I’ve been high on this two-time state champion for some time now, and with good reason. Strong, smart and always available to hit, Miss Lauck can be an M1 or an M2 at the next level, depending on the needs of the D1 school she should be attending in the fall of ‘28. The pace with which she attacks is tough to defend, and her high volleyball IQ adds to an already full arsenal of shots she can bring at any one time.

It’s one thing to do well at the 4A high school level. It’s completely another to own the middle in the 16 Open division at MEQ’s on day one. Paityn is a solid choice for either middle position at the next level on both offense and defense. I FINALLY got to see her terminate behind the setter, and her court vision helps score points regularly for her squad. On the block, she takes up space and has no true weaknesses in any part of her game.

Part of a state-championship-winning high school program, Paityn is a smart and efficient middle that can do a lot of different things as an M2 or an M1. Athletic and quick, Paityn will beat slower middles with speed and opposing defenses with smarts. Aggressive when she needs to be, she’s terminal in nearly every swing she takes. A regular on our PrepDig circuit of showcases, Miss Lauck should be one of the first middles off the recruiting board for this class.

As part of the two-time defending 4A state champs, Paityn is a tough, strong and smart middle that finds defensive weaknesses and hammers them to death. Unforced errors just don’t happen with Miss Lauck, as she turns inconsistent setting into point-scoring opportunities. On defense, she’s anticipatory and vocal, and is a second coach for her fellow blockers when in the game. No, she’s not the biggest middle out there. However, her smarts, strength and court vision more than make up for her size.

With springs, smarts and an overall dominating presence at the net, Miss Lauck once again showed why she’s one of the top middle blocking recruits in the class of 2028. She sees what’s in front of her when she attacks AND blocks—-not exactly an easy trait to teach, let alone learn. Finishing second overall in 16 Open yesterday was a solid start to her club season, and it only gets better from here.

With two 4A state championship trophies already on her mantle, Paityn is one of the best overall middles in this class. Big enough to cause problems when defending and smart enough to score points regularly from the middle regardless of who’s setting, Miss Lauck is part of a strong class of 2028 middle group that can do no wrong. Paityn can easily slot in as an M1 or an M2 for any stable of middles, and her spot on PHP’s squad will have her seeing some of the best competition to develop her skill set THAT much more.

Springy, active and fun to watch, Paityn has been part of our showcases for a couple of years now, along with being part of the two-time defending 4A champs. She’s adept both in front of and behind the setter, blocks well for her size and reads the game at an elite level. Her fitness is also off the charts—-the gameplay portion of the showcase Saturday had her as the only middle on her team, and she kept terminating and blocking as if it were a random Tuesday in practice. If this is what she’s like at a showcase, imagine what her matches look like!

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention one of my favorite repeat attendees to our showcases. Owner of TWO state championship medals in 4A, Paityn is a heavy-hitting and smart middle who uses brute force to beat (more like defeat and subdue) opposing blocks regularly. I like her motor, her upper body strength, and her athletic acuity while playing a position most take for granted. Her work ethic, combined with that high volleyball IQ, should carry her far in her recruiting journey.

Already owning a large state championship trophy on her personal mantle, Paityn is a terminal middle that can put away balls from just about anywhere. She’s an M1 with an M2’s mentality—-meaning she can explode as an attacker in front of or behind the setter while being a solid defender of the net because of her broad shoulders and strong upper body. I’ve liked this kid since she came to our Freshman Showcase back in 2024, and she’s only getting better.

Paityn is a repeat attendee to our showcases, as she was one of our top middles in last year’s Freshman Showcase. Strong bodied and physical, Miss Lauck already has a state championship trophy on her mantle as the defending 4A state champ. She has two different traits that set her apart from others; (1) she hits a heavy ball, making her hard to defend, and (2) she has a relentless motor, making her tougher to defend as the match continues. That combination will carry her far in this recruiting process, as both traits are hard to find among middles here in Indiana. As I type this sentence, I see that she’s listed Pineapple High Performance 16-1 as her club team for the following spring, which should immediately make her competition that much tougher to play against—exactly what will make her that much better, which is SCARY.