Show Me Qualifier: Five Texas Middles to Watch

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Bid season continues at full pace in the club volleyball season and week in and week out, teams from everywhere in the US fly over the country to compete in National Qualifiers with the goal of booking a spot at June's USA Volleyball Girls National Championship.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This week, the destination of many teams will be Kansas City, Missouri, where the first of two weekends of the traditional ASICS Show Me Qualifier will take place from Friday to Sunday - 731 teams are entered to compete in the ten divisions in the 15s, 16s and 17s age group.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Texas teams will, of course, also make the trip North to fight for their spots and, as we've been doing with every major Qualifier, we'll highlight some of the top prospects of the Lone Star State that will be on the court over the weekend. Here are some middles who can make a major impact on their teams:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Kharley Smith","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2027","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'11u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"32924","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Red Oak","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"[program_tooltip program_id='510733' first='Drive' last='Nation']","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"Smith will be in the middle with [program_tooltip program_id='510733' first='Drive' last='Nation'] - 15 Red in the 15 Open division. A player with truly impressive physical tools, she knows how to make her presence felt at the net and offers a reliable offensive presence that not many middles in her age group are capable of. Smith impresses with her power in every step of her offensive routine as she makes a very strong approach, gets off the floor effortlessly and displays tremendous firepower in her swings. She reads the game and moves even better, having a solid blocking presence, which often causes problems for opposing hitters.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-66096f0372ab7"} /--> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://x.com/KharleySmithVB/status/1773865311629873449?s=20","type":"rich","providerNameSlug":"twitter","responsive":true} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://x.com/KharleySmithVB/status/1773865311629873449?s=20 </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Hannah Baker","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2026","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"6'1u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"32924","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Argyle","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"Fieldhouse Volleyball Club","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"One of the main players in her FH 16 Ikaika-Mike team, Baker will get on the court in the 16 USA division. Her offensive game is extremely well-developed as she can hit any set in the middle and also some on the right - she's really good at swinging a quick set behind the setter coming from the right. Baker uses every inch of her length to make contact with the ball at the highest possible point and is very difficult to defend because of how well she avoids the block and hits the ball straight down. Her blocking is also a factor as she is quick to get off the floor and places her arms very well, sealing the space next to the player at the pin. Baker also has very good ball control and can pass at a high level.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-66096f0372bb9"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/hudl {"name":"acf/hudl","data":{"embed_code":"u003ciframe src='https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/17101361/645b0a8edfe328096851d074' width='640' height='360' frameborder='0' allowfullscreenu003eu003c/iframeu003e","_embed_code":"field_62daf7995fd8c"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-66096f0372c9d"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["472742"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"Pflum will be one of the middles of Dallas Skyline 16 Black in the 16 USA division. She plays with great energy and passion at the net and is one of those players who can change the confidence level of their teams with a couple of good plays. Pflum's blocking is absolutely elite as she moves well at the net and is very intelligent with how she uses her arms to take up space from opposing hitters. The middle is also a solid offensive weapon as she makes contact with the ball at a high point and makes good decisions with her shot selection.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-66096f0372d2c"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/hudl {"name":"acf/hudl","data":{"embed_code":"u003ciframe src='https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/17997056/6604f0fbdc5134b733fb9534' width='640' height='360' frameborder='0' allowfullscreenu003eu003c/iframeu003e","_embed_code":"field_62daf7995fd8c"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-66096f0372d59"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Leah Duncan","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2026","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"6'1u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"32924","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"McKinney","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"Elevate Volleyball Club","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"Duncan and her Elevate 16 Blue team will appear in the next 16 USA division in Kansas City. She's a very strong offensive player, who has a very high success rate with her swings and is great at hitting the slide set - she uses the same approach to hit a quick set in front of the setter and typically scores with that. Duncan is also always very focused at the net and will efficiently handle any overpasses and 50-50 balls in her zone. Her blocking is big and technical and often forces opponents into making errors as they try to avoid her.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-66096f0372e35"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/hudl {"name":"acf/hudl","data":{"embed_code":"u003ciframe src='https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/19132387/6605f5810631c9e93fd39f6b' width='640' height='360' frameborder='0' allowfullscreenu003eu003c/iframeu003e","_embed_code":"field_62daf7995fd8c"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-66096f0372e61"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["428509"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"Marion will appear in the 17 USA division with her team TAV 17 Blue. She's a prospect with all the tools to develop into an elite middle as she has the size, the power and the volleyball IQ to control the game at the net. Marion is an outstanding hitter, who makes contact with the ball at the peak of her jump and hammers it with authority with her heavy right arm. She can also play on the right, providing a physical presence to go against opposing pin hitters with her big and reliable blocking.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-66096f0372eda"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/hudl {"name":"acf/hudl","data":{"embed_code":"u003ciframe src='https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/14040341/65ffaa550dc9b80a0451e44e' width='640' height='360' frameborder='0' allowfullscreenu003eu003c/iframeu003e","_embed_code":"field_62daf7995fd8c"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-66096f0372f02"} /-->