Big South Qualifier – Texas Liberos to Watch
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The qualifying season continues at full pace as teams from all around the country attempt to secure their spots in the 2023 USA Girls Junior National Championship. Texas club teams are no exceptions, as they are flying all across the…
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Continue ReadingThe qualifying season continues at full pace as teams from all around the country attempt to secure their spots in the 2023 USA Girls Junior National Championship. Texas club teams are no exceptions, as they are flying all across the nation to play in those events and book their tickets to Chicago from June 28-July6.
This coming weekend will present several opportunities with National Qualifiers taking place in different locations and one of them is the Big South Qualifier, a 24-division event that will take place in Atlanta from Friday to Sunday.
Some Texas teams will make the trip East and we’re previewing the tournament by featuring some of the players who can have big roles for their clubs. These liberos can be true difference-makers to their teams:
Isabella Tijerina Isabella Tijerina 5'6" | DS/L Glenda Dawson | 2026 TX
Isabella Tijerina Isabella Tijerina 5'6" | DS/L Glenda Dawson | 2026 TX
A libero with a very solid and efficient game, Tijerina will be leading Houston Stellar 15 Elite’s backcourt in the 15 USA division. Her excellent positioning makes things easier for her on defense as the libero is great at anticipating plays and moving to the right spots. Tijerina is also a consistent passer, with a clean first contact and the right amount of confidence to make plays. She covers her hitters very too and is very accurate when asked to set in transition.
Maddie Dement
Maddie Dement
An electric backcourt player, Dement is the libero for the AVA TX 16 Adidas which will compete in the 16 Open division in Atlanta. She has a background in gymnastics and is very mobile and quick, being able to chase balls all day on the backcourt. Dement is great at placing her body in the right position to send the ball exactly where she wants, a skill that positively impacts her passing. She’s very connected to the game on defense, doing a great job of reacting to unexpected situations. She can also impact the game from the service line with her strong floater.
Even if she’s playing one age group up, expect Schramm to be a defensive anchor for her Woodlands Revolution 17 Premier team that will be in action in the 17 Open division. The libero has a strong attitude on the court and leads the team by example with her hard work and determination. Schramm always has excellent ball control and positioning, but it seems that her excellent high school season with Lake Creek took her game to another level. She’s a strong player on defense and serve-receive and has consistently been improving other areas of her game.
Highlights
Taylor Crain
Taylor Crain
A strong passing libero, Crain will keep her Houston Stellar 17 Elite team in system while they compete in the 17 Open division. She has excellent ball control and is also really good at reading plays, a combination that often puts her in the right spot to play defense. Crain’s combination of technical skills and hard work on the backcourt is truly every coach’s dream and she also adds a lot in other areas of the game, being always in a position to cover her hitters and doing a very good job when requested to set in transition.
Davila is one of the reasons why Alamo 17 Premier should be one of the strongest defensive teams in the 17 Open division. Fellow DS/libero Jaylin Lott Jaylin Lott 5’4″ | DS/L SA Clark | 2024 State TX and her form a strong duo that can handle everything on the backcourt for their team. Davila is capable of covering half court in serve-receive and still consistently deliver accurate passes to her setter. She’s a phenomenal defender too, using her incredible reaction speed and superior ball control to make digs. The libero also has some interesting leadership skills and is a strong voice in the backcourt.