A scrappy libero to keep tabs on over the weekend is Gemma Hopkins.  She is an Arkansas commit who will be looking to light a spark for Houston Juniors 17 Elite.  HJV typically brings their teams to Minneapolis for this event where they are always in the hunt.  This year will be no different.  With the likes of Hopkins providing a clean first touch, the balance of this offense can really click.  There are still some high level athletes on this team uncommitted who will be key to watch. 

Hopkins stood out defensively with her discipline, quick reactions, and relentless effort. She consistently kept her team in system with controlled first contacts and showed excellent court awareness in serve-receive and defensive coverage. Her dynamic style of play and leadership in the back court were evident throughout the tournament. Committed to the University of Arkansas, Hopkins brings a high-level defensive presence that translates well to the collegiate game.

Hopkins is the starting libero of the HJV 17 Elite team that will get on the court in the 18s division. One of the most technical and consistent liberos in the region, she’s been among the best in Houston for some years now. Hopkins is very intelligent and accurate with everything she does on the backcourt and has the mentality we see in elite liberos at the next level, chasing every ball as if it were the last. She’s extremely confident and productive in serve receive and shows impressive quickness to get to difficult shots on defense. Hopkins has improved her setting over the last few years and is now capable of feeding her hitters with great sets in out-of-system plays.

Gemma has made a big jump in the State Rankings in this update.  She is now currently ranked as the 54^th best overall player according to our Prep Dig Texas State Rankings.  She plays volleyball for Tomball High School and also plays for the Houston Juniors volleyball club program.  There are many reasons why we think she is the fifth best libero in her grad class.  One of those reasons is how she has impeccable posture throughout her movement to the ball, during contact and after while covering.  The discipline she shows by keeping her shoulders low has her Arkansas Razorback future coaches salivating at the opportunity to have her on their roster already.  This young lady is super fast as she tracks down serves and attacks.  She has a real nose for the ball and racks up digs in bunches in every match.  With her behind you covering, you can swing with confidence knowing that she has the fast-twitch muscles to react and keep the ball from falling to the floor if you get blocked.  The sky is the limit for this youngster and her stock continues to rise. Please help us congratulate her on moving up in our prestigious State Rankings. 

Hopkins was the libero of the Tomball team that secured six wins and two losses in the tournament. One of the best in the position in the state, she had a central role in the team’s campaign, making a huge impact on the backcourt. Very intelligent and technical, Hopkins was a stud on defense, popping up in the right spots to find the ball and displaying excellent ball control to handle with swings. The libero also had a prominent role in serve-receive, covering a massive chunk of the court and remaining accurate with her deliveries. The junior stood out with her ability to handset in transition and was a vocal leader for the team, constantly communicating with her teammates.

Hopkins was the libero of the HJV 17 Adidas team that tied for 13th with one win and six losses. Despite her team’s inconsistent form, her defensive game was on point as she handled her duties very efficiently. Hopkins was a solid passer and also came up with some impressive digs, combining great reflexes and superior ball control. She communicated very well with her teammates and did a solid job hand setting in out-of-system plays.

Tomball’s defensive system was extremely effective in the match and, if Kettler and Hornes led the way at the net, it was Hopkins who made a difference for them on the backcourt. The libero made some incredible digs, displaying tremendous agility and ball control, and worked hard for every point, recovering shanked passes or digs from her teammates on multiple occasions. She also did a terrific job with her passing, helping keep the Cougars in system and creating the conditions for their middles to have strong offensive performances. Hopkins made some impressive out-of-system sets in transition plays too, using her hands to accurately send the ball to the pins.

One of the top liberos in her age group in the Houston arena, Hopkins continues to grow in her role with Tomball. More than technical improvement, it’s exciting to see how much her understanding of the game and her confidence on the court developed over the last few years as she now pairs her excellent ball control with intelligent decision-making and acts like a true leader on the court. Hopkins covered a lot of ground in serve-receive and also worked hard on defense for the Cougars. She’s been working on hand setting out of the backcourt and is getting more and more precise with it.

Hopkins was capable of making an impact with Tomball as a freshman and should deliver even more in her sophomore season. One of the best liberos in the region, she has the potential to be a difference-maker on the backcourt and typically lives up to it. Very technical and active, Hopkins is one of those liberos who combine large production throughout matches but also big-time plays in key moments. She’s become more vocal as of late and is developing into a sold hand-setter, helping facilitate transition plays for the team.

Hopkins was the starting libero for the HJV 16 Elite team that finished second with five wins and two losses. She plays up with them, which means that she was actually competing two age groups up, and still stood out among the best in her position. Hopkins’ ball control and quickness on the backcourt continue to be impressive and because of these skills, she made some remarkable digs on the left back position. Her consistency in serve-receive was also very impressive. The libero’s game continue to improve and expand and during last week’s event, it was nice to see her hand setting with precision and playing more of a leadership role with her team.