Power League Qualifier: Top 4 Middles

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The [program_tooltip program_id='428794' first='Power' last=''] League Qualifier was held in Lawrence, KS this past Saturday. It featured some of the top teams in Kansas and Missouri fighting for a spot in either PL1 or PL2. In this article I will be breaking down four prospects from the middle hitter position. The middle position mainly focuses on lateral quickness, vertical leap, and quick arm swing. Each of these prospects impact their teams and helped their teams play at a high level this past weekend.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='490109' first='Millie' last='Bauer']: MAVS KC Volleyball (Class of 2026)</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In sports there are certain player attributes that can be improved on with hard work and dedication. Other attributes like height, size, and length can't be improved in the gym; it's genetic. Millie is the definition of a genetic anomaly when you look at the combination of height, length, and athleticism. She's easily hits over the opposing block opening up the court for her offense. She explodes into her approach from both two and one foot approaches. No matter whether she's running in front or behind the setter Millie is an absolute problem for opposing defenses. Millie's blocking is elite when the ball stays in front of her. She's pressing so far over the net that it's almost impossible for the opposing teams to score. Millie still has a ton of potential to grow into a great collegiate athlete for her future team. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='357544' first='Suttyn' last='Harris']: [program_tooltip program_id='432164' first='Fight' last='Club'] (Class of 2026)</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Suttyn is an explosive athlete that can hit anywhere on the court. She uses her entire body when attacking the ball. By using her whole body versus just her shoulder to swing she generates a ton of speed. The speed she generates helps both putting the ball down quickly in front of defenders as well as beating blocks. Suttyn has full control of the ball which really makes her dangerous swinging out of the middle. What's even more impressive is her hitting approach. She does a great job of exploding out of her last two steps while getting her feet to the ball. When you take a look at her defense she has all of the tools to be a dominant blocker. The lateral quickness, vertical jump, and overall length gives her a huge advantage on the net. The one thing that really stuck out to me watching her blocking was the small IQ adjustments she would make. When you combine the athleticism and the IQ she's a phenomenal prospect. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='489650' first='Taylor' last='McDonald']: [program_tooltip program_id='428805' first='Shockwave' last='VBC'] (Class of 2026)</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Taylor is a tall, long, and athletic middle with untapped potential. The first thing you notice when watching Taylor is her whip of an arm swing. When you combine the whip from her arm and her athletic profile she's hard to stop. Offensively she does a great job of using tips and pushes to open spaces of the court. By changing up her offense from aggressive swings to more precise shots she forces the defense to defend the entire court. The versatility she brings to her teams offense is a vital aspect of her teams success. When you look at the defensive side Taylor understands how to block based off of the situation she's in. If the other team is in system she will at least get her hands up and over the net to take away space. When she does close the block she still gets her eyes on her hitter to make the necessary adjustments with her hand placement. Taylor brings the whole package to the table and has the potential to dominate at the collegiate level. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='542257' first='Addison' last='Fulton']: [program_tooltip program_id='698098' first='573' last='[program_tooltip program_id='490801' first='Missouri' last='Juniors']'] (Class of 2026)</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Addison is a raw athletic prospect who has a ton of room to grow. She's not particularly amazing at any one skill, but she brings the intangibles that college coaches look for. Along with intangibles like effort, desire, and focus she has the "recommended" athletic profile to play at the collegiate level. The first thing you notice when watching Addison play is her presence at the net. She has the lateral quickness to close blocks pin to pin and make small adjustments on quick sets. Offensively the one thing she really excels at is getting on the ball fast. It helps Addison beat blockers and catch back row defenses off guard. She also does a great job of mixing up her shots between swinging, tipping, and pushing to open spots. The more she grows into her body and learns the game the higher her potential as a college prospect will flourish. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The middle position is one of if not the hardest position to play at a high level. Not only do you need to be gifted with great height, length and athleticism. They also need to have the IQ and stamina to sprint and jump more than anyone else on the team. Each of these prospects show the willingness to work hard for their team and do whatever it takes to help their teams win. I can't wait to see each of these athletes shine in the [program_tooltip program_id='428794' first='Power' last=''] league and qualifier tournaments.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->