2024 Rankings Update Overview: Middle Hitters
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We updated our 2024 Player Rankings this week as these prospects wind down their club careers before heading off to the next level. The latest rankings were comprised by the Prep Dig Rankings Team. Here’s a rundown of what the…
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Continue ReadingWe updated our 2024 Player Rankings this week as these prospects wind down their club careers before heading off to the next level.
The latest rankings were comprised by the Prep Dig Rankings Team. Here’s a rundown of what the 2024 middles look like.
Rank
|
Player
|
Height
|
High School
|
Commitment
|
|
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 |
6’3″
|
Saline
|
Notre Dame (IN)
|
||
2 |
6’1″
|
Forest Hills Northern
|
Northern Kentucky
|
||
3 |
6’3″
|
Cadillac
|
|||
4 |
6’3″
|
Northville
|
Eckerd
|
||
5 |
5’11”
|
Lowell
|
Vermont
|
||
6 |
6’2″
|
Dakota
|
Grand Valley State
|
||
7 |
6’1″
|
Three Rivers
|
Hillsdale
|
||
8 |
6’2″
|
Dewitt
|
Southern Illinois-Edwardsville
|
||
9 |
6’0″
|
Pewamo Westphalia
|
Wayne State (MI)
|
||
10 |
6’0″
|
Milford
|
Miami (OH)
|
||
11 |
6’2″
|
Leland
|
Haverford
|
||
12 |
6’5″
|
Williamston
|
North Dakota
|
||
13 |
6’0″
|
South Christian
|
Hillsdale
|
||
14 |
6’0″
|
Lenawee Christian
|
Hillsdale
|
||
15 |
6’1″
|
Anchor Bay
|
Davenport (MI)
|
||
16 |
6’2″
|
Forest Hills Central
|
|||
17 |
6’0″
|
West Bloomfield
|
Hobart and William Smith
|
||
18 |
6’0″
|
Croswell-Lexington
|
|||
19 |
6’3″
|
North Branch
|
|||
20 |
5’11”
|
Brighton
|
The Citadel
|
||
21 |
6’0″
|
Grand Haven
|
|||
22 |
6’1″
|
Oak Park
|
|||
23 |
6’0″
|
Rockford
|
|||
24 |
5’11”
|
Mendon
|
|||
25 |
6’0″
|
Calumet
|
|||
26 |
6’1″
|
Utica Ford
|
Davenport (MI)
|
||
27 |
6’0″
|
Lapeer
|
|||
28 |
5’11”
|
Benzie Central
|
|||
29 |
6’0″
|
Whitehall
|
|||
30 |
6’2″
|
Grass Lake
|
|||
31 |
6’0″
|
Dexter
|
|||
32 |
5’7″
|
Athens
|
Kentucky Wesleyan
|
||
33 |
5’10”
|
St Marys Catholic Central
|
Schoolcraft (MI)
|
||
34 |
5’11”
|
Clarkston
|
Albion
|
||
35 |
6’3″
|
Bloomfield Hills
|
|||
36 |
6’1″
|
Linden
|
|||
37 |
6’0″
|
Lakewood
|
|||
38 |
5’11”
|
Jenison
|
Cornerstone
|
||
39 |
6’1″
|
Lutheran North
|
|||
40 |
6’0″
|
Groves
|
|||
41 |
6’0″
|
DeWitt
|
|||
42 |
6’0″
|
Ann Arbor Pioneer
|
|||
43 |
6’0″
|
Howell
|
|||
44 |
5’10”
|
Davison
|
|||
45 |
5’9″
|
St. Johns
|
|||
46 |
5’11”
|
Traverse City West
|
|||
47 |
5’11”
|
Manistique
|
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Continue ReadingSize leads the way
As a middle, having that extra length can go a long way. We see that the top four in our middle rankings all stand 6’1” or taller. Each also has a lot of explosiveness to combine with their size. Top-ranked Mallory Bohl Mallory Bohl 6'3" | MB Saline | 2024 State #102 Nation MI is already in the Notre Dame program. The 6’3” middle battled injuries in the second half of her high school career, but was a dominant presence when healthy. Kendall Hopewell Kendall Hopewell 6'1" | MB Forest Hills Northern | 2024 State #193 Nation MI (Northern Kentucky) is a very athletic player that can take on a big workload. Same goes for 6’3” Carissa Musta Carissa Musta 6'3" | MB Cadillac | 2024 State MI , who took on nearly 2,400 attacks over her last two seasons with Cadillac. Avry Nelson Avry Nelson 6'3" | MB Northville | 2024 State MI (Eckerd) is another 6’3” middle that was a great change of pace for Northville this fall. She can be as dominant with her hitting as she is with her blocking.
Hillsdale connection
One thing that stands out about the middles in the Class of 2024 is the talent the Hillsdale College program is bringing in for 2024. Three of our top 15 middles are going to be playing for the Chargers. Jenna Southland Jenna Southland 6'1" | MB Three Rivers | 2024 State MI , Ellie Fles Ellie Fles 6'0" | MB South Christian | 2024 State MI and Hannah Baker Hannah Baker 6'0" | MB Lenawee Christian | 2024 State MI will be joining the team next fall, sure to make a big impact. The 6’1” Southland dominated for Three Rivers this fall with over 670 kills while hitting .360. The 6-foot Baker was one of the most dominant players in Division 4 this fall for Lenawee Christian. She had nearly 500 kills while hitting .480 on the season. Fles has battled through a pair of stress fractures in her back that forced her to miss a lot of time on the court with South Christian. However, she’s worked hard to persevere and show Hillsdale that it did the right thing to stick by her.
Others to watch
Many of these middles will be playing at the next level and there’s more than a few that could make a big impact. Marianna Rivera Marianna Rivera 6'5" | MB Williamston | 2024 State MI is a 6’5” middle that is already working with the North Dakota program. Her length puts her in rare air already, but she’s put a lot of time into her footwork and swing technique. She’s got the potential to hit it big at the college level. Johanna Tillman Johanna Tillman 6'2" | MB Dakota | 2024 State MI is a 6’2” middle out of the Dakota program that is heading to Grand Valley State. With her work ethic and spring off the floor, Tillman has the potential to be a difference-maker in the GLIAC. Lydia Michelin Lydia Michelin 6'0" | MB Milford | 2024 State MI is another player to keep an eye on. The diverse hitter has shown the ability to finish from the pins or the middle. She’s heading to Miami (Ohio), a program that has produced some great Michigan talent. Michelin’s athleticism and mechanics give her a chance to really shine early on.