D4’s Player Of The Year Voting Results

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We can officially close the book on our Preseason Player of the Year polls.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Last week we opened up the POY polls to the public to vote on for the upcoming 2023 prep season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="https://prepdig.com/2023/07/vote-for-the-d4-player-of-the-year-in-2023/"><strong>Division 4</strong></a> had a runaway winner, but still plenty of high-caliber contenders to consider. Altogether, there were over 25,000 votes for the POY.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Here's the five that received the most votes in this year's D4 POY poll.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='192444' first='Ashley' last='Strefling'], River Valley S (48.18%)</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Strefling had her support staff putting in the work last week, as the senior setter received over 12,000 votes to win the preseason honor. Strefling is the definition of a competitor. At 5'4”, she understands she has to bring a lot of competitive fire and tenacity to the court. She does that while being a great on-court leader. Her sets have great touch and she's consistently able to get a high-percentage swing out of her hitters. Strefling has also put in a lot of work on her defensive play, while being able to transition quickly from defender to setter. With her on the floor, River Valley has a chance to be a surprise team in the Division 4 hunt.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='288958' first='Madelyn' last='Krappmann'], Everest Collegiate OH (24.49%)</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:image {"align":"right","id":437772,"width":206,"height":157,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2023/07/716-Madelyn-Krappmann.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-437772" width="206" height="157" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">[player_tooltip player_id='288958' first='Madelyn' last='Krappmann'] </figcaption></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The junior outside for Everest Collegiate looks ready to see if she can be the top player in D4 this fall. She was an immediate <a href="https://prepdig.com/2023/07/michigan-stock-up-showcase-gamechangers/">standout at the Michigan Stock Up Showcase</a> on Saturday morning. Krappmann can bring a lot of power to the net that will be hard for D4 blockers to stop. She's got great lift off the floor with arm speed that happens in a flash. Defensively, Krappmann applies that same intensity and is becoming a more complete six-rotation player.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Piper Porter, Athens MH (12.86%)</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Porter was one of the leaders of the Athens squad that finished runner-up in D4 last year. She certainly will be heavily motivated to lead Athens back to the finals this year after it was up two sets on the champs, Sacred Heart. Porter was a great all-around player as a junior and will only be stronger as a senior. Despite being a middle, Porter still plays a big role defensively and from the service line. She has been able to impact the game in all phases and now has the big-match experience to rely on for the 2023 season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='261206' first='Sarah' last='Bradley'], Everest Collegiate OH (7.98%)</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The teammate of Krappmann, Bradley gives Everest Collegiate a solid pair of hitters to work with in the 2023 season. A 6-foot junior outside that also has a sound defensive skillset, Bradley is going to be a handful for D4 opponents as well. Bradley plays a smart and patient game at the net. She can consistently finish with offspeed swings by reading the court and adjusting her swing angles. Bradley has proven it doesn't have to be an all power game to succeed.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='288947' first='Ella' last='Deklyen'], Tri-Unity Christian OH/MH (3.79%)</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A junior hitter that was First Team All-State in 2022, Deklyen still has two years to make an impact in D4, but this year could be a year for her to really find another gear. Deklyen can play anywhere on the net, even though she's listed as a middle. She's been able to play both pins successfully in prep and club seasons. What maker her stand out is that she is willing to really scrap at the net. She doesn't just have a nice swing to work with, she's scrappy and wins a lot of the 50-50 balls that come in her vicinity. Deklyen stays attentive and focused while being able to remain a step ahead of the defense.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->