Freshman Defensive Standouts from the Indiana Top 250 Expo

With almost forty defensive specialists coming to the Expo this year, I knew the level of competition was going to be high and the ability to stand out was going to be difficult...especially if you were a freshman walking into the gym. What I found most exciting about this class of 2028 defensive standouts was their hustle on the court and fresh joy for the game. These are things that are difficult to teach, but so important to have when you are young and looking to play at a high level. It was an honor and a joy to watch these young ladies play their hearts out! So, without further ado, here are the freshman defensive specialists who made their mark at the Top 250 Expo.    *TOP FRESHMAN DS/L*   Hensley is an easy player to start with when it comes to the class of 2028 defensive specialists - she was definitely my top player at this position in the freshman class. Voellinger does all the important things well. She never stops moving, is always covering, always communicating and knows how to encourage others. As just a freshman, she is already a confident floor leader and doesn't shy away from a challenge. Lastly, she was one of the best passers at the Expo, not just in the freshman class, but overall.     Meadow made her impression on me really quickly for two reasons, first of which was her joyful demeanor and bright smile that never left her over the 2.5 hours of the Expo. Defensive players who bring such joy and happiness to the sport are secret weapons that every team needs and wants. Secondly, Morancey was a beast when it came to hard work and hustle. This young lady was always moving and covering and was certainly not afraid to hit the floor if she needed to. I really like the way she plays defense in left back - Mooresville HS has a solid libero in Meadow for the years to come!     Most of us who have played lots of volleyball can remember a player who was our favorite to pass next to in serve receive. Marlowe will be that player to many of her teammates over the coming club and high school seasons because she always follows the ball, tracks it VERY well and communicates at all times. She is the type of passer that makes everyone around her better because of her willingness to do the little things. Weaver really shined in middle back on defense, again with her ability to track the ball and read really well for her age. Any team would be grateful to have this young lady - she is a great encourager of others & fun to watch.     What stood out for me most about Chenault was her serve receive fundamentals. She was certainly one of the calmest passers of the freshman bunch and had a beautiful, flat, solid platform. Many players at this age will panic in serve receive and want to jump and/or swing their arms, but Adrianna always stayed down, formed her platform angle early and kept it simple. As she improves her foot speed and lateral movement, look for her to increase her range on both passing and defense.     Landry was one of the tallest DS/L of all the players who showed up at the Expo and she really knows how to use that length to her advantage. She can cover A LOT of court with her longer frame and as she gets more reps and improves her ability to read the game, look for Lepage to become a first string left back and middle back defender. In serve receive, I saw her step in and take the seam ball many times and I love that she has the confidence to take those at this young age. Lastly, Landry already has a strong deep float serve that will keep her on the floor as a DS/L.     Like Lepage, Thomas is a taller DS/L listed at 5'10" and knows how to use her height to help her team succeed. She was one of the better attacking defensive players that we had at the Expo and was always calling for and ready to hit the pipe ball out of the back. Emily was one of the most fun players to watch and most likely to play with - she was loud, fun and communicated really well at all times. I look forward to seeing her improving her speed to the ball on defense over this next club season so she can track down more tips and short, off-speed shots.     Liliana was certainly one of the quieter defensive players we had at the Expo, but she really did use that to bring a calm presence to the floor when there was oftentimes a lot of chaos going on around her. Her calm demeanor also lends itself to a solid platform on passing and defense; she never seemed panicked or spastic - always calm and under control. Chorba is also really good at out of system setting with her platform, putting up a great, solid, high ball for pin hitters to be successful with. If Liliana can bring more noise and communication to the court, she will be an awesome DS for her Epic United club team this season.     Although Olivia is young and still improving her fundamentals (which is exactly what young players should be doing), she has two characteristics that you simply cannot teach. Hustle and selflessness. All coaches know if you have a player with those two qualities, plus athleticism, you have the makings of a great volleyball player. I never saw Jones slacking off; she was always hustling, going for everything and in every drill. This young lady wants to play and wants to get better! Add on top of that her kindness to everyone around her and a great big smile, and you have a kid that can be something great with good fundamentals training and more playing experience.    <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" />   <h3 class="wp-block-heading">If you loved this article, please follow our Instagram page, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/abovethenetvolleyball">Prep Dig IN | Above The Net Volleyball</a> for exclusive content and behind-the-scenes action.</h3>   After following our page, take the next step and subscribe to PrepDig! By subscribing, you'll not only stay connected to the latest coverage of your favorite events, but you'll also be helping to shine a spotlight on rising volleyball talent.   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With almost forty defensive specialists coming to the Expo this year, I knew the level of competition was going to be high and the ability to stand out was going to be difficult...especially if you were a freshman walking into the gym. What I found most exciting about this class of 2028 defensive standouts was their hustle on the court and fresh joy for the game. These are things that are difficult to teach, but so important to have when you are young and looking to play at a high level. It was an honor and a joy to watch these young ladies play their hearts out! So, without further ado, here are the freshman defensive specialists who made their mark at the Top 250 Expo.