Ava saw one of the biggest jumps in this class rising from 181 to 99 in the rankings. She stood out at the Prep Dig showcase this summer showing off a smooth platform that fired consistent passes to the setter. Her serve also stood out at the Northeast Qualifier when she played for Loudoun Elite .

Last year she played for Virginia Academy. It was a down year for their team.

This year my first stop was the libero station. That is where Ava consistently peppered passes to the sweet spot where the target was located. What really impressed was how smoothly she transitioned into her platform, creating a flat and smooth service. She also took a deep pass with two hands. Perhaps I witnessed her when she was in a zone but it impressed. Where others seemed to struggle she calmly passed a series of serves to the target.

I’ve also been impressed by the success of Loudoun Elite Tony. One of the reasons for that success is the passing of Ava Holmberg Ava Holmberg 5'8" | DS/L/OH Virginia Academy | 2028 State VA , who keeps the team in system. Sometimes it just takes time, especially with liberos to discover them to move them up in the rankings.

Virginia Academy seems to be in a rebuilding mode. Last year the varsity had three captains on the team, two seniors who have now graduated and sophomore Ava Holmberg Ava Holmberg 5'8" | DS/L/OH Virginia Academy | 2028 State VA .

Skill, leadership and being a good teammate are pretty good traits to find in a player.