Recruiting the Valley Vol 2

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Texas landscape is vast and there are so many amazing volleyball players across this wonderful state.  South Texas, also known as the Rio Grande Valley, is a hotbed of talent that should get a lot more looks than they currently do.  This year at Prep Dig Texas, we are covering more territory and bringing some unknown players to the forefront that have next level talent.  These players might not come from big name schools or clubs, but they definitely have what it takes to earn spots on college rosters.  Let's take a look at a few names to know from the Rio Grande Valley area. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- 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":"Ava Lombardo","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2028","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'6u0022","_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":"Harlingen South","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"","_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-678038204fdac"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Ava is currently an unranked prospect in the 2028 Class according to our Prep Dig Texas State Rankings.  She plays volleyball at Harlingen South High School and plays club for the McAllen Fierce volleyball program.  I had the opportunity to engage with her at a clinic in December and she really turned my head with her play in the back row.  What was very apparent is how soft of a touch she had on the ball with her platform.  If there is one thing about these south Texas players it is that they can flat out play defense.  Miss Lombardo had impeccable posture and kept her eyes on the ball at all times while playing defense.  There was never a time where she was distracted from the goal of not letting the ball hit the floor on her side.  Her ability to absorb contact on hard driven balls was second to none throughout the clinic.  What I really like about her is that she is able to play all three back row positions and not skip a beat.  They each have different responsibilities amongst them and require some different skill sets, so to be able to seamlessly operate well in all three in a given match is astounding.  Being only a freshman, she shows a lot of promise to continue to keep getting better at her craft. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["573584"],"_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-678038204fe1c"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Larae is currently an unranked prospect in the 2027 class according to our Prep Dig Texas State Rankings, but is on our official Watch List.  She plays volleyball at McAllen Memorial High School and club for the McAllen Premier volleyball program.  Miss Jones was a joy to coach as she always had an awesome smile on her face and competed with a high motor at all times.  Armed with a solid hand contact and a powerful swing, Larae knows how to score the ball in a variety of ways.  She is a versatile player who can play on both pins and does not have any trouble with timing her attack on either side.  I like how she is able to change her hand contact on the ball and direct it to different location in order to have a better chance at scoring the point.  By not hitting the same shot twice in a row, she really improves her scoring efficiency with keeping the defense guessing where she will locate the ball.  Her power is immense and it tools the block without much effort.  This will be very big for any team that she is on and her future outlook looks great because she is only a sophomore.  We will keep our eye on her as she progresses in the sport. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["203942"],"_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-678038204fe63"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Aleena is currently an unranked prospect in the 2026 class according to our Prep Dig Texas State Rankings, but is listed on our official Watch List.  She plays volleyball at Sharyland Pioneer High School and club for the Valley Venom volleyball program. Miss Zuniga has had out interest for the past few years as she is an awesome setter with very soft hands.  The former setter of the year in her district is no stranger to awards or playing at a high level.  Both hands are identical mirror images of each other during both contact and release of the ball when she sets to all locations.  This young lady has shown a lot of resiliency battling back from an injury and is now fully healed and ready for war.  She is also a very skilled defender who has a great touch on the ball with her platform.  The ball rebounds off of her arms so well as they create amazing angles.  During her set her body is in full control and there are not very many extra movements as she contacts the ball.  This makes her very efficient and less prone to errors as she distributes the ball to her hitters.  We are very excited to see her compete with her club team this year as she should be in for another stellar season.  She is one to keep your eye on as the season goes along. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Stay tuned for more articles on your favorite athletes that will be attending the showcase.  If you have anyone you think we should watch out for, please shoot me an email with some info at <a href="mailto:Michael@prepdig.com">Michael@prepdig.com</a>.  Also don't forget to help these kids get more exposure by sharing our stories with your friends.  Help us help them by simply reposting on X or Instagram or sharing on Facebook.  Thanks for following Prep Dig Family!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->