I hadn’t seen Raedel in quite a while as she has been focused on recovering from an ACL injury and working her way through rehab. I wanted to check in on her and see how both she and her team were doing. Based on what I saw in the first match this morning, things appear to be progressing really well. Playing out of the middle, Raedel was a strong presence at the net, consistently making opponents alter their shots as she puts up a big block. What stood out most, though, was how well she moved. Even coming off the injury, she looked fluid, moved well laterally, and moved good in transition. If there were any concerns about whether the injury had slowed her down, she definitely didn’t show that today.

I have seen Raedel play a few times this year (one tournament playing up two age levels) and each time I am amazed with her power and perception. Standing at 6’2”, this young middle and right side of 2029 plays at a level much higher than her stature. Raedel has a hammer for an arm, solid vertical, and fluid movements that make her a force to be reckoned with on the court. Constantly working on her skills, Raedel is a girl going places in the volleyball world.

I saw Raedel for the first time during gold bracket play on Sunday. She was playing middle and delivering numerous attacks from the middle and right side. She is tall, moves well, and has a super heavy arm. What shocked me even more is when I found out she was playing up two age divisions. Not only could she play in this age division, but she stood out already. Raedel is definitely one to keep tabs on throughout the season and years.