USAV All-Star Recruiting Feature: Iowa HP Youth Black
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Iowa brought quite a presence to Tulsa last month. Not many regions can bring two all-star teams to a single division at the USAV All-Star Championships, but that’s what Iowa High Performance did in the Youth division this year. The…
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Continue ReadingIowa brought quite a presence to Tulsa last month.
Not many regions can bring two all-star teams to a single division at the USAV All-Star Championships, but that’s what Iowa High Performance did in the Youth division this year. The Iowa representation in Tulsa was made up of a Black and a Red squad, and we’ll talk about both in separate recruiting features.
First up is the high-flying Black roster that climbed all the way to the semifinal round of the Youth bracket. If you’re looking for future prep leaders in Iowa, this is a good place to start.
Prep Connections
I’m willing to guess that Iowa HP Youth Black was a tight-knit group.
Why? When I look at this roster, I see connections everywhere. The team is full of high school and club connections, and that familiarity and chemistry can make a huge difference at all-star events like this.
Katie Quick Katie Quick 5'7" | S Ankeny Christian | 2025 State IA and Carley Craighead Carley Craighead OH Ankeny Christian | 2025 State IA are two names that stand out right away. This duo helped put Five One Five on the map this year with some impressive wins at this year’s Show Me Qualifier. Quick reminded us how precisely she can run an offense when she distributed the ball for Iowa HP in Tulsa. This setter connected so well with her hitters, including Craighead at the middle blocker spot. And, to further deepen this connection, Quick and Craighead will join forces again on the high school side for Ankeny Christian.
Club and high school connections are valuable, but what about a twin connection? As a twin myself, I can attest to this. Perhaps Molly Shafer Molly Shafer OH Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont | 2025 State IA and Kate Shafer Kate Shafer S Eddyville-Blakesburg Fremont | 2025 State IA can, too. This do-it-all twin tandem burst onto the Iowa prep scene right away with Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont last fall, and their dominance now had a chance to flourish on the all-star stage. It almost seems unfair to have a twin duo at setter and outside hitter, but that’s what we have here. Kate dished out crafty sets throughout the tournament while Molly provided the hammer on the left pin for Iowa HP. That’s synergy at its finest.
Age Groups Galore
The Iowa HP Youth Black roster had some excellent age distribution and featured a variety of 2024s, 2025s, and even 2026s.
Spearheading the 2024 class on this roster is Pleasant Valley libero, Molly Albrecht. The Bettendorf native had a firm grasp on the team’s backcourt duties throughout the week and gave this team so many opportunities in transition. This is the kind of experienced defender who certainly was not intimidated by the big stage of the All-Star Championships.
A great core of 2025 talent also helped elevate Iowa HP to bracket play. IPVA standout Delaney Miller was a vital component of Black’s left-side attack and put away plenty of tough swings on the outside. Her smooth approach made her a worthy setting choice in just about any situation, and Iowa HP used that to its advantage.
The Class of 2025 was represented well on the opposite pin, too. Madelyn Determan made a persistent impact in Iowa HP’s three-hitter rotations with her length and power on the right side. Aside from her offensive aptitude, Determan did an admirable job slowing down some of the event’s best left-side hitters.
Don’t forget about the middles, either. Iowa City High got an entry on the Iowa HP roster with Emmy McComas Emmy McComas 6'0" | MB Iowa City | 2025 State IA , a talented multi-sport athlete who has been a fast-rising prospect on the volleyball court. Her smooth attacks in front of the setter generated a few moments for the Tulsa highlight tape, and I’d expect McComas to take another step forward this fall.
Finally, there’s the “next up”–the Class of 2026. While we’re on the topic of middle blockers, Ellah Derrer Ellah Derrer 6'4" | MB Davenport Assumption | 2026 State IA showed us the kind of wicked frontcourt talent that Iowa can expect from some of its incoming high school freshmen. Her long, six-foot-three frame is an ideal fit for the middle. Derrer backs that up with some nifty footwork that allows her to get a ton of attacking volume in transition.
Reese Naeve Reese Naeve 5'9" | OH Iowa City Regina Catholic | 2026 State IA also repped the Class of 2026 with Iowa HP after a strong club season with Iowa Rockets . This outside hitter is another athlete that should be on your radar as we look ahead to this region’s promising young talent. Stay tuned.