Tour of Texas Stop 1 Top Performers Vol 6

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Who stood out at the Tour of Texas this weekend?  The Lone Star State and six other states battled it out early in the club season and put their lineups to the test.  Almost every one of these teams in the invitational divisions will most certainly earn a coveted bid to USA Volleyball Junior Nationals later on this summer.  Let's take a look at who earned our Top Performer award for this tourney?</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["534076"],"_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-6970179e3f5e9"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Brynli put on a clinic at the Tour of Texas Austin Stop, showing the kind of performance that makes evaluators take notice immediately. From what I saw this weekend, she has the potential to emerge as the top libero in her entire age group. Some athletes simply look born to play a certain position, and Burgess fits that description perfectly at libero. Her footwork is sharp and efficient, her body posture stays disciplined through contact, and her platform angles consistently send the ball right back to target. What truly separates her, though, is how early she reads the game—often positioning herself correctly before the opposing hitter even contacts the ball. She pairs elite hand-eye coordination with quick-twitch explosiveness, allowing her to dig hard-driven attacks that most players simply can't touch. In serve receive, she is calm and confident, handling pace and movement with a soft, controlled touch. Burgess is fast, instinctive, and always in the right spot, making the game look slow around her. When the Prep Dig Texas State Rankings for her class are released next month, she is poised to be recognized as one of the premier liberos in the state, because everything about her game screams elite.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["752009"],"_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-6970179e3f670"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Miss Hart is a 2029 pin attacker who brings an unmistakable edge and competitive fire to the court every time she plays. Her passion is contagious, elevating the energy level of her teammates and setting the tone for her squad from the opening serve. She attacks with an aggressive mindset from anywhere on the court, showing no hesitation to take big swings in high-pressure situations. In fact, those moments seem to bring out her best volleyball, as she consistently thrives when the spotlight is brightest. Hart has clearly embraced the role of being the go-to hitter, and she carries that responsibility with confidence and authority. Her right arm generates serious power, allowing her to score cleanly through the block or tool defenders when needed. Beyond her offensive production, she is equally valuable in the back row, where her ball control and defensive discipline allow her to play all six rotations without coming off the floor. That complete skill set makes her an invaluable piece to her team's success. Simply put, [program_tooltip program_id='510733' first='Drive' last='Nation'] will go as far as Hart can take them, and her ceiling suggests that path could be a long and impressive one.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Peyton Smith-Johnson","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2029","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"6'0u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"32564","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Duncanville","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"MadFrog","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6970179e3f74e"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Peyton Smith-Johnson is a 2029 outside hitter who immediately jumps off the page, both physically and with her all-around impact on the game. Standing at 6 feet tall and touching well over 10 feet, her size, strength, wingspan, footspeed, and explosive vertical alone demand attention from college coaches. What separates her, however, is that her skill set matches—and even exceeds—her physical tools. She is a true phenom, passing and digging at a high level in the back row, which allows her team to keep her on the court in six rotations without sacrificing ball control. That versatility gives her squad an added offensive weapon, as she can be set from virtually anywhere and is often called upon in crucial moments. She plays with confidence and purpose, and every swing feels like a potential double-digit kill entry waiting to happen in the stat book. Defenses must constantly account for her presence, as she can take over matches with her ability to score against any blocking scheme. There is very little she cannot do well on a volleyball court, and her ceiling appears incredibly high. Smith-Johnson is exactly the type of athlete opposing coaches must track at all times, and she will be a fascinating addition to the Prep Dig Texas State Rankings when they are updated next month.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Stay tuned as we will have some awesome articles covering as many awesome players and teams as we can from this tournament.  If you have anyone you think we should watch out for, please shoot me an email with some info at <a href="mailto:Michael@prepdig.com">Michael@prepdig.com</a>.  Also don't forget to help these kids get more exposure by sharing our stories with your friends.  Help us help them by simply reposting on X or Instagram or sharing on Facebook.  Thanks for following Prep Dig Family!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->