Nebraska’s Breakout 16U Pin Hitters from AAU Nationals
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The Nebraska Stock Up Showcase is quickly approaching! Registration details can be found here. Be sure to use code ‘KingsleyDig2023‘ for a discount on the signup fee! The post-event breakdowns can begin. Wave 4 in Orlando is complete, and we…
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Continue ReadingThe Nebraska Stock Up Showcase is quickly approaching! Registration details can be found here. Be sure to use code ‘KingsleyDig2023‘ for a discount on the signup fee!
The post-event breakdowns can begin. Wave 4 in Orlando is complete, and we have a lot of names to get to.
AAU Nationals packed all its 16U divisions into the final wave of matches, allowing us to dive into all our Class of 2025 evaluations at once. Nebraska standouts are starting to emerge, and we’re focusing on the pin hitters for today’s feature.
Keep these stock risers on your radar heading into the offseason.
What’s this? Venable is in a pin hitter feature? Indeed, we got to see Venable take on an unfamiliar niche during her stay at AAU Nationals. Though Venable has an extensive background as one of Nebraska’s top middles in the 2025 class, we got to see this dynamic attacker take some swings on the outside with VCN 16 Elite. That means Venable played some middle-back defense in Orlando, too. What can’t the Lincoln Pius X athlete do?
While Venable showed positional flexibility at AAUs, Seagren proved she’s as solid as ever on the right pin. That doesn’t mean this Oakland-Craig prep star can’t adapt to different roles, however. After all, we’ve seen Seagren dominate at the middle blocker spot for the Knights. Regardless, her primary 2023 objective was to take over as 16 Elite’s leading opposite. Mission accomplished.
Miller’s move to 16 Maverick has been heralded throughout the 2023 campaign, and she took yet another step forward at AAU Nationals. Perhaps the most impressive element of Miller’s development has been her willingness to take on six-rotation responsibilities and lead 16 Maverick’s backcourt defense. We’ll watch for those skills to shine once again as Miller prepares for another fall season with Westside.
It’s been a while since we’ve checked in on Plueger, but her performance at AAU Nationals certainly warrants a look. This Platteview pin hitter has been a standout at our Prep Dig Showcases in addition to her dominance with Nebraska Elite 16 Koa. Right-side hitter is her primary position on the club side, and Plueger was an absolute force on that pin in Orlando.
Hern has been a mainstay in our 2025 rankings for some time, especially with Omaha Marian having so many talented 2025s on its roster. On the club side, Hern has put together a stout 2023 season with Nebraska Juniors 16 Black. That culminated in an impressive wave of matches at AAU Nationals with Hern taking command of 16 Black’s right-side hitter position.
Hjemvick has seen quite a surge to her stock since the midway point of the 2023 club season. Her impact with River City Jrs 16 Navy cannot be ignored. She can pass, play defense, and do everything you’d expect from a terminal outside hitter. We’ll see Hjemvick thrive on a few more big stages like the one that Orlando offered this week.
Tyra Jenkins
Tyra Jenkins
Jenkins is looking to break into our next 2025 rankings update. Club Legacy 16 Alpha deployed Jenkins’s attacking prowess in a variety of situations and primarily had her at the L1 spot. That meant we were able to see Jenkins takes some swings on both pins, and she looked equally comfortable on either side. The Omaha area is still producing new names for our watch lists.
Here’s another player you wouldn’t expect to see on an outside hitter feature. In prior appearances at our Prep Dig Showcases, Porter showed off her tremendous defensive instincts and steadiness in serve receive. Yes, Porter brings all those things to River City Jrs 16 Red, but that’s in addition to the attacking she does along the net as an outside hitter. That’s a do-everything athlete worthy of this feature.
Highlights
It’s only fair to bring another 16 Vision pin hitter into the mix after the team’s extraordinary stay in the Sunshine State. Gwinn is an adaptable player whose impact is not always limited to frontcourt attacking. But that terminal ability is in the spotlight for this feature, as Gwinn delivered some clutch swings on the right side to catalyze 16 Vision’s fourteen-match winning streak.