2025 Liberos: Top of the Rankings
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The liberos at the top of our 2025 Rankings have an exceptional amount of talent relative to the class overall. The position is extremely critical to team success, yet it’s sometimes easy to overlook the defensive specialists who make things…
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Continue ReadingThe liberos at the top of our 2025 Rankings have an exceptional amount of talent relative to the class overall. The position is extremely critical to team success, yet it’s sometimes easy to overlook the defensive specialists who make things easy on the big hitters at the pins and in the middle. Everyone will enjoy watching this elite group of athletes who have worked hard to make their presence felt on the court early in their careers.
The Gonzaga Prep standout may still see time at both pins in her career, but she settled in very well as a libero during the fall high school season. Sandberg is tough and strong, she can stand in and dig out hard shots and is athletic and long enough to reach the tips and roll shots. She has a great, upbeat attitude, something that’s always excellent to see from your libero.
Chum-Shultz is particularly good in serve receive, in matches this year opposing teams figured it out and just quit serving her altogether. She has her own jump float serve that drops late, and she moves it sideline to sideline to keep the backrow guessing.
Highlights
Taylor can play setter and libero, regardless of the position she plays outstanding defense and is an active and willing talker on the court. She seems to always be in the right spot for popping up a tip or digging a hard line shot, meaning she is seeing and reading the game exceptionally well.
Ball was one of the top liberos in the Mid-Columbia Conference, and is big a part of a young, up-and-coming Kennewick program. She moves in tight covering her hitters, then stays in constant motion making sure she is in position defensively. Ball is a pinpoint server, locating the seams and weak points in the opposing back row.
Highlights
Mossburg has no fear of skidding across the court to get a hand on a ball and keep her team in a rally. The Glacier Peak dynamo is all energy and hustle, covering her hitters and running down tips. She is set to have a big-time club season for SNVF, her play in the back row will be key to setting the table for the 17 White attackers.
Highlights
Caoili is a talented all-around athlete, excellent on the sand, and experienced as a high-level gymnast as well. That all adds up to make a pretty great volleyball player and an exceptional defender. It’s difficult to get a ball down in front of her, she easily reads attackers and can sprawl out to make a diving save when it’s needed. She is physically strong and knows how to angle her platform in serve receive, keeping her setter and attackers in rhythm.
Highlights
In year two for the Mt. Rainier sophomore, her digs per set increased and her serve receptions per set went down. Opponents avoided serving her after challenging her as a freshman last season, unfortunately, hitters could not avoid Alefaio-Foifua making plays all year long defensively. She is quick, tough, and confident on the court and the first of two liberos in the overall top 10 of the 2025 rankings.
Gao is the top-ranked libero in the class of 2025 in Washington, and the #3 ranked player overall. She was a major factor in Lakeside bringing home the state championship this season, passing nails and setting up an overwhelming offense that dominated most opponents. Defensively, she handles tips and off-block shots, can step in and bump set to either pin accurately, and makes the show-stopping dig on the opponent’s best attacker. Her court presence is energetic and positive, and at the same time, she has the assertiveness needed for the position.