Top Seven Setters from the Class of 2024

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>For the most part left side hitters tend to dominate the top of the rankings. They terminate the rally with their hard driven spikes. Not so for the class of 2024. Seven setters fit into the top 20 of this class. While left side hitters also squeeze in seven players, including [player_tooltip player_id='180288' first='Emerson' last='Sellman'], the top prospect and Gatorade player of the year for Maryland as well as [player_tooltip player_id='232993' first='Alexis' last='Keeter'], Gatorade player of the year for Virginia, the setters can't be ignored because of their accomplishments.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='180285' first='Clara' last='Yu'] received DC Gatorade player of the year honors, while [player_tooltip player_id='180284' first='Chloe' last='Hokenson'] earned the nod for Prep Dig co-player of the year for the high school season, sharing those honors with left side [player_tooltip player_id='233010' first='Mickhaila' last='Murray']. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Setters take some time to develop. The club environment is not the best place for them to learn their craft since most teams run a 6/2 with the setters rotated out once they hit the front row. It is hard for a setter to develop a rhythm for the game when they sit out every three rotations.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This is a shout out to the top seven setters from the class of 2024.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["180281"],"_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":"She transferred from Washington state and enrolled at Bishop O'Connell her sophomore year.  The last time Bishop O'Connell won a Washington Catholic Athletic Conference (WCAC) was in 1995.  In her first year at the school her setting earned her a first team selection and a championship ring for defeating Holy Cross in the WCAC championship match.  She duplicated that effort her junior year but finished second her senior year.  She may be the first player from Bishop O'Connell to win first team honors in the WCAC all three seasons she played.  Erin also earned a spot on the Washington Post All Met first team.  At 6'2u0022 she remains a force in the front row, putting up a solid block.  While the Knights normally used her in a 5/1 they sometimes played her as a right side attacker.  Next year Erin will be attending Colorado State.  She hopes to get Metro a junior national championship before she steps on campus.  Last year her setting put Metro into the gold bracket of the Open Division of the junior nationals, the first time they have attained that level.  This year they have qualified for the gold bracket in all four qualifiers they have played in.  Baltimore awaits.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-660d703267033"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='182753' first='Isabel' last='Ostvig'] (Colonial Forge) - Volleyball is not the only sport Isabel excelled at. She killed it in track and field, winning events in the high jump, long jump and 300 meter hurdles. The Free-lance Star voted her female athlete of the year. All that jumping in track and field gave her a nice hop on the volleyball court as well. With her 5'10 height she could easily get her hands over the net for a block and also power a ball to the floor. Her approach jump lists at 10 feet, top notch for a setter. Her hands and her ability to find her hitters consistently is what set her apart from other setters. Isabel will take her setting abilities to the Golden Retrievers of UMBC.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["180284"],"_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":"At 6'1u0022 Chloe is another setter who can play right side.  For Langley she set a 6/2 with an ability to be an effective offensive attacker on the right side.  For Virginia Elite she normally set a 5/1.  The Emerson commit also earned a selection to the Washington Post All Met first team.  Prep Dig selected her as co-player of the year for high school for setting and hitting Langley to the Class 6 state championship.  The VISL voted her Class 6 state player of the year. after putting together 515 assists, 253 digs, 203 kills, 96 aces and 20 blocks.  She earned points on the court by doing everything well, whether it was hitting serving or setting.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-660d7032670a6"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='235746' first='MacKenzie' last='Calhoun'] (River Hill/Columbia - At 5'10" MacKenzie is another setter who can hit right side as well as set. For Columbia Academy she set a 5/1, leading the club to the Chesapeake Regional championship. For River Hill she did more than set. She also hit outside, one year putting together over 400 kills. This ability to fly over the net makes her a threat in the front row, especially when she consistently jump sets, drawing the blockers up. The Baltimore Sun named her to their first team. Mackenzie has committed to Lafayette, the same school her father attended in college.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='233008' first='Greta' last='Barvick'] (Chelsea Academy) - Greta fell into the tweener category. For high school she was the top hitter for Chelsea Academy, hitting both front and back row. She accumulated over 400 kills, eighth in the state of Virginia, while leading her high school to a second place finish in the VISAA Division III state championship. She earned a spot on the first team. When playing club she was used as a setter, at one point running a 5/1 for [program_tooltip program_id='511606' first='Vienna' last='Elite']. For her last two years she set a 6/2 for [program_tooltip program_id='494409' first='Blue' last='Ridge'] but being used on the right side as one of their primary hitters.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>At 5'10" she has height, but what impressed me most about her game was her innate ability to know where the empty areas of the court were. She brought a tremendous volleyball IQ to the court. The challenge for her was after hitting all year in high school it took her some time to develop her hands for setting. Unfortunately, she chose not to play club ball her final year. With no college commitment her biggest chore is to help her mom coach the [program_tooltip program_id='494409' first='Blue' last='Ridge'] 12 team, teaching them some of the skills she possessed on the court. Two of her younger sisters play on that team. Remember the name.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='180283' first='Natalie' last='Nguyen'] (Flint Hill/Metro) - Of all the setters in this group she is the only one who stands less than 5'10. At 5'5" what she lacked in height she more than made up for in knowledge. I remember one Metro coach telling me she was too small to be a setter but could make a good libero. The next year she was playing for him and setting a 5/1. You don't appreciate her until she sets for you. Natalie makes the right choices and perhaps is the best technical setter of this group. Every set is spot on, consistently finding the same location. Her sophomore, junior and senior years her setting led Flint Hill to a state championship. She also teams with [player_tooltip player_id='180281' first='Erin' last='Debiec'] setting for Metro and getting them to the gold bracket. Next year Natalie will set for Georgetown.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='180285' first='Clara' last='Yu'] (Georgetown Day/[program_tooltip program_id='476729' first='Paramount' last='']) - Clara earned the DC Gatorade player of the year honors. She also led Georgetown Day to their first two high school state championships, winning most valuable player both years. Clara made the Washington Post All - Met second team. An intelligent setter who makes the right choices. She set a 5/1 at Georgetown Day but for [program_tooltip program_id='476729' first='Paramount' last=''] she sets a 6/2, sharing the setting duties with [player_tooltip player_id='180282' first='Paige' last='Ahakuelo'], who just missed making our top twenty. Clara will be playing volleyball for Columbia next year.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->