Road to June 15th: Recruiting Nebraska’s 2024 Middle Blockers

When June 15th arrives, this will be a fun group to follow. This week, we're highlighting some names to know in the Class of 2024 as we approach the open contact and recruitment period for this group. Yesterday's feature discussed some of Nebraska's 2024 <a href="https://prepdig.com/2022/06/road-to-june-15th-recruiting-nebraskas-2024-outside-hitters/">outside hitters</a> who have been having big club seasons this year. Now, though, it's time to look at a position group that has had a mind-boggling amount of stock risers in the Cornhusker State: middle blockers. Nebraska prep volleyball enthusiasts will surely recognize a lot of these names, and we can't wait to follow their recruiting journeys in the weeks, months, and years to come.   Rising High in 2022 I certainly wasn't worried about having enough high-impact 2024 middle blockers to talk about. The rise of [player_tooltip player_id="109603" first="Mia" last="Tvrdy"] and her Premier Nebraska 16 Gold team has been well documented. Tvrdy rocketed to the #2 spot on our 2024 rankings in the wake of several eye-popping qualifier performances, including 16 Gold's run to a Nationals bid at NLQ. There are few 2024 middles in the country who move and jump like Tvrdy. I love the way Premier has allowed her quickness to flourish by mixing in some unique one-footed attacking patterns, and that has helped Tvrdy's recruiting stock rise tremendously this spring. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> The Tvrdy ROOF for the win! Never a dull moment for <a href="https://x.com/Premier16_G?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Premier16_G</a>! 17-15 in the third! <a href="https://t.co/aQUvFz0507">pic.x.com/aQUvFz0507</a> — Austin Kingsley (@KingsleyATK) <a href="https://x.com/KingsleyATK/status/1505575766129586176?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 20, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>   Don't lose sight of the strides that [player_tooltip player_id="152854" first="Morgan" last="Bode"] has made with 16 Gold, either. After winning a state championship with Papio South last fall, Bode has carried that momentum into the spring with some standout moments in the Premier gym. She anchors the net with her length and regularly produces momentous blocks that change the course of matches.   In the VCN gym, you can find more 2024 middles who have made that same year-round impact. High school teammates [player_tooltip player_id="152856" first="Abbie" last="Appleget"] and [player_tooltip player_id="152857" first="Emerson" last="Lionberger"] join forces in the club season with VCN 16 Elite, and the team is surely thrilled to have both of these Silver Hawks in the starting rotation. Appleget and Lionberger bring similar lengths to the frontcourt and are dynamic scorers next to the setter and in the gap. That attacking range will continue to expand for both of these athletic 2024s from the Star City. [caption id="attachment_200248" align="alignright" width="350"]<img class="wp-image-200248" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2022/06/IMG_7702-crop-3875x2545-1654557792-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="350" height="230" /> Wurtz attacks on the left pin for Nebraska Elite.[/caption]   Nebraska Elite surely belongs in this conversation with the emergence of its multi-talented lineup of middle blockers. [player_tooltip player_id="104975" first="Nora" last="Wurtz"] remains one of the most fascinating talents in the state with her six-foot-five frame and her willingness to split out to the left pin in sideout situations. Whether she's on the pin or in the middle, it's hard to miss the big-play potential that Wurtz brings for her team. [player_tooltip player_id="187792" first="Emily" last="Love"] and [player_tooltip player_id="187791" first="Kennedy" last="Richardson"] have also put their versatility on display this year. They each have spent time in the middle and at opposite, as Nebraska Elite is not afraid to shuffle its 16s lineup around to find the right combinations. These are two names that we'll be following closely as we head into another high school season this fall. [caption id="attachment_200242" align="alignright" width="350"]<img class="wp-image-200242" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2021/11/IMG_2699-crop-3726x2447-1654557657-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="350" height="230" /> Spilker competes with Norris in the 2021 state championships.[/caption]   And, if you're looking for good candidates to become the next set of Nebraska stock risers, we have some good ones among the state's 2024 middle blockers. [player_tooltip player_id="125418" first="Taylor" last="Olsen"] has really found her groove with Premier 16 Red this year and should continue to thrive with more offensive opportunities. Likewise, Anna Strohmeier has made gains while competing with Premier 16 Silver. She could take yet another step forward when we head to Indianapolis at the end of the month. The list goes on. Keep an eye on Nebraska Juniors' [player_tooltip player_id="105000" first="Celia" last="Spilker"]. She hopes to become a frontcourt leader this fall for Norris, last year's Class B runner-up. Yes, it's fair to say that I'm already revving up for high school season, but this fall will provide even more opportunities to add to our list of big-time 2024s to have on the recruiting radar.