Rowyn Benavides is going to be a name to watch moving forward, and she made a great impression on us throughout the Freshman Showcase. She has a natural touch on the ball and showed impressive control with her delivery, but one of the things we appreciated most was her willingness to ask questions. Rowyn was intentional about figuring out what her hitters needed from her, seeking feedback and making adjustments to put the athletes around her in the best possible position to be successful.

She also tracks the pass extremely well and works hard to get herself into a quality setting position. Even when the first contact wasn’t perfect, Rowyn showed the ability to move with the ball, stay composed, and create an offensive opportunity for her team. That combination of effort and awareness is an important foundation for a young setter as she continues learning how to manage an offense. We were especially impressed with her connection to the right side. Rowyn consistently delivered a hittable ball to that pin and showed a great feel for the location and tempo her right-side attackers needed. It was certainly one of the strengths of her game throughout the showcase and helped her keep the offense balanced rather than becoming overly reliant on one area of the net.

Beyond the technical pieces, Rowyn showed the curiosity and coachability that can take a young setter a long way. She’s already thinking about how she can make the players around her better, which is such an important part of becoming a true floor general. We’re excited to continue following Rowyn as she develops her game, builds confidence running an offense, and grows into the leadership responsibilities that come with the setter position.