Early Evals From Summer League At Circle

Want a discount to our summer Stock Up Showcase on July 27? Use code KypDig2025 at checkout!   With school done for the summer, we don't take breaks here at PD, and neither do the athletes. Summer leagues have started around central Indiana, with one of the biggest being hosted by Circle City in Plainfield. At this time of year, there are usually kids that stay with their club programs to limit swings and jumping loads on their legs to prepare them for their specific nationals. In the case of last night at Circle, there were quite a few high-level and committed players on each of the courts playing in matches that don't exactly count. Here are eight athletes I liked from last night, with some already committed and some looking for that commitment in the coming months.    New to me, but not to volleyball, Sophie is the new setter at Danville, and made a lasting impression on this scout. From the first point of their match against Monrovia, you could see Sophie's ability to lead and locate balls well for her pin attackers. It will take some time to get used to REAL middles that both run multiple tempo balls, both in front of and behind her, but that's what these summer league matches are for. Realistically Sophie is a solid 5-1 setter with strong hands that, with a little time and training, will be the difference-maker for future Danville teams, let alone the upcoming season.     Committed to Grace Christian, an NCCAA school in Michigan, Avalyn is a pass-to-attack, compact and explosive attacker that is a nice complement to Ella listed above. Last night, she was used in multiple areas, and was like an additional coach on the floor for the younger kids coming up to play. I like her terminal abilities, her leadership and her willingness to try different things and ask the right questions of her coaches, even for a "nothing" match in June. I don't anticipate Miss Gulley coming out for any reason this fall, and will be a key cog in the Danville success machine.     Rylee, Danville's libero, is THE best passer in this program. She showed out in a match that meant very little, which goes to the high character this Valpo commit brings to the court. She even spent a little time on the left side in set two of their match against Monrovia, mixing in a few beach rolls and smart shots. I like this kid's positive attitude and her physical attributes that will make her a tough and consistent passer in the MVC in the fall of '26.     How do you follow up a state championship run from the previous fall? Show up and immediately produce in a June high school summer league match as the top returning attacker. Miss Gott is a lengthy middle that has a solid, well-rounded game and should be a key leader for a younger-than-average squad this fall. Emmerson has a ton to make up for two D1 kids graduating, but it starts with her, a 6'1" uncommitted middle that has the experience and talent to carry this team to another solid season.     Emmerson won't be the only big kid coming back from last year's successful season. Alyssa, the team's leading blocker from a year ago, has a ton of length that makes her look bigger than her 5'11" frame might otherwise indicate. Long and instinctual, Miss Witte takes up a ton of space on the block and, at the moment, is more refined defensively than on the offensive side. That is to be expected, since the Stars' top two attackers from a year ago were both D1-bound and pin players. Alyssa should be getting more balls this fall in her senior campaign if WeBo hopes to have even a little of the success they enjoyed a year ago.     Surprise #1 for this author was seeing Marley playing for Plainfield last night. She's a Mooresville transfer, and immediately makes the Quakers better in the middle upon arrival. Springy and smart, Marley is a force off of two feet and can take over a match when allowed to do so. Her skill set definitely stands out now that she's got more club-focused kids around her, and she shouldn't be asked to be the focal point of the offense, what with Miss Utterback on the left pin next to her. This is a HUGE move for Plainfield, and should make a big difference as the setters get used to having this level of size in the middle. You can guarantee that Plainfield will surpass the 12 wins they had last fall just by having Marley on the floor.     Speaking of setters and surprises, #2 for me was seeing Savannah as part of the setting duo at Plainfield. More than capable of running a 5-1 on her own, I would not be surprised to see her as part of a highly-skilled 6-2 with [player_tooltip player_id='545996' first='Charlee' last='Groninger'] as the other. She already has a connection with Marley, listed above, as she's also a transfer from Mooresville. A solid defender at her position and already locating the ball well, Savannah's presence will mean more and more as the fall comes around.     For super small Oldenburg Academy, it's not hard to find Miss Nobbe, a six-rotation outside with power for days and skills that have rapidly increased over the couple of years I've covered her. Yes, they struggled a bit against 4A Plainfield last night, but again, this is what the summer league is for. Ali's abilities are numerous---she's tough from behind the service line, can put balls away in the front and back rows regularly, defends her position well and can step in on serve receive whenever she's needed. Although there's a little athleticism and size around her at OA, Ali is the primary attacker, and will be a nice pickup for someone looking for anything from a six-ro outside to a three-ro hammer, depending on your needs at the next level.

Want a discount to our summer Stock Up Showcase on July 27? Use code KypDig2025 at checkout!