Showing promise on the right side for Circle’s 18 Black squad, Mariana is a smart and physical pin attacker that has shown that right side is her cup of tea. With her whiplike arm swing and solid foundation for blocking, her talents have really shown through playing up a year. She can hit high and tool the block, hit sharp angles against undisciplined blockers, and defends her position well for her class. I’m interested to see how the rest of her club season goes, as she’s spent her falls playing small school ball. The next month to six weeks should REALLY show what she’s made of, and it only gets tougher from here. One thing is for sure—Mariana is more than qualified to play with the older girls this spring.

Mariana is a pin hitter who plays even bigger than her 5’11” frame. When she hits from either the right or left sides, she is looking to put a dent in the floor and make sure the opponent has no chance of defending her swings. I really like her play from the OPP spot, and believe it is her strongest position because she combines that killer swing with solid blocking ability. Van Der Aa just has that quiet, joyful confidence about her that makes you want to play with and root for her. Plus, you know a player is serious when they are willing to drive 1.5 hours to play at an elite club for an open level 1s team. Look for Mariana to do big things at Bloomfield and put her name down in the record books in kills and blocks over the next two years.