Young Talent Playing a Big Role in Minnesota’s State Run

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em><a href="https://prepdig.com/subscribe/"><strong>More than 150 college coaches shared this article.</strong> <strong>Join PrepDig and get 30% off with code "digdakotas30."</strong></a></em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em><a href="https://www.instagram.com/prepdigdakotas/?hl=en">Follow on Instagram @prepdigdakota.</a></em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>And the state tournament is on in Minnesota. I can't forget the impact some younger players have made for their teams' success, either. Sophomores have been thrust into major roles this fall. They were there to help their teams chase a state championship seat when the postseason started.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Some of these players are playing in their first state tournament, while others have stepped up in games where every point matters. Now they'll face some of Minnesota's toughest teams, and I have faith in how they'll respond. Here are a few young players who have gotten a little more attention with the start of the state tournament.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["997191"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6af4d55e4f5c6"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">A sophomore setter in Class 4A has to have a ton of confidence to have 414 assists. The [program_tooltip program_id='430430' first='Lakeville' last='South'] offense is run by [player_tooltip player_id='997191' first='Amy' last='Utecht'], who has a calm, composed demeanor and never gets worked up when a pass doesn't hit on film. College coaches in attendance today will see Utecht consistently finding set targets out of system, keeping her hitters aggressive even in bad-pass scrambles. <strong><em>~Theresa@prepdigdakotas</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["945330"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6af4d55e4f603"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">And [player_tooltip player_id='945330' first='Carolyn' last='Wagner'] is no young pin if she plays. When Wagner faces heavy state-level blocks, she doesn't try to bounce everything inside the ten-foot line, but rather, she relies on touch and sharp angles, wiping block hands, tipping into empty seams, and painting deep Zone 5 corners. Her ability to score at a young age makes her an interesting prospect for college coaches to watch this week. <strong><em>~Theresa@prepdigdakotas</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1063803"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6af4d55e4f626"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">I love [player_tooltip player_id='1063803' first='Bella' last='Seibert']'s speed to jump back into the offense after she goes up for a block. Even after she lands, she immediately opens her hips and starts moving away from the net to create space to hit again. For college coaches evaluating young pins, her transition work is worth paying attention to. Her ability to stay involved in the offense after her first hit is something I would put on a recruiting list. <strong><em>~Theresa@prepdigdakotas</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1063804"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6af4d55e4f646"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1063804' first='Zoey' last='Foster']</strong> begins her split-step at the set-time when the opposing team's setter releases the ball. Her center of gravity lowers, but her knees are not locked. She plays in the Zone 6/5 seam and reads the hitter's core rotation rather than tracking the ball. With a hard-driven pace coming directly at her chest, she doesn't utilize her arm for the swing. Instead, she stays fixed at a platform angle through contact. As a result, she can pop the high-arcing ball inside the 3-foot target zone of her setter. <strong><em>~Theresa@prepdigdakotas</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["939371"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6af4d55e4f673"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='939371' first='Madie' last='Gaedy'] is an outside hitter for [program_tooltip program_id='430430' first='Lakeville' last='South'] and is another option for them on the outside. Typically her pass isn't perfect and is pushed by her setter to the pin, so Madie uses her block well and is not trying to hit around it. Instead, she looks for high hands and can score off them when her opponents have time to set. I think her ability to swing at different angles and adapt her swing to the situation is something college coaches should look at during the state tournament. <strong><em>~Theresa@prepdigdakotas</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["742968"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6af4d55e4f691"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='742968' first='Hadley' last='Marti'] holds her setting posture through the last frame of contact with the ball. She holds her ground, forcing opposing middle hitters to freeze in place as she delivers the ball. Her pass transition work is compact and heads-up. Her back-sets are disguised well, and she uses a quick left-wrist flick to dump set to the pins when opposing middle hitters cheat to the pins early. <strong><em>~Theresa@prepdigdakotas</em></strong><br><br></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["918053"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6af4d55e4f6ac"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='918053' first='Katriel' last='Utecht'] attempts to cover a huge amount of serve-receive territory for a single passer in the main passing strategy. Her footwork is set before the server's toss. She “locks in” her elbows to absorb any amount of “drift” or “curve” in a floating serve and delivers a solid first touch to her team's blockers at the net. From the end line, Utecht uses a high, consistent toss to hit flat floating serves at the weak hip of the opponent's liberos, allowing for an easy free ball that her team quickly returns to start transitioning to score. <strong><em>~Theresa@prepdigdakotas</em></strong><br><br></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Thank you to all my readers for making this journey possible. My goal has always been simple: to shine a light on athletes at every level, from Division I to NAIA, and give them a platform to keep chasing their love for the game. 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