Ella Hasner Reaches 1,000 Career Digs

<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Here's Who Else Is Giving Playoff Teams Stability in the Back Row</h3>   Digs get attention because they're easy to count.   Back-row evaluation isn't.   A libero can make a spectacular save and still struggle to run a serve-receive unit. Another defender may rarely hit the floor because she reads the play early enough that she doesn't need to.   That's why recruiting the position requires looking beyond the highlight.   I'm watching platform discipline, reading ability, communication, range, emotional consistency and whether first contact actually helps the offense.   Those traits tell us considerably more.    Hasner reached 1,000 career digs during Fellowship Christian's postseason run and was later named Area Defensive Player of the Year. Her coach has credited her consistency, leadership and foundational role in the team's success. That's a recruitment profile I like because the production and intangible evaluation point in the same direction.   The job of an elite back-row player isn't simply keeping the ball from touching the floor. It's delivering enough controlled contacts that the setter can still run offense. Hasner's leadership piece is equally important. Liberos see almost the entire court. They should be communicating seams, hitter tendencies, tips and adjustments before the rally forces someone else to recognize them. A defender who can combine reliable first contact with that level of organizational responsibility brings value on nearly every point. ~ Samantha Fitzgerald @BenchtoBeast_prepdigga     Anderson is one of the senior back-row pieces for a Richmond Hill group that advanced into postseason play. NFHS lists her in the libero/defensive-specialist role. For a senior libero, I'm looking for command. Does the back row look organized around her? Are seams clearly owned? Does she recognize when another passer is struggling and adjust the formation without creating more confusion?   Technically, senior defenders should also be past the stage of trying to make every dig look spectacular. The better skill is platform control. A hard-driven ball that reaches the setter's window is more valuable than an athletic save that simply extends the rally. Anderson's recruiting evaluation should center on whether her experience translates into that type of predictable first contact. That's what college offenses need from her position. ~ Samantha Fitzgerald @BenchtoBeast_prepdigga     Chesser gives North Cobb Christian a junior libero in a postseason lineup. Junior year is often when libero evaluation becomes especially useful because the technical base should be established enough to start separating reaction from anticipation. The best defenders don't simply move quickly, they move early.   For Chesser, the traits I want to see are how well she reads the hitter's shoulder, whether her starting depth changes appropriately with the block and how consistently she stays stopped at contact instead of drifting through the dig.   Serve receive is another important part of the evaluation. A college-caliber libero has to handle targeted pressure without allowing one difficult pass to change the next one. That short memory is both technical and mental. ~ Samantha Fitzgerald @BenchtoBeast_prepdigga     Starcher gives Trinity Christian an experienced defensive specialist in its senior class. Her recruiting value should be measured heavily through reliability. Defensive specialists may enter in shorter windows than six-rotation players, which means they don't always get several rallies to find rhythm.   That makes preparation an important intangible. Where is the server trying to go? Which hitter is front row? What does the block intend to take away? Where should the defender begin before the ball ever crosses the net? Senior defenders who process those questions quickly can make an immediate difference without needing the offense built around them. That's an underrated college skill. ~ Samantha Fitzgerald @BenchtoBeast_prepdigga     McLaughlin is Denmark's senior libero as the Danes work through the state bracket. The word I associate most with good senior libero play is ownership. That includes difficult balls, but it also includes communication when nobody touches the ball at all, thatis one of Gabby's real strenghts.   A libero who recognizes a seam problem before it produces an ace saves points without receiving a statistic for it. For recruiters, I want to see McLaughlin's command of serve receive, her movement behind the block and whether the quality of her contact allows Denmark to remain aggressive offensively. That's the distinction between digging and defending. One saves the rally. The other helps win it. ~ Samantha Fitzgerald @BenchtoBeast_prepdigga    The back row is where trust becomes visible.   Hasner has the production and leadership credentials to prove it. Anderson brings senior responsibility, Chesser is developing the reading skills that separate good defenders from reactive ones, Starcher's role demands immediate reliability and McLaughlin carries the organizational responsibility that comes with being a senior libero.   The best defenders don't just keep balls alive.   They make everyone else's job easier.   That's a recruiting trait worth considerably more than a dig total.   Follow Prep Dig Georgia for post-match evaluations, rankings coverage and continued reporting throughout the 2026 GHSA postseason.   Note to GA Athletes:   If you'd like to be considered for future coverage, please send me your high school season schedule and share a little bit about yourself so I can come support you and share your story. Let's keep building Georgia volleyball together! Fill out the "Cover My Game" Link in my bio @benchtobeast_prepdigga on IG.   <h3 class="wp-block-heading">If you enjoyed this article, show your support by following <a href="https://www.instagram.com/benchtobeast/">BenchtoBeast_prepdigga</a> for exclusive Georgia content, behind-the-scenes action, and a closer look at the volleyball community you love.</h3>   We're on a mission to spotlight talent, uplift families, and bring the volleyball community closer than ever! Huge shoutout to our amazing subscribers — you're the heartbeat of this movement. Thank you for your help growing the game, and making every moment unforgettable. The best is yet to come — let's get it!   <h4 class="wp-block-heading">This journey is created by the village—athletes, coaches, families, and subscribers.</h4>   Building bridges between hustle and opportunity — that's the power of this community!  ~ Samantha Fitzgerald @BenchtoBeast_prepdigga

