Hot DS/Ls from 25/26 at Stock Up Showcase (2024)

I love watching defensive specialists playing volleyball. For me, they are one of the best parts of the game. They make such an impact when they are good and also such an impact when they are not. We had some really good DS/Ls at the showcase this past weekend. Let’s get into why they were so good and something special about each one of them.

Hofer is a 5’2″ DS/L from Fremont High School’s class of 2025. Hofer stays low to the ground for a fast pickup, has a great pancake, and a great platform. She is always where you need her to be on the court. She passes with perfection and is super athletic. She is an asset on the court with her high volleyball IQ and her consistent passing.

Morinelli is a 5’6″ DS/L from Millard North High School’s class of 2025. Morinelli likes what she is doing on the court. She plays aggressively and is always after the ball. She has a great platform and supreme focus on the court. She is always in position and confident of her skills.

Wolfswinkel is a 5’8″ OH/DS/L from Chrokee Washington High School’s class of 2025. Wolfswinkel has a sixth sense about where the ball is going to come down. It is almost like she was a hitter earlier in her career. She is athletic and quick to the ball. She does not give up and will chase the ball and bring it back into play. She has a great platform and digs with the best of them. She has a great serve and hits amazingly well from the back row.

Macke is a 5’3″ DS/L from Norris High School’s class of 2026. Macke is focused, consistent, and relaxed on the court. She has confidence that she is getting the ball and has the athleticism to support that thought. She has a perfect platform and can be relied on to not give up on the ball. She was a digging machine at the showcase and was very impressive.

Ryan is a 5’7″ DS/L from Papillion LaVista High School’s class of 2026. Ryan is athletic, consistent, and on target to her setter. She has very quick feet when moving around the court. She communicates and calls the ball when she has the best play on it. She receives the ball and bumps it high to the setter to allow time for the setter to move if necessary. She has smooth transitions from her hands to the next player and could be counted on to hit it well from the back row. She would improve any team she played on.

Staver is a 5’4″ DS/L from Creston Community High School’s class of 2026 in Iowa. Staver reminded me of my favorite part of being a DS/L and it is the fact that you can be the cause of the other team just outplaying themselves and giving you the point. She is so fast on her feet and her platform is unmatched. She puts it where it needs to go and she anticipates where the ball is going to go. Those things give her a huge advantage on the court. She is great and I would use her on my team if I were building one.

Uhrmacher is a 5’7″ DS/L from Aurora High School’s class of 2026. Uhrmacher processes what is happening on the court quickly and makes great decisions. She looked great in drills and did everything right. She looks calm and capable and that is a good way to look at a showcase. She has a great platform and is good on her feet meaning she gets to where she needs to be and sets herself up for success before every interaction with the ball.