Sunshine Classic Showcase Top Performers Vol 5

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We are so pumped to renew our partnership with USA Volleyball.&nbsp; We were super excited to run our second session of the Sunshine Classic Showcase in conjunction with the Sunshine Classic National Qualifier in Orlando, FL on Thursday, March 2^nd.&nbsp; We had some of the best players from many states attend.&nbsp; Many players stood out to our court coaches and scouts throughout the entire showcase for a variety of reasons.&nbsp; Some players stood out for their dynamic physical skills and some stood out for intangibles like leadership, effort and attitude.&nbsp; Let's meet a few of the players who earned the honor of Top Performer at the Sunshine Showcase.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Desiree Beverley [2024] 5-9 Libero/Outside (HS: Steele/Club: United VBA/Verbal: Uncommitted)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"align":"right","id":334994,"width":100,"height":150,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2023/03/101-Desiree-Beverley.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-334994" width="100" height="150" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Desiree is currently an unranked prospect in the 2024 Class according to our Prep Dig Texas State Rankings, but we really liked what we saw in person at the showcase and is now on our radar.  She plays for Steele High School and also plays club for the United VBA program.  I have watched her team perform a few times this season and was very intrigued when I saw that she was signed on to participate in our showcase.  She has been hitting a lot of left side for her squad so it was nice to see her all around game while in our drills.  What I truly love about her play is how she keeps her head on a swivel expecting the unexpected and is ready for any deflections and miss-hits from opposing attackers.  It is very difficult to pick up deflections off of the block as a lot of players are still moving in a certain direction and they can't redirect their weight toward the new direction of the ball, but not Miss Beverley.  She was fantastic at making sure her weight was evenly distributed in order to be able to change direction at the snap of a finger.  This one simple aspect of her game is why she is such a feared defender.  Her court coaches called me over to watch her play and this is what I saw from this wonderful athlete.  Anyone who can play both ways at such a high level deserves to have a few looks and I hope all college coaches stop by her court at some point. <strong><a href="https://prepdig.com/player/alyssa-manitzas/"></a></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='334375' first='Eva' last='Goodson']&nbsp;[2026] 5-9 Setter (HS: Florida/Club: Tallahassee Volleyball Academy/Verbal: Uncommitted)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"align":"left","id":334979,"width":102,"height":153,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image alignleft size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2023/03/16-Eva-Goodson.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-334979" width="102" height="153" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Eva is an unranked prospect in the 2026 Class according to our Prep Dig Florida State Rankings, but that is only because we have not released them yet.&nbsp; She should have no problem making the list when it is released soon.&nbsp; She plays at Florida High School and also for Tallahassee Volleyball Academy.&nbsp; Miss Goodson is one of those players who just have that “it” factor.&nbsp; Being only a freshman might make some coaches not look her way, but they would be missing out on a very athletic and wonderful volleyball player.&nbsp; I say volleyball player and not just a setter because she showcases elite level play at many aspects of the game.&nbsp; What I love about her game as a setter is how the ball just pops right out of her hands so easily.&nbsp; She also has a very nice finish to her arms as she releases the ball, which ensures that the ball reaches all the way to the pins.&nbsp; This extreme push is key to manipulating the block when the ball is passed to one side of the court.&nbsp; Eva does a fantastic job of going “against flow” to give her hitters a one on one situation against the block.&nbsp; When you watch her play, you get the feeling that she has a lot of experience.&nbsp; She seems a lot older like a seasoned veteran.&nbsp; I will be talking to our Florida scouts about her when it comes to our state rankings for sure.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Grace Schmedding [2024] 5-11 Outside (HS: Heritage Christian/Club: MAVS/Verbal: Uncommitted)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"align":"right","id":335013,"width":98,"height":147,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2023/03/122-Grace-Schmedding.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-335013" width="98" height="147" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Grace is an unranked prospect in the 2024 Class according to our Prep Dig Kansas State Rankings, but is now on our watch list and will be considered moving forward with what we saw at the showcase.&nbsp; She plays at Heritage Christian High School and also for the MAVS club program.&nbsp; Some players have supreme confidence and this young lady is definitely one of them.&nbsp; I was in awe after watching her make huge play after huge play on one of the top courts at the showcase.&nbsp; All of the players on this court were cheering hard during all of the battles at the net were won by Miss Schmedding.&nbsp; As scouts, we always are on the lookout for those players who rise to the challenge and relish in big moments.&nbsp; Huge swings and big game changing blocks are just how Grace rolls and we were all enjoying watching the show.&nbsp; She is the type of player who has that “Dawg” mentality and I would love to go to battle with her any day.&nbsp; If any schools are looking for a player who plays at a high level and wants to play against the best…look no further.&nbsp; She is one that you don't want to miss.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>There are many more amazing players that will be written about.&nbsp; Stay tuned for more articles on your favorite athletes.&nbsp; If you have anyone you think we should watch out for, please shoot me an email with some info at <a href="mailto:nov8vb@yahoo.com">nov8vb@yahoo.com</a>.&nbsp; Also don't forget to help these kids get more exposure by sharing our stories with your friends.&nbsp; Help us help them by simply retweeting on Twitter or sharing on Facebook.&nbsp; Thanks for following Prep Dig Family!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->