Houston Stock Up/Freshman Showcase – 5 Players to Watch – Vol. 5
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The Prep Dig Stock Up and Freshman Showcase is coming to Houston tomorrow and this Saturday, July 22, some of the most exciting prospects in the state of Texas will be in action with us at the Texas Tornados facility,…
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Continue ReadingThe Prep Dig Stock Up and Freshman Showcase is coming to Houston tomorrow and this Saturday, July 22, some of the most exciting prospects in the state of Texas will be in action with us at the Texas Tornados facility, located northwest of downtown.
We have players from several regions in the Lone Star State entered to take part in the Showcase, such as Austin, San Antonio, Mission, Waco, Beaumont and Corpus Christi, and are very excited to welcome all of them and continue to help them succeed in their volleyball journeys by providing the exposure they need to achieve their goals.
Registration is still open, so don’t waste any more time and make sure you’ll be there – and use my code TorresDig2023 for a $10 discount.
As we prepare for the two events, here are some of the players that will be joining us:
Melanie Gasca Melanie Gasca 5'7" | S Mayde Creek | 2025 TX
Melanie Gasca Melanie Gasca 5'7" | S Mayde Creek | 2025 TX
Capable of playing as a setter or a libero, Gasca is a very technical prospect. She’s very skilled on the ball and is always very precise with her actions on the court, be it a set or a dig. The setter does an excellent job of pushing the ball to the pins even when out of system and strongly contributes to her team’s offensive success. Gasca is also very calm when on the ball and that shows in her distribution, which is always intelligent and reliable. She also contributes on defense, doing a solid job in her right back position.
Loyd did very well in our last showcase, in December, and also thrived during the club season, when she was one of the top players in a fun Club South 17-1 team – she’s now set to join Houston Stellar and play in her age group with 17 Elite. She’s very strong offensively, getting well off the floor, using her length well and seeing the other side of the court before making her shot selection. Loyd also contributes at a large extent on the backcourt, causing issues to opponents with her serving and generating transition plays with her defense.
Highlights
Cavazos returned to action during the last club season after recovering from a serious knee injury and it was great to see her on the court again. She can be used as an outside hitter or a libero/defensive specialist and probably adds more value to the teams she plays for when on the backcourt, where her reliable passing and strong defense do make a difference. Although not very tall, Cavazos does hold her own at the net, making very few errors and taking advantage of every opportunity she has to put the ball down by tooling the block or using roll shots.
Highlights
Cotten was another player who left a very good impression in our last Showcase, in December, and will be back for more. She plays with a lot of energy on the backcourt and does whatever it takes to get to ball and make defensive plays. Cotten’s positioning on defense puts her in good spots to make plays and she also does very well with her passing, covering a lot of the court and delivering well. She also sets well in transition when needed. After playing for TAV Houston last season, she will join the new MoCo Mavs club next season and will likely have a bigger role with them.
Highlights
Kenli Irwin
Kenli Irwin
Up-and-coming middle Irwin will be in action in our Freshman Showcase and has what it takes to get a lot of attention with her strong game. She plays with a lot of intensity on both sides of the ball and her energy often pushes her teammates to perform better on the court. Irwin is very athletic and that shows very well in her strong offensive approach, which often ends with a hard swing. Irwin also plays beach volleyball and and is a track student-athlete, having developed the physical area of her game extremely well.