2029 Early Look: Michigan Elite’s Top Prospects

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>*Prep Dig Michigan will be hosting two Showcase events on Sunday, Aug. 3. You can now register for the </em><a href="https://events.prepdig.com/e/1540/register/michigan-freshman-showcase"><em>Michigan Freshman Showcase</em></a><em> or the </em><a href="https://events.prepdig.com/e/1521/register/michigan-stock-up-showcase"><em>Michigan Stock Up Showcase</em></a><em>. Use code “EllisDig2025” to get $10 off your registration.*</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>As the 2025 club season inches toward the finish line, it's time to start taking a look at the 2029 prospects that will be stepping into the Michigan high school spotlight in the fall.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>As we've seen with recent classes, the Class of 2029 looks like it should produce some of the best volleyball players in the nation.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Michigan Elite has a handful that should be among the mix of the best. This year's 14 Mizuno squad has captured a pair of 14 Open/Premier titles and had top-5 finishes in a pair of other Open events as well.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Here's a look at some of the 2029 prospects leading the way for the club.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='776427' first='Natalia' last='Zywicki'], OH</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>As a lead hitter for 14 Mizuno, Zywicki looks very comfortable in a main role. She's consistent with her swing and has solid hang time that should only get better. Zywicki spreads her attacks around well and doesn't look predictable with her attacks. She also looks promising with her defense and serve receive. She should be one of the more well-rounded players in the class.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Taylor Rivers, S/RS</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Rivers is a promising prospect that will provide her teams with a lot of flexibility on the roster. She can play multiple positions and is proficient at both. Her setting shows good touch and accuracy. As an outside, Rivers has a lot of explosiveness and smooth form. She's got an emphatic finish that dials up the power, but also shows an impressive court IQ to make sure she finishes points.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Jaqueline James, OH/MH</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>James is a hitter that Michigan Elite has been able to use anywhere along the net. She's listed at 5'7”, but is able to utilize a lot of length on her swing to produce good attack angles. As she continues to work on her speed and pacing, James should be able to become a power hitter that will be tough for blockers to deal with.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='775516' first='Elizabeth' last='Burke'], DS/L</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The libero for 14 Mizuno, Burke has been very steady in her play and does a good job of communicating on the court to direct the defense. She looks composed and collected on the court, allowing her to make some difficult digs without breaking a sweat. Burke also has a solid serve that shows a lot of promise.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Kaia Bednarz, DS/L</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Bednarz has been wearing the libero jersey for 14 Elite and has been impressive in piling up digs. Bednarz stays very light on her feet and doesn't get caught flat-footed. At 5'0”, she's able to get very low to the ground to dig up some tough attacks, but she's also shown she can make accurate feeds while on the move.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->