Here's the "glue guys" on my prospects watchlist
Let's look at which prospects could endear themselves to their future teams through hard work and antics.
There are two things that earn college athletes professional opportunities — talent and personality. Talent is the driving force and lifeblood of every professional league, but teams also want to develop a culture. Whether that culture is one of workmanship, genuineness, or love of the game, every coach falls in love with some players based on their personality. These are the players that hold the team together when times get tough — the “glue guys.”
Based on the interviews I’ve conducted, I selected five players I’ve featured here at PVF Draft Hub as glue guys. Of course, this isn’t to say that players who I’ve chosen to include are bad at the sport or ones I’ve chosen not to include here would be poor additions to a team. Nearly every coach I’ve spoken to sings the praises of their stars’ intangibles. However, if I was in charge of a team, these are the ones who would get extra points for personality in my war room.
S Mia Tuaniga, USC
Tuaniga uses a jump serve reminiscent of the men’s game and an unscripted style of gameplay that USC head coach Brad Keller loves. It’s not for everyone and would drive some coaches insane, but she makes it work and was even invited to the Women’s National Collegiate Team. She brings the energy in the weight room and rock-steady calm on the court. Tuaniga loves to work, but she also loves to goof around and unlock the things that make each of her teammates smile. That’s pretty much the definition of a glue guy, and the most logical place to start our list.
Read my entire feature on Tuaniga here.
MB Julia Haggerty, Boston College
Haggerty is on the smaller side and didn’t start playing volleyball until her mid-teens, and her rise to become one of the better defensive middle in the nation is a credit to both her and the coaching staff at Boston College. She now owns two of the top three seasons by total blocks in program history. The people I spoke to about her went out of their way to mention her positivity and she takes pride in bringing a high level of energy to the gym. “At the baseline, I love volleyball. I love playing. I enjoy practice thoroughly. I enjoy every 6 a.m. wake up. I think that is my foundation,” she said. Coaches in any sport eat that stuff up.
Stay tuned for my entire feature on Haggerty!
OPP/OH Paige Bartsch, Boise State
The Broncos’ primary pin hitter, Bartsch caught the eye of many with the massive workload she handled last season. If drafted by a PVF team, she would be a developmental prospect — her skills look sushi raw at times and Mountain West competition was able to shut her offense down completely from time to time. However, she’s proven herself to have an affinity for the sport and took huge steps as a passer, a responsibility that was new to her in 2023. Bartsch is engaging and smart, which led her to be voted as a team captain as a junior. She’s modest, laughs easily, and would fit into any locker room.
Read my entire feature on Paige Bartsch here.
MB Claire Jeter, Arizona State
Jeter is a steadying force for the Sun Devils. She relishes in both the competitive element of the sport and mastering its nuanced particulars. Her aspirations lay on the sidelines; she wants to lead a college program someday and sees playing as the best route to that gig. As such, she’s embraced the role of peer mentor and does whatever she can to help her teammates. She has a well-rounded game and almost never has an off night, but battled a leg injury for much of last season that dampened things a bit for her. Her talent level may not be that of a starter as a professional, but no moment is too big for her and she has a noticeable air of calm confidence.
Read my entire feature on Claire Jeter here.
MB Beau Vanderlaan, Brown
Vanderlaan is the Ivy League’s most dangerous offensive player, with her name already littered in Brown’s record books and a season hitting north of .400 to her name. She’s built in the mold of a mobile middle and is given lots of opportunities to hit the slide. Her head coach bragged that every visitor to the Brown gym simply falls in love with Vanderlaan, and I’ll admit, I did as well. It’s a bit of a must for a player from an academically-focused conference to get perfect marks, as it would be a bit of a gamble to draft her, but she has a real chance to be the PVF’s first Ivy Leaguer.
Read my entire feature on Beau Vanderlaan here.