Triple Crown NIT Top Performers Vol 1
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One of the most anticipated tournaments at the beginning of each club season is the Triple Crown NIT because of all of the talent that is under one roof. It was held in Kansas City, MO on February 17-19th. Three…
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Continue ReadingOne of the most anticipated tournaments at the beginning of each club season is the Triple Crown NIT because of all of the talent that is under one roof. It was held in Kansas City, MO on February 17-19th. Three days of immensely competitive volleyball taking place with teams from all over the country. Let’s take a look at players who really turned my head with their play to be called Top Performers at one of the most prestigious tournaments in the nation.
McKenna McIntosh McKenna McIntosh 6'1" | OH St Mary’s | 2027 CA [2027] 6-1 Outside (HS: St. Mary’s/Club: Vision/Verbal: Uncommitted)
McKenna is currently an unranked prospect in the 2027 Class according to our Prep Dig California State Rankings, but that is only because they have not been released yet. She plays volleyball for St. Mary’s High School and also plays club for the Vision volleyball program. When I say this youngster can fly, I mean it. She was seen getting her head above the tape of the net during her attack approach. I loved how she dipped her upper body into her takeoff to create a lot of momentum to help her gain every inch of her vertical. When I watched her compete, she was extremely poised and confident in her abilities on the court. This was refreshing to see of a young player. I actually had to double check that I was actually on a 15’s court and not an 18’s court. She could have easily subbed in for their 18’s team if she was able to. The amount of power she possessed in her gifted right arm made my jaw drop a few times. I can’t wait to publish the State Rankings because she will for sure be on it. Stay tuned to find out where in a few weeks.
Gia Rivera Gia Rivera 5'10" | OH Notre Dame Belmont | 2026 State CA [2026] 6-0 Outside (HS: Notre Dame Belmont/Club: Academy VBC/Verbal: Uncommitted)
Gia is currently ranked as the 33rd best overall prospect in the 2026 Class according to our Prep Dig California State Rankings. She plays volleyball for Notre Dame Belmont High School and also plays club for the Academy volleyball program. The amount of body control that she displays while playing the left side attacker position is astounding. She looked like a true college level prospect from the moment I watched her warm up all the way to the end of the match. I loved how competitive she was and how she relished in her teammates victories on the court. She played in all six rotations during the entire match and excelled in every aspect. Routinely she swung around the block to score for her team. It never mattered where the block would set up as she did a great job of facing cross court and turning in mid-air if she had to in order to hit down the line hard. This is a very difficult thing to do as it requires a lot of command and control of your entire body. Miss Rivera made it look very easy and colleges should give her looks because she can help someone’s overall roster in a few years.
Makenna Barnes Makenna Barnes 6'2" | OH Marymount | 2027 CA [2027] 6-0 Right Side (HS: Marymount/Club: Mizuno Long Beach/Verbal: Uncommitted)
Makenna is currently an unranked prospect in the 2027 Class according to our Prep Dig California State Rankings, but that is only because they have not been released yet. She plays volleyball for Marymount High School and also plays club for the Mizuno Long Beach volleyball program. Miss Barnes truly wowed me with her net play while I watched their match. She was a very solid blocker who roofed quite a few opposing attackers. The way she was able to set the block with her footwork for the middle to close was textbook. I loved how she timed the block perfectly to allow the hitter to jump first, which allowed for a beautiful press over the net while contact on the ball was being made by the hitter. When she pressed over the net, it was a solid seal that didn’t allow any space if the attacker tried to challenge her. As a hitter, I loved how fast her arm swing was. It sliced through the air like a surgeon and created a lot of pace on the ball as it rebounded off of her hand. I will be watching her very closely to see where she falls on our State Rankings in a few weeks.
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 Michael@prepdig.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!