Tour of Texas Stop 1 – Players to Watch – WAVE Volleyball
In this article:
One of the most anticipated tournaments at the beginning of each club season is the Tour of Texas because of all of the talent that will be competing. The first stop will be held in Dallas, TX this weekend. I…
Access all of Prep Dig
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingOne of the most anticipated tournaments at the beginning of each club season is the Tour of Texas because of all of the talent that will be competing. The first stop will be held in Dallas, TX this weekend. I will be in attendance of this prestigious event and this series will be offering my perspective on teams and players to watch out for during the weekend. WAVE Volleyball club will be traveling to the lone star state to test themselves against the field this weekend. Let’s “Dig” in to see who the scouts should be watching.
The Power Pools are absolutely littered with Open level talent. There are teams that are traveling from Kansas, Carolina, Utah, Georgia, California, and Hawaii looking to compete with the best from the North Texas and Lone Star regions. It is going to be so much fun to watch and I cannot wait!
WAVE 17 – Juliana
I have been lucky enough to have followed this team over the last two years and they have two things that make a team very dangerous. Amazing teach chemistry through playing together for a few years and solid technique at each position. The offense runs through Quinn Loper Quinn Loper 6'1" | OH San Clemente | 2025 State #34 Nation CA . She is the sure-fire/“go to” left side who can throttle the ball no matter where she is on the court in the front row or back row. She has the size, speed, and terminating mindset that is needed for a true OH1. Libero Yuri Park Yuri Park 5'3" | DS/L Rancho Bernardo | 2025 State #61 Nation CA is a quiet but deadly ball control expert who has a nose for the ball. She is perfectly balanced at all times in moving to the ball and during contact. I love watching her play because she is always at the right spot to dig as she uses some amazing court vision to set up in the proper position. Her pursuit of the ball is never in question from her teammates which allows them to block with confidence. Nia Thompson Nia Thompson 5'11" | OH Westview | 2025 State CA is a very athletic and high jumping pin who is also extremely fast on the court. While she might not be as tall as some of her teammates, do not sleep on her because she will make you pay if you do. This kid can ball with anyone and scores at a high clip. Keila Gabriel Keila Gabriel 6'4" | RS Del Norte | 2025 State #115 Nation CA is a lefty who balances out the attack on the opposite position. She is tall and a fantastic blocker at the net. Possessing a fearless attitude, she scores very efficiently as well. Nazare Judd Nazare Judd 5'9" | DS/L Point Loma | 2025 State CA is a great addition to this squad to round out the defense with Yuri. She has exceptional experience and is taller which extends her range in the back row. Her serve receive will be a great help to keeping this team in system. Six foot one setter/opposite Helen Beary Helen Beary 6'1" | S JSerra | 2025 State CA is one to watch. This young lady is a phenom who can jump out of the gym. I think she is ready for a big break out season with this squad. Keep an eye on this team as they will be a force to be reckoned with.
WAVE 16 – Scott
I am extremely interested to watch this team in action in the 16’s age group because there are some amazing teams who will all be at nationals this summer. This team has proven themselves in the SCVA Event #1 this month and is ready to showcase their skills. Six foot two outside hitter Abigail Lesagonicz Abigail Lesagonicz 6'3" | RS Rancho Bernardo | 2026 State CA is a point waiting to happen. She is unafraid on the court and has the tenacity you want in a left side. Every shot has a purpose and this shows a very high scorers IQ that she possesses. Just when you think, as an opponent, that you will be ok when Abigail rotates to the back row, in comes Finley Krystkowiak Finley Krystkowiak 6'3" | OH Torrey Pines | 2026 State CA to finish you off. She is the third highest ranking left side attacker in the state according to our State Rankings List for a reason. There is nothing about her game that shows a true weakness. Her right arm is golden and you can only try to slow her down because you cannot fully stop her. She will get her points one way or another. Soraya Dennis Soraya Dennis 5'8" | S SageHill | 2026 State CA is one of the best setters in her age group. She is ranked as the third best setter according to our Rankings. I love the way she moves the ball around to all of her hitters and keeps the defense off-balance. Her compact frame really shows a lot of power in her delivery to pins when out of system. Charlotte Nowak Charlotte Nowak 6'0" | OH JSerra | 2026 State CA can put the ball down with the best of them. Her ability to adjust her footwork to inside sets and still attack with power are second to none in my opinion. This team has the firepower necessary to contend with the Open level talent they will be facing all weekend long. Look for them to be a solid contender.
WAVE 15 – Brennan
I will be watching this age group quite a bit over the three days to get more information to unveil our 2027 State Rankings in our next update. Libero Sophia Wu is one of the fastest at the positions. She is an absolute monster at covering hitters all around the court and pursuing the ball to keep it alive. Jaycee Mack Jaycee Mack 6'2" | OH Torrey Pines | 2027 CA is a beast at the net. From everything that I see, as she is now playing on the left side, this youngster has some serious potential. Her ceiling to excel in the position is astronomical. The athleticism, power, and high vertical all point to college coaches needing to write her name down on athletes to watch lists. Setter Emery Gonzales Emery Gonzales 5'10" | S Torrey Pines | 2027 CA has the soft hands and volleyball IQ I love in top-notch setters. She plays the game like she is a seasoned veteran already and this will do wonders for her talented squad. Left side attacker Ireland Real is the “Real Deal” in our opinion. A true “star in the making” is happening in her game and she will put everyone on notice during the course of the weekend. I am expecting a lot of buzz about her from the scouts who will be in attendance. The anticipation to watch this team in action is at an all-time high for me and there will definitely be some serious note taking on my end. Stay tuned for more on them.
As always stay tuned for more articles on your favorite athletes. If you have anyone you think we should watch out for, please shoot me an email with some info at nov8vb@yahoo.com. Also don’t forget to help these kids get more exposure by sharing our stories with your friends. Help us help them by simply retweeting on Twitter or sharing on Facebook. Thanks for following us, Prep Dig Family! Don’t be afraid to interact with us. We love the likes, shares, and quotes/comments. Keep them coming!