Sunshine Classic Qualifier: Five Texas Liberos to Watch

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The race for spots at the 2024 USA Volleyball Girls National Championship continues this week and Orlando, Florida, will be the place to be as the city will host the first weekend of action of the Sunshine Volleyball Classic Qualifier.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Going on from Saturday to Monday, the event is a huge one, featuring 12 divisions and hundreds of teams, which will all do their best to earn the bid for the National Championship.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Texas will have massive representation in the tournament, with as many as 113 teams from the Lone Star State making the trip to Florida to compete in this weekend's event. As we prepare for intense competition, let's take a look at some promising setter prospects that will be on the court this weekend. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>These liberos will be hard to score at in Florida:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Danica Puepke","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2026","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'6u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"32926","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Vista Ridge","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"Austin Skyline","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"Puepke will be the starting libero for Austin Skyline 16 Black in the 16 USA division. She's very solid when playing defense at the left back position and uses her excellent reading of the game to always be on the right spot to make digs, being highly successful when dealing with tips and deflected shots. Puepke also has very good ball control and is very calm on the court, covering a lot of ground in serve-receive and passing with precision. The libero is also very disciplined and always fills her spot when covering her hitters, generating second-chance opportunities for her team, and can also make an impact from the service line.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-65de1554c2ecd"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/hudl {"name":"acf/hudl","data":{"embed_code":"u003ciframe src='https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/11647532/65d4db1b90f9bc0ccc0b060f' width='640' height='360' frameborder='0' allowfullscreenu003eu003c/iframeu003e","_embed_code":"field_62daf7995fd8c"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-65de1554c2f78"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Karis Carpenter","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2026","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'3u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"32926","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"La Vernia","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"[program_tooltip program_id='510823' first='South' last='Texas Volleyball Academy']","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"Carpenter will be in action with STVA 16 Mizuno in the 16 Open division. She was among the most interesting liberos to emerge in Texas during the last club season and continues to evolve her game. Carpenter can play defense anywhere on the backcourt and is more frequently used on the left. She's very active defensively and is the kind of libero who will get several touches every match, keeping her team in the game with her strong defense. The defender is also very comfortable and confident with her passing and plays a big role in that area of the game as well.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-65de1554c3012"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/hudl {"name":"acf/hudl","data":{"embed_code":"u003ciframe src='https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/17109914/65ddf49bb3c83109f46ff204' width='640' height='360' frameborder='0' allowfullscreenu003eu003c/iframeu003e","_embed_code":"field_62daf7995fd8c"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-65de1554c303b"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["212735"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"Vigil and her Alamo 17 Premier team will appear in the competitive 17 Open division. She has long established herself as a top libero in Texas and has found ways to continue improving her game over the years. For a libero, reading the game well and being quick to react is paramount and Vigil is absolutely elite in that area. Her ball control is also truly impressive and allows her to shine with difficult digs and be extremely solid in serve-receive. The libero also has a very strong presence on the court, fighting for every point, and is one of those players who step up and thrive when under pressure.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-65de1554c3096"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/hudl {"name":"acf/hudl","data":{"embed_code":"u003ciframe src='https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/17306944/65ce8bfe5cb35d123c6fbd5f' width='640' height='360' frameborder='0' allowfullscreenu003eu003c/iframeu003e","_embed_code":"field_62daf7995fd8c"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-65de1554c30b4"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["269832"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"Montgomery will play a big role with [program_tooltip program_id='510661' first='Houston' last='Skyline'] BCS 17 Royal in the 17 USA division. I was first able to see her in action in one of our Top 250 Expos just over one year ago and it's been great to see how she continues to develop on the court. Montgomery is a very technical libero, who does all the little things right and, because of that, is extremely efficient with her actions on the backcourt. She can play defense in the middle of the left and is very good at making quick, explosive moves towards the ball. The libero is also one of the top servers in her team and a vocal leader in the backcourt for them.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-65de1554c3106"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/hudl {"name":"acf/hudl","data":{"embed_code":"u003ciframe src='https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/18000219/65c356694ba95402a4a2eed9' width='640' height='360' frameborder='0' allowfullscreenu003eu003c/iframeu003e","_embed_code":"field_62daf7995fd8c"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-65de1554c3122"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["180168"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"Mendoza is one of the several players who switched [program_tooltip program_id='510733' first='Drive' last='Nation'] for TAV this season and will be with TAV 17 Black Jon in the 17 Open division this weekend. Her team has a handful of tall, powerful hitters and her presence helps keep things organized and efficient on the backcourt. Mendoza is highly technical and quick on the court and her fighting spirit and determination allow her to make a high number of digs every time she steps on the court. No ball is off limits for her on defense and she typically has the skills to keep most of them off the floor. Mendoza splits playing time with [player_tooltip player_id='178804' first='Madison' last='Winkler'], another elite player in the position.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-65de1554c3173"} /-->