New Names On The Radar From Prep Dig Chi-Town Classic

What I enjoy about our Prep Dig Events is that opportunity to see a lot of new athletes compete that I have never seen before. They might standouts on their team, in their area, but always exciting to get new athletes on the radar. Here are ones that I had never seen play before that will be ones to watch heading into the summer as well as their high school seasons in 2023.   Grace Morrow - Belusa United 18 Cyclones   Belusa had a big time point scorer in Gabby Piazza, but one who kept the other side off balance was Grace Morrow. Morrow was a highly efficient, high IQ middle blocker where she was able to come up big in key moments in the Belusa United 17/18s championship. Setter Ava Valentin was able to find her on a quick where she could tip, throw, or find an open spot in the deep corner. She played her role extremely well and was the “X-Factor” in the Belusa big weekend! Morrow will stay close to home and play for North Park who qualified for the D3 national tournament in 2022.   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://x.com/PrepDigChris/status/1655242304490201088?s=20 </div></figure>   Nyah Mason - Underrated 18-1 VBC   Mason is committed as a setter to play at Rust College, an NAIA school in Mississippi. She is super gritty. Underrated was a very explosive team coming out of Vegas and was so fun to have them at this event. Mason was able to get her hands to the ball, even in a scramble situation and would find a way to get her attackers to swing away. She was also really savvy where she could find a way to score points herself when she could tell the defense was off balanced. Super impressive.   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://x.com/PrepDigChris/status/1655208735696928795?s=20 </div></figure>   Grace Taylor - Wisconsin Ice 17 National   Taylor is a Class of 2024 right side with a big left handed swing.  She came up with some big swings and blocks in key moments for Wisconsin Ice that propelled them to some key victories in their day one pool play, earning Top Performer. Taylor has the skill, but also the aggressive demeanor where she's not afraid to make the big play whether its a big swing, a tool off the block, or making the block herself.  A very dynamic athlete.    Caitlyn Madsen - Top Flight 17 Sigma   Madsen was key for her Top Flight team all weekend where I was able to see her contribute as a middle blocker, but also came up big on the service line. Madsen was able to rattle off big serving runs and then head back in as a middle to cause havoc in the front row where she was able to close the block while also finding creative ways to score points herself.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2023/05/DSC02438.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-392482"/></figure>   Justina Asamoa - Uno 17 National   The athleticism of Asamoa was unmatched, she has the physicality and length at the middle blocker position that has a crazy high upside! She was getting touches on the ball that I'm sure the offensive side thought no one was getting. I was even able to get some action shots of Asamoa blocking where her shoulders were above the net. There were some where she was able to thump on the ten footline as well. Even in the brief interaction with Asamoa taking her picture as a Top Performer, she was so thankful and gracious, a really great athlete and seems like a really amazing individual as well.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2023/05/DSC02429.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-392483"/></figure>   Iyonna Pike - Uno 17 National   Pike is an outside hitter for this Uno squad where she is a great leaper and so smooth from her approach to hand contact.  She can find the open spot from the pin where she can tip, throw, and swing away.  But looking at the Joliet West roster, they will have quite a senior class that will include Pike, Piazza, and Ava Grevengoed who committed to Northern Illinois and plays club for Michio.  Keep tabs on Pike and these athletes for the Illinois high school season this fall.    Raniyah Preston - Ignite 16 Elite   Ignite 16 Elite was dominant all weekend enroute to the 16s championship. They had plenty of attackers, solid ball control, and a great vibe in regards to their intangibles. Raniyah Preston was able to get her squad in system where she could get her hands on the ball and go from pin to pin. She has plenty of athleticism and physicality where she can push the ball from out of system to high and outside where all the attackers had to do is swing.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2023/05/DSC02382.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-392485"/></figure>   Kira Cailteaux - Club 1 16 White   What a scrappy libero! This Club 1 White squad competed! They were so fun to watch all weekend and knocked off some big teams, advancing to the gold bracket where they defeated their fellow club team 16 Skronkstrong 20-18 in three sets to advance to the final four. Cailteaux was able to make all of the routine plays where 16 White was able to use multiple attackers. They found ways to keep the ball alive, live to play another rally. The intangibles of Cailteaux and this team was worth a few points each set. Well done!   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2023/05/DSC02384.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-392488"/></figure>   Reagan McIntyre - Club 1 16 White   Whenever McIntyre was in there always seemed to be positive things that happened for Club 1 16 White.  This middle blocker is long, athletic, and was really smart in being able to find the opening around the block.  She found ways to hit the angles and also create problems for the opposing players with her block.  I also enjoy when middles can head back to the service line and be aggressive with their serve and play a little defense - that's McIntyre.    <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2023/05/DSC02419.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-392487"/></figure>   Natalie McCollum - Ignite 16 Premier   This was another team this past weekend who had a grit and scrappiness to them where they found ways to win with effort and determination.  The key to this team was their balance, and one constant force was Natalie McCollum.  She was able to be that reliable pin where she was highly efficient.  She doesn't try and do too much, she hits it square and in the court.  Her high IQ definitely scores her points with how well she is able to see the open spots.  She does this from both pins and was even able to snag some points out of the middle.    Laura Dietzler - MWP 15 Elite   There's a lot of enthusiasm on this Midwest Penguin 15 Elite team where they play with a lot of spark and energy. Dietzler does that where she lights up the court with her smile and her play. She does the dirty work where she's working hard to close the block and be available in transition for an opportunity to work. That's the vibe of this MWP squad where they smile, work hard, and do what it takes to get the job done.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2023/05/DSC02539-e1683737463776.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-392489"/></figure>   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2023/05/DSC02548.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-392490"/></figure>   Ainsley Haedt and Cadey Bredar - Iowa Select 15 Mizuno   Iowa Select out of the Quad Cities has two liberos essentially. Haedt and Bredar both wore the libero jersey and it's an equal tradeoff for this team.  These two work extremely well together no matter what jersey they have or spot on the court.  You can tell these two are extremely well trained with a really solid fundamental base starting with their platform.  They are under control, know how to create positive angles, and are really good from the first contact to a scramble situation having to put up a second ball or even covering a tip.

What I enjoy about our Prep Dig Events is that opportunity to see a lot of new athletes compete that I have never seen before. They might standouts on their team, in their area, but always exciting to get new athletes on the radar. Here are ones that I had never seen play before that will be ones to watch heading into the summer as well as their high school seasons in 2023.