Elevation 18s Preview

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The [program_tooltip program_id='431827' first='Elevation' last=''] Volleyball Club out of Mason tends to produce some of the more talented players in the region and the players on the two 18-and-under teams are trying to go out strong before a number of them go on to play in college.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Toth</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Things start with two talented defensive specialists in Ursuline senior [player_tooltip player_id='176092' first='Rainey' last='Weidman'] and Centerville senior Payton Miller. Roger Bacon senior [player_tooltip player_id='152056' first='Ally' last='Hughes'] will then set up six talented hitters.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Badin senior [player_tooltip player_id='572599' first='Jazmine' last='Starks'] and Ursuline senior [player_tooltip player_id='195856' first='Lindy' last='Radaszewski'] are the middle blockers with Mount Notre Dame [player_tooltip player_id='151957' first='Malia' last='Brinkman'] playing middle blocker, outside and right side hitter. Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy senior [player_tooltip player_id='151958' first='Allie' last='Barrick'] and Ursuline senior [player_tooltip player_id='176087' first='Katie' last='Gielas'] will give the team power from the outside.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Hughes helped Roger Bacon drive to the Division IV state championship. Gielas, Radaszewski and Weidman helped Ursuline make it back to the Division III state championship game.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Lehman</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This team lists seven players now with more possibly on the way. Mount Notre Dame senior setter/defensive specialist Molly Smiddy is the biggest name after finishing sixth in the rugged GGCL in assists. Harrison senior Lauren Leurck could also set or play defensive specialist.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy senior [player_tooltip player_id='513123' first='Lauren' last='Littlejohn'] and Mason senior Katrina Kassner are the defensive specialists. Three players in Centerville 6-4 senior [player_tooltip player_id='572601' first='Alyvia' last='Gradel'], Mason senior 5-11 Valerie Umnov and Springboro 5-10 senior Emily Mendelson give the team size in the middle and right side.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The teams have club scrimmages on Jan. 11 and 12 before heading to the Windy City Tournament on Jan 18 through 20.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Players to Watch</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["151958"],"_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":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6768d50733231"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Barrick is a talented outside hitter that mixes in a variety of hard and soft touches to put balls down. She can smack balls hard off blockers and out of bounds and push balls to the corner or the shallow part of the court for kills. Barrick plays all six positions and has shown she can record kills hitting from the back row. Barrick is also a reliable defender. Barrick had 295 kills and 131 digs for the Eagles this past fall, leading them to a district championship.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["151957"],"_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":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6768db37321a3"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Brinkman made a solid contribution to the balanced Cougar offense throughout the season. She used her size well to attack different parts of the court. She could smack balls to the back line or push them to the shallow front away from defenders. Brinkman feed up a number of one-on-one opportunities for her teammates. Brinkman finished the season with 102 kills, helping Mount Notre Dame go 16-10 and win a Division II district championship.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["572599"],"_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":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6769e44de214b"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Starks (pictured) gave the Rams a nice option in the middle. Starks can rise up and hit it hard to the back or pull off and tap it shallow over blockers. She freed up opportunities for her talented teammates. Starks had 106 kills, helping Badin go 20-6 and win a Division III district championship.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Molly Smiddy","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2025","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'6u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"32561","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Mount Notre Dame","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"Elevation","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6769e8b3ad6ef"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Smiddy gave the Cougars some versatility on first touches and setting the ball. Smiddy can send the ball to a number of talented hitters in the middle and pins on short and long sets. She also dove a lot on defense to keep balls alive. Smiddy finished sixth in the GGCL with 369 assists to go with 157 digs. That helped Mount Notre Dame go 16-10 with a Division II district championship.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Valerie Umnov","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2025","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'11u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"32924","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Mason","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"Elevation","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6769eb2aa3fb1"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Umnov gave Mason a solid option in the middle and hopes to do the same for the club team. Umnov consistently found ways to pound balls past solid double blocks. That includes making quick adjustments in the air to angle balls softly through those blocks. Umnov opens things up for teammates from the outside and middle. Umnov had 155 kills helping the Comets go 19-7 including a ninth straight undefeated Greater Miami Conference title and Division I region runner-up finish.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Note from the Writer</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Mike Graham has been writing for Prep Dig for nearly a year and has enjoyed getting to know the volleyball scenes in both Kentucky and Ohio. If you liked the story, please copy and paste to X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook. You may also follow us at @prepdigkentucky or @prepdigoh on Instagram in addition to @PrepDigKy or @PrepDigOH on X. If you feel someone in Kentucky or Ohio needs coverage, please email Mike at pnmikeg@yahoo.com. You may also follow him on X @GMCgrah or Instagram @g.michaelgraham. Subscriptions give you access to exclusive content. For a 30% discount, enter code graham30 at checkout.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->