Stock Up Showcase: 2028 Player Evaluations, Part 4

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Class of 2028 showed up for the Michigan Stock Up Showcase this past weekend.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The incoming sophomores were the most represented of any class, and it featured a lot of impressive talent.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Here's the fourth part of player evaluations from this class.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='725825' first='Liv' last='Sortor'], S Dexter/L2</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>An agile setter, Sortor made some athletic plays at the position and displayed all the sets she can make from a variety of angles. Sortor seemed to gel quickly with the array of hitters she worked with, and had a particularly strong connection with middles.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='848766' first='Hadley' last='Wagaman'], DS/L Bronson/Empowered</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Wagaman was a defender that was willing to get her nose in the dirt, so to speak. She was aggressive and took the court looking to make an impression by leaving everything she had on the floor. Her great hustle led to some impressive moments that she can build on. Wagaman also had a great serve that was always testing defenders.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='752702' first='Alexa' last='Newton'], DS/L Saline/Michigan Elite</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Newton had a lot of quickness and agility. She stayed light on her feet and had good split-section reactions to make a successful dig. Newton always looked locked in to the play and did a nice job of anticipating where she needed to get to in order to keep the ball off the floor.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='726850' first='Sophia' last='Gray'], DS/L Colonel Crawford/MOVBA</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This Ohio prospect held her own with a deep crop of talented defenders at this showcase. A few times she got caught flat-footed, but she found another gear to her play as the event went on. Once Gray got in a groove, she was making dozens of solid digs, including a few that she got to at the very last second.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='849252' first='Hannah' last='Vought'], MB Rochester/Monsters</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A 6-foot middle with a big wingspan, Vought could be a handful for opposing teams in the years ahead. Her defensive play was a strength, as she covered a lot of space for blocking, but also had some agile plays to keep the ball in play during scrambles. Her hitting is at a good place and should continue to improve as she gets more reps.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='821912' first='Alexis' last='Steward'], OH Canton/Michigan Elite</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Steward did a good job of showing composure at the net and not just relying on a power swing to finish points. She saw the defense well and mixed up her attack angles and speeds. Steward is listed at 5'10” but seems to play longer as she has a swing that gets to the ball at a high point.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='849325' first='McKenna' last='Kaleniecki'], DS/L OL St. Mary's/High Performance</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Kaleniecki has good footwork and stays light on her feet in order to cover a lot of space. She lost her form on occasion, but made quick corrections to learn from her errors. Her awareness and communication skills should take her far, as she's got the athleticism and agility to be a standout defender in the class.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='560553' first='Macaire' last='Kudary'], OH TC Central/FaR Out</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Kudary showed a wide range of skills. Not only could she finish from anywhere along the net, but she also had impressive defensive plays and so ad-libbed sets along the way. When on the attack, Kudary gets her body in position to come down hard over the top of the ball, attacking at angles that are very difficult to dig up.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='795567' first='Kendall' last='Sierzputowski'], DS/L TC West/Northshore</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sierzputowski left a good impression during the showcase for her all-around athleticism. She was very effective as a defender and had really polished form and focus on serve receive. However, the 5'1” libero also showed she can put a good swing on the ball from the back row when needed.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->