High-Energy SoCal UpNext Liberos

Use code Coachable247 for 30% off. Sub<a href="https://prepdig.com/subscribe" data-type="link" data-id="prepdig.com/subscribe">prepdig.com/subscribe</a>scribe to follow every setter building her game through the SoCal UpNext Showcase pipeline.   Some back row players win with quiet precision. Others win by making sure the entire gym can hear them, diving for every ball, talking through every rally, and refusing to let their team's energy dip even for a single point. The SoCal UpNext Showcase brought together a group of liberos and defensive specialists who lead with exactly that kind of presence, athletes whose hustle and voice are just as much a part of their game as their platform.    Autumn Francois has already earned a nickname for how much her team relies on her, the lifesaver, given to her by her own coaches for the way she covers, saves, and does whatever it takes when a match gets close. She digs hard-driven balls and keeps rallies alive, and she is sharpening her serve receive to make that impact even more consistent. Her energy motivates her entire team, and she shows up ready to win every single time she steps on the court. Outside of volleyball, she is completely obsessed with Dance Moms and has watched every season.   ~ Michelle Bamford @Coachable247     Brooklyn Nguyen treats every ball like it belongs to her. Her rule is simple, no dropped balls on her watch, and she has no hesitation crashing into a sideline to prove it. She is currently building her volleyball IQ and working on reading the ball earlier so she can move her feet into position instead of reaching for it at the last second. Her coaches and teammates call her a straight up dawg, someone who is going to compete for every single point. At home, she has a Golden Doodle named Tokyo with some attachment issues and a tortoise named Bob who somehow always finds his way back home after going missing.   ~ Michelle Bamford @Coachable247     Alyssa Kouyoumdjian plays defense like there is always another gear to find. She loves the position specifically because there is never a perfect way to do it, always something new to sharpen, and she is currently working on her out-of-system setting to round out her game. She brings a knowledgeable, energetic presence to the court, loud and motivating in a way that lifts everyone around her. Outside of volleyball, she loves camping and offroading in quads, RZRs, and dirt bikes, chasing the same adrenaline outdoors that she brings to the back row.   ~ Michelle Bamford @Coachable247     Mikayla Correia finds her control in the serve, the one moment in a rally that starts entirely in her hands. She plays loud, focused, and hardworking, and her coaches describe her as determined and encouraging, while her teammates call her fun, supportive, and reliable. That combination of intensity and warmth makes her the kind of teammate other players want next to them in a tight match. She has earned Principal's Honor Roll every year since she started school, a consistency that mirrors how she shows up on the court.   ~ Michelle Bamford @Coachable247     Sofia Kiel Pasigpasigan finds her identity in the toughest moments a defense faces, digging a hard-driven hit or passing a difficult serve clean. She is locked in on dialing in both her passing and her serving, refining two skills that work together to keep her team in system. She plays with a vocal, positive presence that keeps energy high across an entire match, and her coaches and teammates describe her as uplifting and encouraging. Outside of volleyball, she bakes and creates art, finding a quieter kind of focus away from the court.   ~ Michelle Bamford @Coachable247     Ava Vidueira chases every ball like it is the only one that matters. She dives for anything within reach and is currently sharpening her serve receive so her passes consistently hit the target instead of drifting off course. Her energy shows up constantly, cheering her teammates on whether she is on the court or watching from the sideline. Away from volleyball, she plays classical piano and has won a piano competition, a discipline that likely feeds the same focus she brings to reading a tough serve.   ~ Michelle Bamford @Coachable247     Dalin Reyes wants to be seen for the way she plays the game, all over the court, starting plays, and giving her team a chance to succeed. Passing and defense are where she feels most alive, and she is currently sharpening her serve receive so she can start more plays with consistency. Her coaches and teammates describe her as communicative, scrappy, and cooperative, a hustler who brings the same energy to every rep. Outside of volleyball, she loves crafting and art and has been a member of her church choir since she was eight years old.   ~ Michelle Bamford @Coachable247    <h2 class="wp-block-heading">If You Enjoyed This Article, Help Us Keep the Momentum Going</h2>   <h3 class="wp-block-heading">🔥 Athletes</h3>   Hustle is not just effort, it is a habit, and the liberos and defensive specialists featured here are proof that showing up ready to talk, dive, and compete on every single point gets noticed. PrepDig gives you three ways to build on that identity: showcases like UpNext put you in front of real evaluators outside of regular season play, our social media turns performances like these into content coaches and clubs actually see, and our articles start building your name around the habits that matter most in the back row.   <h3 class="wp-block-heading">📣 Club Coaches & Directors</h3>   Energy and communication are two of the hardest things to coach, and the athletes featured here show what it looks like when those habits are already part of how a player competes. Showcases like UpNext give your defensive players a chance to be evaluated specifically for those habits, outside of pool play pressure. PrepDig works as an extension of your program at every position, whether that means getting your back row athletes seen or building recognition for the players who make everyone else's job easier on the court. Keep your club updated with the <a href="https://prepdig.com/california/clubs/club-programs/">California Club Program Database</a> and stay connected to every opportunity we create for exposure.   <h3 class="wp-block-heading">🎯 College Coaches</h3>   This group represents young liberos and defensive specialists whose energy, communication, and hustle already stand out at the middle school level. PrepDig exists to make long-range evaluation easier, combining live scouted events, consistent coverage, and detailed athlete profiles so you can start tracking the defenders who bring an entire gym to life, long before they reach your radar the traditional way. <a href="https://prepdig.com/college-subscribe/">Use a Premium College Subscription</a> to start building a book on this class as their games continue to evolve.   <h3 class="wp-block-heading">🙏 Parents & Supporters</h3>   A libero's energy can change the entire feel of a match, and the athletes featured here show how much hustle, communication, and heart add to a team beyond what shows up in a stat line. PrepDig helps you understand that value through events that put her in front of real evaluators and articles that tell her story as a competitor who brings the whole gym to life.   🚀 <a href="https://prepdig.com/my-account/subscriptions/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Upgrade to a PrepDig+ Subscription</a> Access exclusive rankings, deeper analysis, and the full Prospect Index to follow every athlete's journey.   <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><a href="https://prepdig.com/events" data-type="link" data-id="prepdig.com/events">Need More Exposure? Attend a PrepDig Showcase</a></h2>   Use Code: MichelleBamford10 for $10 off on all Showcases   Our showcases are designed for athletes who want to take ownership of their recruiting journey and better understand how visibility, evaluation, and opportunity work together. These events offer more than competition. They provide athletes with a chance to learn how exposure works, compete in front of evaluators, build confidence, and gain valuable insight into what coaches are looking for at each stage of development.   Whether your goal is to improve communication, showcase your skills, earn recognition, receive meaningful evaluation, or simply learn how to stand out in a competitive environment, each showcase is built to help athletes grow both on and off the court. If you're ready to invest in your development, tell your story, and put yourself on the radar, <a href="https://prepdig.com/all-events/?type=Showcase" id="https://prepdig.com/all-events/?type=Showcase">registration is open</a>.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2026/09/image_44584c.png?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-1039891" style="aspect-ratio:1.1790813549386594;width:600px;height:auto"/></figure>   Thank you for making today's wins matter — one article, one player, one memory at a time.   ~ Michelle Bamford @Coachable247

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