Fried made a positive impression when I scouted her at the Westside Classic near the end of last regular season in Cedar Rapids. I liked what I saw during the club season when watching her play in person. She’d taken a step forward with her all-around game. That was the case again when seeing her at the Benton Bobcat Invitational last week. Fried stands out for her versatility. The junior was putting the ball down from the pin and also terminating the ball from the middle of the net. She’s tall with long arms and good leaping ability, which helps her swing over top of the block and throw up an effective block herself. Fried keeps getting better with more reps, and that should continue as she reaches for her sizable ceiling.

Fried impressed me with her performance at the Westside Invite late in the 2025 regular season. Against strong competition, the sophomore showed she belonged. It was a combination of physicality and athleticism coveted by college coaches. I witnessed the same traits, though more advanced, when watching her with Iowa Impact this club campaign. Fried looked locked in as a versatile two-way middle with agility and explosion. Her volleyball skills were sharpened, lifting her efficiency on the attack. She read the block and found holes in the defense. The slide attack was clicking. Fried is technically sound when blocking, using angles to her advantage.

Fried is a player packed with potential, based on our observations during an in-person scouting opportunity on Oct. 11, 2025 at the Westside Invite in Cedar Rapids. The same could be said about a future in basketball. Fried brings the athleticism and explosiveness that leads to success in hoops to the volleyball court. She can get up on her vertical leap and hangs in the air when following through with a big swing that finishes with power. Fried makes good decisions on the attack already, and more consistency will come with experience. She’d produced 109 kills and 39.0 blocks through her teams first 86 sets of 2025, both numbers ranking among the team’s leaders. Friend also brings versatility to the table with the ability to play at the pin or in the middle of the net.