Congratulations to all 100 Volleyball players named to the Prep Volleyball Senior Aces! Here are the top 10: PrepVolleyball’s Class of 2015 Senior Aces 10. Alison Bastianelli, 6-2 MB, Marysville (Michigan), Legacy — Illinois Perpetually in motion, Bastianelli is a bundle of energy come to life. There are no let downs with her. Bastianelli gives you everything she’s got every moment she’s on the court. Committed to being the best middle blocker in the country, Bastianelli is a ferocious competitor who gets better the later and closer the match gets. She has developed into an absolute monster at the net both offensively and defensively. Her ability to shut down an opposing attacker is absolutely tremendous. Bastianelli terminates well off of one foot and works hard in transition to always be an offensive threat. She has tremendous range and vision in front of the setter and is hitting the slides high with power and range. A complete middle, Bastianelli will be ready to step onto the court when she arrives at Illinois, where she has committed. 9. Madison Duello, 6-2 OH, Liberty (Missouri), KC Power – Wisconsin So smooth and fluid, Duello puts her hand on the ball as well as anyone in this class. Her great arm and hand contact mean very few hitting errors and she has an arsenal of shots she uses to score with, whether she’s hitting from a pin or the back row. Duello is a complete player who blocks with more than elbows over the tape and covers a lot of ground in the back row on serve receive and left-back defense. Duello, whose transition to a more competitive club this past season helped elevate her game even more, has an unbelievable volleyball I.Q. and a refreshing willingness/desire to get better every time she steps on the court. Her competitive mindset, leadership potential and coachability are other assets that could get her on the court early at Wisconsin, where she has committed. 8. Samantha Seliger-Swenson, 6-0 S, Hopkins (Minnetonka, Minnesota), Northern Lights — Minnesota When we first got to know Seliger-Swenson as a freshman, the focus was on her feet (they’re freakishly long). Since then, the focus has shifted to her hands, which may be the very best in this class. An outstanding floor general, Seliger-Swenson is able to dismantle an opponent’s defense with her set location and decision making. She has an ability to better any ball and put attackers back in system from wherever she is on the court. She has worked hard on her technical skills as well as her deception. She can keep the block off balance and knows how to win (club record of 302-37 in 4 years). “Samantha often amazes myself and the other coaches with a great re-direction or somehow finding a hitter we don’t expect or think can be set,” said Lights coach Adam Beamer. “I’ve heard many coaches say, ‘Whoa…nice set’ and many middles say ‘other-not-so-nice-things’ when they are caught taking a step in the wrong direction.” Seliger-Swenson has been playing volleyball since she could walk. She knows the game, the players, the teams, the strategy. Smooth and humble, she provides a calming influence on the court. Having played the past two seasons at the 18s level, Seliger-Swenson is ready to move on. She will graduate early to enroll in January at the University of Minnesota, where she has committed. 7. Alexa Smith, 6-0 OH, Lewis-Palmer (Monument, Colorado), Colorado Juniors — Purdue A do-everything player committed to Purdue, Smith is one of the most polished and experienced players in the nation. Fast off the floor, she combines a terrific hitting arm with elite ball-control skills. Smith burst onto the scene by amassing 545 kills as a freshman and she’s been making headlines in Colorado ever since. The 2013 PrepVolleyball National Junior of the Year has had 47 kills in a match and is on pace to become the state’s career kill leader before her time at Lewis-Palmer is done. A member of the 2014 USA Junior National Team, Smith is proof that you don’t need to jump out of the gym to be a top recruit. Smith moves with extreme grace and athletic precision and her ball control ability makes her an ideal L2. Calm at all moments, Smith gets most excited by a great block. She is a great teammate, selfless and humble, who inspires others by her play on the court. Smith prides herself on her prodigious collection of athletic shoes. No one can fill those shoes better than she. 6. Tionna Williams, 6-3 MB, Concordia Lutheran (Fort Wayne, Indiana), Munciana — Wisconsin The fastest first step in the country, Williams has “international level” lateral quickness. Kill ‘em with kindness? Williams does it with pure speed. No one closes the block faster. She also gets off the ground in a blur. Would-be attackers simply have no chance. Williams also uses her speed in transition, scoring at ease with a whip of an arm. Explosive from pin to pin, she can hit the high ball, the quick and the slide with equal proficiency. Passionate about the game and a great competitor, Williams is a dynamo now. Committed to Wisconsin, she has even more room to grow. That’s a scary thought. 