Class of 2024 Libero’s: New to the Florida Rankings

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Updated rankings for the class of 2024 just came out this past week, so it's time to take a deep dive into each position group to see who's new on the list. With the enormous amount of talent that Florida produces, the decision making on the rankings of top players in the state is almost impossible. When it comes to the libero position, the three things I really focus on are simple technique, understanding of the game, and the ability to make a difference for your team. These four libero's showed why they are deserving of being ranked as a top 150 player in the class. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='490476' first='Ava' last='Pierzynski'] - OVA (#42)</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Ava is the all around athlete and player that coaches love to have on their teams. She's able to play anywhere on the court whether it be hitting on the outside, the right side, and playing libero. She has a understanding for the game that you could see in her early highlight videos up until now. She sees the game well giving her opportunities to make more plays on the ball. The one thing that really stands out to me when looking at her game is her ability to make everything look so easy to do. She's a natural player who's been able to be coached and learn the game through playing that it all comes to reaction and the ability to go for the ball. Natural gifts only go so far, her work ethic and willingness to go for the ball is what separates her from the pack. A lot of players are athletic and a lot of players have high IQs; but when you combine her IQ with the athleticism she possesses, there's no question why she is committed and going to do great things at the next level. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='490486' first='Hailey' last='Brenner'] - Miami Hype (#108)</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Hailey is a defensive threat in the backrow, it always seems like she's going to get the ball up. She has the ability to understand spacing of the court and reading the hitter in split second moments of a rally. She does a good job with spacing by making sure that she has enough space to cut off her teammates in front or be in a position to move off of contact as well. She's constantly taking small balanced steps to make small read adjustments off of the opposing setters set compared to the block in front of her. You will rarely ever see Hailey get beat because she is stuck behind the block because she is constantly looking to be in a great position to play the ball. What adds another element to this is her ability to read hitters. Her use of eye work and her understanding of the game allows her to make last second reads. The athleticism kicks in once she makes that late read, by staying balanced and having the power to drive through the ball or to absorb a hard driven swing at her. She's a menace on the defensive side of the ball, which is the reason why she is committed to a great program. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='490504' first='Ava' last='Bonin'] - OTVA (#117)</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Ava is the type of player who can calm the storm of the game and allow her team to use their offensive power to take advantage of their opponents. She is the definition of consistency ever since I have been able to watch her play throughout her high school and most of her club careers. Her calmness and level headed-ness allows for her team to trust and fall back on her emotionally and on the court. When you have a player with that type of mental strength along with the skill to uphold you have a great prospect. Her technique is flawless as she makes everything look so easy. She's the type of player that I would tell other younger libero's to watch especially early in their career's because of her level demeanor and yet able to produce at a high level. Her defense is solid, but her serve receive is her calling card. She understands how to keep space with her platform away from her body to create angles early. You look at everything that Ava brings to the table and there's no question on why she's one of the top libero prospects in the state. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='490525' first='Fabiana' last='Barraez'] - Wildfire Academy (#134)</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Fabiana does whatever is necessary for her team to win no matter the circumstances. She has the ability to play all three backrow defensive positions at a high level. Not many passers can excel at all three positions, let alone two of them. She stays nice and calm when on the defense which gives her the opportunity to get her feet to the ball or absorb hard driven balls. Watching her on film she doesn't rely on perfect technique, but allows herself to stay calm and react and use her instincts to get the ball where it needs to go. The hardest part about Fabiana being asked to play all three backrow positions is the understanding of positioning, spacing, and responsibilities from all three positions. She does a great job of navigating and reading the play based off the position she's in. She's a very high IQ player that creates a ton of opportunities for her teams being able to transition into their offense.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The libero position is one that is hard to scout and to rank because of the sheer number of good players at the position. These four prospects found a way for them to stand out amongst the rest, and caught my eye enough to put them on the class of 2024 rankings for Florida. I can't wait to see what each of these players have in store for us in the upcoming club season. Be on the lookout for other positional breakdowns from the newly updated rankings that were just dropped this past week. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->