Hard-Working Middle Blockers at #PDStockUpNE
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Middle blockers were busy at the Nebraska Stock Up Showcase. It’s fair to say that middle blockers were somewhat outnumbered at last weekend’s event. However, there was certainly no shortage of quality middles in La Vista. These standouts just had…
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Continue ReadingMiddle blockers were busy at the Nebraska Stock Up Showcase.
It’s fair to say that middle blockers were somewhat outnumbered at last weekend’s event. However, there was certainly no shortage of quality middles in La Vista. These standouts just had to put in a few extra reps.
Let’s give a nod to some of these hard-working middles who stole the spotlight at the Nebraska Stock Up Showcase.
Freel is a unique instance of a Nebraska prep athlete who crosses the river to Iowa for club volleyball. The Plattsmouth native had a breakout year with Attack Smack which culminated in a GJNC appearance in Chicago. Momentum kept building as Freel appeared at our Stock Up Showcase and demonstrated some impressive range at the middle blocker spot. Freel can terminate in a variety of gaps and will be a valuable asset on this fall’s Plattsmouth squad.
Highlights
This article wouldn’t be complete without Kafka. She had a strong year in the Nebraska Elite gym and seemingly brought an even higher gear to last weekend’s event. Kafka’s physicality and technique led to multiple one-on-one stuffs and some of the hardest hits in individual drills. This Omaha Marian prep athlete is on a roll.
Highlights
Columbus High School is going to have some serious firepower in the middle. Miller has already burst onto the small-town scene with some floor-denting kills for her up-and-coming prep team. We’ve now seen those same attributes flourish in a showcase environment, where Miller made an impact regardless of who was on her side of the net. Look out for Miller and the Discoverers.
Highlights
Pillay defines the “hard-working” mantra we mentioned in the intro. She was perhaps the most natural slide attacker among the group of middle blockers and displayed a heavy arm off of one foot. Pillay’s willingness to keep grinding through a high volume of reps during the showcase proves her potential to make a big splash this fall. And, after emerging in the GJNC field with Banzai this summer, Pillay is due for a prep breakthrough.
Erwin’s stock has kept climbing throughout the 2023 calendar year. Her influence in the Premier 15 Red lineup was impossible to overlook, as Erwin brought the length and power to be a difference-maker in several areas. She’s an instinctive blocker, a fearless attacker, and offers the kind of intangible traits that will always make her a showcase standout.
Kuhlmann used a late-season surge to land firmly on our Class of 2026 radar. Her work with VCNebraska ‘ last=”]’ last=”]’ last=”]’ last=”] 15 Black yielded a GJNC bid through the Great Plains Region, and her best moments are still yet to come. The Nebraska Stock Up Showcase displayed a group of middles that can bring heavy heat in front of the setter, and Kuhlmann has definitely earned this distinction.
Highlights
Nebraska Elite brought out all the middle talent for this one. Spath is another Elite product who made her presence felt at the showcase through a variety of individual and team reps. This middle blocker has a chance to set herself apart in the near future with a Gretna team that is racking up its share of 2026 talent.