Setters That Left a Lasting Impression at The SoCal Preview

The SoCal PreNationals Preview took place on June 28 at SoCal Volleyball Club in San Marcos, CA. The event was hosted by Prep Dig California's m, Michelle Bradford, and was one of the most exciting showcases I've ever attended! The players showed high energy during drills and played competitively during the 6-on-6 matches.   This showcase was unique because it allowed players to demonstrate their versatility and receive firsthand recruiting advice from recently committed volleyball players. The participants were grouped by randomly chosen hair ribbon colors and rotated through different courts, performing each volleyball skill for about 15 minutes, regardless of their primary position. I saw setters excelling in hitting drills and middles thriving in defensive passing drills. For coaches and scouts, it provided a great opportunity to see which players could perform well in multiple positions, giving them an edge in recruiting.   Despite the high level of competition, a few players stood out among their peers. A few setters really stood out in the class of 2026, impressing me with clean sets, hustle and good decision-making in game situations. Here are the top-performing junior setters.   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='479083' first='Alba' last='Canko']</h2>   S | 5'8” | School – Great Oak; Club – Forza1   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/07/IMG_1187.jpeg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-559517" /></figure>   Alba was a standout setter that made a lasting impression at the preview. She has graceful hands and excels as a jump setter. Her energy remained high during drills, and she took extra reps during any brief downtimes. On defense, she hustled hard for challenging balls. Canko stood out early in the showcase, impressing many coaches and scouts. She excelled in fast-paced rallies, skillfully mixing up sets and placing the ball in excellent locations for hitters to capitalize on. Alba was my top overall prospect of the day, and I look forward to following her career over the next two years.   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Sianelei “Aneh” Purcell </h2>   S | 5'6” | School – Lakewood; Club – Goldenwest   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/07/IMG_1186.jpeg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-559518" /></figure>   Sianelei caught my eye immediately in setting drills. She had great hands and a great eye for finding the hot hitter during games. She was one of the top hustlers in digging drills, getting to some really tough balls. Purcell was a great teammate, constantly cheering and praising her teammates. Her jump setting was on point both in drills and game action. She had a great connection with her hitters after only being with them a short period of time. Her energy was very positive and she managed to showcase her overall game across multiple drills. Sianelei's consistency helped her team win nearly all their games.   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='451716' first='Kate' last='Scherlacher'] </h2>   S | 5'8” | School – Mater Dei; Club – SCVC 16Roxy   At the preview, Kate displayed remarkable versatility. Initially, I focused on her skills as a setter, but during the hitting drills, she stood out as one of the top right-side hitters in her class. Kate had some very clean sets and possesses the strength to set balls to ideal locations for hitters, even if she's a far distance away. Her contagious energy kept her team's morale high whether up or down. Kate did a great job showing coaches that she can excel in multiple positions, as well as be a great teammate and leader.   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='501118' first='Adriana' last='Dorn']</h2>   S | 6'0” | School – Ripon; Club – Rage   Adriana executed some very good sets and possesses the strength to set balls to ideal locations for hitters, even if she's a far distance away. Her hustle was showcased in challenging defensive drills as well. Her contagious energy kept her team morale high throughout games. She demonstrated top-tier setting skills and proved to be an excellent teammate and leader. She will be a valuable asset to a team at the next level.   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='499555' first='Lauren' last='Flowers']</h2>   S | 5'9” | School – Chaminade; Club – SG Elite   Lauren has impressive hands and was one of the most graceful setters present. Even when passes were not great, she managed to still set balls to an optimal spot that allowed her hitters to have multiple attack options. You can tell she has put in a lot of extra setting reps to make sure she can set effectively from just about anywhere on the court. She impressed from start to finish and I look forward to catching her in action again at Nationals.   This was a great showcase and there were so many talented players in the building. The competition level was high and the energy was through the roof. 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The SoCal PreNationals Preview took place on June 28 at SoCal Volleyball Club in San Marcos, CA. The event was hosted by Prep Dig California's m, Michelle Bradford, and was one of the most exciting showcases I've ever attended! The players showed high energy during drills and played competitively during the 6-on-6 matches.