Hinton reached the Class 2A state title match last week for the second season in a row thanks in large part to its talented collection of sophomores. Friessen is a proud and productive member of that group. She selected to the all-tournament team as was the case in 2025, her freshman campaign. The Blackhawk 10th-grader impacts matches as a two-way force in the middle of the net. She can put the ball down with authority and send it back to the opposition with an intimidating block. Friessen is an excellent athlete with leaping ability. She’s on a great trajectory as a college prospect.

Ellie Friessen Ellie Friessen 6'1" | MB/S Hinton | 2029 State IA is a versatile hitter that has a great blend of height, long arms, and speed. She does well with adjusting to sets, moves well all across the net, and knows how to put a ball away. Her aggression at the net makes it clear as to why she is so high in the 2029 rankings.

Season Stats/ Tournament Stats

Kills: 284/ 40

Blocks: 93/ 10

Aces: 25/ 3

Sometimes the western parts of the state can be overlooked because so much of the competition takes place in the central and eastern areas. That said, we all know top teams and players regularly hail from land closer to the Missouri River than the Mississippi. Friessen is, without a doubt, one of those performers. The Hinton standout showed that in earning all-state tournament recognition as a freshman last year before putting together an impactful club campaign. She’s continued raising the stakes this prep year, dominating the action on a regular basis. Friessen is an explosive athlete with a great feel for the game. She’s technically sound and competes with maximum effort. It’s not surprising that her teams are successful.

Friessen is in the discussion when we’re talking top players in Iowa’s 2029 Class. I watched as she helped Hinton push defending champion Denver to five sets the state title match as a freshman. She was calm, cool and collected delivering on the big stage en route to all-state recognition as a ninth-grader. It was time to check in on this talented sophomore-to-be and her club campaign with Midwest Elite. It’s confirmed. She’s continued on the trajectory to be a big-time college prospect. And the positions listed aren’t a mistake. She’s a middle hitter and setter, as you can see during a recent highlight video. It’s a bit of a unicorn profile and a whole lot of potential at a pair of premium positions.