Who's Benefiting Most from the Michigan 2024 Class?

<p><strong><em>Be sure to follow @lshotvb on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/lshotvb/">Instagram</a>, <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@lshotvb?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc">Tik Tok </a>and <a href="https://x.com/LineShotVBall">Twitter</a> for all things volleyball!</em></strong></p>   <p>–</p>   <p>It's the end of an era.</p>   <p>We're at that point of the year where we come to terms with the bittersweet nature of looking at the senior class. You hate to see them go, but you love to watch them leave and succeed. </p>   <p>For the 2024 class, this is an exciting one out of the Mitten state. With loads of potential and off to promising programs, we have to keep an eye on what's to come. </p>   <p>Looking forward, we ask the question; Who's going to be benefiting most from the 2024 class? We got the insight and breakdown. </p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Let's Get Into Some MACtion!</h2>   <p>This is a pretty stacked class of mid-major bound athletes. With a big pipeline of these athletes going to the Mid-American Conference, I would be keeping an eye on this conference as it gets beefed up with this incoming class. </p>   <h5 class="wp-block-heading">MAC WEST</h5>   <figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2023/11/State-Finals-Part-2-10.jpg?w=762" alt="" class="wp-image-480479" style="width:233px;height:auto" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">[player_tooltip player_id='110295' first='Elana' last='Erickson']</figcaption></figure>   <p>Looking at the top 3 in the 2024 class, Western Michigan snags the top two prospects and Central Michigan grabbing another. [player_tooltip player_id='110295' first='Elana' last='Erickson'] and [player_tooltip player_id='110318' first='Carley' last='Piercefield'] will be joining the ever-imposing Broncos at Western. A team that is coming off of one of their bests in program history. The Broncos won the MAC and earned a huge NCAA tournament win over Auburn. The name of their game was ball control and with both Erickson and Piercefield joining the party, this is only going to become stronger. Central Michigan will bring in one of the most electrifying attackers with [player_tooltip player_id='172198' first='Isabelle' last='Swiercz']. A player that can terminate in any part of the court you put her, she'll add a lot of firepower to an already promising Chippewa crew. CMU went 9-9 in 2023 MAC play, but dealt with a variety of injuries. A healthy Chippewa team could mean trouble for opposing teams.</p>   <p>From Western, to Central, Eastern Michigan will also be joining the party in snagging up big time 2024 talent. To kick off the new era at EMU, Coach Foeman spent no time finding talent. This included grabbing the 2024 Miss Volleyball winner, [player_tooltip player_id='172203' first='Taylor' last='Smith']. A champion through and through, Smith led the way to Pewamo-Westphalia's first ever title run her junior year. With a recent departure of their starting setter, Smith will be looked at to make immediate impact upon arrival to Ypsilanti.</p>   <h5 class="wp-block-heading">MAC EAST</h5>   <p>Moving to the East Division of the MAC, Miami (OH) is looking to get a much needed makeover in 2024. After going 1-17 in 2023 conference play, the Red Hawks announced the retirement of long-time head coach Carolyn Condit. With this news, the Hawks reloaded in a huge way. Taking over this program, former Penn State assistant, Dan Gwitt would take the helm. While taking over this historic program, Gwitt would welcome in a pair of Michigan 2024 standouts, [player_tooltip player_id='172199' first='Sophie' last='Crawford'] and [player_tooltip player_id='459259' first='Lydia' last='Michelin']. Crawford has been a long time standout as one of the top setters in this class. Meanwhile, Michelin is a newer discovery who has been lighting up the courts. Both of which will bring the Hawks big physicality and a lot of potential.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">More Mid-Major Power</h2>   <p>From one conference to the next, this 2024 class is a flurry of burgeoning talent looking to make a name for themselves at the mid-major level. Let's take a look at who to keep an eye on.</p>   <h5 class="wp-block-heading">HORIZON LEAGUE</h5>   <p>One of the top middle blockers in this class, don't be surprised to see her play just about everywhere at the next level. [player_tooltip player_id='110305' first='Kendall' last='Hopewell'] has cemented herself as quite the force to be reckoned with at the HS/Club level. Onward to the perennial powers in the Horizon League, Northern Kentucky will look to capitalize on her versatility. A terminator in the middle and on the right side, Hopewell provides a ton of ball control as well.</p>   <figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2023/05/DSC_6731-1.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-395618" style="width:260px;height:auto" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">[player_tooltip player_id='153662' first='Catherine' last='Flaharty']</figcaption></figure>   <p>From one Horizon team to the next, [player_tooltip player_id='443797' first='Jaelyn' last='Hall'] will also be looking to make herself known quite quickly. Heading to Purdue-Fort Wayne, this dominant lefty attacker has been cooking up something really spicy over the course of her prep career. Especially over the course of her senior year, we have been really getting a good taste of what Hall could do at the next level. She's a booming attacker with a tough block on the right side. Hall could be quite the power player for the Mastodons.