250s Highlight Player Improvement Across Midwest

I am extremely lucky to be in the position where I can watch volleyball across the Midwest. I don’t have any regulations on when I can go out and watch volleyball like Division 1 schools have now, I get to share the stories of athletes across plenty of states, and I also get to see the growth and improvement athletes are able to show along their volleyball journey. This will be my fourth club season covering club volleyball in Wisconsin and third in Iowa. I get to see athletes from all over and for some of them, I saw them as 15s who are now at their 17s and 18s, showing that hard work definitely pays off. With our Top 250 Events in Nebraska and Wisconsin, I have gotten the chance to see athletes improve year over year, and I am so happy to share their progress. <img class=" wp-image-117027 aligncenter" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2020/11/Claire-Ammeraal-2.jpg" alt="" width="387" height="258" /> [player_tooltip player_id="81258" first="Claire" last="Ammeraal"] - Madison LaFollette (WI) - Capital Volleyball Academy Class of 2022 - S Ammeraal first jumped on to the scene at our first ever Top 250 in Wisconsin December of 2018 as a Freshman. She was very skilled, an all around player, and could hang with the top athletes. Now, she has just turned her game to another level. Ammeraal is a tad under six feet tall, left handed, and is such a physical presence at the net. She can jump to turn and swing, provides a big block on the right side, and is commanding the court. <img class=" wp-image-117039 aligncenter" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2020/11/Emma-Johnson-1-300x203.jpg" alt="" width="423" height="286" /> [player_tooltip player_id="81273" first="Emma" last="Johnson"] - Luxemburg-Casco (WI) - FC Elite Class of 2022 - S Two years ago, no idea who [player_tooltip player_id="81273" first="Emma" last="Johnson"] was. Even last year Johnson was just coming on to the club scene and was a serving substitute for Luxemburg-Casco’s state championships squad in 2019. This year? 1st Team All State and back to back state champion. Johnson commands the court where she can hit all the tempos, go from pin to pin, and always gets her hands to the ball. She anticipates angles extremely well from her passers and is able to get her middles involved anywhere on the court. She has also really looked for ways to be offensive at the net when the opportunity presents itself and is incredibly efficient. [caption id="attachment_30420" align="aligncenter" width="293"]<img class="size-medium wp-image-30420" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2018/12/Ella-Caffery-2022-e1566400613102-293x300.jpg" alt="" width="293" height="300" /> [player_tooltip player_id="79247" first="Ella" last="Caffery"] from 2018[/caption] [caption id="attachment_118936" align="aligncenter" width="374"]<img class=" wp-image-118936" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2020/12/Ella-Caffery.jpg" alt="" width="374" height="249" /> Caffery from 2020[/caption] [player_tooltip player_id="79247" first="Ella" last="Caffery"] - Wilton (IA) - Iowa Select Class of 2022 - S The first time I saw Caffery play was at first ever Prep Dig Event which was the Prep Dig Nebraska Top 250 Expo in 2018. A freshman setter, she had great hands, moved well across the court, and you could see the foundation was there to be an elite player. Fast forward two years and two state tournaments later with a final four appearance this past season and she is one of Iowa’s top setters in the Class of 2022. She’s a multisport athlete, can be used as an attacker, and this past season was a solid combo with another soaring 2022 in [player_tooltip player_id="79266" first="Carly" last="Puffer"] who was also at the event this past Sunday. She has such a calm demeanor and she’s a winner, she knows how to get it done and finds a way to make others around her, better. [caption id="attachment_118914" align="aligncenter" width="365"]<img class=" wp-image-118914" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2020/12/Brianna-Lemke.jpg" alt="" width="365" height="243" /> [player_tooltip player_id="58792" first="Brianna" last="Lemke"], 2022, OH, Mead.