AVC Spotlight: Five to See in January

Smith is a 5'10 pin with big upside to her game. She is an athletic attacker with good lift and an arm she continues to develop to grow further her combo of range and power to complement the high touch she can create. She has a high ceiling to her game so look for her to make noticeable progress in her skills and impact with AVCs top 15U team this club season, while seeing good opportunities to score within this team's offense.     Simmons is returning to the club season after leading the Mayfield offense in 2025 with 232 kills. She helps comprise a core trio of pin arms for AVC 16 Red that will see a lot of point scoring opportunities. What she brings is athleticism in her ability to elevate well and attack at the peak of her jump with good control. Additionally, her physical tools allow her to be utilized in different ways to had depth and variation to her team's offense.     From the right pin, Hay can be an impact contributor on both sides of the ball. She averaged 1.5 k/s for Cuyahoga Valley Christian in 2025 following a good club cycle where she continued to develop her her transition footwork and timing. With more dynamic arm action she'll get more lift and opportunity to swing for pace plus range. It is on the defensive side though where her 3.9 b/m this past fall will create some advantages for this AVC 16 Red team as she is long and rangy with her presence at the net in front of opposing hitters.     Bergant was a DV 3rd team all-Ohio selection after helping lead Lake Catholic to another state title this past fall. She was the Cougars' top offensive threat at a career high 420 kills and 4.6 k/s average. At 6'1, she is an aggressive combo option that can score with good power from the middle or at the pins. Currently one of few uncommitted prospects on AVC 17 Red, she makes a big move from [program_tooltip program_id='431573' first='RockCity' last=''] to add key skills and experience to an already loaded team.     Marrero, a 2nd team all-district selection in 2025, has a 5.3 d/m average for SJA over two varsity seasons and is poised to assume the primary libero role in 2026 due to graduation. Also uncommitted at this point as part of AVC 17 Red, she advanced tools to make a big impact at the next level, which include intentional point vision and engagement, quickness in her reaction, and composure to make big plays with effort, angles and range increases through her first step and pursuit in all directions. The primary libero for this team as a 16U squad, her effectiveness is key to igniting this big offense and to extend rallies against high quality opponents.