Triple Crown NIT Top Performers Vol 2
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One of the most anticipated tournaments at the beginning of each club season is the Triple Crown NIT because of all of the talent that will be under one roof. It was held in Kansas City, MO on February 18-20th. …
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Continue ReadingOne of the most anticipated tournaments at the beginning of each club season is the Triple Crown NIT because of all of the talent that will be under one roof. It was held in Kansas City, MO on February 18-20th. To stand out in this tournament is a big deal because of the level of players that traveled from all over the United States. This series will be about those players that stood out to me while watching their play. Let’s meet a few of those that stood out for various reasons.
Keila Gabriel Keila Gabriel 6'4" | RS Del Norte | 2025 State #115 Nation CA [2025] 6-3 Right Side (HS: Del Norte/Club: Wave/Verbal: Uncommitted)
Keila is currently an unranked prospect according to the 2025 Prep Dig California State Rankings. She plays for Del Norte High School and plays club for Wave Volleyball. When it comes to weapons on a volleyball team, it really helps if you have someone who can bring some heat on the opposite side of the net. Keila does a fantastic job of providing some amazing swings on the right side for Wave. I have been watching her compete over the last few years and she continues to improve and be a difference maker on both offense and defense. This past weekend she battled very well on the blocking end and, while I watched, she had tons of great touches on the ball, which deflected and stayed in the court for her team to stay in the rally. This seemed to frustrate many hitters that she went up against. Offensively Miss Gabriel was instrumental in scoring points for her squad as they faced some pretty tough teams. They have a lot of heat coming from many players and she definitely stood out as one of those fire-ballers. Because she is a left-handed attacker, it makes it that much more difficult for opposing blockers to line up on her hitting shoulder. Her height is another good reason of why she is so dominant and every coach knows that is an aspect that cannot be taught.
Kimanni Rugley Kimanni Rugley 6'0" | MB Pearland | 2025 State TX [2025] 6-0 Middle (HS: Pearland/Club: Absolute Volleyball Academy/Verbal: Uncommitted)
Kimanni is currently ranked as the 73rd best overall prospect according to the 2025 Prep Dig Texas State Rankings. She plays for Pearland High School and plays club for the awesome Absolute Volleyball Academy program based out of south Houston. When I watch Kimanni play the middle position, I see unlimited potential. She has the ability to affect the game in so many ways with her natural athleticism. Her power is immense in every way of the game. I love how the ball rebounds off of her arms while she presses over the net. She does a great job of spreading her hands out as wide as possible so that she covers as much surface area as possible when blocking. A small aspect that cannot get overlooked is how she truly took every opportunity to move over to the strong side of the block while the opponent’s ball was out of system. This helped her to create a solid double block no matter which location the opposing setter sent the ball to. She is a superb blocker who adds so much to her squad simply by her presence, which causes the other team’s hitters to change their shots. I love how she also drives so hard to her setter, which allows her to create amazing speed and attack on time. Miss Rugley is someone who can be a dynamic player at the next level and we strongly suggest that her name is added to your short list of athletes to watch.
Bayleigh Minor Bayleigh Minor 6'1" | MB Fort Bend Christian Academy | 2025 State #97 Nation TX [2025] 6-1 Middle (HS: Fort Bend Christian/Club: Houston Skyline/Verbal: Uncommitted)
Bayleigh is currently ranked as the 21st best overall prospect in the state according to the 2025 Prep Dig Texas State Rankings. She plays for Fort Bend Christian High School and plays club for Houston Skyline. I’m not sure who has more frequent flyer miles…myself going to different national tournaments all year long or Bayleigh who loves in the sky every time she approaches. As you can see in the picture that I am tagging her in for the article, Miss Minor can soar above everyone whenever she wants. This kind of flight is crucial to her dominance as not many can match up with her touch point in the air. When she runs a slide, it is almost a guaranteed kill due to her hang-time. I have yet to see someone truly stuff block it in any match I watched. This tournament was a great example of just how scary she is. She helped lead her amazing squad to a second place finish in what is considered one of the best tournaments in the nation. Bayleigh can run every route on the middle route tree with precision and power. There is a reason why we have her ranked so high on the State Ranking and we think every college coach in America should also take notice like we have.
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 us, Prep Dig Family! Don’t be afraid to interact with us. We love the likes, shares, and quotes/comments. Keep them coming!