So, Albany is an all around 6. She’s got pretty good height, she’s extremely quick, she hits pretty well. Honestly, she’s got cred in that as a hitter on it’s own, she’s committed to a D2. But what really jumped out at me for her was her defense. She played back row defense better than a lot of ‘Bros I’ve seen. She laid out for balls consistently, played hard hit shots and got them up and playable, everything you want from a DS. She illustrates perfectly an issue that more hitters need to pay attention to. Work on your defense, learn to pass. Too many kids grow early and get pigeon-holed as a middle, because they are tall are automatically the middle everywhere they go. They get middle practice, middle games, middle film. But what happens when that middle gets older, moves to a more competitive team where everyone is tall, and now she’s moved from middle to pin, or even back row? When you’ve never done the back row work, you suddenly aren’t good enough because you are only a 3 rotation player, or can’t play defense in the back. Albany is the poster child of how you should model your game and be able to play anywhere on the court.

A remarkable .727 hitting percentage in a match last season has already etched her name in the MSHSAA record books, showcasing her incredible ability as an outside hitter. With valuable coaching from HPSTL 16 Orange this club season, she seems set to elevate her game even further. If her kill numbers from last year, where she recorded 165, double this season, she could become a dominant offensive force for the Grizzlies.

A six-rotation outside for her HPSTL 16 Orange, Albany, is a tough outside hitter to stop. She has a great swing with a high contact point, which allows her to hit over blockers. She also sees the block extremely well, which will enable her to slit the seam. Albany plays great on the defensive side of the ball, is a terrific passer, and is one of the best celebrators of her teammates’ success. Albany is a next-level athlete who can play anywhere on the court. Albany lists her dream job as an FBI agent.