High-Profile 2024 Commits Dominate Windy City Qualifier
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The future of college volleyball is in good hands. I spend much of my time in Chicago perusing the 17 Open courts at Windy City, and big names populated just about every match in that division. If you wanted a…
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Continue ReadingThe future of college volleyball is in good hands.
I spend much of my time in Chicago perusing the 17 Open courts at Windy City, and big names populated just about every match in that division. If you wanted a glimpse into the next collegiate superstars from across the national landscape, this was the place to be.
But, in case you need a rundown, here are a few high-profile 2024s who caught our attention last weekend.
It’s hard not to start with the libero who helped her team steal much of the 17 Open spotlight. I’ve been fortunate enough to follow Hasbrook and her Rockwood Thunder 17 Elite team at a variety of big venues this season, and we felt like this breakthrough was coming. Rockwood Thunder posted a runner-up finish behind another brilliant weekend from its standout libero, who will take her talents to Ohio State at the next level.
It only seems fair that we immediately transition from Ohio State to Michigan. White is a future Wolverine who can take on a variety of on-court roles, from running the offense at the setter spot to shouldering six-rotation responsibilities as an outside hitter. It’s been a treat to watch all of White’s skills flourish, both with 1st Alliance and the Mighty Macs.
Highlights
KC Power has been churning out elite liberos at an incredible rate, and Bolton is one we’ll be following for years to come. The Michigan State commit is carrying on a family tradition of defensive dominance–and she’s perpetuating the run of Big Ten teams on this feature.
Let’s bring some SEC-bound firepower into the conversation. Harden and her Rev team secured an Open bid early in the 2023 campaign, but that hasn’t stopped the Florida commit from standing out in mid-season qualifiers. Few left-side hitters in the 17 Open field presented the kind of physicality and explosiveness we saw from Harden in Chicago.
Luoma has been a can’t-miss defender in the MKE Sting gym for a while. And that’s not just because of the wild tie-dye libero jerseys that this club will occasionally deploy, either. Clemson scored a big recruiting win in the Class of 2024 by securing a pledge from this steady, reliable backcourt specialist.
Hunt keeps finding new ways to contribute with NKYVC. She landed on everyone’s recruiting radar when she soared to a Triple Crown runner-up finish at the 16s level. A year later, her team has a TC NIT title with Hunt still lighting up opposing defenses from the middle. But, more than that, it’s worth giving a nod to the effort Hunt has exhibited behind the service line and as a fill-in floor defender in that rotation. Washington will be happy to get this well-rounded athlete in its gym.
We’ve got another Wisconsin standout to cover, but this one is staying closer to home. Neumann’s imposing presence at the net was a big factor in FC Elite’s rise to Gold pools on the final day of Windy City. This talented middle blocker is heading to the Horizon League and will represent a rising Green Bay program.
Ivy League volleyball programs have scored a handful of impressive recruiting hauls lately, and you can mark down Murray as one of those. The Penn commit showed her multi-faceted role with Houston Juniors as a middle blocker who can score on any route imaginable. On top of that, Murray’s knack for reading opposing setters and sealing the block will translate well to the next level.
Mayo is undoubtedly a focal point of Circle City 17 Purple’s offense this season, so it’s also no surprise that she’s already made her collegiate future known. This standout Indiana outside hitter will take her talents down to Florida International, a Conference USA program that starting to stockpile talent. Look for Mayo to be a key contributor to any uptick in success for FIU.
This is a new one! In the immediate aftermath of WCNQ, Strandberg announced her commitment to South Alabama. The Jaguars have recently been frontrunners for Sun Belt titles, and adding this versatile attacker from Ohio will only fuel optimism for South Alabama. And for Strandberg, this commitment caps off a dream weekend that included a bid-earning triumph for AVC 17 Red.