Claire gained valuable experience for the Wolverines last season as a freshman, finishing fifth on the team with 92 kills in 94 sets. Bentonville West brings back some top talent, but don’t be surprised if several sophomores play important roles this fall. Hammond is one of those young players who already has a full varsity season under her belt.

Last season, Claire stepped in at middle, giving her a lot of experience working at the net against 6A competition. This season, she should get the opportunity to move to the right side and play alongside her older sister, Noelle Hammond Noelle Hammond 5'9" | OH/RS Bentonville West | 2027 State AR , who returns after a hand injury limited her to just 37 sets last year. With Noelle in the middle and Claire on the right, that’s a pretty powerful block for opposing hitters to deal with.

The younger Hammond should provide plenty of offense as well. She has good size, a strong arm, and already understands what it takes to compete at the varsity level. That freshman experience should allow her to play with a lot more confidence this season. Bentonville West has an impressive group of young players coming up, and Hammond has all the tools to be a big part of that group for the next three years.