2024 Club Season Primer: Defensive Duos to Watch
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How about some backcourt tandems for your club radar? We just discussed some setter-hitter combos to keep in mind when we turn toward 2024, and we’re sticking with the same “duo” theme today. This time, though, we’re bringing out some…
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Continue ReadingHow about some backcourt tandems for your club radar?
We just discussed some setter-hitter combos to keep in mind when we turn toward 2024, and we’re sticking with the same “duo” theme today. This time, though, we’re bringing out some of the best backcourt units we have in the Nebraska club landscape.
With so many substitutions available to teams in any given set, we can inevitably find some defensive specialists working in tandem around the club circuit. Let’s peruse some 2024 rosters to bring out a few good ones.
Faith Frame Faith Frame 5'6" | DS/L Papillion-La Vista | 2024 State #167 Nation NE & Quinn Groves Quinn Groves 5'5" | DS/L Papillion-La Vista South | 2024 State NE – Premier Nebraska 18 Gold
Look for these outgoing seniors to go out swinging–or digging, perhaps.
Faith Frame Faith Frame 5'6" | DS/L Papillion-La Vista | 2024 State #167 Nation NE ‘s resume speaks for itself. The Cincinnati commit, who wrapped up her prep career with a single season at Papillion-La Vista, has been to big matches at every venue imaginable. That includes the GJNC podium in 16 Open, where Frame was an all-tournament honoree. It’s hard to believe this elite libero is already embarking on her last club season with Premier Nebraska.
Quinn Groves Quinn Groves 5'5" | DS/L Papillion-La Vista South | 2024 State NE has roved around the Premier Nebraska map for a while, and this will not be her first rodeo at the 18s level. The meteoric rise of this Papillion-La Vista South athlete has been a joy to follow, and it all culminated in a commitment to Morningside at the next level. Time to see what Groves and Frame–two rivals on the high school stage–can put together as teammates on 18 Gold.
Kenzie Kucks Kenzie Kucks 5'5" | DS/L Millard North | 2025 State NE & Sierra Pokharel Sierra Pokharel 5'4" | DS/L Millard West | 2025 State NE – Premier Nebraska 17 Gold
Here’s a duo that has been all around the map at Premier Nebraska. Finally, they’re teaming up.
Kenzie Kucks Kenzie Kucks 5'5" | DS/L Millard North | 2025 State NE has done a little bit of everything and hopped around the age group ladder. We recall the days of Kucks taking huge swings as an outside hitter and bolstering the backcourt along with that attacking role. She eventually took on a full-time defensive role and committed to Lipscomb this fall. Few Nebraska 2025s have had a more fascinating career progression.
Sierra Pokharel Sierra Pokharel 5'4" | DS/L Millard West | 2025 State NE ‘s journey with Premier Nebraska has seen its own variation. The South Dakota commit spent most of her early club years playing up an age group and showing her range as a libero or a middle-back defender. Pokharel stayed down with her 2025 peers last season and is staying on that track with 17 Gold in 2024. Obviously, this squad will find a way to get its D1-bound duo involved as much as possible in pursuit of a repeat Open bid.
Keri Leimbach Keri Leimbach 5'4" | DS/L Lincoln Lutheran | 2025 State #40 Nation NE & Harper Gable Harper Gable 5'10" | DS/L Norris | 2025 State NE – Nebraska ONE 17 Synergy
Nebraska ONE 17 Synergy will have a couple of new faces in the 2024 lineup, but its familiar defensive identity should persist.
Of course, that defense is anchored by libero Keri Leimbach Keri Leimbach 5'4" | DS/L Lincoln Lutheran | 2025 State #40 Nation NE , our top-ranked athlete in Nebraska’s Class of 2025. The Cornhusker commit gives Synergy everything from flashy layout saves to the steady serve receive that should never go underappreciated. Meanwhile, Harper Gable Harper Gable 5'10" | DS/L Norris | 2025 State NE has been another multi-year fixture in the Synergy lineup who can sub in for any of the team’s pin hitters and make an impact. She has even filled in as a frontcourt attacker when needed. Synergy has never been afraid to toy with its lineup throughout the season, so we can expect a few different combinations that allow Leimbach and Gable to work as a pair.
