"Who You Gonna Call?" - 2024 PD Gauntlet Athletes Pt. 1

We are less than a month away from opening day of the Class of 2024 being able to chat with college coaches in regards to their recruiting process. Prep Dig will be hosting the Prep Dig Gauntlet over Memorial Day weekend at the Milwaukee Sting Center. Some of the top teams in the Midwest and even the country will be battling it out to open up the live recruiting period for this summer, a great way to gain exposure and momentum heading into calls with college coaches and national tournaments. We will be looking at plenty of athletes and teams at the Gauntlet, but today is part one of the “Who You Gonna Call: 2024 Gauntlet Athletes”. Let’s do it! <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Lot of weapons on the <a href="https://x.com/1stAllianceVBC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@1stAllianceVBC</a> 16 Gold team. [player_tooltip player_id="135954" first="Ellie" last="White"] setting and scoring, one of the top players out of the Class of 2024 in Illinois. <a href="https://x.com/hashtag/meq?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#meq</a> <a href="https://t.co/B335VrwTs8">pic.x.com/B335VrwTs8</a> — Chris Fitzgerald (@PrepDigChris) <a href="https://x.com/PrepDigChris/status/1507703059996106752?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 26, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> [player_tooltip player_id="135954" first="Ellie" last="White"] and [player_tooltip player_id="135950" first="Grace" last="Nelson"] - 1st Alliance 16 Gold White and Nelson are two of the top players in Illinois and are in the conversation for some of the top 2024s in the country. They have been key pieces to the 1st Alliance 16 Gold squad who has earned an Open bid to USAV Nationals in Indy where they earned bids at MEQ and a second place finish at the Windy City Qualifier. White was one of the top outside hitters this past fall for Mother McAuley where they finished second in the large class for Illinois. She is a dynamic athlete where she can set and swing on the pin, she can used in a variety of ways for her team. Nelson is a pure six rotation outside where she is extremely fundamentally sound and well trained. She is a primary passer who can handle a large volume of serve receive and can pass to attack with authority. She also plays with a great energy and intensity that rises the level of everyone on her side of the net.   <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Huge set by [player_tooltip player_id="122499" first="Melia" last="Johnson"], scoring points, tough serving, but really solid backrow play (she was a middle last year) <a href="https://x.com/stingvb1988?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@stingvb1988</a> <a href="https://x.com/sting_gold?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@sting_gold</a> takes set one over A5 <a href="https://t.co/4h0ejq5Bc0">pic.x.com/4h0ejq5Bc0</a> — Chris Fitzgerald (@PrepDigChris) <a href="https://x.com/PrepDigChris/status/1487811196854181897?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 30, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> [player_tooltip player_id="122499" first="Melia" last="Johnson"] - MKE Sting 16 Gold The evolution of [player_tooltip player_id="122499" first="Melia" last="Johnson"] has been fun over the past couple years as she has made the transition from middle to outside hitter. She has been an x-factor for this Sting 16 Gold team who finished in the final four of Windy City to claim their open bid. Throughout the season, Johnson has come up with big plays time and time again and has even become a threat to score points out of the backrow. She has a no fear approach with her swing and is someone college coaches need to have on the radar with her ability to score points in a hurry.   [player_tooltip player_id="135316" first="Paige" last="Wagner"] and [player_tooltip player_id="174733" first="Reese" last="Ptacek"] - Northern Lights 16-1 Northern Lights will be making their way to Milwaukee from the Twin Cities Metro area. Wagner and Ptacek are the Twin Towers of this team where they both stand at 6’3. Wagner runs a great fast tempo ball where she can see the court and knows how to find the deep corner. Ptacke is from Prescott, WI right across the Mississippi River and is quietly one of the top 2024 middle blockers in Wisconsin. She is extremely dangerous off one foot where she can run a quick tempo in front or a slide behind the setter. Northern Lights always has well trained middles who have found great success at the college level.   [caption id="attachment_105329" align="alignright" width="300"]<img class="wp-image-105329 size-medium" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2020/08/Sophia-Wendlick1.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /> Wendlick[/caption] [player_tooltip player_id="122569" first="Sophia" last="Wendlick"] - MKE Sting 16 Black Wendlick has a scary upside where she continues to improve each time she takes the court. At 6’1, Wendlick is long and athletic where she is terminal from the outside or right side. She has a high contact point which gives her a major mismatch in her favor against the other side. This past season, she has made great connections with Sting 16 Black setter, Emily Bruss. This will be a sneaky team heading into the Gauntlet where they will look forward to taking on some of these top teams. Wendlick will be key for this squad and will also be one to have on the call list come June 15.   <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Some 16s Gold pool names to know this morning Gabby Wire - <a href="https://x.com/MissionVb?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MissionVb</a> [player_tooltip player_id="135969" first="Delaney" last="Molloy"] - <a href="https://x.com/MissionVb?