Freshman that made their mark on varsity this fall

As the dust settles from the UHSAA 2025 season, there are a few young athletes who made a strong first impression for their respective programs this year. These freshmen made their mark and proved they will be key to their team's future success.    [player_tooltip player_id='894182' first='Tali' last='Tupe'] is the most exciting player to watch in this class. Despite her size, she is a fearless competitor who plays with passion and heart no matter the score.   Tupe's court awareness and vision help her find ways to score no matter how big the block is on the other side. High hands, sharp cross, with pace, or with power through the block, she has it all in her toolbox. Her footwork helps her get to the ball quickly, and she elevates off the ground easily. Tupe tracks the ball efficiently in serve receive and plays disciplined defense. Her energy is infectious and her confidence helps make her an all-around player.     [player_tooltip player_id='894181' first='Laken' last='Bell']'s physicality and next-level potential is evident when watching her perform. Her ability to adjust to sets, score in transition, and put impressive power behind the ball showcases the weapon she is and is steadily becoming. Bell consistently contacts the ball at a high point with range and precision, which grants her the ability to score from just about anywhere on the court.   Defensively, she is an instinctive blocker who reads the game well at the net. In the back row, she is a stable force with good footwork and solid passing technique, with the ability to create strong angles off of difficult serves.   Despite Bell being only a Freshman, her dominant presence on the court -- especially at the net -- commands attention and establishes her as a serious threat.     [player_tooltip player_id='894186' first='Nivale' last='Magalei'] is an all- around athlete. No matter where you put her, she will make an impact. Standing at 5'6'', she can pass, play defense, swing at the net, and do it all at a very high level. Magalei has great ball control and sound technique that sets her up to make the best plays possible. She takes care of the easy stuff and has great defensive range that is helped by elite eye work. Magalei is solid in serve receive and tracks the ball quickly and sets strong angles. She is a kid that you do not want to miss.     Even though she is a freshman for the Sentinels, she makes herself known on the court with her competitiveness and passion. [player_tooltip player_id='894184' first='Lexi' last='Rushton'] is a consistent force on the court who plays with maturity and range. She is steadily developing into an efficient primary attacker and continues to prove just how high her ceiling is. Her footwork in and out of system is efficient and puts good pace behind the ball for her age. Rushton's passing technique is solid and is a hustler on defense. She is a student of the game and consistently wants to learn how to get better each time she steps onto the court.     A new addition for the Eagles this year is Evageline Lotuleilei. Running a 5-1 as a freshman is an intimidating position to be in, but as the season has progressed, she has settled into the position nicely. She is aware of where her hitters are and keeps her middles involved to create a dynamic offense. She maintains good tempo and location that her hitters can work with and find kills off of. Her potential is very clear and with more time in the gym and hours spent on the court, she will only continue to grow.     Great defensive reads and solid serve receive. Lexi Carter does a great job reading her hitters early to make a good play on the ball and retains strong passing mechanics. She tracks the ball well with her shoulders and creates strong angles with her shoulders. She's engaged in the big and small things that make a difference for the Bulldogs -- whether she's covering her hitters or talking about what's happening across the net.     She has a quiet platform with efficient movements that shine through on difficult plays. On a ball that should be down, Leatula'i Pututau proves otherwise. She's fast and athletic, which makes picking up tips and off-speed shots simple. Her platform is quiet in serve receive and has good eye work to track the ball.     Kol Riebe is one of, if not the, hardest worker on the court. As a libero, she is grounded in serve receive with good mechanics and technique that help her track the ball early and create good angles. She is scrappy on defense and hustles after balls that you think might be out of play. Despite her size, Riebe has been trained as an outside and retains her skills as a pin. She puts good power and pace behind the ball and knows how to score with a block in front of her.     [player_tooltip player_id='894189' first='Xandra' last='Forsyth'] is tall, left-handed rightside who has all the makings to be a solid pin. She can track the ball fast off the setter's hand and set up good blocks to shut down pins and slow down balls at the net. She works hard to get off the net and has the ability to get on top and bury a ball. She showcases a high ceiling, and with the time that she has, she is going to be a unit.

As the dust settles from the UHSAA 2025 season, there are a few young athletes who made a strong first impression for their respective programs this year. These freshmen made their mark and proved they will be key to their team's future success.