No Snow Days in WI: Exposure Tour Athletes Bring the Heat Part 1

Though the snow was falling steadily throughout the day of the Exposure Tour, the gym was packed for two sessions. The first session used all eight courts in the facility and athletes from across the state brought immense energy. When I arrived over an hour before the showcase started, some athletes were already checked in, getting headshots and warming up. There was an electric energy in the air, and the two-hour event flew by.   This article will focus on Session 1 athletes - Part 2 will focus on Session 2!   Here are athletes who brought the heat to the gym on a snowy day in Wisconsin!    Mackenzie was one of the first athletes to stand out to me, before the showcase even started. When all the players were just having fun, playing queens, Mackenzie was already standing out. She was ripping serves as a lefty from the back line and dominating on defense. Mackenzie was aggressive and a leader on the court. Her energy, even without coaches on the court, was high-level, and she played hard!     Whitney also really impressed me before the official event started. She had such good court awareness, going pin to pin to block during queens and making great defensive plays. She continued to impress throughout the event. She could connect with nearly any hitter on the court. The way Whitney played volleyball made it seem like she had been practicing with everyone in the gym for months, not like she was stepping onto the court for the first time. She was a high-impact player from start to finish and was dynamic and her skills.     Breah is a setter out of West De Pere who had clean and consistent placement. She ran the court very efficiently and was just really solid in all of her skills. Her consistency and great placement of the ball for every hitter is what helped her stand out. She was also a positive and energetic player throughout the Exposure Tour. Her all around confidence, demeanor, and fundamentals made her a well-rounded and impactful teammate.     Anjelina was a right side who was electric on the pin. She caught my eye because she mixed up her shots incredibly well, with pinpoint precision. Anjelina dominated down the line but had a lethal cross court shot as well. She could make nearly any set work and and mixed up the speed of her swings as well. She was a go-to hitter on every court she was on and was a stand-out player.     Rylee was a standout libero at the event. She had an incredible amount of hustle and could cover a lot of court, very quickly. No matter where she was in the back row, Rylee played confidently and consistently. She was a high-level communicator and never gave up on a ball. Her relentless effort was a game changer on many plays.     Iris was so impressive during the showcase. She delivered every single time she touched the ball. No matter who she connected with, she executed the set near perfectly. Her ability to make on-court adjustments was very impressive and she did it cleanly and with great fundamentals. She never missed a beat and was well-rounded in all of her skills. Iris was one of the top setters on the court a the Exposure Tour and is a setter to watch heading into this club season.     Whitney was incredibly consistent across the board. She has enormous potential to be a high-level 6-rotation athlete. From her serve receive to her shot selection and execution, Whitney dominated throughout the showcase. She had a high contact and explosive approach. Her ability to read the court and execute with a high volleyball IQ made her stand out among a group of very talented players.     Holly was a highly efficient middle who was lethal at the Exposure Tour. What makes her so impactful is how versatile she is across the net and explosive she is in transition. Holly is has a lightning-fast swing and can take big rips, but what sets her apart is her ability to do it from different angles and both in front of and behind the setter.

Though the snow was falling steadily throughout the day of the Exposure Tour, the gym was packed for two sessions. The first session used all eight courts in the facility and athletes from across the state brought immense energy. When I arrived over an hour before the showcase started, some athletes were already checked in, getting headshots and warming up. There was an electric energy in the air, and the two-hour event flew by.