Adelaide Rice looked comfortable playing at a fast tempo all day long. She cleared the net quickly after her defensive responsibilities, rebuilt her approach, and continued to make herself available in transition. I liked, too, the discipline she showed at the net. Instead of chasing blocks, she relied on her footwork, closed with purpose, and forced attackers to work around her hands. Those habits have continued to translate well as the competition has gotten better. ~Theresa@prepdigdakotas

Miss Rice has already logged varsity reps as a freshman, which is one of the clearest early signals a coaching staff can give about a player’s readiness relative to her age group. At 5’10”, she carries genuine length at the middle blocker position with three more seasons of physical development still ahead of her. The attributes to track in Indianapolis are her closing speed and angle at the block, how quickly her footwork transitions from defense to attack, and whether her swing shows efficient mechanics or is still catching up to her frame. A freshman already trusted at the varsity level is a strong indicator of a player whose ceiling is worth tracking early. Our scouts will be putting her to the test against top competition in both the position specific drills and the scrimmage portion.  Stay tuned as we report on her play. 

Another impressive player from Next Level Volleyball Academy, Adelaide, is a powerful middle who can run an effective slide and hit from either pin. Her intelligence on the court allows her to exploit defenses with smart shots to the corners and timely tips over blocks. Adelaide is poised to become a dominant force!