Outstanding ’25 Outside Hitters from Six Pack Invitational
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A competitive group of 17U squads faced off last weekend at the annual Six Pack Invitational on the campus of the University of Northern Iowa. Adrenaline emerged as the champs, topping the host program in the title match on Sunday.…
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Continue ReadingA competitive group of 17U squads faced off last weekend at the annual Six Pack Invitational on the campus of the University of Northern Iowa. Adrenaline emerged as the champs, topping the host program in the title match on Sunday.
Here’s a look at outside hitters in that age group that stood out (Note: I probably will write up another piece with more outsides, as it was a deep field):
Miller popped out as a prospect during the 2022 state tournament for a young Centennial team. She followed that up with memorable prep and club campaigns last year. Now she’s running with a talented PowerPlex outfit and shining again. Miller is one of the better uncommitted ’25s in Iowa and would positively impact plenty of college programs. She’s not the tallest outside, but she’s an explosive athlete with a powerful swing and excellent timing.
Prep Dig’s top player in the state for ’25, Meester is a must-watch when she’s on the court. And even if you’re some distance from where the Louisville commitment is playing, you can hear her hits. She’s a wonderfully fluid athlete with a high volleyball IQ. She’s worked hard on developing her overall game and it shows. She’s improved her serve and is more advanced in receiving than she was at this time last year. Playing on this loaded roster allows her more breaks than she takes in high school, keeping her fresh and making her even more dangerous.
Skeffington stood out when I saw her last spring in Chicago. She’s a powerful hitter on the outside but also can excel in the middle and holds up well in the back row. I would say Skeffington is at her best on the outside but she possesses the type of versatility that allows college coaches to project her at multiple spots on the next level. She’s an aggressive player with sound court awareness.
Hayes is one of the state’s most entertaining performers with an all-around game as good as anybody in Iowa. She can hit from anywhere on the court, dig pace and defend at the net or in the back row. There’s little, if anything, the Creighton pledge can’t do when she steps on the floor. It’s subtle because she’s been dominant for awhile, but Hayes has fine-tuned all areas of her game and developed an edge to make her even more intimidating.
AshleeKay Christensen showed me a ton during this event. It was the first time seeing her play in person, and I left the event looking forward to the next time I can see her perform. Her Iowa Power team is filled with interesting prospects, and Christensen doesn’t take a back seat to any of them. She plays six rotations and produces in all of those spots. Her versatility might be her best asset as she could project at multiple positions at the next level. She’s athletic with an impressive vertical leap and an ability to generate a lot of power from her swing.
Highlights
I’d heard good feedback about Neuhaus’ game but this was my first time seeing her play in person. Suffice it to say that she lived up to the advanced billing. She’s not a tall outside but she makes up for that with good jumping ability, explosiveness off of the floor, excellent timing and a whip-like swing that generates plenty of power. She sees the court well and adjusts her offerings accordingly. Neuhaus is someone college coaches should be on as she still has a lot of room to go before hitting her ceiling as a player.