Middles on the Move at the Illinois Top 250 Showcase

<p>Middles are important both offensively and defensively for their team. They slow down or stop hard-hit balls before they hit their defensive back row and hit balls so fast that their opponents cannot get to them to jump-start their team's score. They need to be strong athletes and quickly adjust to whatever happens on their court. They need to smack down overpasses and block kills from taking place. Each of the middles I watched at the expo was excellent and unique. Let's look at what makes each of them special below. </p>   <figure class="wp-block-image alignleft size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/12/1-Makayla-Cooper-crop-2517x1653-1735366118.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-736953" style="width:221px;height:auto" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Makayla Cooper, middle blocker from Homewood Flossmoor HS, class of 2025.</figcaption></figure>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Makayla Cooper</h2>   <p>Cooper is a 5'10" senior middle blocker from Homewood Flossmoor High School. Cooper is a tough blocker. She is hard to beat at the net and closes off any opportunity to get the ball around her. She has a great vertical, is athletic, and has a high volleyball IQ. She finds the open court and makes her opponents pay in points granted to her.</p>   <figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/12/4-Isabelle-Axelson-crop-3396x2230-1735366310.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-736958" style="width:224px;height:auto" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">[player_tooltip player_id='734409' first='Isabelle' last='Axelson'], a middle blocker from Eureka HS, class of 2026.</figcaption></figure>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='734409' first='Isabelle' last='Axelson']</h2>   <p>Axelson is a junior 6' middle blocker from Eureka High School. Axelson is a smart hitter in the middle. She likes to hit defenders on her way to the back boundary. Her hits seem to be hard for defenders to handle due to the speed and momentum behind them. She is always on her toes and ready for the next opportunity to come her way. </p>   <figure class="wp-block-image alignleft size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/12/10-Cadence-Hotz-crop-2745x1803-1735366556.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-736963" style="width:228px;height:auto" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">[player_tooltip player_id='553628' first='Cadence' last='Hotz'], a middle blocker from Macomb HS, class of 2026.</figcaption></figure>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='553628' first='Cadence' last='Hotz']</h2>   <p>Hotz is a 5'10" middle blocker from Macomb High School's junior class. Hotz is great to any corner of her opponents' court when set well, when not set well she is amazing at making something good happen regardless of how it all started. She has a high volleyball IQ and has a tough swing to defend.</p>   <p></p>   <figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/12/17-Sophia-Morris-crop-2132x1400-1735366836.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-736967" style="width:236px;height:auto" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">[player_tooltip player_id='736047' first='Sophia' last='Morris'], a middle blocker from Rich Township HS, class of 2026.</figcaption></figure>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='736047' first='Sophia' last='Morris']</h2>   <p>Morris is a 6'1" middle blocker from Rich Township High School's junior class. Morris is a great player in the middle. She can hit hard and straight down to the floor. She blocks very well and is an imposing figure at the net. She also can drop to the floor to dig up a ball that ricocheted weirdly after her outside was blocked attempting to get a kill. A good platform, tight blocks, and hard hits make this athlete a great option for the next level.</p>   <figure class="wp-block-image alignleft size-thumbnail is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/12/IMG_5793.jpeg?w=150&h=150&crop=1" alt="" class="wp-image-735444" style="width:205px;height:auto" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">[player_tooltip player_id='585399' first='Giavonna' last='Sylvestre'], middle hitter from Oswego East HS, class of 2026.</figcaption></figure>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='585399' first='Giavonna' last='Sylvestre']</h2>   <p>Sylvestre is a 5'7" middle hitter from the junior class at Oswego East High School. Sylvestre is faster than you. I can almost guarantee it by watching her play for about 15 minutes at the expo. She is so fast to the ball at the net she gets it to hit the floor before most athletes leave their feet to engage her. Amazing speed and athleticism are the gifts this athlete has been blessed with and she uses them best on a volleyball court.</p>

Middles are important both offensively and defensively for their team. They slow down or stop hard-hit balls before they hit their defensive back row and hit balls so fast that their opponents cannot get to them to jump-start their team's score. They need to be strong athletes and quickly adjust to whatever happens on their court. They need to smack down overpasses and block kills from taking place. Each of the middles I watched at the expo was excellent and unique. Let's look at what makes each of them special below.