Top Performing Freshmen DS/Ls at Nebraska Top 250 Expo

<p> Defensive specialists require exceptional ball control, outstanding digging skills, great serve/receive skills, and good passing. In many cases, the freshman DS/Ls at today's expo could have passed for much older players because their skills were that good. Let's look at each of them and see what makes them special. </p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='730560' first='Norah' last='Beran']</h2>   <p>Beran is a 5'6" defensive specialist from Skutt Catholic. Beran is a calm athlete capable of digging very hard-hit balls off the ground without much fuss. She has amazing hands, a great pancake, awesome serves, and sacrifices her body without a thought to save a point. She has no fear of big hitters and steps up to the plate constantly to handle heavy hitters.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='730519' first='Aceley' last='Hoff']</h2>   <p>Hoff is a 5'3" DS/L from Norfolk Senior High School. Hoff is maybe one of the fastest athletes on the court today. She is always ready to move and go to the ball. She gets under it and pops it up to the setter with great accuracy. She has great awareness of the positioning of everyone on the court and knows where to make her next play. She has a great platform and a high volleyball IQ and uses it when it matters to her team most. She is a great athlete and a winner on the court.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='625558' first='Eva' last='Gutz']</h2>   <p>Gutz is a 5'6" defensive specialist from Lincoln East High School. Gutz has a good reach and a great platform. She is on target to the setter when receiving the first ball and can set if the setter takes the first ball. She can hit well from the back row and has that spastic reflex movement that makes her so good as a defensive specialist. When she digs up the ball it looks lucky to play out so well, but it is just hard work and repetition that is making her look so good. She is earning accolades by working hard when she is not on the court in a game. She is, obviously, putting in the time in the off-season as well to be so prepared for an event like this one. </p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='730561' first='Presley' last='Kaufman']</h2>   <p>Kaufman is a 5'6" defensive specialist from Papillion LaVista High School. Kaufman has a great platform and knows where to get the ball to go or how to set a hitter. She is consistently on target with the ball and is a good hitter from the back row. She likes to take a cross-court shot out of the back row and is quite effective with that skill.</p>   <figure class="wp-block-image alignleft size-thumbnail is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/07/IMG_4571.jpeg?w=150&h=150&crop=1" alt="" class="wp-image-574207" style="width:172px;height:auto" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">[player_tooltip player_id='567542' first='Ava' last='Nowling'], DS/L from Gretna High School, class of 2028.</figcaption></figure>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='567542' first='Ava' last='Nowling']</h2>   <p>Nowling is a 5'6" DS/L from Gretna High School. Nowling has a perfect platform, she can remove speed off the ball in serve/receive, dive, and dig, and she does not give up. She is a consistent player that her team can count on performing to the best of her ability all of the time and steps up when needed. She has ace serves and great placement of the ball to her setters. </p>   <figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-thumbnail is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/07/42-Reese-Timmerman.jpg?w=150&h=150&crop=1" alt="" class="wp-image-576577" style="width:155px;height:auto" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">[player_tooltip player_id='483811' first='Reese' last='Timmerman'], DS/L from Norfolk Catholic HS, class of 2028.</figcaption></figure>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='483811' first='Reese' last='Timmerman']</h2>   <p>Timmerman is a 5'5" defensive specialist from Norfolk Catholic High School. Timmerman has a great platform surface and can make quick adjustments to her position on the court which allows her to be in the right spot to make great plays and saves. She is very consistent, has a great pancake that she uses with diving saves, and she is good at setting too.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Erynn McCarthy</h2>   <p>McCarthy is a 5'2" DS/L from Skutt Catholic High School. McCarthy is super focused on the ball and where she is moving it to during a rally. She is under it fast with her legs ready to move the ball with her hands to get it to the setter. She gets good momentum and angles because she knows what to do with her platform to make it stable and consistent. She has a high volleyball IQ and it shows in how she digs the ball or sets a hitter. It will be great to see the huge amount of development that takes place between now and next year because she is already so good!</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='572680' first='Brooklyn' last='Beethe']</h2>   <p>Beethe is a 5'4" defensive specialist from Gretna East High School. Beethe is a rock star on the court. Her performance is stable and reliable. She is consistently where she is needed most. She can dig, hit from the back row, set, and serve with amazing skill. I am having a hard time believing these athletes are so young! Beethe is already so good and still has years of development ahead of her. I cannot wait to check her out next year during the high school volleyball season to see her amazing growth.</p>   <p></p>   <p></p>

Defensive specialists require exceptional ball control, outstanding digging skills, great serve/receive skills, and good passing. In many cases, the freshman DS/Ls at today's expo could have passed for much older players because their skills were that good. Let's look at each of them and see what makes them special.