Team Indiana Showcase: The ’24s That Stood Out

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This past Sunday was TI's 17th annual Showcase for colleges. There was no shortage of talent in the gym on North Shadeland Avenue, and these six athletes stood out more than most. Here they are, with heights, high schools, and positions.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2>[player_tooltip player_id='206583' first='Brooklyn' last='Bell'], 6-1 MB, Greenwood </h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Probably the most accomplished M1 in the class of '24 that participated in the showcase on Sunday., Miss Bell showed off why she'll be a highly-touted recruit when signing day comes for her next fall. She's already at 9'9.5" on her attack touch, can play at a high level, is long and lean on the block, and terminates well. With her work in the weight room, she should surpass ten feet by next fall. I look forward to her development in club this spring.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2>[player_tooltip player_id='171390' first='Sophia' last='Poehlein'], 6-1 OH, Zionsville</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We already talked about Sophia's twin, Isabelle, in the 'high flyers' article a few days ago. Sophia has similar traits, but is a right-handed outside that can play all the way around, attack from either pin, and do all of the things necessary to play at the next level. With an attack touch at 9-8, I'd be interested to see if she too can hit the ten foot club and get her photo on the wall at TI.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2>[player_tooltip player_id='171367' first='Julia' last='Ross'], 6-0 OH, Terre Haute North</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Julia is a heavy-hitting outside from Terre Haute that, in recent memory, plays for COA, a smaller club from the western part of the state. She maxes out her attack touch by making blocks irrelevant---hitting high and deep is a tough skill to learn in college. With Miss Ross already showing the upper-level abilities without major club training, she'll be building on her explosiveness in a weight room near you.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2>[player_tooltip player_id='171364' first='Amanda' last='Evers'], 6-0 S, Zionsville</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Our second mention of Zionsville gives us a smooth-as-silk setter who can get to a ton of balls both poorly and tightly passed. She runs a balanced offense for the Eagles, and should continue to hone her craft this spring. I like her demeanor, her work ethic, and her ability to connect with any player, regardless of talent.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2>[player_tooltip player_id='253549' first='Gwendolyn' last='Clifford'], 6-0 MB, Valparaiso</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Gwen is an M2 through-and-through, with her attack touch nearing ten feet as I type. I like her explosiveness in front of the setter, her high attack point, and her length when blocking. She also comes from a winning high school program in The Region, so I'm glad I got a chance to see her play down here in Indy. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2>[player_tooltip player_id='112088' first='Katie' last='Smith'], 5-2 DS/L, Roncalli</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I'm biased towards taller players that have all of the skill to do the job at the next level. This is why I'm mentioning Katie, whom I've been high on for a few seasons now. There are SO many defensive specialists out there---one could make an argument that you can just pick one off of the scrap heap when recruiting late. Katie makes herself stand out with relentless pursuit, a quiet upper body when receiving serve and defending, and a no-nonsense attitude at the Showcase. Katie is a business-first player who can play any defensive spot on the floor. I could easily see her don a libero jersey at the next level. Get Miss Smith to commit soon, she won't be available for long.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->