Nebraska’s Late-Season Stock Risers: 2025 Middle Blockers
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Here’s one for the 2025s. Late-season stock risers have been a prevailing storyline on our site. Pin hitters from the Class of 2026 and 2027 have been in the spotlight already, but the 2025 talent pool is expanding, too. It’s…
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Continue ReadingHere’s one for the 2025s.
Late-season stock risers have been a prevailing storyline on our site. Pin hitters from the Class of 2026 and 2027 have been in the spotlight already, but the 2025 talent pool is expanding, too. It’s never too late to boost your recruiting platform, and the 2025s we’re about to discuss have taken full advantage of the spring volleyball grind.
It’s all about middle blockers today. Keep your radar up to date with these fast-rising athletes from the Great Plains Region.
Nebraska Elite 17 Koa knows how to overwhelm teams with its frontcourt length, and this is where Lang has a constant impact. She finds a way to score even when teams dedicate two blockers to slowing her down. Lang has a lethal crossbody swing that can negate the hands in front of her and pose difficult angles for defensive specialists. Of course, 17 Koa also gets plenty of stuff blocks from its star middle blocker. Omaha Marian will be happy to have its senior leader for the high school season.
Link continues to settle in with her new squad. Nebraska ONE 17 Synergy added Link to its frontcourt after the Skutt Catholic middle blocker had a dominant 2023 prep campaign. This new addition paid off as 17 Synergy waded through a tough Windy City field to earn its Open bid. Link is one of Nebraska’s best blockers in the 2025 class and can hit serious angles on the middle-quick. Time to seal the deal in Vegas.
Nebraska ONE stays in the spotlight with another team that brought its best at WCQ. 17 Black earned a USA bid in Chicago while Miller gave the team a huge lift in the front row. The Columbus High School star has diversified her routes this year with an impressive slide attack in two-hitter rotations. We already knew about Miller’s exceptional length and power, but her quickness along the net has set her apart in 2024.
Highlights
Chvatal is one of several Omaha Concordia attackers who racked up eye-catching stats in 2023. We’ve come to expect similar accomplishments when Chvatal represents Club Legacy. Her 17 Alpha team recently challenged itself at the Lone Star Classic and has also found success at Great Plains Region events. This should be the perfect launching point to a momentous senior season.
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Fiala earned a shoutout after her South Central NE 17 Black team excelled at last month’s Show Me Qualifier. The big storyline with this Adams Central prep athlete is her multi-position adaptability. She can effectively flex between either pin while also having ample experience as a middle blocker. This narrative can change from week to week depending on which lineup 17 Black wants to deploy. We’ll see which role prevails this fall.
Hrbek helped Premier 17 Black lock up one of the club season’s most impressive feats: a Windy City division title. The late-March event showcased Hrbek’s game-changing ability as a shutdown blocker. She gets hip-to-hip with her teammates and delivers an impenetrable seal along the tape. Moreover, Hrbek’s quick arm was always an in-system option for 17 Black’s balanced, fluid offense. GJNC is a perfect venue to cap off Hrbek’s special 2024 season.
VCNebraska 17 Black’s dramatic climb to a Show Me title left a lasting impression. That’s where we saw players like Kropatsch step up when the team needed it most. Kropatsch wields her lateral quickness to get advantageous positioning on the blockers in front of her. She can carve inside hands or work off fingertips to get the kill. 17 Black’s blocking has also improved behind Kropatsch’s pin-to-pin presence. Bring on the next big challenge.
Pillay should capture some attention when Banzai VBC 17 Select travels to GJNC this summer. Her extraordinary play at the middle blocker spot has been a catalyst for high-profile success at Banzai VBC and Papio High. 17 Select earned its Liberty bid at Windy City behind Pillay’s multi-faceted attacking prowess. She is just as comfortable on the slide as she is off of two feet. The last several months have revealed Pillay’s drive to improve and bring her best against elite competition, so she’ll likely keep that going in Vegas.
Nebraska Juniors 17 Black has plenty of options at the middle blocker spot, especially with Otto gaining steam in late-season action. This Freeman High School prospect works hard in transition to make herself available in front of the setter. Otto will also generate positive block touches to produce those transition opportunities–an important contribution that doesn’t show up on a box score. Look out for Otto as her talented high school team vies for a tournament appearance this fall.