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MissionVb</a> Reese Animashaun - <a href="https://x.com/HoustonSkyline?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@HoustonSkyline</a> Sierra Pokharel - <a href="https://x.com/Premier16_G?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Premier16_G</a> <a href="https://x.com/hashtag/nlq?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#nlq</a> — Chris Fitzgerald (@PrepDigChris) <a href="https://x.com/PrepDigChris/status/1505195702611238912?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 19, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> [player_tooltip player_id="135974" first="Gabrielle" last="Wire"] and [player_tooltip player_id="135969" first="Delaney" last="Molloy"] - Mission 16 Elite Mission 16 Elite was a late addition to the Gauntlet where they bring a real scrappy and athletic squad. Wire and Molloy are quite the force when they can team up in the backrow where they can really hold it down with their quiet platform and solid play in serve receive. Molloy knows how to keep the ball up from a hard driven swing and can put it on the money to keep her side in system. Wire is electrice from the front and backrow, a solid six rotation player where she is very aggressive in the front row where she knows how to find the split, but she can also use the block to her advantage. This team turned some heads at the Northern Lights Qualifier where they were in contention through day two gold play.   <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <a href="https://x.com/JennaMeitzler?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JennaMeitzler</a> passing butter for <a href="https://x.com/SkyHighVB?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SkyHighVB</a> - big match for Sky High against Houston Juniors to get into Gold <a href="https://t.co/ir5TRUJYsE">pic.x.com/ir5TRUJYsE</a> — Chris Fitzgerald (@PrepDigChris) <a href="https://x.com/PrepDigChris/status/1515390182324846597?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 16, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> [player_tooltip player_id="136595" first="Jenna" last="Meitzler"] and Ruth Ziegler - Sky High 16 Elite Adidas [caption id="attachment_168711" align="alignright" width="348"]<img class="wp-image-168711" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2021/12/73-Ruth-Ziegler-300x188.jpg" alt="" width="348" height="218" /> Ziegler[/caption] Sky High 16s is another squad who has been a day two gold pool play team at national qualifiers and have plenty of balance and athleticism at each position. The one who gets it rolling for Sky High is setter [player_tooltip player_id="136595" first="Jenna" last="Meitzler"]. She’s had a huge sophomore year where she set her high school team to a final four finish in the Illinois large class and has had a club season where she has really picked up her stock as a 2024 setter. She has the physicality to attack and block at the net and a smooth, neutral release on all tempos. One of her favorite targets out of the middle is Ruth Ziegler. Ziegler is extremely dynamic out of the middle where she has a high contact point and a heavy arm. She can also swing and score points from anywhere along the front line.   [player_tooltip player_id="135959" first="Morgan" last="Jones"] - Adversity 16 Adidas Jones just recently touched ten feet at Adversity. I know there is more to volleyball than a high touch, but Jones definitely has the athleticism to play high and make solid contact. I first saw Jones play at the Great Lakes Region Qualifier as a 15s and she has since improved her overall athleticism and physicality at the net to attack. She is a sleeper among some of these 2024s, but is one to definitely have on the radar.   [caption id="attachment_170374" align="alignright" width="300"]<img class="wp-image-170374 size-medium" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2021/12/94-Alaleh-Tolliver-300x242.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="242" /> Tolliver[/caption] [player_tooltip player_id="110512" first="Alaleh" last="Tolliver"] and [player_tooltip player_id="110491" first="Leah" last="Richmond"] - Academy 16E Yeti Academy out of Indianapolis is another squad who is going to be able to turn some heads heading into June. A lot of well rounded athletes who can do a little bit of everything. They also know how to play with a quick tempo. [player_tooltip player_id="110512" first="Alaleh" last="Tolliver"] is someone who is extremely electric from the pin where she can give a lot of problems for the other side of the net where she knows how to tool the block or just blast the split, a fun, dynamic athlete. Her counterpart at setter is Leah Redmond. She has great footwork and quick hands where she can take it to the middle or shoot it to the outside. Along with these skills, she also has intangibles heavily in her favor to lead her squad.   Addy Moseler - RVA G16 Navy Moseler was a Top Performer for RVA 16 Navy at Battle at the Bay in early April. With a heavy swing and point scorer mentality, Moseler is one that RVA will rely heavily upon. She is one who can score points out of the backrow and cause problems for her opponents. [caption id="attachment_117128" align="alignright" width="300"]<img class="size-medium wp-image-117128" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2020/11/Brylee-Leverenz.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /> [player_tooltip player_id="122515" first="Brylee" last="Leverenz"], 2024, OH.[/caption] [player_tooltip player_id="122515" first="Brylee" last="Leverenz"] - MVP 16 Blue Leverenz is extremely dynamic for MVP 16 Blue where they placed third in the 16 Premier Division at the JVA World Challenge in Louisville. She can play on both pins, defends in the backrow extremely well, and can be used to set if needed. She is definitely a playmaker where she can adjust quickly to make positive touches.