Chi-Town Classic: 10 Must Know '27s and '28s

The 2027s and 2028s were out in full force at the Chi-Town Classic, and my notes app is full to bursting! Here are 10 must-know 2027s and 2028s who wowed me at the Chi-Town Classic.    Danika is one of those players who can make the toughest plays work, typically from sheer effort and grit. She is fearless and flying around the court. She set for [program_tooltip program_id='432009' first='Sky' last='High'] 16 Adidas Red, who were the tournament runner-ups. She was fun to watch throughout the tournament and caught my eye early on day 1. Her energy and leadership on the court were tough to match.     Kaydence could not be stopped this weekend. She took over matches with her blocking, stopping some of the best hitters at the tournament in their tracks. On offense, she was quick and smart with her swings, outpacing most opposing blockers. I would love to see what Kaydence's hitting efficiency was over the weekend, because she rarely made errors yet consistently terminated. Her discipline in her movement was the key to her success. She never missed a transition and was always available to her setter.     Sophie was an athlete who was a consistent right side for [program_tooltip program_id='432009' first='Sky' last='High'] Adidas 17 Onyx. She utilized every opportunity, terminating at a high efficiency and seeing open shots on the court. Her blocking was also notable. Sophie was a player who could be relied on consistently and who other teams struggled to defend against.     Adoniah was another right side who got the job done. She is a lefty who played all six rotations when I saw her and was locked in on every play. Adoniah was a highly competitive server who went on a massive serving run in the 3rd set on day 1 of the tournament. She was an offensive powerhouse for her team and a hitter her setters often found. This is a player to watch. As a lefty with the ability to play six rotations, good court awareness, and standing at 5'10", she is a force to be reckoned with.     Lydia was smart, savvy, and very good at defense. She read opposing blockers incredibly well and kept the ball moving quickly and efficiently. Lydia worked to give her hitters options and open blocks and was tough to read. She did a great job spreading the offense and including every offensive weapon on the court. Lydia was also a stellar defender. She was quick to react and had high-level ball control on tips and powerhouse swings.     Amelia improves everytime I see her play. And not just in her skills, but in her court awareness as well. At the Chi-Town Classic, she was covering so much court and seemed to have endless energy despite being on the court constantly. There was never a play where Amelia wasn't going all out for her team. She had some great plays in coverage and was disciplined in her movement. Her communication was also noticeable and a positive influence for her team.     Kylee was one of the most well-rounded pins in the 16s division. She was a player who could get the job done in the front and back row on both offense and defense. She made adjustments very well and mixed up her shots on nearly every swing. She was tough to read and put in huge hustle on the court.     Grace was a middle for Belusa United 18 Cyclones, playing up two age divisions. She showed amazing grit and discipline on her block, getting in the way of nearly every hitter she came up against. She had some fun and explosive stuff blocks but did a great job getting clean touches to slow down hits as well. Grace also made a name for herself on offense.     Vivian caught my eye because of her speed. She was always pushing the pace on her swings and was a fun middle to watch. Her setters would find her even when they were off the net a little bit because she made great adjustments. It seemed that everytime she was given a set, she knew what to do with it. Vivian also was a solid blocker and stopped a lot of balls coming back over the net.     Charlotte showed just how dynamic of a player she is. She was in the libero jersey on Saturday of the tournament and did a really solid job in left back. Her all-around play was noticeable and she put up clean out of system sets. On Sunday she was in a defensive specialist role and was incredibly impactful out of middle back. Charlotte played gritty defense from corner to corner and and even secured an ace on set point in the semifinals. Her mental toughness and consistency even while switching positions on the court was a huge asset for I AM in their 3rd place finish last weekend.

The 2027s and 2028s were out in full force at the Chi-Town Classic, and my notes app is full to bursting! Here are 10 must-know 2027s and 2028s who wowed me at the Chi-Town Classic.

Danika Sanchez

HEIGHT 5'4"

POS S

CLASS 2028

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Danika Sanchez

State: Wisconsin

School: Burlington

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Kaydence Johann

WI #48

MB/OH #7

HEIGHT 6'2"

POS MB/OH

CLASS 2028

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Kaydence Johann

State: Wisconsin

School: Pewaukee

Club: Milwaukee Sting Volleyball Club

Kaydence could not be stopped this weekend. She took over matches with her blocking, stopping some of the best hitters at the tournament in their tracks. On offense, she was quick and smart with her swings, outpacing most opposing blockers. I would love to see what Kaydence's hitting efficiency was over the weekend, because she rarely made errors yet consistently terminated. Her discipline in her movement was the key to her success. She never missed a transition and was always available to her setter.