D4 Breakout Stars During The 2024 Season

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Coming off the 2024 prep season, we already took a dive into Player of the Year and the Prep Dig All-D4 team.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>But, there are a handful of players that deserve a little added recognition for how much they raised their stock during the fall and what they will bring to the court in 2025.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Here's 10 D4 players that put the rest of the state on notice for what's to come next fall.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Addison Dzwik, So. S St. Philip</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A name that already has made an impact in D4 is Dzwik. Addison (Addi) Dzwik looks like she will follow up on that. She has a lot of different options to mix up her swings and she plays a technically sound game when she's in the setting position. Dzwik also brings a lot of the competitive fire you'd expect to see.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Ava Fischer, Jr. OH Forest Park</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Fischer plays a nice mix of power and offspeed with her attacks. She is able to read the court really well and find openings in the defense, even mid-swing. Fischer plays a sound defensive game as well, which she transitions to smoothly after taking a swing.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Bradie Lehman, So. S Concord</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Concord produced one of the best hitters in the state this season, but that isn't all possible without some of the help from Lehman, who looked like a veteran setter in her sophomore season. Lehman puts a nice touch on the ball and is able to quickly feed the middle but also get a nice lofty set to the pins.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Ava Mauntler, So. L Onekama</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Mauntler handled pressure situations very well and Onekama was able to count on her to come through for a key dig in a tight set. She looks very comfortable on the floor and is always on the go, covering a lot of ground. One other big aspect of her game is her serve. She can rack up the aces very quickly.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Delaney McCarthy, So. OH Onekama</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Another standout sophomore for Onekama was McCarthy, who wanted the ball coming her way in big-match situations. She had the instincts to put points away and could do so from the pin or the back row. She made a lot of high-IQ decisions to go with a smooth swing. Between these two sophomores, Onekama will be a force in the upcoming seasons.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Dani Nostrant, Jr. OH Crossroads Charter Academy</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Nostrant was a well-balanced player that was able to turn the tide of a match with her attacking, defensive play, or serving. She was one of the state leaders in aces, while also picking up over 300 digs and 230 kills. Nostrant has a knack for making a play and providing her team with a lot of momentum.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Isabel Rookard, Jr. L Sacred Heart Academy</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Rookard was relentless with her play on defense for Sacred Heart. The Irish were looking to develop new hitters this season, so Rookard had to come through in a big way as a defender. She stepped up and racked up insane numbers in the back row. In the D4 semifinal, Rookard came through with 41 digs. That put her at nearly 600 for the season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='464695' first='Gracie' last='Schultz'], Jr. OH Mendon</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Hornets were among one of the best teams in the state throughout the year. Already with an established defensive leader, Schultz stepped up as a clear offensive leader for Mendon this fall. Mendon turned to her often, especially in big matches, and Schultz showed she had the power to get through blockers and the agility to adjust at the net and find a home for the ball.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='732266' first='Paige' last='Thelen'], Jr. OH Fowler</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Battling against some solid team throughout the year, [player_tooltip player_id='732266' first='Paige' last='Thelen'] showed she can hold her own with any hitters in the Lansing area. The Eagles can count on Fowler to come through with a timely dig, or a momentum-swinging kill. She's an intense competitor that has all the explosiveness and athleticism to be an elite D4 talent.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='455952' first='Sofie' last='Williams'], So. OH Oakland Christian</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Williams is someone that leaves it all on the court and is pushing hard to take her game to another level. This fall, Williams made a big stride forward. She was a devastating finisher for Oakland Christian. The ball just flies off her hand and she is able to attack at a great trajectory, even when she's swinging in the back row. Williams is going to be one of the most powerful hitters in D4 coming into 2025.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->