2029 Ranking Risers

Yesterday we posted our 2029 rankings update list. Over at PrepdigAZ we put a lot of time and effort into the rankings and saw a lot of 2029 players live and on film over the course of the last 3 months. We had a total of 33 girls move up this latest update which is over 1/4 of the class which demonstrates how well these athletes are doing in their development!   Below we will highlight 8 girls who really stood out to us in their jumps this ranking, and if you haven't seen the rankings update please use this link below :   <a href="https://prepdig.com/arizona/rankings/2029-rankings/" id="https://prepdig.com/arizona/rankings/2029-rankings/">Updated 2029 AZ Rankings</a>    Joelle makes a jump from just outside the top 10, all the way up to 3 in this latest update. What makes her standout and helped in her rise to the top 3 is just how dominate she is at the net with her defense. It really doesn't matter who is next to her as she takes up so much space and is just that dominate of a physical presence at the net that other teams just cant get around her. She gets her hands well above and over the net and makes life extremely difficult for opposing teams pins as her footwork pin to pin is also elite and fast.   On the other side her offensive game might be even better, as she hits well each and every tournament we see her at. She is beating almost all the 1 on 1 blocks she sees and can do so from a number of positions along the front line. She is capable of running in front and behind the setter and can terminate all types of sets. She is fast and swings with a powerful arm that can tool a block just as easy as she can go through it.   Watching Joelle play it is easy to see why she is the number 1 middle in this class, she is a force on both sides of the ball and is only to get better as she gets older. She is easily one of the best players in the class and got a well deserved jump in our latest update.     Emma makes the jump from 10th to 6th in our latest update and although that may not seem like a big jump to all of you out there, to move up 4 spots in the top 10 in massive! What immediately stands out is her arm speed and ability to elevate in transition, allowing her to score even against organized blocks. She is not just a power attacker, though, as she shows developing shot placement and the ability to adjust swings mid-air to keep defenses off balance.   What also stands out is her six-rotation value, as she contributes heavily in serve receive, defense, and transition play while still carrying a major offensive load. She competes with confidence, plays with high energy, and consistently impacts momentum with aggressive serving and relentless effort.   For such a young player, her overall feel for the game, composure, and long-term upside make her a player worth watching and one that is going to continue to rise up leaderboards with her play.     Kendall makes one of the biggest jumps for any player, and especially for the libero position by jumping from 38 all the way to 23. Watching Kendall play you see a libero who has an extremely high IQ. She anticipates very well and moves with such ease you are impressed with how she doesn't seem panicked at all. Her footwork is top level which makes her platfrom always in a good position whether in defense or serve receive. Her technique is amazing and repeatable each play and opposing teams have to do their best to avoid her because if she even touches the ball, her team will be ins system.   Besides being able to play defense, cover well, and be a super loud presence she also has one of the biggest assets a libero can bring and that would be her hands and ability to run an offense from the libero position. She has very soft hands for a setter and that leads to her pin hitters being able to be in system even when the setter is taken out. It has helps her in serve receive as she is able to get great push on the ball when she needs to bail and use her hands.   A top level libero in this class and makes the jump all the way to libero #2. She has all the intangibles needed to be elite, and colleges will soon take notice of her rise in AZ.     Marilyn makes the climb up the rankings with her movement from 67th into the top 50 at 48th. Marilyn makes a big jump because of the fact she could be ranked in the top 50 for two different positions. She could be a 6 rotational outside hitter in the top 50 or if she was just a libero she would also be ranked inside the top 50 but the fact that she can do both really lead to this big jump. As a pin hitter she brings a strong court IQ to hit the open spot and use her speed to her advantage. She can run a quick offense and beat a bigger block by using her tool box to score points or beat them with a fast set.   Her biggest asset besides the versatility is her ability to pass and play defense to a high level. She overall can pass and play defense all 6 rotations and when she is playing a pin, it is basically like having 2 liberos on the floor at the same time. In serve receive, she shows calm platform control and confidence under pressure, while defensively she covers a large amount of court with strong instincts and quick reactions. Her serve adds another layer to her game, consistently creating pressure and forcing opponents out of system.   With her combination of athletic upside, six-rotation ability, and competitive mindset, she has all the tools to become one of the top players in her class as she continues to develop. We would expect to see another rise in our next update at the rate she is going as well!     