What Iowa Athletes Elevated Their Games This Club Season?

Iowa athletes will always have a special place for me.  Growing up in Iowa and understanding the spirit and pride of the high school game, the importance of the local camps that colleges put on for the community, and how many of these athletes are balancing multiple sports and activities in their own high schools.  Here are some Iowa athletes that have either been new to me this past year or are ones that are rising up and up in regards to their stock heading into the summer.    <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://x.com/CPU_GirlsTF/status/1651066730003742720?s=20 </div></figure>   [player_tooltip player_id='215389' first='Sydney' last='Maue'] - Center Point Urbana - Adrenaline   Class of 2025   I saw Maue at the Labor Day tournament in Mt. Vernon, saw her again at the Iowa Top 250, and then the club season came along. The transformation of Maue's game has been so exciting which starts with her athleticism. She is touching over ten feet as a left handed right side and she has to be around 5'10/5'11. She is a flyer. For her playing on the open level, she has gained some attention from college coaches where they see what they can work with in the next couple of years. With continued training on her game, her upside is scary and also exciting about what could be next.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2022/11/DSC08137.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-251863"/></figure>   [player_tooltip player_id='251662' first='Maryn' last='Bixby'] - Dike-New Hartford - Six Pack   Class of 2024   I saw Bixby last year for Dike-New Hartford and then again for Six Pack playing up a year, but seeing her this past season has been different. Her athleticism and skill have caught up to each other. Also, her video on Twitter of jumping and touching the rim at a basketball practice was pretty sweet. I did catch a game of Dike-New Hartford online from the state basketball tournament (shout out to Iowa for streaming their state tournaments) and then I wondered maybe basketball is her future. Either way, she's an athlete - the small town kid who can do a little bit of everything. As of now she is uncommitted (pretty sure), but she is someone I'd want on my side of the net.   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://x.com/AnkenyFanatic/status/1651976733447340034?s=20 </div></figure>   [player_tooltip player_id='215465' first='Reagan' last='Hanfelt'] - Ankeny - Iowa PowerPlex 515   Class of 2025   The Iowa rankings will be updated soon and [player_tooltip player_id='215465' first='Reagan' last='Hanfelt'] will be soaring up the list. She is currently at 49, but shes a top 20 athlete, emphasis on athlete. She has cleared 5'6 in the high jump this spring while also balancing club volleyball. She has the second best jump in Class 4A and will have big meets ahead of her the next two weeks. On the volleyball court, she translates that jumping ability into being able to leap quickly and find the open spots. She can take off on one foot and terminate on a slide. Her game (for volleyball and track) reminds me of Layanna Green of Waukee where she won a couple state high jump titles and has done track and volleyball at UNI.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2023/04/DSC02090.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-372331"/></figure>   [player_tooltip player_id='224152' first='Xada' last='Johnson'] - Clear Lake - CIA   Class of 2024   I saw [player_tooltip player_id='224152' first='Xada' last='Johnson'] play as a sophomore for her 16s year at CIA at the Wisconsin Dells and Northern Lights and she was a really strong, physical athlete. She is that really strong athlete, but her skill has really improved where she can be a force on both pins. She has a really heavy arm, a big swing, and puts up a strong block where she can be used in a variety of ways and also someone who can create a mismatch with her block. Seeing her compete at the Windy City Qualifier in April was impressive. She needs to be on the radar of schools in the Midwest. She still has a lot of potential to accelerate her game. However, with the growth she has had in the past year, she could be a great late pick up.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2022/12/128-Kate-Vondrak.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-263533"/></figure>   [player_tooltip player_id='168169' first='Kate' last='Vondrak'] - East Sac County - [program_tooltip program_id='428961' first='NWI' last='Premier']   Class of 2024   I was able to see [program_tooltip program_id='428961' first='NWI' last='Premier'] take on Milwaukee Sting at the Mideast Qualifier.  I know growing up in small town Iowa, taking on the big club powers from large metro areas can be a little bit daunting, but this team went head to head with Milwaukee Sting 17 Black who was third in the Badger Region this winter.  Vondrak was a key player for this Northwest Iowa group where she has a lot of length and isn't afraid to go after the kill with a big swing.  She is primed for a big time Senior year as East Sac will be looking to punch their ticket to Xtream.

Iowa athletes will always have a special place for me. Growing up in Iowa and understanding the spirit and pride of the high school game, the importance of the local camps that colleges put on for the community, and how many of these athletes are balancing multiple sports and activities in their own high schools. Here are some Iowa athletes that have either been new to me this past year or are ones that are rising up and up in regards to their stock heading into the summer.