Top 250 Expo Kentucky: Outside Hitters

<p>There were impressive outside hitters from the athletes at the Top 250 Expo in Kentucky this past weekend. There is so much power and grace on display on every court. Let's talk about the specific talents of each of the athletes below.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='486903' first='Addison' last='Birk']</h2>   <p>Birk is a 5'7" junior outside hitter from Dixie Heights High School. Birk looked quite impressive on the right side of the court when I was watching her play at the expo. She has a wicked cross-court shot that pretty much no one could get to in time to stop the point. She is powerful and fast and can jump really well. She is a very smart and aware hitter so she knows where to put a shot down on an opponent's court. </p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='269864' first='Audrey' last='Fraddosio']</h2>   <p>Fraddosio is a 5'10" outside hitter from East Jessamine High School's junior class. Fraddosio can really get up on top of a ball and can put a kill on the back line with ridiculous accuracy. She was a joy to watch work and had such strength and vision when moving around on the court. Better get a block up and fast because she already knows where everyone is and is hitting where you are not. Impressive athlete. </p>   <figure class="wp-block-image alignleft size-thumbnail is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2022/12/39-Ella-Goetz-e1670163065169.jpg?w=150&h=150&crop=1" alt="" class="wp-image-255802" style="width:201px;height:auto"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">[player_tooltip player_id='231876' first='Ella' last='Goetz'], 2025.</figcaption></figure>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='231876' first='Ella' last='Goetz']</h2>   <p>Goetz is a 5'9" junior outside from Notre Dame Academy. This athlete looks good anywhere on the court. She was especially effective on the right side of the court and has a beautiful cross-court shot that is really hard to defend. She has good hands and can dig, block, or hit really well. It is easy to see the amount of practice this athlete has put into her game preparations. She has very quick athletic responses and can save balls that seem impossible.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Molly Masterson</h2>   <p>Masterson is a 5'8" outside hitter from the junior class at East Central High School in Indiana. Masterson can play anywhere on the court. She has a great platform, and quick feet, so plays well in the back row. She can jump and hit, block, or dig in the front row. She can go around the block or play off of it. She is an all-around good athlete and a benefit to her team on the court. </p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Sydney Shomaker</h2>   <p>Shomaker is a 5'10" junior outside hitter from Highlands High School. Shomaker sacrificed her body and laid out for a ball to pop up to keep the rally alive at the expo. Everything she touched was a good ball. She can jump and hit and took her job seriously in the back row to get other players their reps at the net when she was in a supportive role. She is a good teammate and hits hard and accurately when at the net. She is another player I would put in a 6-rotation spot. </p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='212388' first='Payton' last='Avilez']</h2>   <p>Avilez is a 5'9" sophomore outside hitter from Lexington Catholic High School. Avilez had a great attitude on the court at the expo and caught my eye for setting another hitter when it was not working for her on her side of the court. She seems like a selfless team player and who does not need one of those? She moves all over the court and can receive, block, hit, and serve. She has all the skills and is a great teammate as well. </p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='212387' first='Ella' last='Blackburn']</h2>   <p>Blackburn is a 5'7" sophomore outside hitter from Lexington Catholic High School. Blackburn is very fast-moving and surprised me by how powerful of a hitter she was. She beat the ball through the block on the other side of the net several times. I kept thinking it was going to be hit off of the block but she is strong enough she just puts it through it. She was quite impressive at the expo. She can serve/receive, hit, block, and dig. She served the ball well too. She could be a 6-rotation player if needed. </p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Cadence Johnson</h2>   <p>Johnson is a 5'4" outside hitter from the sophomore class at Franklin Simpson High School. Johnson is a quick-moving and high-jumping athlete. She moves around the court with ease and is great hitting back a little from the net. She is a smart athlete and will tip around the block or hit off of it. Smart athlete and very aware of the other side of the net. </p>   <figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2023/07/257-Josie-Nichols.jpg?w=509" alt="" class="wp-image-411740" style="width:356px;height:auto"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">[player_tooltip player_id='227616' first='Josie' last='Nichols'], 2026.</figcaption></figure>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='227616' first='Josie' last='Nichols']</h2>   <p>Nichols is a 5'10" outside hitter from the sophomore class at Loveland High School in Ohio. Nichols is so impressive! She is very comfortable with sets tight at the net, can hit a downball with ease, is a nasty hitter in the best possible meaning, and she has so much power displayed while hitting. She was an athlete that I kept noticing over and over again during the expo for her grit and determination. Very fun athlete to watch!</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='244504' first='Elise' last='Olenick']</h2>   <p>Olenick is a 5'9" sophomore outside hitter from Talawanda High School in Ohio. Olenick is big and powerful at the net. She has a wall of a block and hits really hard. She hits wherever she wants to and can tool off a block easily. She is one to play the corners and was one of the more graceful athletes at the expo today. She is good with out-of-system balls and she has a great platform. She has all the tools she needs and can dig, set, or serve as well.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='450227' first='Elizabeth' last='Ryan']</h2>   <p>Ryan is a 6'1" sophomore outside hitter from Evansville North High School in Indiana. Ryan can really jump even though she does not usually need to do so. She is so very powerful and I thought she was going to erase the back boundary on her court today with the speed and accuracy she hit with at the expo. She is so accurate and such a smart hitter when at the net.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='261028' first='Katia' last='Sendelweck']</h2>   <p>Sendelweck is a 5'10" sophomore outside hitter from North Central High School in Indiana. Sendelweck was a top performer at the expo today and looked super during the event. She has great hops, tons of power, and always seems ready for the ball. She showed a lot of grit and determination and has great reflexes. She would be trouble for any opponent to face.</p>

There were impressive outside hitters from the athletes at the Top 250 Expo in Kentucky this past weekend. There is so much power and grace on display on every court. Let's talk about the specific talents of each of the athletes below.