Badger Region High Performance Camp: A Look At The Youth Division Middles

Breit Nelson July 18, 2019 @ 10:49 PM

WHITEWATER, WI – Badger Region coaches were very excited to have such a great turn out of top-notch talent at the Badger Region High Performance Camp and a large part of that excitement came from the depth of talent in the middle. This is even more impressive when you think about the fact that a lot of already committed players were not attending. Camp coaches were excited to work with not only talented athletes but players with great attitudes and a competitive nature that pushed one another to be their very best. The gym was hot, but the players were on fire! College coaches from Loyola, Marquette, and UW-Milwaukee attended to run organized skill specific sessions as well as watch the 45-60 minutes of play at the end of season given those in attendance exposure to coaches running some great programs. Abbey Falk – 2020 – 5’11 – Middle Blocker - Milton Milton volleyball always fields a solid program and after graduating their top 3 attackers Falk will be taking a lot more sets. She was able to get to work on all her all-around skills. Falk made great improvements and it should show in her stats this fall. [player_tooltip player_id="56038" first="Emma" last="Wollert"] – 2020 – 6’0 – Middle Blocker – Sheboygan Falls Wollert is an interesting prospect from a Sheboygan Falls team that struggled in 2018. She was good at reading the ball off the pass and terrific timing on both offense and defense. Wollert will be a key to making her senior year memorable starting with her trip to Florida. Laura (Lola) Gillaspie – 2020 – 6’0 – Middle Blocker – New Glarus Gillespie an athletic middle blocker that will have to carry a heavy load this fall. There were a lot of high-quality middles at camp, and Gillespie’s timing and reach helped her get a block on each hitter. Best of all, she was a great teammate. [player_tooltip player_id="57260" first="Mary" last="Satori"] – 2022 – 5’10 – Middle Blocker – Manitowoc Lincoln Satori might be a smaller middle, but she is super-fast. She runs smart routes, takes a fast-hard swing and is quick laterally to close at each pin. Satori also has a deadly serve and comes across as a strong athlete in general that could probably be trained as a pin hitter as well. [player_tooltip player_id="81320" first="Maryann" last="Gudenkauf"] – 2022 - 5’11 – Middle Blocker - Watertown Gudenkauf has been working under the radar but watch out for her to have a breakout season with Watertown after the graduation of Brianne Korducki (UW-La Crosse) and Ashley Stas. Gudenkauf runs smart quick routes and has smart shots. She is also quick laterally to close the block. [player_tooltip player_id="13019" first="Monica" last="LeFleur"] – 2021 – 6’3 – Middle Blocker - Arrowhead LaFleur is a strong, physical attacker and a force at the net to earn the nod to make the International Youth team. She has a quick arm and the ability to make shots, hit the angles, and puts up a big block. LaFleur also has a wicked jump float and has a good shot of breaking into a tough varsity lineup after the graduation of Katelyn Sesolak. [player_tooltip player_id="80725" first="Natalie" last="Johanknecht"] – 2021 – 6’0 – Middle Blocker – Oshkosh West Johanknecht is a real smooth operator in the middle. She is quick and makes really great contact with the ball to hit hard angles and use a late blocker. Johanknecht should be generating some interest after a strong club season and high performance camp selection. [player_tooltip player_id="56119" first="Sydney" last="Rabe"] – 2020 – 6’1 – Middle Blocker – Laona-Wabeno Rabe has the presence about her that you want from a middle blocker with eagerness to learn and a hard worker. She has been a driving force for Laona-Wabeno to put together a solid 2018 season. Rabe showed quick reactions, a fast swing and was not afraid to take a big swing in the split.