Here's Who Else Is Giving Playoff Teams Stability in the Back Row

Digs get attention because they're easy to count.

Back-row evaluation isn't.

A libero can make a spectacular save and still struggle to run a serve-receive unit. Another defender may rarely hit the floor because she reads the play early enough that she doesn't need to.

That's why recruiting the position requires looking beyond the highlight.

I'm watching platform discipline, reading ability, communication, range, emotional consistency and whether first contact actually helps the offense.

Those traits tell us considerably more.

Ella Hasner

HEIGHT 5'4"

POS DS

CLASS 2027

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Ella Hasner

State: Georgia

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Alexa Anderson

POS DS/L

CLASS 2027

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Alexa Anderson

State: Georgia

School: Richmond Hill

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Ryan Chesser

DS/L

POS DS/L

CLASS 2028

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Ryan Chesser

State: Georgia

Club: Tsunami C141E Dani

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Highlights

Lanie Starcher

POS DS/L

CLASS 2027

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Lanie Starcher

State: Georgia

School: Trinity Christian-Sharpsburg

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Gabby McLaughlin

POS DS/L

CLASS 2027

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Gabby McLaughlin

State: Georgia

School: Denmark

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The back row is where trust becomes visible.

Hasner has the production and leadership credentials to prove it. Anderson brings senior responsibility, Chesser is developing the reading skills that separate good defenders from reactive ones, Starcher's role demands immediate reliability and McLaughlin carries the organizational responsibility that comes with being a senior libero.

The best defenders don't just keep balls alive.

They make everyone else's job easier.

That's a recruiting trait worth considerably more than a dig total.

Follow Prep Dig Georgia for post-match evaluations, rankings coverage and continued reporting throughout the 2026 GHSA postseason.

Note to GA Athletes:

If you'd like to be considered for future coverage, please send me your high school season schedule and share a little bit about yourself so I can come support you and share your story. Let's keep building Georgia volleyball together! Fill out the "Cover My Game" Link in my bio @benchtobeast_prepdigga on IG.

If you enjoyed this article, show your support by following BenchtoBeast_prepdigga for exclusive Georgia content, behind-the-scenes action, and a closer look at the volleyball community you love.

We're on a mission to spotlight talent, uplift families, and bring the volleyball community closer than ever! Huge shoutout to our amazing subscribers — you're the heartbeat of this movement. Thank you for your help growing the game, and making every moment unforgettable. The best is yet to come — let's get it!