Northeast Qualifier – Five Texas Middles to Watch
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Another week, another National Qualifier. This is what life looks like at this point of the club season and this weekend’s destination for teams from around the country will be Philadelphia, where the first stage of the Northeast Qualifier will…
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Continue ReadingAnother week, another National Qualifier. This is what life looks like at this point of the club season and this weekend’s destination for teams from around the country will be Philadelphia, where the first stage of the Northeast Qualifier will take place from Friday to Sunday.
The event will feature five divisions (17 Open, 18 American, 18 Liberty, 18 Open and 18 USA) and as many as 219 teams will be in action competing for spots at the 2024 USA Volleyball Girls National Championship.
The state of Texas will be represented in each of the five divisions as 29 teams will make the trip to Pennsylvania this weekend and will take the days leading to the event to highlight some of the players from the Lone Star State that will be on the court. Keep an eye out for these middles:
Ella Seay
Ella Seay
Seay will play in the 17 Open division with her team Muscle VB 17 – Black. She’s a high-energy middle, who plays with great intensity at the net, heavily impacting the game. I love how she puts a lot of energy into her offensive approach, taking her firepower up a notch or two. Seay makes contact with the ball at a very high point and swings with power in all directions, but she also has a good hang time, which allows her to find solutions when the timing is not perfect. She’s also a solid blocker, moving well at the net and remaining vigilant about what happens across the net.
Emma Willingham
Emma Willingham
Willingham will be one of the key pieces of her Houston Stars – 18 Adidas team in the 18 USA division in Philadelphia. She’s an excellent all-around player, who can perform at a high level in any position and is currently being used in the middle. At 5’9″, she’s a bit undersized, but can battle taller opponents because of her leaping ability and her high volleyball IQ. Willingham uses her length extremely well and finds ways to impact the game on both sides of the ball. She’s a solid offensive player, who swings with power and uses her technical tools and her vision to put the ball down.
Tanco will be an important player for her team AJV 18 Adidas as they battle in the 18 Open division. A very physical player, she can be used in the middle and the right and has the physical and technical tools to dominate the net. Tanco gets off the floor well, has great vision and a quick and skilled right arm – she’s excellent at hitting quick sets in the middle, but can score from the right and even the back right position. Her athleticism also boosts her blocking as she can become a tough obstacle to opposing hitters.
Highlights
Jenniya Lane
Jenniya Lane
Lane and her Houston Skyline 18 Black team will be in action in the 18 USA division. Capable of playing in the middle and the right, she offers versatility and consistency with her game. Lane is long and athletic and gets off the floor well, making contact with the ball at a very high point. She’s very productive offensively and is even better when hitting the slide set. Her blocking is also very solid as she reads the game well, reacting to overpasses perfectly, and moves well at the net.
A new face with TAV Houston 18 Adidas this season, Larkin will try to help the team succeed in the 18 Open division. She plays with great energy at the net and her physical tools are often tough for opponents to deal with. Larkin does everything on the court with great intensity and that helps her impact the game. Her offense is really well-developed and efficient as she can hit any set in the middle with power and precision and has the confidence to score at a high volume. The middle is also very aggressive with her blocking, getting a lot of touches and helping her team’s defense work behind her.