UpNext Athletes Make Statement At Wisconsin Freshman Showcase

The Prep Dig Freshman Showcase welcomed the UpNext Showcase which is designed for athletes who aren't quite entering high school yet.  There are a few athletes who popped up on the radar from the Class of 2031 who are on track to see some success in their 14s year of club.  They will have to wait another year to enter high school, but they proved they could hang with some older players in Cedarburg.     I wrote about [player_tooltip player_id='1009695' first='Hanlee' last='Kellerman'] in the All Showcase team because she was not only one of the top players when it comes to 8th grade on down, but she was one of the top overall players in the gym on Sunday. She was exciting from the middle, but she's the type of athlete who can play any position and find a way to be successful. She was running slides, quick tempos, and showed that she could block from pin to pin. She will play for I AM VBC and listed her high school as Living Word Lutheran who has produced some high level athletes.     Out of the Sheboygan area is [player_tooltip player_id='1006761' first='Annalin' last='Neeb'] who was a really solid pin at the showcase. At 5'9, she was able to reach high for her contact point where she could hit a variety of angles. I was able to see her succeed in the out of system attacking drills which can be a challenge for any level, let along someone who hasn't had a day of 8th grade. Her athleticism and physicality will be fun to watch develop over the next few years. She will feed into Sheboygan Christian who has put together a strong run of teams the last few years, including a state tournament appearance in 2024.     [player_tooltip player_id='878245' first='Amelia' last='Turriff'] was able to show plenty of promise as a setter during Sunday's showcase. She is well trained from her footwork to her hands. She sets a really clean ball with a smooth release, making it look like a beach ball for her attackers. Turriff also has a strong defensive and serving background where she is truly a defender before she becomes a setter. She will continue to be part of the [program_tooltip program_id='428591' first='FC' last='Elite'] national program where she will be with the 14s in 2027.     [player_tooltip player_id='875949' first='Harper' last='Granger'] was another soon to be 8th grader to take note of from the Freshman and UpNext Showcase Sunday in Cedarburg. She brings a heavy swing where she wasn't afraid to go after some big blocks, creating chaos for the other side of the net. She knew how to swing hard and high off the hands. She will be part of the [program_tooltip program_id='428591' first='FC' last='Elite'] 14s national program and will feed into Manitowoc Lincoln High School. She is still new to the outside hitter position after spending time in the middle. With an expanded all around game she will be a dangerous scorer in six rotations.     This is going to be a name to remember. When [player_tooltip player_id='1000709' first='Taylor' last='Fendrick'] walks on to the court, she has a command and presence where you know shes going to make an impact. She's lengthy and athletic where my notes had her taking a really aggressive approach with explosiveness. When it comes to her hand contact, she hits it square where it even sounds like she's hitting the ball with force. She has been part of Wisconsin Elite and will head to Muskego High School. She is an athlete who most likely would score the most on the outside, but just based on her versatility she could score from the right side as well as the backrow too.     I AM Volleyball is starting to develop quite the reputation when it comes to developing strong liberos. Each age group seems to have these athletes who have solid fundamentals and bring an IQ to the court. [player_tooltip player_id='874979' first='Stella' last='Walter'] was one of the liberos who stood out when it came to her serve receive and ability to take pace off the ball, her platform control was very mature for someone who is still in middle school. I know that I AM Volleyball soon to be 13s and 14s teams will be very strong for 2027.

The Prep Dig Freshman Showcase welcomed the UpNext Showcase which is designed for athletes who aren't quite entering high school yet. There are a few athletes who popped up on the radar from the Class of 2031 who are on track to see some success in their 14s year of club. They will have to wait another year to enter high school, but they proved they could hang with some older players in Cedarburg.