S.A Up Next Middles

<p>We had a fun and full house at the Up Next Showcase last weekend for the classes of 2031-2033. With lots of talent and high energy for 2 straight hours, the gym was electric in San Antonio. Good play created by good players, gave Prep Dig much to notate about these players growing abilities in the game of volleyball, and today it's all about the middles. A hard position to teach for most coaches and it takes some true grit to commit to the job as an athlete, and these girls are not backing down from the challenge. Here are middle blockers spotted at the Up Next Showcase in San Antonio.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Setters of 2031 </h2>   <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li><a href="https://prepdig.com/?p=1019985">https://prepdig.com/2026/08/s-a-up-next-setters/↗</a></li> </ul>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Middles to See</h2>    <p class="text-gray-700">Shiyla Miller, a 2031 middle/right side for San Antonio Juniors brought a quick swing, great power, and good footwork to the court at the Up Next Showcase in San Antonio this past weekend. Her ability to connect with the ball quick and hard on a fast tempo ball, set her apart early in position drills. Throwing her feet to the ball and elevating above the net with a strong swing that put the ball down efficiently is a great key to her game. As she continues to develop her game, her ability to run a quick tempo and deliver at the net will no doubt be strong components for her play at the next level.</p>     <p class="text-gray-700">Alanie Villa, a 2031 middle/right side from Alamo Volleyball, brought impressive and explosive play to the court at the Up Next Showcase this past weekend in San Antonio. Noticed early for her strength and aggressive approach during position drills, Alanie is consistent and unafraid to attack every play. Her footwork and athleticism show great signs of a developing offensive threat at the net. She moves well, swings big, and will undoubtedly be able to score at will as she progresses in this game. </p>     <p class="text-gray-700">Monica Heard, a 6 foot tall, middle blocker for ME Volleyball Academy, came in swinging last weekend at Up Next San Antonio. With a bring reach and a quick snap, Heard had zero problem putting the ball down with efficiency. She found her timing early off the toss and connected well with new setters to keep her swinging to kill during live play. As she develops quicker footwork and transition to pair with her strong swing and size at the net, she will be something to look out for. Being a 2031 grad, she has the time and work ethic to be a dominating middle in years to come. </p>     <p class="text-gray-700">Olivia Smith, a diverse and athletic middle blocker from the class of 2031. Set to play for Cornerstone Christian this school season, she came in to the gym with all the energy, effort, and IQ. Showing off her athleticism and footwork, she captured attention early. Doing well to not only swing hard, but being intentional with her transition footwork to make herself available offensively as much as possible. Olivia does well on the court, has good size for the game, and paired with an impressive vertical, she is ready to take on this season as a middle blocker. </p>     <p class="text-gray-700">Matea Maduagwu, talk about hang time at the net! A 2031 middle blocker for Alamo Volleyball definitely has the athletic ability for this game. It took a little bit of trial and error to find timing for such a big jump, but once the connection was made, Matea was aggressive and strong in her approach on the ball. Taking the time to communicate and adjust quickly, shed light on her ability to adapt as a teammate, in turn highlighting her intent to do well at her job in the middle. Her natural athleticism and drive to connect with setters will continue to be a big piece of her development as an up and coming player.</p>

We had a fun and full house at the Up Next Showcase last weekend for the classes of 2031-2033. With lots of talent and high energy for 2 straight hours, the gym was electric in San Antonio. Good play created by good players, gave Prep Dig much to notate about these players growing abilities in the game of volleyball, and today it's all about the middles. A hard position to teach for most coaches and it takes some true grit to commit to the job as an athlete, and these girls are not backing down from the challenge. Here are middle blockers spotted at the Up Next Showcase in San Antonio.