Illinois Top 250 Expo Game Changers
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The Prep Dig Top 250 Expo's were on full display this past weekend. There were over 100 players from all over Illinois and surrounding states that participated in this wonderful event. Volleyball is a true team sport in that it takes every single player to help a team compete. However, every team across all of the age groups has one or two players that are considered “Game Changers”. This moniker is given to those that literally change the dynamic of each team and give their squad a fighting chance to win. After watching all of these wonderful players during the two and a half hour event, these were the players that I witnessed to be considered a true Game Changer for the Illinois Expo:
Louisa Battin
Louisa
Battin
6'1" | S
St. Viator | 2023
State
IL
[2023] 6-1 Setter/Right Side (HS: St. Viator/Club: Top Flight/ Verbal: Uncommitted)
Louisa is currently ranked as the 80th best overall prospect and 15th best setter in the state according to the 2023 Prep Dig Texas State Rankings. She is a savvy setter for St. Viator High School and also plays for Top Flight. Miss Battin was phenomenal on the top court as she doubled as both a setter and a right side attacker during the showcase. When a team has a player who can play all six rotations as a setter, it is amazing. What makes her an absolute Game Changer is the fact that when she rotates to the front row, she is able to change the dynamic of the team if need be and attack with the best of them. Her footwork is super smooth and she is always in a great posture to set every location in proper fast tempo. She plays the game with a purpose and has a very high motor that is contagious to anyone on her court. She would be a fantastic addition to any college roster and should be looked at by many schools that need a setter who will be a future captain. Every college coach should keep her name on their short list.
Francesca Lorenzo
Francesca
Lorenzo
6'0" | OH
Montini Catholic | 2026
State
IL
[2026] 5-11 Outside (HS: Montini Catholic/Club: 1st Alliance/Verbal: Uncommitted)
Francesca is currently an unranked prospect in the 2026 Class according to our Prep Dig Illinois State Rankings, but that will change once we release them. She is for sure on our watch list with what I saw this weekend. She plays at Montini Catholic High School and plays club for 1st Alliance. When we move freshman onto top courts with juniors and seniors during showcases, we usually don't expect them to be leading point scorers, but that is exactly what Miss Lorenzo did. She wowed everyone in the gym with every aspect of her game against older and more experienced competition. In school she plays both middle and as a pin, but in club she mainly plays as a left side attacker. She is a true six rotation outside hitter who has exceptional ball control and can score in a variety of fashions. Having a young player that is super aggressive as an attacker is a total Game Changer for a club school program. They have this lethal weapon for the next four years. She will be in the State Rankings the moment we release them for her grad class. In the meantime, every college across the country should take notice just as I have.
Shae Mason
Shae
Mason
5'0" | DS/L
Ottawa Township | 2025
State
IL
[2025] 5-0 Libero (HS: Ottawa Township/Club: Lions Juniors/Verbal: Uncommitted)
Shea is currently on our Watch List as a prospect in the 2025 class according to our Prep Dig Illinois State Rankings and will be added once we update them. She plays at Ottawa High School and also club for Lions Juniors. I was watching the liberos very closely because there were a lot of great ones in the gym during the showcase, but Shae stood out to a lot of our coaches. She was the quickest, most tenacious, and the one who had the most disciplined posture throughout drills and scrimmages. While a lot of liberos stand up during movement to the ball, Shae did not. She kept her posture low and forward while moving to the ball, which helped her stay super efficient and effective. Every coach across the country wants a libero who has all of the physical skills plus tons of intangibles that make a great leader in the back row. Shae is a Game Changer because she will be an extension of her coach on the court. The kind of leadership she displays both vocally and through her example on the court will transfer to her teammates in a good way. I think she is the type of player who deserves a few looks for sure.
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!
