Landry McRae, the 6-rotation setter for Excel 16N Red, is coming in with momentum after chasing down a successful bid with her team at NEQ. Now the question is—can they do it again? With Landry running the show all the way around, it certainly seems possible. She sets a quick tempo and does an impressive job commanding the net from any position, giving her hitters consistent opportunities to stay aggressive. Her versatility and leadership make a noticeable impact on every rally. All eyes will be on her at LSC, where she’ll look to keep that momentum rolling.

From a technical evaluation standpoint, Landry McRae brings a well-rounded skill set to the setter/right-side role in the class of 2028. At 5’11”, she has the size to be effective at the net while maintaining the mobility required to run a fast offense. College coaches will love her size, speed, and power that she brings to the table.  As a setter, McRae sets from a balanced base and shows the ability to square to target, even when forced to move laterally or set from off-system positions. Her hands are clean, and she demonstrates an understanding of tempo, adjusting release speed to match hitter approach patterns rather than forcing uniform timing. When attacking on the right side, she uses smart shot selection, mixing pace and placement to exploit block positioning. Defensively, she reads well at the net and closes with intent, using her length to take away seams rather than drifting. In transition, she makes efficient decisions and keeps rallies organized, a trait that reflects strong volleyball IQ. There is no doubt in my mind that she can run a fast-paced college level system in a few years.  Long term, McRae projects as a system-flexible hybrid who can influence matches through both decision-making and physical presence.

Landry is currently ranked as the 29^th best overall player in the class of 2028 according to our Texas State Rankings.  She is also listed as the 4^th best setter as well.  After watching her compete all club season, she has really made a strong case for moving up in the rankings.  We will be watching her closely during the showcase to see how big of an impact she can make.  One thing that really stands out is her ability to play both setter and right side.  This kind of versatility mixed with her strength and height is a deadly combination.  I strongly suggest that everyone keeps their eyes on her as she competes for the two hours.  We certainly will. Stay tuned for a follow up article after the event.

Landry is currently an unranked prospect in the 2028 Class according to our Prep Dig Texas State Rankings.  She plays volleyball at Allen High School and plays club for the Excel volleyball program.  The first thing that caught my eye was her height.  Every coach in the country wants a taller setter who is capable of staying in the front row in order to cut down subs and keep the offense flowing without changing setters.  Miss McRae has tons of height, but more importantly she has the skills to match the attention she will get.  Her hands a very solid and I don’t foresee a lot of double contacts from her at all.  The main reason for this will be due to her footwork.  Normally taller setters will have a tough time tracking down passes and digs because of longer strides, but Landry moves rather rapidly and gets in proper position to keep the same posture.  This will help her consistency for sure.  What was even more impressive to me was how she truly understood distribution principles to make sure that she spread out her attack and kept the opposing defense off-balance.  She went “against flow” quite a bit and it created a lot of one on one scenarios or big splits in the block.  She is one to keep an eye on for sure.