Back Row Players Already Earning Coaches’ Trust

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em><a href="https://prepdig.com/subscribe/"><strong>More than 150 college coaches shared this article.</strong>&nbsp;<strong>Join PrepDig with 30% off using code "digdakotas30."</strong></a></em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em><a href="https://www.instagram.com/prepdigdakotas/?hl=en">Follow on Instagram@prepdigdakota</a></em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It's easy to spot the player who finishes a rally with a big kill. What isn't always obvious is which player made that point possible. I've watched these athletes all season, and one thing they all have in common is trust. Their teammates trust them to manage first contact, their setters trust them to keep the offense in rhythm, and their coaches trust them when the match is on the line.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>What has been impressive is how much they have grown. They are reading hitters earlier, taking smarter angles, covering more court, and turning tough defensive plays into transition opportunities. Those are the little things that don't always show up in the box score, but they win games, and they're exactly why this group keeps earning its coaches' trust.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["772345"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a4dc0c905dd1"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">I kept looking at Raegan Randazzo even when the ball wasn't coming her way. One rally that stayed with me came after a hard-driven attack looked like it was going to the floor, but she chased it down, kept the ball in play, and seconds later, her team finished the point with a kill. Those plays that required extra effort gave her team opportunities they would not have had otherwise. <strong><em>~Theresa@prepdigdakotas</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["790081"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a4dc0c905e3a"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='790081' first='Blakely' last='Hogue'] brings a calmness to her game. There was one standout play on a tough serve that pushed her out of her body, but she kept her cool, squared up her platform, and sent a pass that allowed her setter to run the entire offense. Those are the little things that keep a team in the rhythm, and Blakely did that over and over again. <strong><em>~Theresa@prepdigdakotas</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["776106"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a4dc0c905e88"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Teagan Taylor played like she would make every ball sent her way count. I recall one sequence in a lengthy rally where she moved into a seam and took control of a hard-driven ball, then immediately followed up with another quality touch when the attack came right back at her. She was flying through the rally, and that confidence spread around the back row. <strong><em>~Theresa@prepdigdakotas</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["901613"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a4dc0c905ee7"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='901613' first='Kole' last='Riebe'] has a knack for making one more play when the rally looks like it's over. One defensive sequence saw her sprint into the corner to keep a ball alive and give her teammates time to regroup before turning the next swing into a point. Those hustle plays kept coming and really changed the energy on her side of the floor. <strong><em>~Theresa@prepdigdakotas</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["778569"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a4dc0c905f30"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Even when opponents tried to bring pressure on her, [player_tooltip player_id='778569' first='Kloe' last='Ackerman'] never seemed rattled. One rally that stood out to me was when she received a hard serve and then was attacked hard right back into her zone. She did a good job of handling both plays, using controlled contact to keep her team in sync. Her steady presence helped everyone around her feel more comfortable. <strong><em>~Theresa@prepdigdakotas</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["778394"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a4dc0c905f77"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Abigail Koelling had an edge that was very evident every time I saw her compete. One play had her diving for a dig that seemed impossible to get to, popping the ball up just enough so her teammates could reset and eventually win the rally. And that's how those plays of effort were part of her identity all season long. <strong><em>~Theresa@prepdigdakotas</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["789760"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a4dc0c905fbe"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Some players do the routine play. It seemed like [player_tooltip player_id='789760' first='Harper' last='Andal'], who had come up with the ones that shifted the momentum. One rally that really stood out was a short tip that looked like it was going to hit the floor, but she closed the space and kept the ball alive, then dug another hard-driven attack seconds later to give her team one more swing. It's these consecutive defensive plays that make the difference between good defenders and those who can completely change a game. <strong><em>~Theresa@prepdigdakotas</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Thank you to all my readers for making this journey possible. My goal has always been simple: to shine a light on athletes at every level, from Division I to NAIA, and give them a platform to keep chasing their love for the game. 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