Recruiting Nebraska’s Uncommitted 2024s in TC NIT Power Pools
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Triple Crown NIT is one of the biggest recruiting spectacles on the club volleyball calendar. Time to reflect that in our previews. It’s an environment that few events can match. Hundreds of Division 1 coaches will descend upon Kansas City…
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Continue ReadingTriple Crown NIT is one of the biggest recruiting spectacles on the club volleyball calendar. Time to reflect that in our previews.
It’s an environment that few events can match. Hundreds of Division 1 coaches will descend upon Kansas City as the dead period gets lifted in the direct lead-up to Triple Crown. Those D1 representatives will be joined by hundreds more coaches at every collegiate level, and the recruiting buzz surrounding NIT will be palpable.
So, let’s generate a little buzz of our own through these previews. Of course, I had to start in my home base of Nebraska to cover some uncommitted 2024 athletes who should be in the KC spotlight during power pool action.
Multi-Talented Athletes
Many of Nebraska’s uncommitted power pool participants will put their wide range of skills on display next week.
VCNebraska 17 Elite has several athletes who fit this description, and many of them were crucial components to the team’s standout weekend at January’s Northern Lights Qualifier. Brynne Topolski Brynne Topolski 5'11" | RS Lincoln East | 2024 State NE immediately comes to mind, as this Lincoln East standout can play on either pin and has put her ball control on display, too. She will likely see most of her reps on the right pin this year, a place where Topolski thrived in Minneapolis.
Julia Trost Julia Trost 5'7" | OH Lincoln Southwest | 2024 State NE and Madison Rink Madison Rink 6'2" | MB Lincoln Southwest | 2024 State NE also belong in this pin conversation. Like Topolski, this 17 Elite duo is flexible enough to perform in a variety of frontcourt positions whenever needed. Trost is similar to Topolski in her pin-to-pin versatility, while Rink can migrate between opposite and middle blocker depending on matchups.
Speaking of 17 Elite middle blockers, Emerson Lionberger Emerson Lionberger 6'0" | MB Lincoln Southwest | 2024 State NE and Abbie Appleget Abbie Appleget 6'0" | MB Lincoln Southwest | 2024 State NE make up a wicked combination of middles that will be worth following throughout power pools. This duo has been dominant on the high school stage, and they join forces again with VCN (and their high school setter) to continue that hot streak. Whether it’s on gap plays or behind the setter, Lionberger and Appleget have the flexibility to terminate in a variety of situations. Triple Crown will put that versatility to the test.
And don’t forget to bring Caylee Rowley Caylee Rowley 5'9" | S Waverly | 2024 State NE into the mix at the setter spot. This Waverly star brings a combination of smooth setting and lockdown right-back defense that have made her a leading stat stuffer in the Nebraska prep game. The wealth of setter talent at VCNebraska simply cannot be ignored.
In case 17 Elite didn’t give you enough versatility, Premier Nebraska 17 Gold can offer another dose of adaptable athletes when power pools get underway. Get a long look at standout athletes Lauren Jones Lauren Jones 5'9" | OH Millard West | 2024 State NE and Josie Cleveringa Josie Cleveringa 5'10" | OH North Bend Central | 2024 State NE , both of whom have experience on the left side but have primarily been opposites in 17 Gold’s new 6-2 offense. Not only can this duo play on either pin, but a vast amount of high-level experience in prep and club venues has put Jones and Cleveringa atop Nebraska’s hierarchy of unpledged 2024s.
And 17 Gold’s array of multi-talented players is not exclusive to the frontcourt. Papillion-La Vista setter Reagan Hickey Reagan Hickey 5'8" | S Papillion-La Vista | 2024 State NE is back with this group after leading the offense to a top-three finish at last year’s GJNC. She is a great fit for 17 Gold’s new-look offense, as Hickey locks down right-back floor defense like few setters in the Cornhusker State can. This setter remains a top-tier prospect in our 2024 rankings.