[/caption] [player_tooltip player_id="58792" first="Brianna" last="Lemke"] - Mead (NE) - Nebraska One Class of 2022 - OH/Pin Lemke was another “OG” to our Top 250 Event in Nebraska her Freshman year. She walks in this past weekend and she is long, athletic, and solid all the way around. A quiet demeanor, but a huge upside to her game, Lemke has proven she can score points and also provide a solid first contact as well. <img class=" wp-image-117034 aligncenter" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2020/11/Ella-Buddenhagen-2.jpg" alt="" width="371" height="247" /> [player_tooltip player_id="57288" first="Ella" last="Buddenhagen"] - Kimberly (WI) - Milwaukee Sting Class of 2022 - OH Buddenhagen has continued to get better each time she steps on the court. She has earned everything in the volleyball world with her work ethic and dedication to becoming the best athlete possible. This past fall, she was a major contributor to Kimberly’s fall league team as they will be competing in the alternate fall season this spring. She is jumping higher, hitting harder, and is definitely the type to step in and be a leader. This season, she will be playing for Milwaukee Sting and has a chance to score plenty of points as well as improve on her all around game which has made major improvements since her 15s year. <img class=" wp-image-118945 aligncenter" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2020/12/Evan-Glade.jpg" alt="" width="374" height="249" /> [player_tooltip player_id="59200" first="Evan" last="Glade"] - Grand Island CC (NE) - Nebraska Juniors Class of 2022 - OH Glade definitely stood out as a Freshman at the 2019 Prep Dig Nebraska 250 where she was one of the top jumpers in the gym. Fast forward to this past weekend and she can still flat out fly, but she’s adding physicality to her game where she is now a violent attacker. She also has some great intangibles in her favor. Seeing her play on the same court as [player_tooltip player_id="79667" first="Claudia" last="Aschenbrenner"] was a solid combo with Aschenbrenner just coming off a state title in Iowa and is one of the top middles in the Class of 2023 in Iowa. Their body language and how they interact with teammates are what coaches will want as part of their culture at the next level. <img class=" wp-image-117016 aligncenter" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2020/11/Bella-Van-Lannen-2-200x300.jpg" alt="" width="275" height="413" /> [player_tooltip player_id="81269" first="Bella" last="Van Lannen"] - Appleton North (WI) - FC Elite Class of 2022 - RS Seeing Van Lannen in her 15s year, there was potential there. She is long, around six feet tall, but where would her position be? Outside? Middle? Right side? She’s done a little bit of everything. Sometimes it takes playing a little bit of each position to figure out what the best spot is and she can also step in a do anything her team needs from her. Seeing her this fall and again at the Wisconsin Top 250, she showed that she can score a ton of points from the right side. Highly efficient, she knows how to hit a variety of angles and she knows the right side well, it’s not a position she is playing by default. A right side that can score points can really open up the offense. She is finding her groove and her best volleyball is still ahead of her. [caption id="attachment_118920" align="aligncenter" width="353"]<img class=" wp-image-118920" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2020/12/Cassie-Sieling.jpg" alt="" width="353" height="235" /> [player_tooltip player_id="72796" first="Cassie" last="Sieling"][/caption] [caption id="attachment_118939" align="aligncenter" width="351"]<img class=" wp-image-118939" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2020/12/Ellie-Sieling.jpg" alt="" width="351" height="234" /> [player_tooltip player_id="31609" first="Ellie" last="Sieling"][/caption] [player_tooltip player_id="72796" first="Cassie" last="Sieling"] - Bloomington Jefferson (MN) - Vital Volleyball Class of 2022 - RS [player_tooltip player_id="31609" first="Ellie" last="Sieling"] - Bloomington Jefferson (MN) - Vital Volleyball Class of 2022 - OH The Sieling Twins, these two have been playing in sand tournaments across the Midwest and have been a duo that has been so fun to watch the progress the past couple of years. I first saw these athletes play at the Northern Lights Qualifier for Vital where they just were always competing. Between their body language and their gritty intangibles, their love for the game and competitive edge is obvious which makes them very similar, however, their games couldn’t be more different. Cassie is an electric lefty right side where Ella is the crafty pin on the outside. With their beach background, they know how to make plays happen and keep the ball alive. Fun athletes to watch on the court!