The Prospect Report: HOT Topics from Vegas

Hot Topics in Vegas:

New Names

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WAVE Middle Combo:

I was very impressed watching the WAVE Middle combination of

Dylan Kupiec- ’28 Elitę Orange Level

Makenna Grieshaber- ’28 Elite Orange Level

Grieshaber is a space eating block machine and Kupiec is smooth and efficient running the quick route with her setters. I thought both of them did some impressive things defensively on the block and are going to play at that height (guessing no Player Profile) to make them college D1 prospects for sure.

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Piper Moog- NPJ Middle Elite Orange Level

Mood is a 6’6” prospect that will be a project as she grows into her frame, but has the reach to be an elite block for a D1 squad. Work ethic will be determining factor on how far and fast she progresses, but she can become a great college weapon on her height alone.

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Ok hot court sightings:

First observation:

Josalyn Samuels- Kairos Setter….Nebraska, Texas, Pitt and Wisconsin all spent time watching the #2 overall setter prospect (who did gain PPV points after he play this weekend).

*But, what surprised me the most was that Wisconsin was there so intently. Which made me think they are for sure in on a ’28 Setter. Which I didn’t think they would be for some reason.

This also means that Nebraska, Texas, Wisconsin and Pitt are all hunting for a Setter in June!

I’m going to do a podcast with more on this strategy and what it could look like.

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Second Observation:

Bryn Walcott- Sudden Impact- OH

Sometimes when we give athletes bumps it’s because of research that we do and it’s simply us trusting pro scouts more than us trusting other websites info. Walcott is a great example when we talk again about an athlete from the Northwest Region who has an excellent frame to grow into, but isn’t setting the world on fire just yet. If you would have looked at a couple of the Southern teams closely scouting her on Sunday you would understand how high her potential is. She is an evolving OH who will get better and better.

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Freeman disagreement:

You will see we moved Taylor Freeman Opp SCVC 2028 (Utah) up quite a bit and feel very confident where we have her positioned first because of her measurable tests, second because of her court performance and consistency, third her consistent positive attitude and fourth because of the constant field of Top 10 coaches parked watching her Saturday. I can also see why there would be room for argument on the positioning a little bit, no doubt, but for curiosity I did look at one much more popular website known for their “rankings” because that is all they do is rankings and the fact that Freeland isn’t even listed in their Class of ’28 Top 150? I know “I’m just a stupid football coach and have zero credibility” as college fans like to say so my rankings mean nothing, but come on people pay a lot of $ to subscribe to those sites they could at least have her in the Top 100?

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The Setter Shuffle this June will be so intriguing to watch, so will the how the the Opposite landing spots plays out.  

Two different coaching staffs have told me basically the same thing “yes their are several talented OPP in this year’s class, but landing them is difficult”

*You aren’t sure what the pecking order is going to be (quite like you do with Setters).

*Will there be any foreign players thrown in the mix like previous years? (This could throw off the balance and the order)

*Will the Spring Portal Period mess with the supply/demand like it has in the past? (Almost certainly yes)

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So with the answer almost for sure YES on all of these it makes it hard to predict who will need an Opposite? What kind of roster will the Oppos be walking into, etc. So it is just difficult to form any kind of solid relationship because normally they have more of an idea ok we sit at about #6 or #7 ish in the pecking order (See our definition of Program Prestige Levels) and the Opp have some idea or think they do of where they fall in the pecking order of where they will be recruited 

See Domino Theory in our Straight Talk Recruiting Series (that was cancelled this year due to lack of interest lol).

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*It is equally important those OPP in this year’s class get some solid advice from somewhere because really both them and setters actually have options this year with so much depth beyond #1.

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This is why we try and get as accurate of PPV scores as we can and try and hone in on Program Prestige Levels as best we can, so we can get a bit of an idea on some of these things to help a bit and also we love predicting landing spots for recruits in football and volleyball for entertainment. Now transfers and bringing in foreign players can throw off the system somewhat and does a program have a solid Fr./Soph already, etc.

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Burrage gets the twice over:

Janiah Burrage made a large jump in our evaluation scale this week as well. Athleticism matters at the next level, plain and simple. A big part of the reason I flew to Vegas was I wanted to watch her in person after she touched 10’8” and I wanted to see how athletic it translated to on the court. Again Forza 1 simply doesn’t get talked about and recognized like other national clubs and so public perception gets swayed ahead of talent sometimes in “rankings”. Is she the best OH right now, NO she struggles passing and has to work on that part of her game no doubt, but she plays with energy and she flies and can move the ball around and she has amazing arm strength that is effortless and the 10’8” is legit. There isn’t a clear-cut #1 OH in this class so I think she needs to be considered simply because of the pure athleticism that I witnessed and again every other Top 10 program that was there did as well. The attitude and coach ability part check out as well.

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Summer Tukua solid all around

Really liked Tukua from WAVE watching her in-depth for the first extended time. She does a lot of good things for sure and is the glue of the team and the go-to. Would love to know all of her testing numbers though as that is I think coaches may look at down the road is ceiling? I love what she was able to do from behind the 10’ line and she has power in her arm, passes very well and is explosive. Very solid Elite Red prospect and legit player!

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Chloe Taylor Impresses as her team secures big

Another 2028 we wanted to truly focus on was Chloe Taylor of WAVE. It is such a deep setter class this year that Taylor gets a bit lost in the shuffle, but she is a legitimate take option for any school not just a West Coast program. She is strong for her 6’1” frame and can push the ball to front row targets on a dime. Her squad runs a 6-2 which is new for Taylor, but she comes in with such momentum and confidence when she checks in each time and her squad responded. Taylor fits in that 2nd tier pack of great setters in this ’28 group and will have plenty of great schools to pick from; close to how or further away.

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Saylor Halvorsen had eyes as well

We talked about the SG Elite prospect after day 1 and also mentioned her teammate Lana Frelix OPP Silver Level, both had solid tourneys for their club.

So from my understanding what a coach might do and I know what we do often times is we will have a “group of like position players” and we will watch them all at a tournament and get an eye-test and impression. Then go back to the War Room (film room) and watch tourney film on each of them and compare how they played and adjust each almost head to head sometimes for a period. I simply bring them up because they both would be in this situation with others at their positions.

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Again that is why scores can move and they do that on Big Boards in College War Rooms as well. So it’s not about better or worse it’s close and at the same level or “not even close” different levels we need one way ahead of the other type of thing.

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Just a little breakdown of quickly of Vegas….Check the site for more player updates especially on 2029s and then Minneapolis 2028s coming later on.