Tristyn Hedman Tristyn Hedman 5'5" | DS/L Grand Island Central Catholic | 2024 State NE & Kya Branch – Nebraska Juniors 18 Black
Nebraska Juniors 18 Black gets another shoutout here with two veteran defenders ready to battle in 2024.
Tristyn Hedman Tristyn Hedman 5'5" | DS/L Grand Island Central Catholic | 2024 State NE is no stranger to the spotlight–both with Nebraska Juniors and her Grand Island Central Catholic high school team. The Crusaders broke through for a 2022 state title behind Hedman’s superior command of the end line. One more outing awaits at the 18s level.
The wildcard in this 18 Black lineup is Kya Branch, who could spend time as a defensive specialist or reawaken her attacking skills in the front row. Regardless of which position Branch plays this year, she will offer the defensive consistency that Nebraska Juniors will want to wield in 2024.
Olivia Kremer Olivia Kremer 5'11" | DS/L Lincoln Southwest | 2025 State NE & Isabel Junior Isabel Junior 5'8" | DS/L Elkhorn South | 2025 State NE – Nebraska Elite 17-1
Nebraska Elite’s top 17s group has suddenly gained some reinforcements to form a formidable back row.
Olivia Kremer Olivia Kremer 5'11" | DS/L Lincoln Southwest | 2025 State NE showcased her skills at VCNebraska for the past couple of years, but she will now take her defensive prowess to Nebraska Elite. No stage will be intimidating for Kremer after she helped Lincoln Southwest win its first state title this fall. Her presence in the middle-back area was a huge factor in this Silver Hawk success, and Kremer also wields a wicked serve that can instantly flip momentum.
Isabel Junior Isabel Junior 5'8" | DS/L Elkhorn South | 2025 State NE is the team’s familiar face who ought to mesh well with Kremer. Junior was a digging machine in an ultra-competitive Class A field, making Elkhorn South a tough team to score on. We know how well the Elkhorn South-Nebraska Elite pipeline has panned out recently, and this talented libero is yet another example.
Nikki Ott Nikki Ott 5'7" | DS/L Omaha Skutt Catholic | 2025 State NE & Rya Borer Rya Borer 5'1" | DS/L Norris | 2025 State NE – VCNebraska 17 Elite
Fresh faces are still the storyline as we move to VCNebraska .
Of course, 2025 defender Nikki Ott Nikki Ott 5'7" | DS/L Omaha Skutt Catholic | 2025 State NE is a constant here. Ott put together a strong 2023 campaign with VCNebraska and showed her ability to adapt to a variety of roles. She’ll give you the leadership and technical skills needed out of your libero, but Ott can also fill in as a primary defensive specialist and bring an instant spark off the bench.
It will be interesting to see how Ott’s role evolves with Rya Borer Rya Borer 5'1" | DS/L Norris | 2025 State NE joining 17 Elite after a prior stint with Premier Nebraska. Borer was part of the vaunted Norris backcourt that finished runner-up in Class B, so that high-level experience should translate nicely to a new club environment.
Alaina Kopf Alaina Kopf 5'4" | DS/L Tri-County | 2026 State NE & Kamrynn Wemhoff Kamrynn Wemhoff 5'1" | DS/L Lincoln Pius X | 2026 State NE – VCNebraska 16 Elite
We’ve already seen this pair operate at a high level.
Alaina Kopf Alaina Kopf 5'4" | DS/L Tri-County | 2026 State NE is an emerging small-town star who made a stark impact with VCNebraska at the 15s level. She’s now making the jump to 16 Elite and will surely bring a steady presence to the team’s strong defensive core.
That core also includes Kamrynn Wemhoff Kamrynn Wemhoff 5'1" | DS/L Lincoln Pius X | 2026 State NE , who was a breakout DS and serving sub for Lincoln Pius X this fall. The Thunderbolts returned to the Class A tournament while players like Wemhoff elevated the team’s ball control to another level. That’s the perfect launching pad to the 2024 club season, where new chapters will be written for the Class of 2026.