</p>   <h5 class="wp-block-heading">BIG EAST</h5>   <p>Staying in the midwest, another pin to keep close tabs on is [player_tooltip player_id='153662' first='Catherine' last='Flaharty'] heading to Xavier in the fall. This has been a player that has steadily become the powerhouse she is known to be today. She's recently capped off an incredible prep career with Saline and L2 Volleyball. Waving between the left and right pin, Flaharty offers so much physicality that she could really do damage as both an attacker and blocker. </p>   <h5 class="wp-block-heading">A10</h5>   <p>Much like Flaharty, [player_tooltip player_id='176600' first='Kate' last='Maley'] is another mid-major bound pin attacker that could really slide into a variety of roles at the next level. This is an exciting player to have watched develop over the last several years. What's even more exciting is that she's yet to be anywhere near her ceiling. For Loyola-Chicago, a program constantly vying for conference titles and NCAA Tournament berths, this is huge. Maley could easily see herself somewhere on the court with her ability to terminate on both pins.</p>   <h5 class="wp-block-heading">SUN BELT</h5>   <p>This is another player that could easily find herself on the court due to her overall play. With her hops and arm swing, but also with her ball control and defense, [player_tooltip player_id='153672' first='Audrey' last='Geer'] could be an absolute dynamo for Marshall for years to come. Whether she finds it as an outside hitter or a L/DS, there's no doubt that Geer will make huge impact in the Sun Belt with the Herd.</p>   <figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2023/10/olivia-behen.webp?w=728" alt="" class="wp-image-471606" style="width:204px;height:auto" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">[player_tooltip player_id='172207' first='Olivia' last='Behen'] </figcaption></figure>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Grand Valley Capitalizes on Huge 2023 season</h2>   <p>Coming off of one of the best seasons in recent program history, Grand Valley is capitalizing on the success and making moves. 2023 saw the Lakers as one of the top programs in Division II, making it to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Their 27-5 record was the best since 2014 where they went 27-6, and made a Division II Final Four appearance. Let's see who they're bringing in to keep the momentum going.</p>   <p>In a rather stacked class, GVSU brings in a trio of homegrown talent. [player_tooltip player_id='172207' first='Olivia' last='Behen'], [player_tooltip player_id='110278' first='Caroline' last='Baker'] and [player_tooltip player_id='110328' first='Johanna' last='Tillman'] will be entering the chat this fall. Behen is a libero out of Saline/L2 who has amassed quite the momentum going into her collegiate career. This is a player could very well see significant time on the court to man down the back court. Baker is another one of those players bringing in the heat, she'll be in a intriguing scenario. Playing behind one of the top players in the country, <strong>Jordyn Gates</strong>, Baker could be a huge power player after a year playing under Gates. Tillman rounds out the trifecta of the newcomers. Standing at 6'2, Tillman brings a lot of size and potential firepower to the net. </p>   <p>Be on the look out for the Lakers and these newbies this fall.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Early Grad Impact</h2>   <p>This class has had a flurry of players opt to forego their final season of club and last semester of high school to get the ball rolling at the next level. Some of the top players this class has to offer took this path. </p>   <figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2023/11/bohl-edited.jpeg?w=576" alt="" class="wp-image-477508" style="width:167px;height:auto" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">[player_tooltip player_id='110282' first='Mallory' last='Bohl']</figcaption></figure>   <p>[player_tooltip player_id='110282' first='Mallory' last='Bohl'] was one of the first names to be announced on the early exit path. The 6'3 middle blocker out of Saline has had quite the interesting prep career. In retrospect, Bohl has only played a combined two and a half years of volleyball throughout high school. An ACL tear at the beginning of her junior fall season left her out of commission until the following fall. Before ya know it, she was off to Notre Dame. So far, Bohl has been making the quick adjustment with the Fighting Irish. What seems to be well-made recovery, Bohl has consistently found herself amongst the starters in the Irish's spring campaign. </p>   <p>Another early departure is a fellow ACC player, [player_tooltip player_id='110292' first='Zoey' last='Dood']. A product out of the west side of the state, Dood has seemingly been the face of this class alongside Bohl for the bulk of her prep career. A standout at MVA/Grandville, this setter stands at 6'3 and equipped with a lefty whip of an arm. Dood offers a lot of promise for a program that has recently underwent coaching changes. With her size, sense of offense, Dood could be the player that Virginia needs to change the tides.</p>   <p>Rounding out the early departures, this is another player who didn't quite get to experience the full prep experience. Much like her former Legacy teammate, Bohl, [player_tooltip player_id='110288' first='Cayla' last='Cogan'] also underwent a pretty bad ACL injury her junior fall. Fortunately for her, Cogan's came at the tail-end of the season. However, despite the injury, Cogan managed to make her way back to the courts this fall and looked quite promising despite her early return. She would go on to lead Clarkston to Final Four appearance. The 5'10 high flier could be another nice cog in George Washington's growing program.</p>

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