USAV GJNC Showcase – Players to Watch Vol 12
Prep Dig has partnered with USA Volleyball to provide the most comprehensive showcase on June 30th prior to the start of the 16’s & 17’s age groups of the USA Volleyball Girls Junior National Championships. This will feature the best of the…
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Continue ReadingPrep Dig has partnered with USA Volleyball to provide the most comprehensive showcase on June 30th prior to the start of the 16’s & 17’s age groups of the USA Volleyball Girls Junior National Championships. This will feature the best of the best players in the entire country and we couldn’t be more excited to run it. Over the past 4 years, Prep Dig showcases have hosted over 2,500 prospects in front of hundreds of college coaches from across the country. In addition to watching the showcase in-person or via BallerTV, coverage of this event will be made available to hundreds of our college coach subscribers on PrepDig.com.
This series of articles will preview some amazing players who are already signed up for the Showcase. Seeing these players in person is going to give us a perfect perspective of how they move, how the ball rebounds off of their platform or hands, and other intricate aspects of their skill-sets. Here are a few players that I cannot wait to see live in person and take them through drills.
Kiana Souza Kiana Souza 5'7" | DS/L Harlan | 2024 State TX [2024] 5-6 Libero (HS: Harlan/Club: Top Gun/Verbal: Uncommitted)
Kiana is currently an unranked prospect in the 2024 class according to our Prep Dig State Rankings, but she has been on our radar for a few years and we think she has a ton of potential to possibly crack the rankings soon. She plays at Harlan High School and for the Top Gun club program. I wrote an article on her back in early April and here is a refresher on what I wrote, “This electric libero is what we like to call a gym rat. She is someone who loves to be in the gym and working with many different coaches to gain as many tools as possible. All of her hard work over the years is beginning to pay off, as she has been stellar in the back row during the three times I have watched her this season. You can see her volleyball IQ in how she covers her hitters and moves to set the second ball during out of system plays. She is no stranger to effort, as I love how she sacrifices her body when laying out for errant balls to keep her team in the rally. Very little hits the floor near her zone. If you are looking for a libero who has tons of range defensively, look no further than Miss Souza.” She has continued to improve with every rep and match. This is why I think her ceiling is super high. She has such a natural touch on the ball that usually takes players years to learn. She comes from a wonderful competitive volleyball family and loves the game. Give her a look or two and you will be putting her on your watch list of athletes for the next few years.
Anna Degraffenreid Anna Degraffenreid 5'6" | S Oklahoma Christian | 2024 State OK [2024] 5-6 Setter (HS: Oklahoma Christian/Club: Oklahoma Charge/Verbal: Uncommitted)
Anna is currently an unranked prospect in the 2024 class according to our Prep Dig Oklahoma State Rankings, but is now on my watch list to see where she ranks amongst Oklahoma’s best. She plays for Oklahoma Christian School and also club for Oklahoma Charge. We have written about her and her team a few times and here is a refresher of what we stated, “The lefty setter played amazing all weekend for her squad and dazzled spectators that were in attendance. She was very noticeable in her different colored shoes, but what stood out even more is that this young lady can dish some dimes to her hitters. She plays with a lot of fire and talks to her teammates very well on the court. I was impressed with her soft hands and smooth release to all locations on the net. She had a very strong jump serve that stifled her opposing serve receivers on occasion.” I have put her on my watch list now and will be keeping a close eye on how she produces at the showcase with and against some great competition from around the nation. She is very passionate as a leader and a setter, which should show very well at the showcase where most players don’t know each other. I think a lot of players will be able to feed off of her energy. She just makes everyone around her better. Stay tuned for more from Anna.
Natalia Rodriguez Natalia Rodriguez 5'9" | MB Earl Warren | 2024 TX [2024] 5-9 Middle/Outside (HS: Warren/Club: Top Gun/Verbal: Uncommitted)
Natalia is currently an unranked prospect in the 2024 class according to our Prep Dig State Rankings. She plays at Warren High School and for the Top Gun club program. I wrote about her back in April and here is a little from the article,“This young lady has tons of heart and it shows when she plays. She is a middle for Top Gun, but can also play on the pins as she has done in the past. I love how violent she swings her right arm when she approaches to attack. Natalia has tons of power in that compact frame and unleashes it with authority. She creates a lot of momentum in her approach to the setter for quicks and runs it at a pretty quick tempo. I love how hungry she is on the offensive side. Some middles take plays off when it comes to transition and being tired, but Miss Rodriguez never gives up and fires toward her setter at all times. This is key for a well-balanced offense and she understands her role very well.” I am interested to see how she stacks up against taller and bigger competition at the showcase. If I know anything from having watched her all club season, this young lady will not back down from any fight. She is the type of player who if blocked, will just keep on swinging and not give up until the last whistle from the ref. This is the kind of “glue” player that coaches love! Stay tuned for more on Miss Rodriguez.
If you would like to sign up for the showcase, Check out the link below:
The June 30th showcase will have two sessions: Session 1 from 5:00-6:45pm & Session 2 from 7:15-9:00pm. To Register for this event CLICK HERE
And as always….Stay tuned for more articles on your favorite athletes. If you have anyone you think we should watch out for, please shoot me an email with some info at nov8vb@yahoo.com. Also don’t forget to help these kids get more exposure by sharing our stories with your friends. Help us help them by simply retweeting on Twitter or sharing on Facebook. Thanks for following Prep Dig Family!