2024 Stock Up Showcase: 2027 Player Evaluations (Part 3)

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Class of 2027 was the most represented during Sunday's Michigan Stock Up Showcase in Pontiac.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It was a talented group, full of a lot of hungry players that wanted to leave a lasting impression.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We will be going through all the prospects throughout the week with a series of player evaluations.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Let's keep things going with a collection of players in Part 3.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='523865' first='Kate' last='Belt'], S/RS Valley Lutheran/Five:1</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Belt plays long at the net because she's got an aggressive instinct and can turn on a ball when defenders are least expecting it. Her setting was crisp and she did a good job of hitting a mixture of locations during drills and scrimmages. Defensively, Belt puts in a lot of work to be disruptive with her blocking. She's definitely a good energy player.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='464378' first='Ava' last='Bush-Nelson'], MH Jenison/FaR Out</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:image {"id":585501,"width":"172px","height":"auto","sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none","align":"right"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/08/108-Ava-Bush-Nelson.jpg?w=943" alt="" class="wp-image-585501" style="width:172px;height:auto" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">[player_tooltip player_id='464378' first='Ava' last='Bush-Nelson']</figcaption></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Bush-Nelson was one of the top performers from the entire event. The 6'1” middle has every right to play with confidence, which she did on Sunday. She's got incredible movement for her size. Her slide kills are picturesque and nearly impossible to stop. She can put the ball away on most swings, but when she dials it up to another gear, the defense needs to just get ready for the next point. On top of all that, Bush-Nelson was one of the most consistent blockers we saw on Sunday.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='512892' first='Brynn' last='Wilcox'], S/RS Bloomfield Hills/High Performance</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Wilcox already has a lot of experience working with some of the best hitters in the state, so the showcase was nothing new for her to experience. Her setting is steady and consistent. She's going to get hitters good swings and she can also mix up the tempos. As a right side, Wilcox showed a lot of aggressiveness. She was vocal in calling for the ball. Sometimes there were overswings, but she wanted to make a statement.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='454368' first='Lexa' last='Pierson'], OH/DS Milford/L2</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A smooth six-rotation prospect, Pierson has a lot of electricity in her play. She's very steady on defense and makes a lot of good choices, but then she really finds another level with her play on the attack. She's explosive and she plays with a bit of a chip on her shoulder. Pierson isn't afraid to go toe-to-toe with the big blockers. She can power through, or she can fool them with a crafty adjustment.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='584665' first='Joslyn' last='James'], S Carrollton</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>An Ohio product, James did a good job of staying within herself and making concise plays as a setter. She didn't try to do too much, just kept a steady ball going toward her hitters. She did a good job of reading the court and being aware defensively. I'd like to see what she can do if she turns up the aggressiveness just a little. She seems to have the technique to push the tempo more often.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='517282' first='Allie' last='Ruhlig'], OH/MH SMCC/LevelUp</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The 5'10” Ruhlig can play anywhere along the net and put points away. She had a lot of hang time and that allowed her to deliver on some powerful attacks. Her swing is fundamentally sound and she times up her follow through well to get to a high point of the ball. As she keeps adding to her defensive ability, Ruhlig should be a polished six-rotation option.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='526729' first='Elizabeth' last='Nordstrom'], MH Salem/Michigan Elite</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A 6-footer from Salem, Nordstrom plays very long at the net, which makes her a lot for opponents to deal with. Along with her length, she has a nice lift off the floor that allows her to climb the ladder and tower her shots over the top of blockers. Her footwork was getting better throughout the showcase, giving her a complete arsenal of attacks.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='470031' first='Avery' last='Kapeller'], OH Orchard Lake St. Mary's/High Performance</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:image {"id":585510,"width":"163px","height":"auto","sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none","align":"right"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/08/117-Avery-Kapeller.jpg?w=1003" alt="" class="wp-image-585510" style="width:163px;height:auto" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">[player_tooltip player_id='470031' first='Avery' last='Kapeller']</figcaption></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Kapeller has been making a name for herself throughout the club season and she showed a lot of confidence during the showcase. The 6-foot outside moves very well around the court and looks in control in all aspects. Her swing is picturesque and she's got a great feel for her timing and placement. When the moment calls for it, Kapeller can dial up her swing another level and really turn some heads.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='470701' first='Zoey' last='Kapeller'], DS/L Orchard Lake St. Mary's/High Performance</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='470701' first='Zoey' last='Kapeller'] is no stranger to performing well at our showcases and she did a lot of good things on Sunday. Like Avery, Zoey shows a lot of confidence and control in her position. She moves with a lot of purpose and is able to make tough digs look somewhat routine. She puts up an aggressive serve as well, and finds ways to make an impact.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->