Sunshine Classic Qualifier: Five Texas Right Sides to Watch
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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.…
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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.
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. 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.
Completing our positional breakdowns, let’s list some right side hitters who could have great weekends in Orlando:Grace McCluskey
Grace McCluskey
McCluskey will be with AJV 16 Molten in the tournament’s 16 Liberty division. Originally a middle, she’s still transitioning her game to the right but the first signs have been promising and it looks like she’ll be a good fit there. McCluskey’s 6’3″ frame obviously helps, but she has indicated she can be a very solid offensive player, displaying good mobility to drop from the net and make a strong offensive approach in transition. Her high contact point is a huge asset, but she has been developing the tools to score with finesse and also the understanding of the game needed to determine when to turn to those options.
Crowley and her TAV Houston 17 Adidas team will fight for a berth in the 16 Open division. She’s one of the pillars of the team, playing with extreme efficiency on the right. Crowley is very explosive offensively and has the physical and technical tools to punish blockers who leave the line open with hammers, but also to find ways to score against well-organized defenses with her quick right arm. Although her offense is typically what stands out the most in her game, she’s an extremely well-rounded player, who blocks, passes and even sets at a high level.
Highlights
Gabriella Martinez Gabriella Martinez 5'11" | OH Cinco Ranch | 2025 State TX
Gabriella Martinez Gabriella Martinez 5'11" | OH Cinco Ranch | 2025 State TX
Martinez will be a key player for HJV 17 Elite as they battle in the 17 Open division. HJV has been using different players on the right depending on opponents and availability, but she has been the most common option there. Gabi is extremely explosive and has a whip of a right arm, a combination that makes of her a strong scorer for them. She can play as an outside hitter too and swings with great efficiency from the left and the middle back positions. Martinez is very solid on the backcourt as well and can contribute with her passing and by playing solid defense.
Nnaji will be part of the strong Dallas Skyline 17 Royal team that will contend in the 17 Open division. She splits playing time with fellow right side hitter Naya Salfiti Naya Salfiti 6’1″ | RS Liberty Christian | 2025 State TX but still gets to make an impact while playing only three rotations. A very tall and physical player, Nnaji has an extremely strong blocking presence and is always a nightmare for opposing outside hitters who happen to match up with her at the net. The right side hitter is still a little bit inconsistent offensively, but she is getting better at that every day and can be truly unstoppable when she gets into a rhythm because of her length and power.
Annika Brooks
Annika Brooks
Brooks will be one of Katy United 17 Adidas’ main offensive options in the 17 American division. A very long player with an incredible offensive range, she can play on either pin, but is probably at her best on the right, where she doesn’t have to worry about serve-receive. Brooks makes contact with the ball at a very high point and fully stretches her arm to get a few more inches of advantage over opposing blockers. Her blocking is also a huge asset at the net as she’s very aggressive and uses her long arms to put a great deal of pressure on opponents.