Standouts from Iowa Stock Up Showcase – Part I
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GRIMES, Iowa – They donned their light blue Prep Dig T-shirts and stuck numbers on them. They could be easily identified by college coaches and evaluators. It’s the world of volleyball recruiting, where high school athletes from around the state…
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Continue ReadingGRIMES, Iowa – They donned their light blue Prep Dig T-shirts and stuck numbers on them. They could be easily identified by college coaches and evaluators.
It’s the world of volleyball recruiting, where high school athletes from around the state show up early on a Saturday morning here at the Ignit Sports & Fitness Center. The Prep Dig Stock Up Showcase provides the stage. They perform.
They certainly raised their stock with anyone watching. The group was loaded with potential, from freshmen up to seniors.
Here’s a collection of ballers that stood out to me:
If you haven’t heard about the Cedar Falls sophomore yet, that should change this fall. Bakula will be building on a ninth-grade campaign that saw her rank second in all of Class 5A with 931 assists. As a member of Six Pack volleyball club, she’s continued growing her game this spring and summer. She looked to me like the most consistent setter among a strong group at this event. She also played well in the back and at the net.
Of all of the competitors here, I’d seen Henderson volleyball more than anyone else. I watched her as a freshman at Clear Creek Amana last season, when she dished out 513 assists for a team that reached the 4A state championship match. I saw her stand out on a loaded Iowa Rockets squad this spring. She’s improved throughout, becoming more consistent. She’s poised for a super sophomore season with a Clipper outfit returning a lot.
Highlights
Kaur heads into her junior season with a chance to step into a bigger role inside of a strong Pleasant Valley program. She shares some of the same qualities with Powell. She’s under 6-feet, but she can jump. She shows off a big swing, and her ability to hang in the air allows for finding openings in the defense. Looking forward to keeping tabs on her volleyball performance this fall.
The Dowling Catholic sophomore has the look of a breakout player for this upcoming season. The 6-foot-1 Groeteke benefits from long arms and good athleticism. She moves well laterally, can jump and displays good timing when putting up a wall in the middle. Her swing shows a lot of promise with more consistency. The potential exists here for a super player if it all comes together.
McCoy traveled all the way from Galena, Ill. for the event. She plays club ball with Six Pack, located in Cedar Falls. The sophomore definitely falls into the middle hitter category more than she does middle blocker. That said, she delivers play defensively from the middle. She does so with her athleticism and court sense as opposed to height and arm length. And those strong traits and a powerful swing make her a dangerous hitter inside.
Highlights
From what I saw Saturday, Downey could take a big step forward as an Indianola junior this season. She’s a well-rounded back-row performer who also can help at the net. She reacts well to pace and settles the ball for usable passes. She moves well laterally as well as back and forth for optimal digging success.