Minnesota Small Town Super Team

In Minnesota, the metro area is so deep with volleyball talent. There are athletes on the bench of some of the top teams in the state who would still be able to play college volleyball somewhere. In just over a month the small schools will take the stage in the cities when they take the court for the state tournament at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. We’re going to zoom the lens in a little bit and take a look at the top ten small school players who could make quite the super team. The scenario of this article is who would be a great fit on a club team which usually takes ten players. I’m taking a risk here in not taking a true libero because by how I see it, Morgan Kockelman of Minneota could step in and be a libero as well as Molly Schultz of Rockford. Rockford is on the edge of small school territory being a AA school with 500 kids, but in comparison to some of the big metro schools I can still put her among the small school athletes. The Pins Madison Guetter - Wabasso - Senior Committed To Augustana A true six rotation outside who can score with an electric arm and really get up to make contact on the ball. A nice shot selection, Guetter has had great success at SWMNVB on the club scene and will continue to push Wabasso deep into the postseason. Jamie Guptill - Rush City - Senior Committed to Concordia-St. Paul Such an athlete, Guptill could play any position in the front row. I’d love to see her swing away from one of the pins or be running a quick behind the setter. If she goes on the right side, you can still use a one foot approach and put up a major block. No matter where you put Guptill she is going to find ways to help the team. Claudia Stahlke - Mayer Lutheran - Junior Uncommitted Stahlke is much like Guptill where she can provide a lot of firepower. A middle blocker for Mayer Lutheran, Stahlke is 6’2 with a high reach and lots of athleticism. She will be on the radar of plenty of college coaches this winter. I’d love to see some swings on the pin and I know she would put up a wall if you matched her up against a top outside. Abigail McGlynn - Stephen Argyle - Senior Uncommitted McGlynn is provides a lot of firepower from all six rotations. Her arm swing is dangerous and when she is able to take a full approach she is able to put a lot of velocity on her swing. Players like McGlynn who can score from the front and backrow are so important. Even if she isn’t in the playing rotation you could still use her as a sub for a quick kill or a swing in the backrow to break up a rally by the opposing team. The Middles Olivia Tjernagel - Mayer Lutheran - Junior Committed To Northern Iowa So smooth, her footwork, the way she can move laterally along the net looks so natural, once planted she is blocking high and strong. A natural athlete, Tjernagel will fit in so well for Coach Bobbi Peterson at Northern Iowa where they have always had a tradition of strong middle blockers (and winning too). Tjernagel will only get better from here on out and the progress she’ll make will be fun to see along the way. Lauren Sussner - Minneota - Senior Uncommitted Sussner is the gritty, scrappy, and crafty 5’10 middle who just finds a way to score points for her team. The connection she has with setter, Morgan Kockelman is really tough to match. These two, and the rest of the Minneota team are building themselves quite a season winning the Class A Showcase and finishing 5th in the highly competitive Southwest Minnesota Challenge defeating some big schools in the meantime. Piper Asche - MACCRAY - Senior Committed To Augustana Love the style of play from Asche. She is strong, physical and is so dominant really bringing a heavy swing, smart shots and a variety of ways to score points. A high motor athlete, she’ll always give you an all out effort for the good of the team. MACCRAY was really close to beating some top teams at the Showcase a couple weeks ago and has some pieces in place to do some damage the last month of the season. The Setters Morgan Kockelman - Minneota - Senior Uncommitted Kockelman has such a smooth release and sets the middles extremely well. Kockelman and Sussner have been quite the setter/middle connection. The defensive game of Kockelman is also one to note with her ability to be stopped on contact and put a hard driven ball in play to keep the offense going. Jenna Frank - Wabasso - Senior Uncommitted Extremely athletic and quick, Frank and Guetter make a great setter/outside combo. She can jump set well, play defense and put up a big block. Wabasso has a team of athletes who can adapt, which is so important playing at a high level. She is definitely one who needs to be on the radar for top available Seniors. Libero Molly Schultz - Rockford - Junior Committed To Kansas Schultz is just a really strong all around player who can set, swing, and play defense. She reads the game well, strong IQ, and finds a way to help her team. She has a certain craft to her game which allows her to just be effective. Liberos need to communicate, talk, and anticipate which Schultz does a great job with.