Skilled Setters Shine at #PDTop250ExpoNE
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Let’s bring some setters into the mix in our post-Top 250 coverage. These showcases are always fascinating venues for setters to demonstrate their wide array of skills. Setters spend much of the expo dishing the ball to some unfamiliar faces,…
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Continue ReadingLet’s bring some setters into the mix in our post-Top 250 coverage.
These showcases are always fascinating venues for setters to demonstrate their wide array of skills. Setters spend much of the expo dishing the ball to some unfamiliar faces, but these adaptable athletes still find a way to get in a rhythm. This feature discusses some of those versatile setters from this year’s Nebraska Top 250 Expo, and the variety in this one is exciting!
Hickey’s accolades speak for themselves. She started the 2022 calendar year by engineering a third-place finish at USAV Nationals in the ever-competitive 16 Open division. Then, she took the reins of the Papillion-La Vista offense and was one of Nebraska’s most productive setters yet again.
Kopocis will always be part of the first Douglas County West team to reach the state tournament in volleyball. That’s a high honor. Her desire to compete has not waned, however, as she had a standout morning at last weekend’s expo.
Vanosdall is one of those talented small-town setters that Nebraska is known for producing. She made some critical contributions to a Platteview team that had a solid 2022 campaign, and it could get even better in 2023. Keep tabs on Vanosdall at Premier Nebraska, too.
Anderson is poised to make plenty of strides as she transitions to 2023. She’s a former Omaha Duchesne standout her made the switch to Omaha Skutt Catholic and has a chance to build on the SkyHawks’ eight-peat. Before that, however, Anderson ought to produce some highlight moments when she returns to the Nebraska Elite gym in the winter and spring.
Hill was one of this event’s earliest standouts at the setter spot. Her jump sets come naturally despite still being just an underclassman, and I’m excited to see Hill make a splash at Millard North in the coming years.
We categorize players on the Prep Dig site based on high school location, so Larsen is technically an Iowa athlete who crossed the river to be at our Nebraska expo. Still, I’ve had plenty of opportunities to watch Larsen compete with Premier Nebraska on the club side, and this showcase was another chance to watch this versatile setter develop.
Highlights
Waido has been a name to know for a while, as she immediately jumped into a starting setter role with Wahoo as a freshman. That’s a lot of pressure for a newcomer in a program full of history, but this 2025 athlete has adapted well. That carried into last weekend’s event.
We recently gave Potthoff a shoutout for her impressive work at the setter spot for Gretna, a team that always brings high expectations into the fall season. Potthoff’s positive momentum continued with another great outing at our Top 250 Expo.
Highlights
Eckman is firmly on my Class of 2026 radar after her performance at Top 250. She connected well with any hitter on her side of the net and was particularly good at feeding the opposites in team drills. The Silver Hawks have a wealth of future leaders at the setter position, as you’ll soon find out.
Highlights
Pearson is another Lincoln Southwest freshman who showcased her mature game at our expo. She sets against the grain well and has the kind of defensive skills you hope to see from your setter in the right-back area.
Highlights
Let’s complete the Lincoln Southwest trilogy. Hazzard is yet another Silver Hawk setter to watch heading into the bright future of Southwest’s volleyball program. And, like her counterparts we just discussed, Hazzard will compete with VCNebraska in the upcoming club season. We have a lot still to learn about this talented trio.