Volleyball LOI Signings

[mike412]

Clearly Fisher’s highest rated high school class.

Torrey Stanford from Marymount in California us the #12 rated recruit in the country and led her team to a 35-0 record. She is the one I saw on TV and have been raving about for a year.

She is an outside hitter but is only 6’1 or 6’2 tops. But, you would not believe it watching her sky. If she was 6’4, she would be the number one recruit in the country. She still might be.

Blaire Bayless is another slightly undersized Outside Hitter. Her height has been listed from 6’0 to 6’2. She has led Plano West Texas to 22 straight wins and in a recent match against another ranked team she had 40 kills. Prep Volleyball has her as the #42 recruit while Prep Digs has her as #59. She also plays softball and runs cross-country.

Haiti Tautuaa is a Setter from Hawaii. Fisher has a knack for recruiting setters from there. She is the #1 recruit in Hawaii per Prep Volleyball and #27 nationally per Prep Digs.

They also had a verbal from a libero/setter from Torrance CA Bishop Montgomery but no indication that she signed. I don’t know if they parted ways. I think at one point they had a verbal from a very tall player from Riverside County. She might be a 2024 recruit though.

 

[mike412]

The real tall player is Olivia Babcock from Sierra Canyon HS. They won the regional title 4 days ago and she was still referred to as a Pitt commit in news articles. She is all of 6’5 and one of the top players in the country. Don’t know why she didn’t sign.

Back in August, she and Stafford played in a tournament featuring top teams. Both made the all-tourney team, but a writer for a volleyball magazine wrote that the player most of the coaches were talking about was Stafford.

 

[phijo]

Something from LA Daily News about Babcock.

Olivia Babcock is Sierra Canyon volleyball’s next great player

Olivia Babcock has the ability to lead Sierra Canyon to its first CIF title since 2017.

www.dailynews.com

 

[phijo]

According to Pitt, Babcock signed a LOI

Fisher Signs Highest Rated Class in Program History - Pitt Panthers #H2P

Head Coach Dan Fisher has signed the highest rated incoming class in program history today, securing commitments from four top-ranked recruits to the 2023 class.

pittsburghpanthers.com

 

[Chaos]

 

[mike412]

Yep. Her tweet went up this morning. The others were posted yesterday. So she might have faxed her LOI in late.

Basically, we got 2 of the 3 top rated players in Southern California. Babcock, as Fisher said, hadn’t been playing that long and should have a huge upside. Her coach said that one of her problems now is that she jumps too high, particularly in blocks. Not a problem many people have. Stafford you just have to see to believe how high she gets on kills. She can hit over the block.

We have had great luck in Southern California. Kayla Lund was the first for Fisher. Now, Rachel Fairbanks, the glue of the team the next two years. Courtney Bazzario also is a SoCal product as is Serena Gray.

Last year, Fisher brought Fairbanks along very slowly. At first, if she got into a match it was to serve. Then she slowly started getting more time. By the NCAAs, she was a vital part of the rotation. He has brought Jepsen along even more slowly this season, but she is playing more and more. I think because of the players we will be losing after this year he might have to bring a couple of this group of freshmen along a little faster next year.

By most accounts, the top recruit here this year is from Mira Costa. Interestingly, her team played Stafford’s team twice and Babcock’s team I believe 3 times. Lost both matches to Marymount. Beat Sierra Canyon twice but then lost to them in the Regional Final.

 

[HOF Coach]

 

[Black Panther]

Congrats to these young Women. H2P!

 

[levance2]

I think because of the players we will be losing after this year he might have to bring a couple of this group of freshmen along a little faster next year.

Unless Babcock is ready to start on Day 1, Fish is going to have to sign a transfer RS to replace Buzzerio.

I also thought setter was a big need for us to allow Fairbanks to attack in the 6-2, but Akeo is not listed on the Senior Night list, so that seems to imply she will be back next year.

I am pretty surprised that Nwokolo is listed, if that means she won't be back. That moves MB up on the list of needs. Jepsen would go from 4th on the depth chart to 1st. I guess MB might be one of the easier positions to find on the portal.

Browske is also listed. That would be disappointing to me if she does not return. However, Klika seems ready to step in, and Griffin would be her backup.