Hot Right-Side Hitters from Top 250 Expo: Session 1

<p>Right-side hitters can be the game-changing offensive piece on any team. Sometimes they are underutilized and a team pays for it. I love when a team realizes how effective a right-side hitter can be in their arsenal of offensive players. Let's look at the freshman and sophomore right-side hitters from the morning session of the Top 250 Expo in Minnesota and talk about how they are different and effective as individual players. </p>   <figure class="wp-block-image alignleft size-thumbnail is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2023/12/14-Harlow-Hartwick.jpeg?w=150&h=150&crop=1" alt="" class="wp-image-492777" style="width:177px;height:auto" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">[player_tooltip player_id='492607' first='Harlow' last='Hartwick'], RS from Duluth East HS, class of 2027.</figcaption></figure>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='492607' first='Harlow' last='Hartwick']</h2>   <p>Hartwick is a 5'10" freshman right-side hitter from Duluth East High School. Hartwick was noted for her great cross-court shots and great blocking. She has a great vertical and a long reach for successfully stopping a hitter in her tracks. Powerful athlete.</p>   <figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2023/12/Chloe-Medenblik-crop-4800x3152-1703062869.jpeg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-493284" style="width:300px;height:auto" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Chloe Medenblik, RS from Blair-Taylor HS, class of 2027.</figcaption></figure>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Chloe Medenblik</h2>   <p>Medenblik is a 6'1" freshman right-side hitter from Blair-Taylor High School in Wisconsin. Medenblik has such a long reach on her side. She is a great blocker with strong hands and great control of the net. She can be a power hitter in the middle or on the outside and the right side. I would pick her for my team.</p>   <figure class="wp-block-image alignleft size-thumbnail is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2023/12/29-Addison-Otto.jpeg?w=150&h=150&crop=1" alt="" class="wp-image-492792" style="width:191px;height:auto" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">[player_tooltip player_id='396874' first='Addison' last='Otto'], RS from Farmington HS, class of 2027.</figcaption></figure>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='396874' first='Addison' last='Otto']</h2>   <p>Otto is a 6'1" freshman right-side hitter from Farmington High School. Otto is deadly anywhere along the net. I watched her play in every position and she is a phenomenal athlete. She has a great block and is a hitter wonderful at any angle with a lot of power. </p>   <figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-thumbnail is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2023/12/149-Lauren-Barker.jpeg?w=150&h=150&crop=1" alt="" class="wp-image-492813" style="width:194px;height:auto" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">[player_tooltip player_id='364713' first='Lauren' last='Barker'], RS from Chanhassen HS, class of 2026.</figcaption></figure>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='364713' first='Lauren' last='Barker']</h2>   <p>Barker is a 5'10" sophomore right-side hitter from Chanhassen High School. Barker is a graceful athlete who knows just what she is doing at the net. I watched her hit it at the block, through a block, and straight down the line for a kill. She is resourceful and will use the ball however it needs to be used to get a point. She also has great defensive skills and a great platform. She is a useful player at all positions on the court and also has a killer spin on her serves giving her aces much of the time.</p>   <figure class="wp-block-image alignleft size-thumbnail is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2023/12/168-Marisa-Michaelis.jpeg?w=150&h=150&crop=1" alt="" class="wp-image-492848" style="width:178px;height:auto" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">[player_tooltip player_id='401559' first='Marisa' last='Michaelis'], RS from New Life Academy, class of 2026.</figcaption></figure>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='401559' first='Marisa' last='Michaelis']</h2>   <p>Michaelis is a 6' sophomore right-side hitter from New Life Academy. Michaelis is a versatile athlete with great movement and speed. She can pancake a ball off the floor when playing defensively or hit from the back row for a vigorous attack. She has a great platform and great placement of the ball for a setter. She has a wonderful approach and a powerful hit straight through the ball. She is easily a 6-rotation player with great serves as well as great attacks. </p>   <figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-thumbnail is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2023/12/180-Emma-Thein.jpeg?w=150&h=150&crop=1" alt="" class="wp-image-492870" style="width:200px;height:auto" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">[player_tooltip player_id='462870' first='Emma' last='Thein'], RS from MACCRAY High School, class of 2026.</figcaption></figure>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='462870' first='Emma' last='Thein']</h2>   <p>Thein is a 6' sophomore right-side hitter from MACCRAY High School. Thein is a very powerful hitter. If you see a ball coming from this athlete's hand, my advice is to duck. She is very accurate and strong, has a great vertical, has great control over her movements, and can tool it off a block or hit right through it. </p>   <p> </p>

Right-side hitters can be the game-changing offensive piece on any team. Sometimes they are underutilized and a team pays for it. I love when a team realizes how effective a right-side hitter can be in their arsenal of offensive players. Let's look at the freshman and sophomore right-side hitters from the morning session of the Top 250 Expo in Minnesota and talk about how they are different and effective as individual players.