Five More Freshmen I Liked At The Freshman Showcase

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>With more than thirty class of '27 athletes at our first-ever Freshman Showcase, there was plenty of talent to go around. Here are five more kids that got my attention at the Academy yesterday.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='443834' first='Katie' last='Brinkruff'], 5-6 OH/DS, Fishers, Munciana</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Katie was the first to pick up a ball and pepper yesterday morning. That should tell you the level of "want" this kid has and her abilities are not far behind. She's undersized for an outside, but still held her own against bigger and stronger blockers. She'll probably pan out to being a DS at the next level, but for now, I enjoyed watching her receive serve and pass-to-attack skills.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Avery Little, 5-9 MB/RS, North Posey, Metro</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Another undersized attacker, Avery also held her own against MUCH bigger blockers. She may move her physical traits to one of the pins when all is said and done, but I wouldn't put it past her if she continued to terrorize smaller schools in southern Indiana with her athleticism and strength from the middle.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Mya Nelson, 5-5 DS/L, Lebanon, Boiler Juniors</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Right in the middle of what seemed to be the most competitive court was Mya, who was more than capable of keeping drills going, passing well, moving her feet and having a positive and relentless nature about her. I've already seen her at summer league, but the setting yesterday was more her speed---among elite-level athletes in her age group that also play club. I'll keep my eye on this one as she gets older; I'm sure I won't be disappointed.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Ali Strange, 5-6 DS/L, Archbishop McNicholas (Ohio), [program_tooltip program_id='431827' first='[program_tooltip program_id='431827' first='[program_tooltip program_id='431827' first='Elevation' last='']' last='']' last='']</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I'm really glad Ali came to us from Ohio. Coach Mike and I had a moment---we were pretty sure that Miss Strange left a hole in a wall somewhere at the Academy yesterday to go get a ball. Her relentlessness, combined with her skill and athleticism, will carry her far in her pursuit of a place to play in the fall of '27.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='443842' first='Lucy' last='May'], 5-10 OH, Triton Central, Team Indiana</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Quiet and unassuming at first, Lucy fit right in with the left sides once the drills started. Bigger than most of the attackers she was paired with and the blockers she went against, Miss May took advantage by blasting away at blocks and defenses. She also plays with a little more smoothness than your average outside in this age group. Here's to hoping she keeps that smoothness and athleticism as she ages.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->