Lone Star Classic Week 3 – Texas Liberos to Watch
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After several weeks of getting on the road to compete for a spot at the 2023 USA Girls Junior National Championship, Texas teams will have homecourt advantage this weekend, when they will play in Dallas in the third week of…
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Continue ReadingAfter several weeks of getting on the road to compete for a spot at the 2023 USA Girls Junior National Championship, Texas teams will have homecourt advantage this weekend, when they will play in Dallas in the third week of the 2023 Lone Star Classic.
One of the biggest national qualifiers there is, the Lone Star Classic has been going on for two weeks already and the third and final weekend of competition will feature as many as 11 divisions from the 15s, 16s and 17s age groups.
As expected, several teams from Texas will be on the court in Dallas this weekend and we’re using the days leading to the event to present some of the most exciting prospects from the Lone Star State that will be competing in the Open divisions. These are some of the top liberos that will represent Texas teams this weekend:
The best libero in her age group in the state of Texas according to our 2026 Prep Dig State Rankings, Hernandez will be the backcourt general for TAV 15 Black. Her game is tailored to succeed on the back as Hernandez is very quick and has excellent reflexes to get to ball. Her technique when making contact with the ball is also extremely efficient as she places in the exact right position to send the ball where she intends to. Hernandez also plays with a high level of energy and is a natural leader, pushing her teammates on the court.
Highlights
One of the individual standouts in the Alamo 15 Premier team that won the National Championship last year, Vigil is now a key piece in the 16 Premier team of the famed San Antonio club. Her game has only gotten better over the last year as she got to develop her technical skills even further and is now more experienced and understands the game better. Vigil is very technical and quick on the backcourt and a strong player on defense and serve-receive, but what makes of her a special player is her determination and fighting spirit.
Maddie Smotherman
Maddie Smotherman
Smotherman is tasked with keeping things under control in her offensive-minded and athletic Madfrog 16’s N Green team. The libero has excellent ball control and typically places herself in great spots to play defense, but she’s also incredibly effective when chasing tips and forced to make one-handed digs. Smotherman is really quick with her movement and is great at reading plays and getting to the ball. She’s a very consistent passer too, placing her body behind the ball to avoid errors.
The starting libero for Dallas Skyline 17 Royal, Brand is one of the best in the position in Texas in her age group. She’s really hard to score on because of her outstanding ball control, which allows her to keep even the hardest-driven swings in play. Her excellent positioning also gets Brand very involved with several aspects of matches as she gets a lot of touches when covering her hitters or recovering balls on the back. Also a solid passer, the libero has a strong floater serve that often gets opponents out of system.
Not many players have the ability to combine technical and mental skills in such an evident and efficient way as Camacho does. The Excel 17 National Red libero is certainly very skilled on the ball, but what sets her apart is her high volleyball IQ and her mental strength. Camacho is a cerebral player, who does an excellent job of understanding what’s going on during matches and adjusting to it. Also a standout passer, the defender plays with a very positive and strong attitude on the court and remains focused on the court no matter what.