Spring NTDP: U17 Middles Making a Big Impression

Annabelle Ross - 2028 - AZ Storm

Ross had an excellent showing throughout the session, demonstrating high-level skills on both sides of the ball. During scrimmages on the final day, she stayed involved in every point and was consistently scoring points, whether it was with her quick-off-the-ground attacking or her blocking pressure. Watching her at first, it seemed as though she needed to learn to bring more power to her swings, but it quickly became clear that she simply knew when to rip at the ball and when to apply a softer touch, because both were working for her.

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Lucie Amonett - 2029 - OTVA

Amonett was impressive with how well she read hitters on the other side of the net, especially given that she was one of the younger players. She was quick to get from pin to pin, allowing her to rack up tons of block touches that turned into easy transition opportunities for her teammates. During scrimmages, she was always available as an attack option in transition and also made some impressive heads up plays at the net. 

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Eliana Koram - 2028 - Metro

Koram is extremely quick, both in terms of how fast she gets up for her slide attacks as well as in terms of her lateral movements across the net. She was highly engaged with her team during scrimmages and showed genuine excitement for her teammates whenever they scored, demonstrating a great attitude and a team player mindset. She also didn’t seem fazed after missed connections and errors (which are bound to happen given this environment). Add her good attitude to her athleticism and you have a very exciting middle prospect.

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Jacqueline Ryan - 2030 - AJV

At 6’5”, Ryan has the physical tools needed to be an elite blocker or right-side. She read the opposing offense very well and demonstrated great blocking technique. Throughout the scrimmages, she was responsible for more than her fair share of blocks, including several solo stuffs on quick attacks, and she was an effective attacker both on the slide and on gap sets.

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Chidimma Ogba - 2029 - Dallas Premier

At 6’0”, Ogba is not the tallest middle blocker you’ll find on a Power 4 court, but she has the jump to make up for it. She gets way up above the net and penetrates well on the block, plus she is explosive when she gets the chance to hit. She didn’t receive a ton of sets during scrimmages, but she still approached and jumped like she believed she would be set at every opportunity, which was convincing enough to consistently draw the opposing middle. 

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Mandela Masimini - 2028 - VA Juniors

Before they develop a complete skillset, a lot of blockers at this age are blocking middles or attacking middles. Masimini is very much in the former category. This isn’t to say that her hitting isn’t good, because she can definitely put the ball down, but her blocking is something special. During scrimmages, she would rack up several positive block touches during longer rallies, and as time went on it was clear that opposing hitters were making errors in an attempt to avoid her. 

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Rilynn Wingenbach - 2028 - HPSTL

We’ve already covered Wingenbach’s NTDP Day 1 showing, but she continued to impress throughout the rest of the weekend. Beyond her strength and jumping, she attacks with range and knows how to use the hands in front of her to help her score.

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Gillian Pfeiffer - 2028 - HPSTL

Like Wingenbach, we’ve already covered some of Pfeiffer’s growth on display during the first day of NTDP. Her work and training has continued to pay dividends, as she demonstrated a wide range of shots and an ability to hit straight to the undefendable back areas of the court.