This is another tough one for me, VA Juniors 16s is one of my favorite teams in the age group, they are so deep and talented, picking a favorite here is rough. I’m going to go with Reese this time though. Mandela, their fantastic, and very sweet middle has been out, but is on the way back, and Reese has been showing her versatility filling in at MB. She plays there and RS, and for me is probably more of a RS, just so athletic and a tiny bit short for matching up with a lot of middles around here, plus you can get both her and Mandela in the lineup at the same time which gives you some great blocking out there. Reese is very flexible and has a skill set that plays all over the court, she’s the ultimate glue player as she can fill in at so many different spots and do whatever the team needs done. Every coach wishes they had a player like Reese, you never have to worry about who is out sick or injured because Reese will handle it.

When players see her 5’9″ frame in the middle of the court they tend to underestimate her ability. That is when her quickness strikes, as well as her timing to hit the fast tempo sets. Despite her height she stands out with elite status potential on offense. Of all the middles running quicks Reese seemed to find the timing much more frequently and quicker than the others. The one major issue at the higher levels is getting high enough over the net for blocking.

Reese will play for Virginia Juniors in the USAV Junior Nationals in the 15U age group Freedom Division. For Patriot she did not get a lot of time on the court as a sophomore. With the improvement in her game, it will be difficult to keep her off the court this year.

At 5’9″ her height does not fit a typical middle blocker. However, sometimes those smaller players bring the timing necessary to hit the quick tempo sets better. They also seem to have the ability to create more effective blocks. Reese does a good job at accomplishing both tasks.

Even at 5’9″ most colleges look for more height in their right sides as well. This becomes an important blocking position to neutralize the left side hitter, who is normally the top offensive player. Reese does a good job putting up a block on the right side but as the players get taller the task becomes more difficult.

Reese surprises you with her ability to accomplish the tasks necessary for the position when given the opportunity. A player not to underestimate. She also has an unbridled enthusiasm for the game, which is always fun to watch.

73 to 64. At 5’9″ Reese is a tad undersized to play middle. However, she seems to play it so well, accumulating blocks while also running quick tempo sets. Her timing for reading the hitter when she blocks is impeccable.

My first opportunity to watch Reese play was at a Prep Dig showcase where she won a top performer award. With middles Elizabeth Gordon Elizabeth Gordon 5'11" | MB Patriot | 2026 State VA and Sydney Bennett Sydney Bennett 6'2" | MB Patriot | 2026 State VA her playing time with Patriot this past season was limited.

While she finished fifth in kills what really stands out was her team high .355 hitting percentage. Now she will get some playing opportunities for Virginia Juniors 15. Some talented names on their roster.