Pin Hitters Who Lifted Their Teams at Katy United Pre-Nationals

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>There are only a few weeks left in the club volleyball season, which will come to an end at the start of July with the USA Volleyball Girls Junior National Championship in Indianapolis.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Between now and then, teams continue to compete all over the country, and Texas is no different. This past weekend, the&nbsp;<a href="https://prepdig.com/program/katy-united/"><strong>&nbsp;</strong></a><strong><a href="https://prepdig.com/program/katy-united/"><strong>[program_tooltip program_id='538544' first='Katy' last='United']</strong></a>&nbsp;</strong>&nbsp;Pre-Nationals tournament took place, and Prep Dig Texas was in attendance on Sunday, checking out teams in the 15s and 17s Divisions.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li><strong><a href="https://prepdig.com/2026/06/katy-united-pre-nationals-photos/"></a><a href="https://prepdig.com/program/katy-united/"></a><a href="https://prepdig.com/program/katy-united/"><strong>[program_tooltip program_id='538544' first='Katy' last='United']</strong></a>  Pre-Nationals - <a href="https://prepdig.com/2026/06/katy-united-pre-nationals-photos/">Photos</a></strong></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://www.instagram.com/p/DZTSHgyD3RG/","type":"rich","providerNameSlug":"instagram","responsive":true} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-instagram wp-block-embed-instagram"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://www.instagram.com/p/DZTSHgyD3RG/ </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It was a great opportunity to take a look at some teams from the Houston area who may have flown a little bit under the radar during the season, and we'll now share the standouts in each position. We finalize our event coverage with the pin hitters:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Cora Varnell","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2029","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"null","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"32564","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"Texas United","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a29cc45c9911"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Varnell played for the Texas United 15 Red team that won both its 15s Division matches at Sunday's event. Tall and athletic, she did very well offensively for them, scoring at a good rate from both pins. Varnell made the most of her length and was very aggressive with her swings, hitting the ball with nice power. She also had a reliable top spin jumpserve, which was always very accurate and consistently got opponents out of system.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:image {"id":993627,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2026/06/2J4A0149.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-993627" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Kimber Salinas","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2029","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'5u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"32564","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Clear Creek","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"Sporting Edge","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a29cc45c9a1a"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Salinas and her Sporting Edge - 15 Armour side had a win and two ties in their campaign in the 15s Division. She was her team's go-to scorer and did well in the role, showing quality and consistency to lead their offense. Despite not being very tall, Salinas got off the floor very well and had some serious firepower in her left arm, which she intelligently used to beat blockers and defenders. The outside hitter also shone on the back two, being very reliable with her passing and using her quick feet to get to free balls and to move on defense.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:image {"id":993617,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2026/06/2J4A0123.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-993617" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Bryanna Tuley","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2028","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'10u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"32564","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Liberty Hill","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"[program_tooltip program_id='994835' first='Country' last='Fire Volleyball']","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a29cc45c9af2"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Tuley was part of the Country Fire 16-1 team that topped the 17s Division with a pair of wins and a tie. A strong offensive player, she made the most of her length at the net, standing out for her decision-making and the very limited number of errors she made during the day. Tuley's offense was very diversified, as besides hitting many different shots from the pin, she also did well when hitting a quicker set in the middle, keeping opposing blockers on their toes. There was also a nice level of craftiness and creativity to her game, as she was capable of making unexpected plays, such as returning a free ball in the first contact into an open spot.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:image {"id":993599,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2026/06/2J4A0063.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-993599" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Mihika Nitin","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2028","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'6u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"32564","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Cinco Ranch","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"[program_tooltip program_id='538544' first='Katy' last='United']","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a29cc45c9bc4"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Nitin played for the [program_tooltip program_id='538544' first='Katy' last='United'] 16 Molten team that competed in the 17s Division, earning a win and two ties. She was the team's main scoring option, being frequently set both at the pin and the middle back position. Nitin showed a reliable and well-diversified offensive game, hitting into different directions and showing great vision to choose her shots and pick the locations of her tips. The outside hitter also appeared well on the back row, playing an active role in the team's passing system and coming up with impressive digs.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:image {"id":993586,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2026/06/2J4A0014.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-993586" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->