Marcella is slowing getting on all our radars here at Prepdig, and she makes the leap from 75th to 51st in this latest rankings. Marcella is a setter who is super athletic and plays way bigger over her 5'7 listed height. She is someone who can play all the way around as a 5-1 setter or provide some offensive value in a 6-2 or even as a front row setter. Her ability to be a physical force at the net as a setter is what really stands out in her ability to jump in the rankings.   Another value is she also has soft hands and is able to run a fast offense regardless of pass location. She is capable of running the middle in front and behind her and is great at taking what a defense gives her in terms of match ups with their blockers. She has the court awareness to set her team up to be the most successful when they are in system. Lastly she also adds value behind the service line with an aggressive serve that can create pressure and disrupt opposing offenses.   Overall, Marcella brings a combination of leadership, consistency, and high-level decision making that gives her the ability to impact every aspect of a match from the setter position. Her rise is not unexpected if you watched her play this season!     Talk about a massive leap... Maja as she wasn't even ranked in our first update but is now inside the rankings and all the way up to 52nd. A middle who is really blossoming this season with more and more rep that has caused this exponential climb. When you watch her play you see a lot of potential on top of skill. Her offensive game is really coming together with the ability to run fast and quicker sets during rallies both in front and behind the setter. More impressively is she can take a one on one and win a ton of those match ups but also holds her own in double block situations and will take a off speed shot when it is required.   Defense is where he biggest asset lies as she is already showing advanced footwork patterns along the net and does an impressive job reading setters and attackers for her age group. Her ability to close blocks consistently and take away angles makes her a disruptive presence defensively, while her length allows her to affect plays even when she is slightly late getting to the pin.   Maja is a riser because what separates her from many players in the 2029 class is the overall ceiling she possesses. The physical tools are there, but the feel for the game and willingness to improve stand out equally as much and demonstrates and supports her massive jump!     Another Mountain View middle, we have Kennedy making the rise from 81st all the way up to 57th this go around! Kennedy is a dynamic middle blocker who can do a lot with both her offensive and defensive game. One reason she made a jump this go around is the constant improvement in her offensive game throughout this season. She is a force at the net and rarely gets slowed down by a 1 person block. She is smart enough to hit her angles around a block and has a powerful arm swing to beat the libero/right back when the time calls for it. She can do it from all locations that a middle needs, and tends to score at a very high clip during game play.   Her defense is also vastly improving and that has to do with her footwork and speed getting better as she is getting more reps. Most importantly her ability to read hitters, stay balanced laterally, and press over the net consistently makes her a difficult matchup for opposing offenses. She covers ground well for a middle and shows the mobility needed to defend both pins without losing discipline in transition. Even against faster offenses, she stays composed and rarely looks overwhelmed by the pace of play.   Kennedy already possesses many of the foundational tools coaches look for in elite middle blockers, and the technical growth is continuing to trend upward. When you see the foundation and potential on top of what she can already do, it makes it an easy choice to move her up the rankings.     Last on our rankings riser list we have Isabella who goes from the unranked category all the way up to 58th in this most recent list. Isabella is playing up this season, 2 ages groups above where she would normally play and you wouldn't know based on watching her that she is that much younger. She plays fast and is very technically sound as a libero for her age. She has great footwork and is able to get to her defensive position and cover and back with ease each and every play. Her form is simple but precise and she is able to pass perfect balls almost every single time she touches it in defense.   On the serve receive side she is an excellent communicator who can organize a back row and take charge when needed. She is very capable of taking a lot of ground in serve receive and can pass balls from outside her platform and on target with perfection each and every time. She is most importantly a steady and reliable presence in serve receive, consistently delivering accurate passes that allow the offense to stay in system.   Her relentless motor, defensive instincts, and ability to stabilize serve receive make her a player every team can rely on in pressure moments. Watching her play it is easy to see why she took a big rise into the rankings.    We are so proud of the way AZ has competed this season, and know you guys aren't done yet!   As always, send us your schedules and be sure to follow us on Instagram!   @PrepDigArizona, @CoachMarissaMorah, and @PrepDigAnthony.

Yesterday we posted our 2029 rankings update list. Over at PrepdigAZ we put a lot of time and effort into the rankings and saw a lot of 2029 players live and on film over the course of the last 3 months. We had a total of 33 girls move up this latest update which is over 1/4 of the class which demonstrates how well these athletes are doing in their development!