Springy for days with hands of gold, Braelynn is more than capable of running a 5-1 offense on her own at the next level. Always finding the right hitter in the right situation, Miss Hodgman’s intuitive setting fools many blockers, and her hitters are often left with an advantage of a late block regularly.

Tough as nails and relentless in her work ethic, Braelynn can do a little of everything on the right side of the volleyball court. Run an offense? Yep, been there, done that. Attack? Court vision is her specialty. She’s even gone to the lengths to learn how to “reverse the flow” when getting a not-so-great first contact. Already earning the National bid from the Hoosier region, Miss Hodgman will be going for that elusive open bid for the remainder of the spring.

Strictly used as a setter on this roster, this Dwenger product is a solid choice for the next level for multiple reasons. First, her location is spot on in every situation and in every tempo. Her defensive and overall volleyball IQ allow her to make her teammates better, and she’s doing it all as a largely “undersized” leader of the pack. Fully capable of running a 5-1 at the next level, the effect that she had in the 17U final was apparent from 0-0, and she stayed calm while Circle’s 17s pressed the issue. With strong hands and solid athletic acuity, she knows who she is—-a hybrid setter that can do every part of this game well in every situation.

Braelynn Hodgman Braelynn Hodgman 5'10" | S/RS Fort Wayne Dwenger | 2027 State IN runs an offense with precision and intent. Her hands are clean, her release is quick, and her footwork allows her to square to target consistently, even when first contact pulls her off the net. Hodgman delivers consistent ball location that allows full-arm swings from her pins and quick tempo in the middle, keeping blockers from settling into predictable patterns.

What separates Hodgman is her tempo management and decision-making under pressure. She reads block positioning in real time, distributes with balance, and isn’t afraid to quicken the pace when momentum needs a spark. Hodgman maintains composure in extended rallies and reestablishes rhythm in out-of-system plays rather than defaulting to safe resets. At Triple Crown, expect Braelynn Hodgman Braelynn Hodgman 5'10" | S/RS Fort Wayne Dwenger | 2027 State IN to control flow, create one-on-one opportunities for her hitters, and elevate the efficiency of her offense. ~Theresa @prepdigdakotas

Capable of running a 5-1 offense on her own, Braelynn comes from a long line of solid volleyball training, both at the high school and club levels. Now, in her second season with PHP, Braelynn has really matured to the point of being able to do what most setters at the collegiate level do for granted. Does she have some training left to do? Of course. But after the success her offense had at CZ this past weekend, it’s obvious that her improvement is a big part of the squad’s rise to the top of Indiana club volleyball in the 17s age division.

Although I’m looking at her through a setter’s lens, Braelynn was all things for the Saints in both matches of the semi-state. In the final, she messed around and got a triple-double (20 kills, 13 digs and 23 assists). The girl is the absolute heart and soul of Bishop Dwenger volleyball, and still has another match (and another FULL SEASON) ahead of her to prove it.

Quick and deliberate, Braelynn is one of the most athletic setters in any class, full stop. Starting with her feet, which are fast to the target, she can get to any ball because of them. Her body positioning while setting is in control, no matter how contorted she has to get for a tight pass or if she wants to “reverse the flow”. Her hands take the ball in the same spot over and over again, making her one of the more deceptive setters in this class as well. On multiple occasions against open-level teams, I saw Braelynn completely fool blockers to the point of her attackers hitting on an open net. That doesn’t happen much at all, and your setter has to be the person of interest when that happens.

Consistency, consistency, consistency. I think I speak for most coaches when saying that they want consistency out of their setter. With Braelynn, she looks the same approaching every ball, whether it’s in- or out-of-system, hard-driven or free ball, to target or off line. Her hands are the same, the tempo is the same and the location is ALWAYS the same. Her hands are in the same location for every ball, creating deception regularly for opposing blockers. If I’m looking for the in-person definition of what a setter should look like, I start with Miss Hodgman.

A true lefty setter listed by her for the first time in a while, Braelynn led her PHP 16-1 squad to a gold power pool finish at MEQ this past weekend. Her ability to switch quickly from setter to attacker has no rival in this class, and her athleticism transitions well to both positions. I like that she can do both, and do both well. Yes, she’s going to have to eventually pick a position to be recruited for. But for now, let’s just enjoy the fact that she’s a hitter who can run an offense AND a setter that can hammer away at a moment’s notice.