Outside Hitters to Watch at the Tour of Texas – Stop 1

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The first big tournament of the 2025-2026 club season is just around the corner, as this weekend, the top club teams from the Lone Star State will compete in the first stop of the popular Tour of Texas in the Austin area.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>One of the biggest events in the club calendar in the state every year, the Tour of Texas will this year begin at the Round Rock Sports Complex, where nearly 500 teams will be in action across 11 different divisions from Saturday to Monday, providing the first big test for many of them as the season starts to pick up.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The top players from Texas will be in Round Rock this weekend, and we're using the days leading up to the event's start to feature some of them. The outside hitters are in the spotlight today:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["849947"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-696581a2bf5b5"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Blain will play for TX Legacy 15 Elite in the 15 Invitational Division. A true six-rotation pin hitter, she's a real asset on both sides of the ball, providing defensive stability and significant scoring power to her teams. Blaine is an elite scorer who uses her length and arm speed extremely well to put the ball down, but can also tool the block or score off tips when needed. She's very comfortable and reliable in serve-receive and stands out on defense for her excellent positioning and superior ball control.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/hudl {"name":"acf/hudl","data":{"embed_code":"u003ciframe src='https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/21515184/68fd5840f86b105cfd1ccbf3' width='640' height='360' frameborder='0' allowfullscreenu003eu003c/iframeu003e","_embed_code":"field_62daf7995fd8c"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-696581a2bf767"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["580688"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-696581a2bf7bd"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Gibson and her TW Skyline 16 Royal team will be tested in the 16 Invitational Division in Round Rock. Extremely well-rounded and impactful, she's one of the pillars of the team, having a big weight in how they perform. A ball-control wizard, Gibson anchors their serve-receive system with tremendous efficiency, covering a large portion of the court and delivering accurate passes to her setter. She's very dynamic and versatile offensively, using her length and firepower to overcome opponents, but what really stands out is her excellent court vision, which allows her to produce at a high volume while keeping her errors very low.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://twitter.com/GibsonKennadie/status/1935139252418814446?s=20","type":"rich","providerNameSlug":"twitter","responsive":true} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/GibsonKennadie/status/1935139252418814446?s=20 </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["694200"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-696581a2bf80c"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Skinner will lead [program_tooltip program_id='510661' first='Houston' last='Skyline'] 16 Royal in the event's 16 Invitational Division. The youngest product of a volleyball-rich family that has two of her older sisters playing in the USWNT right now, she's a dynamic and athletic pin hitter who can carry her team offensively at the highest level. Skinner gets off the floor very well and has a uniquely powerful right arm, but what gives her an edge at the net is her incredible court vision. She can find nice angles at the pin and is also very good with her shot placement when swinging from the middle back position. Skinner does well on the back row, serving aggressively and passing at a consistently good level.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/hudl {"name":"acf/hudl","data":{"embed_code":"u003ciframe src='https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/15465038/69000800d5752084eb5da533' width='640' height='360' frameborder='0' allowfullscreenu003eu003c/iframeu003e","_embed_code":"field_62daf7995fd8c"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-696581a2bf831"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["534313"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-696581a2bf875"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Pinegar will be in action with Dallas Skyline 17 Royal - Ping in the 17 Invitational Division. Standing at 6'1", she's an important offensive option for the team, using her length and firepower to score at a consistent rate at the pin. Pinegar does a good job of making contact with the ball at the highest possible point and is very intentional with her swings, always trying to find open spots in the back row. Pinegar also brings a lot to the table with her blocking and is very dependable in serve-receive.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://www.instagram.com/p/DIxnNtkshHR/","type":"rich","providerNameSlug":"instagram","responsive":true} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-instagram wp-block-embed-instagram"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://www.instagram.com/p/DIxnNtkshHR/ </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed -->