Defensive Dandies: Seven of Minnesota’s Best Liberos

<p>There are those moments as a hitter when your footwork and timing are perfect, your elevation is effortless, and your arm swing unleashes on the ball creating certainty that you just earned a massive point for your team. Not so fast. That thunder at times is quickly thwarted by those stealth-like liberos that seemingly hide out in the back row, ready to spring into action to save the play and the day, sucking the confidence and pride in your power right out of the air just as fast as you contacted the ball. In that moment, rather than feel completely defeated, the better thing to do is to simply applaud an incredible play because just as there are hitters who can jump and hammer, there are those those on the the other side, skilled in their own right, prepared to keep that ball from contacting the floor. </p> <p>Minnesota has some great liberos at the high school level, some that have earned opportunities to some of the biggest volleyball conferences, while others are still shopping around for the right place and role at the next level. Here is a list of seven of the state’s best defensive dandies that have helped sustain an incredibly high bar of excellence for that position:</p> <p><strong>CLASS OF 2020</strong></p> <p><em><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="71658" first="Taylor" last="Quan"] | Osseo | Prep Dig #27</strong></em><br /> A 2018 Northwest Suburban all-conference selection, Quan has committed to North Dakota State. She makes big plays look very easy, which includes a keen preparedness to dig the ball combined with all-out effort and pursuit when it is needed for her team.</p> <p><em><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="71656" first="Mia" last="Schnaible"] | Marshall | Prep Dig #25</strong></em><br /> The backbone of one of the state’s top programs at any level, Schnaible is hungry for a return trip to state and another shot at the title after coming up just short in 2018. She is the leader of a veteran core group that is back from that team and her ball control and defensive prowess are often the reason why their varied offense works as well as it does. She is a repeat Big South all-conference honoree.</p> <p><em><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="71657" first="McKenna" last="Vacek"] | New Prague | Prep Dig #26</strong></em><br /> Perhaps limited in the height category at 5’4, she is certainly not limited in her energy, effort, and skill set. A Wright County East all-conference selection from last season, Vacek provides just as much of a spark and impact from the back row as her high powered terminating teammate in the front row in [player_tooltip player_id="30263" first="Sophia" last="Andersen"]. She is a key reason why New Prague is considered among the elite teams in class AAA.</p> <p><em><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="10020" first="Halle" last="Wolfe"] | Lakeville North | Prep Dig #16</strong></em><br /> Wolfe begins the final season of what has been a highly commendable high school volleyball career fulfilling this role for a few years for one of the best programs in the state. She has shouldered a lot of the ball control and defensive leadership for the Panthers for a while and has done so with great poise and support of her teammates. She will take her talents to Drake University next season. </p> <p><strong>CLASS OF 2021</strong></p> <p><em><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="58026" first="Madison" last="Ellman"] | Chanhassen | Prep Dig #24</strong></em><br /> A Metro West all-conference selection a year ago, Ellman has quick reaction time and understands how to create angles with her platform very well. At 5’9, her length is a great advantage towards her ability to cover a lot of the court and play the ball overhead effectively. She has great competitive club experience behind her having played at a national level with both M1 and MN-Select.</p> <p><em><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="71945" first="Abby" last="Stark"] | Willmar | Prep Dig #11</strong></em><br /> A North Dakota State commit, Stark is the leader of a Willmar team that is very strong defensively in the back row. She provides a big impact for the Cardinals who fell just short of the AAA state tournament last season. Stark recently committed to play her college ball at North Dakota State.</p> <p><em><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="10110" first="Emma" last="Torstenson"] | Northfield | Prep Dig #7</strong></em><br /> The heart and soul of a great ball control team at Northfield. Torstenson, a Big 9 all-conference selection last season, has a skill set that is probably the strongest among this collection of very good liberos from around the state. Her vision and patience are a big reason why she is so effective. She will be headed off to Colorado next season. </p>