FL Class of 2024: New Setters on the Rankings Pt. 1
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The setter AKA the quarterback of the volleyball team is one of if not the most important position on the court. When taking a look at how volleyball is played now with quick tempos, different hitting zones, and utilizing offensive…
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Continue ReadingThe setter AKA the quarterback of the volleyball team is one of if not the most important position on the court. When taking a look at how volleyball is played now with quick tempos, different hitting zones, and utilizing offensive systems have given these setters an opportunity to make the class of 2024 rankings for the setter position. These four prospects all bring something a little different from the other, but the one consistent factor that each of these players have is the ability to play at some of the highest levels for their age group.
Izzy Starck Izzy Starck 5'11" | S Rampart | 2024 State #1 Nation FL (#3)
I believe that Izzy is the most dynamic setter in the class from the state of Florida. Not only her commitment to go to Penn State, but the countless USA high performance teams and national teams she has been a part of as well. She’s a 6 foot setter who is not just a huge impact for her team on the offensive end, but is an absolute problem for opposing offenses. When it comes to setting, she has natural ability on top of the hard work that she put into her game. She’s able to set anyone at any tempo anywhere on the court if she’s given a good pass. When you’re able to set the entire offensive play sheet, it gives her team the opportunity to take advantage of the opposing defense whether it’s because of pulling the middle blocker or creating seams based on where she puts the ball. Defensively Izzy really shows her true colors in the front row using her tall and long frame to be a force at the net. She has great handwork and eye work to help put her in good position, when you combine that with her size it creates major issues for the opposing team. Izzy is the the type of setter that could be playing for the national team after her stint at Penn State.
Reagan Richardson Reagan Richardson 5'11" | S Jensen Beach | 2024 State FL (#53)
The first thing I notice when watching Reagan on film is her footwork. She does a fantastic job getting her feet, hands, and body under the ball. By getting to the ball early it allows her to manipulate the defense with her hands. The main way the defense gets manipulated is forcing the middle to attempt to read her hands or her body motion to get a better idea of where she’s going. However, Reagan does a fantastic job keeping her hands up without telling the other team who she’s planning on setting. When it comes to her hands, she has some of the most natural setter hands that I have seen. She has some reps that you see her allowing the ball to drop a little too low on her forehead, but even then has the ability to manipulate the direction and tempo of her sets. She does her job on the defensive side of the ball as well whether it be on the net or digging in the backrow. She may not be the most dynamic defender, but she definitely holds her own and forces opposing hitters to have to put the ball down. Overall Reagan is an impressive prospect that still has a lot of growth to see in the future.
Julia Gojcaj Julia Gojcaj 5'9" | S IMG | 2024 State FL (#56)
Julia is such a smooth and easy to watch setter. She makes everything look so easy and simple to do it sometimes takes away from how exceptional her skills are. It looks like the move to IMG has really allowed her to become a stronger and more confident player when comparing her film of her IMG film to her last club film. You can see in her latest club films that she isn’t as smooth or technically sound as she is at IMG, but still has the effort and poise to play the position at a high level. The one thing that really sticks out to me about Julia’s game is that she’s never satisfied. She’s a relentless player that will always be one of if not the hardest worker on her team and pushes herself to put her team in the best position to win. She’s the type of player that can really push her team to the next level because of her tenacity she plays the position at. It’s hard to be a smooth and easy to watch player while working the hardest. Julia is going to be a fantastic addition to her next program and could be the culture difference maker that every college program looks for.
Haley Strawser Haley Strawser 5'9" | S Wiregrass Ranch | 2024 State FL (#100)
Haley isn’t the most flashy or big play setter, but she is one of the most consistent setters in my rankings. I had the pleasure of coaching at the same club she previously used to play for, as well as coaching against her. The thing I noticed even back in her 15’s year was her ability to look the same no matter what type of set or location of the set. She would do a great job getting her feet under the ball and hands up under the ball early, then uses her hands to manipulate the speed and location she pushes the ball to. On top of consistency, she has really soft and quick hands on her initial contact and on her release. Being a setter isn’t just the technical aspects, but also the strategic aspects of running the offense. Haley understands the game enough to be able to run an offense that fits best for her team to win. She has all the tools that any setter who wants to be ranked or to play at a high level in college should be looking to work towards.
In conclusion, the setter position in Florida is one to watch out for. There are so many high level setters in this class that you can find throughout my rankings list. These four were the next four athletes that really made an impact on me and forced me to push them up into the rankings list. I can’t wait to see what each of these athletes do for their respective club teams and their future college programs.