Mia was another standout from this weekend and someone who might be one of the better middles we had show up. She was dominate in every aspect of her game, from her offense to her blocking, to her ability to be a leader on the floor. Mia was a game changer in a lot of drills and showed a lot of talent in the game play portion as well. Mia has blocking down so well for someone her age, as she really gets over the net and presses with full extension to take a way a ton of angles from pin hitters. She is most importantly able to win a lot of one on one battles with middles which makes the life of her defenders that much easier. You could make an argument she was the best blocker at her showcase and won’t find many people who would argue with you.

As for the offense… well good luck slowing her down as MIa can do it all from the offensive side. She can run in front, behind, away, on the pin, wherever the setter needs Mia can take a swing a score at a very high clip. Not only that, but she doesn’t need to 10 foot you (although she can), she has the ability and IQ to take the deep corner shots and hit away from defenders to take those free points. Throughout the showcase she was easily the best player on her court almost every time and was an easy choice as a standout based on her ability to play offense and defense to such a high level.

Another middle who is a game changer in the 15’s division. Mia is someone who moves with purpose and can do a lot for her team on the offensive end. She is able to run both in front and behind the center. One aspect of her game that stood out was how she was able to swing and hit to all spots on the floor. She could run the same offensive attack but hit to zone 1 and zone 6 or she could hit a off speed shot if needed. However, she normally doesn’t need to go off speed as she can read and see a defense and just hit to open spots on the floor with force too. She is a standout player in general but really stood out this weekend at Red Rock.

Mia Avelar Mia Avelar 6'2" | MB/RS Sandra Day O'Connor | 2029 State AZ named Top Performer at PrepDig’s Exposure Tour in Mesa, Arizona.

Mia was a dominant presence at the net with a strong, versatile swing. She scored effectively both cross court and with sharp cuts, and her blocking consistently disrupted opposing attackers. Her court IQ allowed her to read situations quickly and make smart, efficient plays.

Mia shared that her awareness helps her find ways to score, and she is currently working on improving her defensive posture and footwork to stay balanced and ready in transition. Her physicality and net control stood out throughout the session.

~ Michelle Bamford @Coachable247

When it came to middle blockers at the event, one my personal favorites to watch was Mia. I would highly encourage you to get out and watch her at a tournament this season and you will see a middle who is explosive, powerful, and just a force at the net.

On the blocking front Mia reads hitters effectively and closes blocks with urgency as she can go pin to pin with ease. She is also physical enough to take middles one on one out of the middle and get good blocks on opposing middles at will. She easily gets her hands over the net, and takes up a lot of space with her ability to press over the net. The most impressive part isn’t how well of a blocker she is but how well of an offensive weapon she is and will continue to be as she gets older. She has a high impact swing as a 2029 and will beat one on one blocks with ease as she punishes the ball. She is able to run multiple fast offensive options and seemed to connect well with any setter that was given to her. She can also hit from the pin in serve receive, giving her setters the option to run different things and maintain a high level offense, always keeping the other team on their toes.

Mia is a high level middle who projects to be a big time threat come club season. She plays offense at a high level and can take away offensive threats on the other side with her physical ability at the net. We see Mia as not only a standout at this event, but someone who will stand out for the class of 2029 and someone you need to know.