Stock Up Showcase: 2027 Player Evaluations, Part 3

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Michigan Stock Up Showcase was well represented by 2027 talent on Sunday in Pontiac.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>There's a lot from this group looking to make a bigger splash in the fall and many should do just that.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Here's our third and final part of player evaluations from this class.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='586777' first='Nemiah' last='Carper'], MB Roscommon/LHVBA</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This 6-foot middle has a world of potential. She's already shown it plenty during the prep season, but it was good to see her in the mix against other top hitters in the state. Carper has a lot of explosive ability that she can turn to at any moment, but she also has the court awareness to play a variety of shot speeds and angles. She's definitely a player college scouts need to monitor.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='555114' first='Jenna' last='Wiley'], MB Pennfield/Team Pineapple</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Wiley can play anywhere along the net and be effective. At 5'10” Wiley plays pretty long at the net and times out her swings well. Her power was consistent throughout the day, able to work through blocks while still switching up her speeds from time to time. With her versatility at the net, she should be a nice asset for roster flexibility.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='849248' first='Bianca' last='Micakovic'], OH Stoney Creek/Monsters</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I liked the competitive spirit Micakovic had throughout the event. Whether it be on offense or defense, she went for every play. Nothing held her back. There was no hesitation to go after a tough dig and she never backed down from an imposing blocker. While she didn't succeed on every play, her determination never wavered. She's already got a good foundation of talent to build on, so her drive can help her be a next-level talent.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='470701' first='Zoey' last='Kapeller'], DS/L OL St. Mary's/High Performance</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>One of the longer defenders of the Showcase, Kapeller uses her length and agility to lock down her area defensively. She's moving with a lot of confidence and purpose in the back row, and seems to be making plays on instinct without having to overthink. Given her athleticism, Kapeller can also be a reliable option for a back-row swing when out-of-system.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='725218' first='Violet' last='Brown'], OH Heritage/Five:1</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Brown was a reliable option in all areas of the game. She was a scrappy defender that stepped up to the challenge during a number of tense rallies. Offensively, Brown does a nice job of adjusting to each set she sees and making a play that will challenge the defense. She has another gear to her follow through that can put some added speed on the ball.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='747212' first='Isabelle' last='Hardy'], DS/L TC West/Northshore</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This Northern Michigan defender got right in the mix and proved she can hang with any of the defenders in this class. She was willing to take charge, both verbally and by example. She communicated well with her peers, but also knew when it was on her to make a tough play. Hardy never looked like she wasn't in control.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='518956' first='Jamison' last='Aratari'], RS Lakeland/L2</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Aratari had a smooth approach to the net in her attacks. She was able to display the ability to score from either pin and has also been able to play in the middle. She sees the court well and plays a lot of high-IQ shots. Her athleticism lends me to believe she has the ability to take her intensity up another level over the next year.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='586766' first='Catie' last='Kuchta'], DS/L Mercy/High Performance</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Kuchta is a well-coached defender that doesn't hesitate to take command when needed in the back row. She was seeing the ball well and getting a step ahead to make a lot of clean plays with picture-perfect form. Kuchta also has a solid serve that will be difficult for opponents to handle.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='454377' first='Erica' last='Heffner'], OH TC Central/Northshore</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sunday was a great opportunity for Heffner, who has made a name for herself in Traverse City, to prove she can hang with anyone in the state. Heffner didn't lack in confidence either, as she looked calm and controlled in all drills and scrimmages. She trusted in her decision-making and came through with the right shots at the right time.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='611100' first='Waverly' last='Hagen'], MH Ubly/Mavericks</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Coming from a smaller school, Hagen could have been intimidated by a talented group of middles, but she stepped up her game and was one of the standouts of the event. She was consistently disruptive at the net with her blocking and showed relentless effort on defense. While on the attack, the 6'1” middle had some of the strongest attacks of the day and was a nearly unstoppable force.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='812594' first='Courtney' last='Dyer'], OH AA Gabriel Richard/HaiFive</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Dyer was a picture of consistency in her attacks. She always had steady power and did a good job of getting up for the ball to play over or through blockers. Dyer doesn't use a lot of wasted movement when on the court, staying alert on offense and defense. She looks like an outside ready to produce big numbers this fall.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->