California Club Teams to Watch Vol 2
We are half way into the club season and we have seen a lot of volleyball already. Teams are solidifying their lineups to find the right mix to medal during Qualifier season. Here are some teams and players who definitely…
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Continue ReadingWe are half way into the club season and we have seen a lot of volleyball already. Teams are solidifying their lineups to find the right mix to medal during Qualifier season. Here are some teams and players who definitely are turning heads due to their play. This series will highlight some players who we have seen in person and that we are adding to our list to watch this season.
Academy 16 National
I have not seen this team in the past few years, but was told they had some ballers that I needed to keep my eyes on. I was very thankful for the tip because there were more than a few that will be added to the State Rankings from this wonderful squad with what I saw in person. Outside hitter Gia Rivera Gia Rivera 6'0" | OH Notre Dame Belmont | 2026 State CA is someone who turns heads with her all around play. She moves well on the court both defensively and while approaching to the ball. Her ball control allows her to play all six rotations and her size allows her to dominate while doing it. Everything that outside hitter Carol Manu does is hard. She swings hard and blocks hard. The power that she possesses in her entire body will wreck anyone in her way. Setter Riley Barulich is someone that will be ranked on our website for sure when I update them in a few weeks. She has super soft hands and is able to hit the bulls eye on the target over and over again. Her ability to change the tempo for each hitter Is something that truly stood out to me. This is a setter who really knows what her hitters want and delivers. Her counterpart, setter Katherine Chan runs the offense very well also. When the team rotates her in, their offense does not skip a beat at all. Both do a great job of complimenting each other while steering the ship. Middle Ella Filton did a great job of patrolling the net on the defensive side. She is fully capable of scoring points with her block and frustrating a lot of opposing attackers. This team can compete with the best of them if they get rolling and we are going to be watching closely.
SCVC 15 Roxy
One of the best players that stood out to me was setter Lerin Rosenthal. This young lady is in the running for best setter in her grad class in my opinion. She can deliver to any location no matter if the ball is in system or not. While she is in the front row, she can attack the ball as good as any hitter in the age group. But the best part about her from what I can tell, is her leadership. At this age, many players are playing the game because they like it and are good at it. The way Miss Rosenthal plays the game, she is destined for something greater. Her volleyball IQ is through the roof and she leads by both example and vocally. She is not afraid of anything on the court and it is seen in the way she moves on the court. I would pick her to go to battle with me any day and twice on Sunday. Outsides Allyn Hilt and Anaiya Thornton are two high-flying, point scoring attackers that are hard to stop. Both can really bring it! Their athleticism will get everyone’s attention but their skills will have the scouts writing notes. Right side Sydney Neely Sydney Neely 6'0" | RS El Segundo | 2027 CA might be one of the best opposites on our State Rankings once they get published. I loved everything about what I saw from her in that position. Middle Abbie Hairrell did a phenomenal job at the net for this wonderful squad. I will be keeping my eye on her as the season progresses for sure.
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. If you would like to shoot me a DM on X or Instagram, just search for @CoachMikeDZ. 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!