Hard-to-beat liberos at Adidas Lone Star Classic

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The New Year has arrived and, for the club volleyball season, it means there are still several months of action until the summer, when the USA Volleyball National Championships will be held.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The 18s age group works on a different timeline, though, as they will play for the national title by the end of April, so it's time to start working towards qualification.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This weekend, teams in Texas will have a great opportunity to book their tickets to Salt Lake City, competing at home in the Adidas Lone Star Classic, one of the biggest national qualifiers held in the state, having the Austin Convention Center as the host, from Friday to Sunday.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Teams from all over the Lone Star State will be in action as the event will reunite 198 club teams split into four divisions. As we prepare for the start of the tournament, let's get to know some of the top Texas players who will be on the court. These liberos will be really hard to score at:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["254289"],"_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-6786fc88058ac"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Mickenheim is the starting libero for the Excel 18 national Red team that will play in the 18 Open division this weekend. Very determined and consistent, she runs their backcourt smoothly and transmits a lot of confidence to her teammates. Mickenheim is super technical and quick, but one of the things that stands out the most in her game is how hard she works to keep the ball off the floor. The libero is very solid with her passing and has incredible ball control on defense, even when she has to improvise or react quickly to an unpredicted situation.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/hudl {"name":"acf/hudl","data":{"embed_code":"u003ciframe src='https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/16305012/6665fcd63b6f7d910a7d581b' width='640' height='360' frameborder='0' allowfullscreenu003eu003c/iframeu003e","_embed_code":"field_62daf7995fd8c"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6786fc8805af1"} /--> <!-- 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":"Abigail Jackson","_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":"5'8u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"32926","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Nolan Catholic","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"[program_tooltip program_id='510733' first='Drive' last='Nation']","_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-6786fc8805bd5"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Jackson will play libero for [program_tooltip program_id='510733' first='Drive' last='Nation'] 18 Black in the 18 USA division this weekend. She joined the team this year, coming from [program_tooltip program_id='431321' first='Texas' last='Image'], and has been a tremendous addition to their backcourt. A tall libero at 5'8", she has impressive range on the backcourt and uses her length extremely well to get to shots and tips. Jackson is very confident and efficient in serve-receive and likes to control the court in that area of the game, freeing her hitters up to focus on siding out. She's very quick to get to the ground when playing defense and is very disciplined with her duties, always covering her hitters.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/hudl {"name":"acf/hudl","data":{"embed_code":"u003ciframe src='https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/18180525/672ce35b05488cbb1f0b7b63' width='640' height='360' frameborder='0' allowfullscreenu003eu003c/iframeu003e","_embed_code":"field_62daf7995fd8c"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6786fc8805c13"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["206616"],"_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-6786fc8805c5e"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Wacaster and her Dallas Premier 18 Black team will play in the 18 USA division this weekend in Austin. She has consistently developed her game over the years until becoming one of the best in her position in her age group in Texas. Wacaster plays a pivotal role for Dallas Premier with her ability to cover ground in serve-receive and still deliver dimes to her setters. Much of Wacaster's efficiency and ball control comes from how well she positions her body before making contact with the ball, ensuring it will go in the right direction. She's also very vocal on the court and communicates very well with her teammates.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/hudl {"name":"acf/hudl","data":{"embed_code":"u003ciframe src='https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/18202365/66278f43616e622cca0a880c' width='640' height='360' frameborder='0' allowfullscreenu003eu003c/iframeu003e","_embed_code":"field_62daf7995fd8c"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6786fc8805c8b"} /--> <!-- 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":"Aidyn Love","_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":"5'5u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"32926","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Guyer","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"Fieldhouse Volleyball Club","_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-6786fc8805d4b"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Love plays for FH 18 Ikaika Michele, who will appear in the 18 Liberty division this weekend in Austin. She's been splitting her time between libero and defensive specialist and has been adding a lot to the team's serve-receive system with her ball control and her ability to cover ground. Love is very technical with her actions and it's easy to understand why her passes and digs always find her setter near the net. She can play defense in the middle or the left and thrives with her ability to read the game and react to it.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/hudl {"name":"acf/hudl","data":{"embed_code":"u003ciframe src='https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/17087148/67857e5b3e50594e6f3005a8' width='640' height='360' frameborder='0' allowfullscreenu003eu003c/iframeu003e","_embed_code":"field_62daf7995fd8c"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6786fc8805d7f"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["269778"],"_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-6786fc8805dc6"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Kraft and her [program_tooltip program_id='538544' first='Katy' last='United'] 18 Adidas team will chase the bid in the 18 American division. The libero is one of the standouts in the team, consistently delivering solid performances on the backcourt. Kraft is an expert in serve-receive, handling her passing duties efficiently and helping her team remain in system. Her defense is probably even better as, besides displaying remarkable reflexes and ball control to make impressive digs, she frequently comes up with big defensive stops in key moments of matches.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/hudl {"name":"acf/hudl","data":{"embed_code":"u003ciframe src='https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/19730382/67617061004602120e31b8d9' width='640' height='360' frameborder='0' allowfullscreenu003eu003c/iframeu003e","_embed_code":"field_62daf7995fd8c"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6786fc8805de8"} /-->