Fitz's Notes App Takes On New Athletes of USAV 15 National

<a href="https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?vanity=PrepDig&set=a.831102908687580" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Day 2 - 15 National Photo Gallery</a>   What I enjoy about nationals is the chance to see athletes from across the country that I would never get to typically see. This is also a chance to see some teams I am familiar with go against the best of the best. How do these athletes perform when the pressure is on? Today I was on the 15 National courts and saw some familiar faces and some new, exciting players who can have not only a big impact in this event, but over the next couple years as they ramp up the recruiting process.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2023/06/DSC03261.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-411091"/></figure>   Kendal Worwa - Northern Lights 15-1   I've seen Wowra play before, and today she was playing the Northern Lights brand where they are so disciplined with their defense and establishing middles. She uses her length to her advantage where she contacts the ball high and can snap to an open corner. She opened their match against ASEVC with a kill and really set the tone from there. This is an athletic, well balanced team where they can use a lot of lineup combinations. They are still alive in gold pool play and will be a dangerous matchup.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2023/06/DSC03263.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-411092"/></figure>   Olivia Henry - ASEVC 15 Premier (New York)   Hopefully this article ages well as Olivia Henry could be one to watch on a very big stage someday. At 6'4, she has the height and wingspan that gives her plenty of range. Her approach and attack is still a little raw, but her athleticism is not. There was no fear in her swing, she went for it. I had never even heard of this club before and see they are out of New York. I don't get a chance to see a lot of Northeast volleyball, but I have a feeling we will be seeing more of her. Some big programs were on the baseline on her court and rightfully so. Oh…and she's playing up and from the Class of 2027.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2023/06/DSC03267.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-411093"/></figure>   Bella Potempa - 1st Alliance 15 Silver   Lightning in a bottle. Potempa has a ton of spring in her approach and is electric on the court. She creates a synergy around her where she plays at a really fast pace and does it all for 1st Alliance 15 Silver. She can serve receive, defend, swing big, and score with finesse. When she goes to the backrow, in comes Skylar Greene. So explosive! Huge leaper and big arm. 1st Alliance will have two teams in gold pools looking to defend their “home court” as one of the hometown Chicago teams.   <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/1674444059446837251?s=20 </div></figure>   Sarah Hickman - Houston Juniors 15 Elite   The upside for Hickman is pretty scary for her opponents. She is a long 6'4 and provides a really heavy left handed swing on the right side. There were some big programs on their court today watching this Houston team which consistently produces high level kids. Hickman is definitely on that trajectory. She can hit all the angles and is able to blend in some finesse with her power. I think HJV is among the favorites to win the whole thing (I have a few). They will head into gold pools tomorrow with a 4-1 record from pool play.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2023/06/DSC03277.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-411094"/></figure>   Lily Mae Buerkle - OJVA 15-1 Gold   Watching the Circle City 15 Purple and OJVA 15-1 Gold match was one of the top matches I saw today. High energy, back and forth, and very competitive. Circle ran away in the third, but I was really impressed with these athletes from the PNW. Buerkle is the QB1 for this team as a setter and shows great athleticism and physicality. She's 5'10, very strong, and is a really good net player to go along with a smooth release setting. There were times she would block or swing and she looked like she could have been a pin attacker. Extremely well rounded and dynamic, this is an athlete to star in your UA account as a coach.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2023/06/DSC03279.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-411095"/></figure>   Mollie VanDeusen - JJVA 15 Teal   For me, I don't want a setter to blend in. I want them to show confidence, composure, and a connection with their teammates. VanDeusen had all of that and could really move the ball around. After looking her name up I saw that she is 2027 playing up a group. Very impressive with her maturity and control of the setter position.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2023/06/DSC03288.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-411100"/></figure>   Macy McAmis, Ava Castro, and Gabriella Brodner - Jupiter Elite 15E   What a spark plug in Macy McAmis. McAmis was everywhere for Jupiter where she showed plenty of range in her game. She was also really good with the second ball. The two outsides in Ava Castro and Gabriella Brodner have different styles, but are uberr effective. Castro plays with a ton of physicality all the way around and takes a huge rip when she's in system. Brodner has a lot of length where she is contacting high, she has power and finesse. She was attacked in serve receive and showed she could handle the pressure.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2023/06/DSC03300.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-411102"/></figure>   Mackenzie Higgins - Elevation 15 Matt   Higgins is super solid and athletic. There's a lot of positivity to her game where she just commands the backrow - really the entire court. From her movement to where the ball is on the other side of the court to anticipating the next shot and putting up a clean pass to her setter, Higgins also has some swag to her game. I always ask college coaches what they are looking for and Higgins has it. A very fun athlete.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2023/06/DSC03303.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-411104"/></figure>   Ryan Sadler - A5 15 Bob   A5 always has plenty of athletes and Ryan Sadler falls right in line with their all of their powerful outsides from the program. Everything starts with her approach. It is fast and aggressive, and the arm swing is violent. She was scoring a lot of points and giving A5 plenty of momentum. This squad is sitting at 4-1 through pool play and will be heading into gold pools on Friday.    Emerson Boyd and Sydney Clark - Arete 15 Navy Telos   Boyd runs the show and Clark is scoring the points (and defending well too). Boyd has really good length and athleticism. She keeps it simple, playing solid defense, and getting her attackers in position to score. Clark may not be the biggest on the court, but she was able to use a lot of different shots to score in the front and backrow. Arete finished 4-1 and will be in 15 National Gold Pools.

Day 2 - 15 National Photo Gallery