Setters Who Moved The Recruiting Needle At The Exposure Tour

We talked about the myriad of different kinds of attackers at our Exposure Tour this past Saturday, but what about the athletes that fed those hitters? Here are eight setters that really caught my eye this past Saturday at the Academy Volleyball Club.    From the opening series, Nicole's work ethic and training was obvious in drills. Her footwork was solid, hands high and ready to deliver, and always had the right teammate in the right situation to hit. She comes from a family of volleyball coaches and players, so it makes sense that her volleyball IQ is through the roof, but to see that steady, reliable leadership through the second contact was fun to watch.     Miss Cline, although undersized, had great footwork and high hands (see the profile pic?) to remain both consistent and deceptive during our showcase. She might see a future as part of a 6-2 on a collegiate campus in a few years, but her three rotations will have VERY happy attackers. Consistency, accuracy and a go-go-go attitude within the 900 square feet, Ainsley was another gem from northern Indiana that will turn heads this club season.     From time to time, I like to hit up the coaches running the drills as to which athletes stood out for them. On more than one occasion, Ali was mentioned, and for good reason. Not only is she fully capable of running an offense, but is adept at ball control in all forms. At Greensburg, she's known nothing but winning, and being on SEIVB for her club program will get her that much-needed training and higher level of play that will really push her skill set.     Caitlyn is a veteran to our showcases, and understands the assignment when the drills and scrimmages start. Having that knowledge isn't unlike her skill on the court—-she knows what needs to be done and how to do it, and gets it done. Period. High, deceptive hands, length on net defense and the ability to make every pass better are things that Miss Gutt does instinctually, which is not exactly something you can teach. I look forward to her open-level play this spring, as she'll really be able to move her recruiting needle showing out under the brightest lights.     Full disclosure—-her high school season didn't exactly go as planned. Her transformation, however, has her using every bit of her 5'9” frame; she's got a setting coach for a club coach, and everything about her setting technique has changed for the better. High hands, strong shoulders, an ability to do all parts of the setting position, from offense to defense to setting the right hitters, is MILES ahead of where she was in the fall. I can only imagine how far she'll come once club season comes around.     One of the smoothest and most athletic setters in this or any class, Paislee is a quick, strong and smart setter that is a plug-and-play option in any 5-1 situation out there. She's also been to a couple of our showcases, and has shown us that her skill set cannot be ignored. With a competitive fire burning just beneath the surface, Paislee is tough, fearless and active in the setting position, and should make some college coach happy once mid-June comes around.     As a last-minute replacement setter for the fall, it was this author's estimation that Yorktown would take a step back due to graduation and growing pains. This is one of the rare times I actually LIKE being wrong, as Landree carried the offense of the 4A Tigers to a top-five finish this fall. She showed all of us on Saturday that the ladies in green will be a factor in all of the 4A title runs for the foreseeable future.     Playing taller than her height might indicate, Rylie's speed, quickness, strong hands and smart choices have carried her this far, and is one of the best setting recruits for the class of ‘29. On Saturday, she continued that ideal, taking bad passes and making them better for all of her hitters, while also defending her position at an above-average level. Providence and Union are lucky to have such a mature and athletic setter at the helm, and should be drawing attention of recruiters sooner rather than later.

We talked about the myriad of different kinds of attackers at our Exposure Tour this past Saturday, but what about the athletes that fed those hitters? Here are eight setters that really caught my eye this past Saturday at the Academy Volleyball Club.