High School Team Feature – Katy Taylor Mustangs
The high school season is going at full pace in the state of Texas and every team in the state has been on the court enough times for us to have a good idea about what to expect from them.…
Access all of Prep Dig
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue Reading
The high school season is going at full pace in the state of Texas and every team in the state has been on the court enough times for us to have a good idea about what to expect from them.
Here at PrepDig, we are committed to covering and promoting as many prospects as possible, from the most popular names to the hidden gems that typically abound at the Lone Star State and during the high school season we’re also doing it by featuring the teams they play at.
Every time we’re at the gym, we’re giving a good look at the teams on the court and we’ll try to feature as many as possible here in this space. This time, we’ll take a good look at the Katy Taylor Mustangs.
The Squad
The Mustangs entered the season needing to rebuild most of their core after the graduations of Grace Gibbens, Bria Dixon and Nicole Carrasco. Senior libero Tessa Woods and junior outside hitter Ally Campbell lead a young team that had the interesting additions of sophomore right side Julia Porath and freshman middle blocker Madison Barrera Madison Barrera 6'2" | MB Katy Taylor | 2026 State TX .
Key Players
Ally Campbell
Ally Campbell
An extremely well-rounded player, Campbell is a central piece in Katy Taylor’s playing system. Originally a libero, she’s as solid as it gets on the backcourt, providing reliable passing and strong defense to the Mustangs. Campbell is not extremely tall at 5’8″, but is very intelligent and productive, using her technical tools to hit around the block or tool it. She’s also a vocal leader for her teammates, constantly communicating with them during matches.
Tessa Woods
Tessa Woods
The 5’6″ Woods cover a lot of ground on Katy Taylor’s backcourt. Extremely dynamic, she often defends the middle position and is extremely productive there. Woods has excellent positioning and, even if she can’t dig a ball, she’ll probably touch it before it hits the floor, making of her the kind of libero opposing hitters hate to play against. Her ball control makes of her a very good passer and her floater is also good enough to create problems to opponents.
Julia Porath
Julia Porath
The 6’1″ Porath has an important role with the team as she gives Katy Taylor some much-needed size at the net. A lefty, she does a good job with her offense, using her length and her ability to find interesting angles really well – she will become even more lethal as she adds more power to it. Porath is also a very good blocker as, besides her long arms, she also has excellent reading and impeccable timing at the net.
Madison Barrera Madison Barrera 6'2" | MB Katy Taylor | 2026 State TX
Madison Barrera Madison Barrera 6'2" | MB Katy Taylor | 2026 State TX
The 6’2″ Barrera also contributes to making of Katy Taylor a stronger team at the net. Despite being young, she has a good presence on the court, being able to impact the game on both sides of the ball. Her long arms and good size make of her a good blocker and she also has a fairly well-developed offensive game for a freshman. Barrera is also a capable server, contributing to the team from the service line as well.
Hannah Fan
Hannah Fan
The 5’6″ Fan is another undersized, but extremely talented outside hitter who makes of Katy Taylor a team with great defensive play. Tremendously talented, Fan had the defensive skills to play as a full-time libero given how consistent and efficient she is with her passing and defense. But she’s also a solid player at the net, even when facing much taller blockers. What makes of her such a productive player is her high volleyball IQ, which allows her to make good decisions and avoids unforced errors.