5. Yaasmeen Bedart-Ghani, 6-4 OH, Redondo Union (Redondo Beach, California), Mizuno Long Beach – Texas Bedart-Ghani is the kind of outside hitter defensive players tap out against. You wouldn’t find to face her heat either. An extreme power hitter, Bedart-Ghani has an arm that reminds South Bay denizens of Falyn Fonoimoana, who was No. 1 in the Class of 2010 Senior Aces. Nicknamed “Yaazie,” Bedart-Ghani also mixes in shots and changeups and is one of the few players in the country who can attack high ball out-of-system sets for kills. She puts up a huge block, has improved all-around skills, is fiercely competitive and strong academically. Committed to Texas, she will provide depth and more physicality on the pins for the Longhorns. 4. Micaya White, 6-1 OH/MB, Centennial (Frisco, Texas), TAV — Texas Ever seen the top of the antenna? White has. There is extreme chaos on the other side of the net when she is in the air. Defenders have no chance when she swings an arm they cannot see. Better that they put their hands in front of their face and give up the point than have to schedule an appointment with Dr. Robert Rey. Beyond her extreme physicality, White, who sees the floor like no other, has a bevy of shots, including some sweet cutties opponents cannot read. Swift of foot, While also is a defensive demon. Spending much of her early volleyball years in the middle has helped her become a serious defensive asset, as she is an incredible blocker. Her hilarious personality makes her a friend to all. White is someone who keeps it light during the heavy times. The 2014 17 Open MVP has committed to Texas. She has the ability to start Day 1. 3. Jordyn Poulter, 6-2 S, Eaglecrest (Centennial, Colorado), Front Range — Illinois Poulter makes people better. A skilled setter who brings size and athleticism to the position, she trained with national team coach Karch Kiraly’s U23 team for three weeks last season. Without her, Eaglecrest’s high school team slumped to fifth place in league. She returned and the team not only got to state for the third time in her three years in the program, it finished third! That’s the kind of impact player Poulter is. Poulter has a great understanding of the game and knows how to run the offense. Most good setters are good in system but what separates Poulter is her ability out of system to get hitters in rhythm and her courage to set hitters from anywhere on the court. She also packs quite a punch when she attacks and blocks like a college player already. Poulter is determined and measured in her competitiveness, and brings a steady and steely disposition which infects the teams she sets, making them very tough to beat. She has played at the highest level in her age group in the world and has done more than hold her own, as she was voted “Best Setter” in 2013 while playing in Thailand with the USA Youth National Team and repeated that honor this past summer with the USA Junior National Team. A great leader, friend to all and coach on the floor, Poulter will come to Illinois ready to make an indelible mark on the program. 2. Mikaela Foecke, 6-3 OH/MB, Holy Trinity (Ft. Madison, Iowa), Club Fusion — Nebraska Those contending that Foecke is the hardest hitter in the 2015 class may not face much resistance. Her attacks are legendary in the volleyball community. Exhibit “A” is this Youtube video, https://youtube/watch?v=6B7fKzdJAbo, which has 1.1 million views and counting. Foecke, who plays every attacking position at a supremely high level, is a powerful 1st, 2nd and 3rd tempo attacker. She plays higher than others with similar approach touches, as her efficient arm swing technique allows her to maximize her contact point. Foecke has a wicked, yet consistent, jump serve and the agility of a libero in a 6-3 frame, with strong ball handling skills. Foecke, who has two years of international experience, is a humble player eager to put in the work to continue to improve. She’s great in the middle but will probably play on a pin at Nebraska, where she has committed. 1. Hayley Hodson, 6-2 OH, Corona del Mar (Newport Beach, California), Tstreet – Stanford Hodson was the captain of the USA Junior National Team that won Gold last summer at the NORCECA championships. Her captaincy was appropriate, as Hodson is a natural leader on the court and off. She’s the kind of leader who keeps the team organized and on task before play begins and also wants to take the big swing in critical situations. Hodson is good at everything. She plays well above 10 feet with a high attack point and can connect on an in-system fast tempo set. Her blocking and defensive eye-work allow her to handle a fast international style of play. She gets a great press on the block. She can pass any serve. Need proof of Hodson’s all-around prowess? On the JNT, statistics showed that she was the best server and defender and second best attacker, blocker and passer. That’s consistent excellence. Hodson, who is terrific on either pin, is very smart and plays that way. She has a calm demeanor on the court, works harder than any Olympian and is the epitome of class at all times. Hodson is headed first to Stanford and then to the National Team, where she logged time last winter and spring. Her dream is to be an Olympian and she’s on the path to making that happen.
Posted on: Fri, 12 Sep 2014 00:34:16 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015