A Setters' Showcase at the Bellevue West Invitational

Let's give the setters their due.   In an early-season high school tournament like the Bellevue West Invitational, setters face a variety of challenges. Some of those challenges relate to simply shaking the rust off and getting back into the groove of the fall season. More importantly, setters usually enter a new year with some new hitters around them, and establishing connections with those players can take time.   Despite all this, the Bellevue West Invite featured some brilliant setting performances across the board. This did not look like an opening weekend tournament, and the setters in this feature made an early statement against some of Nebraska's top high school competitors.   So, we're following up our <a href="https://prepdig.com/2022/08/impact-pin-hitters-dominate-at-bellevue-west-invitational/" data-type="URL" data-id="https://prepdig.com/2022/08/impact-pin-hitters-dominate-at-bellevue-west-invitational/">outside hitter</a> feature with a look at last weekend's standout setters.     Back in the Spotlight   I was thrilled to see so many familiar faces among the setters at this event.   Omaha Marian had a big weekend that culminated in a bracket appearance, and sophomore setter [player_tooltip player_id='155046' first='Isabel' last='Campie'] was right in the middle of the action. My first look at Campie was at last year's Bellevue West Invite, as the Crusaders leaned on their young freshman to run the offense on opening weekend. That seems like a big ask, but I've mentioned before that Campie has never seemed phased by all the responsibilities. Now, in her second high school campaign, she has a chance to lead Marian back to the state tournament.   Of course, last weekend's tournament field was still packed with steely veterans, too. Senior setter [player_tooltip player_id='104588' first='Skylar' last='Walters'] was back to run the Millard West offense after piloting the team to a runner-up finish in Class A last fall. The Minnesota State is mixing tempos well and has formed a seamless connection with some of her fellow seniors that we discussed in the outside hitter feature. Aside from her finesse on the second contact, Walters stood out for her relentless right-back floor defense that kept the Wildcats in some momentous rallies during bracket play.   <figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-full is-resized"><img src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2022/08/IMG_9897-scaled-crop-1777x1167-1661923102.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-222298" width="390" height="256"/><figcaption>Walters sets at the 2022 Bellevue West Invitational.</figcaption></figure>   [player_tooltip player_id='104586' first='Ivy' last='Leuck'] is another experienced senior who put on a setting clinic last weekend. As we've seen from Leuck in the past, her role with Omaha Skutt will likely include plenty of swings on the right pin when she's in the front row. This UNO-bound athlete remains a critical component in the SkyHawks' quest for eight straight titles.   And the list of upperclassman setters to follow just keeps growing. Elkhorn North junior [player_tooltip player_id='109593' first='Reese' last='Booth'] put her aggressive style on display with Elkhorn North and showed that she's not afraid to embrace an attacking role on the second contact. Likewise, [player_tooltip player_id='187798' first='Caylee' last='Rowley'] has embraced her opportunity to command Waverly's 5-1 offense and is starting to assert herself as a frontcourt setter. Don't forget about the emergence of [player_tooltip player_id='102193' first='Audrey' last='Behrens'] at the setter spot for Omaha Westside, either. All three of these athletes may factor into championship races in their respective classes.   Lastly, we can't leave [player_tooltip player_id='109586' first='Reagan' last='Hickey'] out of this discussion. She has been in the spotlight with Papillion-La Vista for a long time now, and 2022 will just be another chapter in her storied career. If stat-stuffing setters are your thing, Hickey will be among Nebraska's best once again.   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://x.com/KingsleyATK/status/1563529701431607300?s=20&t=ImBN7dq7IKi7eLqGJ29r0A </div></figure>     More Names to Know   Here are a few more lingering thoughts on some other standouts from the Bellevue West Invite.   [player_tooltip player_id='173517' first='Meghan' last='Anderson'] is making her debut with Skutt this year after spending the first year of her prep career with Omaha Duchesne. The 2025 setter made some nice strides with Nebraska Elite during the club season, and that high-level training is sure to continue with the SkyHawks.   Another one of Nebraska's Class of 2025 setters has also taken the reins for Elkhorn South. [player_tooltip player_id='189370' first='Julia' last='Ringenberg'] surely has big shoes to fill with the departure of Madi Woodin, but Ringenberg is talented enough to carve her own path with the Storm. Last weekend was a good start.   Let's just make this a 2025 trifecta. Sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='173528' first='Brylee' last='Nelsen'] has made the move from Fremont to Millard North this year, and her impact will be immediate and profound. She's a physical setter who also brings plenty of frontcourt hitting experience to the fold. The Mustangs can ask Nelsen to do just about anything.

Let's give the setters their due.