It’s been two weeks since our last entry and the club season is reaching its end. Everyone is preparing for AAU/USA Junior National Championships, D3 programs are announcing their incoming classes, and it’s becoming much easier for me to review the future of the D3VB landscape. Dive into Part III of our Impact recruit series, where we highlight athletes across the country we think have the potential to make some noise their freshmen year.
As always, the players featured aren’t ranked in any meaningful order, as we at FrogJump do not rank incoming recruits. However, below are some faces I believe we should get to know, as I feel they’ll make an impact on their teams in the 2024 season. Parents, do not email me asking “why was my athlete not listed”… you will not like my response.
Ben Heise – Opposite – Carthage
Carthage needed depth at Opposite, and they certainly addressed that need with Ben Heise. A 6’6 left-handed Opposite touching over 11ft checks all the standard boxes to get you in the gym, his blocking and attack progression will be what gets him on the court.
Grant Hughes – Setter/Opposite – California Lutheran
The 6’4 Hughes comes to California Lutheran with great hands and solid attack progression. A setter who can swing and dish is a welcome addition to any program, so I’ll be curious to see the possible 6-2 scenarios at California Lutheran with him and Taylor Marks.
Ryder Kelley – Setter – Aurora
Ryder Kelley comes to Aurora following the graduation of their 1st-Team NACC setter James Karwin. Like Karwin, Ryder will bring great athleticism to the position, but will combine it with better location. He’ll be one of the few freshmen setters I’ll have pegged to make some noise this year, especially in the NACC.
Tucker Lambert – Outside Hitter/Opposite – Benedictine
Benedictine got some size in this year’s recruiting class, and Tucker Lambert is a big athlete any program would be excited about. A 6’6 pin with power, I could see Tucker working his way into the lineup with the departure of Nathan Klimisch. He’s one of two incoming pins with the potential to impact the Eagles next year (more on that later!).
Ricardo Ortiz – Libero – Springfield
The Libero class has been very deep this year, yet Ricardo Ortiz remains a standout at the position. A member of the U19 Puerto Rican National team, Ortiz will push for time immediately at Alden Street as Springfield gears up for the season.
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