Athletic Texas Middles at Lone Star Classic

The largest tournament in the club volleyball season in Texas, the Adidas Lone Star Classic will have its fourth and last week of action this weekend, in Dallas, with teams in the 15s, 16s and 17s age groups playing from Friday to Sunday.   The event, which in 2025 celebrates its 38th anniversary, is the largest USA Volleyball National Qualifier held in the entire country, attracting teams from almost every other American state to compete at the <a href="http://www.dallasconventioncenter.com/">Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center</a>.   The host state, Texas obviously gets to have a massive number of teams on the court, with clubs from all over the Lone Star State competing for the bids. The top prospects in the state will be in action this weekend and we're highlighting some players worth everyone's attention. In today's article, we'll give a shout-out to some of the most intriguing middles that will get on the court:    Bryant with play for Texas Legacy 15 Elite in the event's 15 Open division. She's extremely dynamic, moves very well and works very hard at the net to contribute on both sides of the ball. Bryant is very quick in her approach and hits the ball right off the hands of her setter, which forces opposing blockers who want to stop her to commit very early. Her right arm is very quick too, which gives her the ability to change plans at the very last second and find a way around opponents at the net. Bryant also makes an impact with her blocking, getting very high up at the net and playing aggressively with her arms to take up space from opposing hitters.      Gandy will provide her team TW Skyline 15 Royal with a strong presence at the net in the 15 Open division. An incredibly athletic player, she overpowers opponents with her physicality and brings a lot to the table both offensively and defensively. Gandy gets off the floor very well and does a great job of making sure she makes contact with the ball at the highest possible point - she can be unstoppable when hitting the 31 set. She's also an excellent blocker and uses her ability to get off the floor quickly to make last-second moves and get in the way of opposing hitters to get stops. Gandy has also been used on the right to improve her team's blocking power in key moments of matches.   <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DFMC7VjMRnC/">Highlights</a>     Pope will be in action with Premier 16 Black G in the 16 Open division. She's a new face with the team this season, coming from [program_tooltip program_id='431308' first='Texas' last='Advantage'], and has immediately become a centerpiece in their playing system. Pope's 6'2" frame makes of her a tough matchup for anyone, but her physicality and explosiveness make it even harder for opposing blockers to get a touch on her swings. She's also very active with her blocking and is always alert to react to overpasses and tight sets. Pope has moved to Texas about two years ago and continues to see her stock rise in the state.   <a href="https://sportsrecruits.com/athlete/londyn_pope?video=4932353">Highlights</a>     Skopljak will feature for [program_tooltip program_id='431200' first='Madfrog' last=''] 16's N Green in the 16 Open division this week in Dallas. Originally a middle, she's been spending some time on the right this season and the change has allowed her to develop other areas of her game. When used in the middle, Skopljak is capable of offering major contributions on both sides of the ball. Her offense is probably the highlight of her game as she's capable of hitting different sets in the middle at a very high level and has the confidence and the skills to put the ball down in key moments. She's also an excellent blocker, a trait that helped her transition to the right.      Expect Williams to be a force at the net for Dallas Skyline 17 Royal Ping in the 17 Open division. The best middle in Texas in her age group according to our Prep Dig State Rankings, she's a beast at the net and her play heavily impacts the outcome of matches. Williams' offense is absolutely flawless, as besides being capable of hitting any set in the middle, she uses her excellent footwork to get to the ball, her impressive vertical to rise above the net and heavy, yet quick right arm to hammer it down - her slide is among the very best in the country. Making it past her huge block is no easy task either as she uses her arms extremely well and is great at making adjustments on the go.

The largest tournament in the club volleyball season in Texas, the Adidas Lone Star Classic will have its fourth and last week of action this weekend, in Dallas, with teams in the 15s, 16s and 17s age groups playing from Friday to Sunday.