volleyball. I can't go without acknowledging the retirement of legendary head coach Russ Rose, who wrapped up his run with the Nittany Lions last year after 43 years at the helm and seven national championships. Katie Schumacher-Cawley is taking the reins of the historic program, and I'll be interested to see if her staff makes any more additions to the 2023 class. For now, though, Willow is a great player to build around. The Ohio outside hitter led Liberty-Benton to a state championship last fall, and her .464 season hitting percentage ensured that the Eagles wouldn't lose a match all year, either. Willow has undoubtedly staked her claim as the current most dominant prep player in the Buckeye State -- a state that has already produced so many Penn State legends.   Purdue #2 - [player_tooltip player_id="85895" first="Chloe" last="Chicoine"] - 5'9 OH - Circle City #26 - [player_tooltip player_id="87532" first="Taylor" last="Anderson"] - 6'0 S - Alamo #29 - [player_tooltip player_id="59201" first="Grace" last="Heaney"] - 6'2 RS - Premier Nebraska #60 - [player_tooltip player_id="138657" first="Kenna" last="Wollard"] - 6'1 OH - Illini Elite The entire complexion of Purdue's 2023 class changed not that long ago. I remember being in Chicago for February's Prep Dig Chi-Town Classic when news dropped that Chicoine pledged to the Boilermakers. It's one of those commitments that just feels like a perfect match. The Indiana prep star brings a wealth of USAV experience, terrific ball control skills, and an incredible arm swing that terminates at a height you don't expect to find a five-foot-nine player. These same six-rotation abilities can be found in Wollard, an Illini Elite outside hitter who dazzled us at the Show Me Qualifier earlier this spring. Her fast arm and rock-solid passing put her in the running to take on that "Caitlyn Newton role" that Purdue often expects from its left sides. Over on the right pin, the Boilermakers pulled in one of Nebraska's top 2023s in Heaney. Again, Heaney fits the kind of traits that Purdue often looks for in its opposites: long, agile, and left-handed. A former Boilermaker right side with exactly those descriptors just won an Olympic gold medal last year. Then there's Anderson, a setter who will surely be able to keep up with the growing physicality of the college game. Her six-foot-one frame makes her a great blocking asset in the frontcourt, and she also has an aggressive mindset from her experience as an opposite. If there's a Big Ten school where setters have the green light to get aggressive, it's Purdue. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> [player_tooltip player_id="138657" first="Kenna" last="Wollard"] has been doing much of the scoring on the left pin for <a href="https://x.com/IEVBC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@IEVBC</a> 17 Cardinal. Such a quick arm. <a href="https://t.co/AHoIqYHYrJ">pic.x.com/AHoIqYHYrJ</a> — Austin Kingsley (@KingsleyATK) <a href="https://x.com/KingsleyATK/status/1513161487900160000?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 10, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>   Rutgers #81 - [player_tooltip player_id="87529" first="Krista" last="Dooley"] - 6'3 OH - Dallas Skyline #92 - [player_tooltip player_id="101697" first="Reagan" last="Fox"] - 6'2 OH - KC Power Seeing the Scarlet Knights on here is refreshing. Rutgers Head Coach Caitlin Schweihofer enters her third year with the program and has demonstrated a renewed focus on recruiting prep talent from across the United States. The New Jersey program has traditionally pulled in many of its major contributors from overseas, but we might be seeing a shifting philosophy with this 2023 class. Dooley and Fox both bring physical traits that should translate well to the next level. I kicked off my 2022 club travels with a look at Dooley's Dallas Skyline team at NLQ in January, where this multi-talented hitter showed her willingness to score on either pin. Fox, meanwhile, is an athlete who has been on my radar on the high school side for a while. Her St. Teresa's Academy team has made two consecutive visits to Omaha Skutt for some elite-level high school competition there. Perhaps we'll complete the trifecta this fall. I'll be there.   Wisconsin [caption id="attachment_181388" align="alignright" width="400"]<img class="wp-image-181388" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2022/02/DSC03798.jpg" alt="" width="400" height="267" /> Damrow competes with FC Elite.[/caption] #13 - [player_tooltip player_id="82282" first="Saige" last="Damrow"] - 5'8 DS/L - FC Elite It's all about quality over quantity for the defending national champs. Of course, Damrow committed to the Badgers long before last year's exciting championship run. She pledged to Wisconsin even before the current "June 15th rules" were implemented, so this defensive specialist has been on the path to Madison for a few years now. It's a good fit, too. Damrow has the tenacious mindset and vocal leadership skills that Wisconsin's coaching staff clearly covets from backcourt players. She's also been playing up for most of her prep career, so the prospect of facing older, more experienced players in the Big Ten will not be intimidating.