STrib: Hoecke and Christianson finish club careers on national stage

[Ignatius L Hoops]

Minnesota Select, Northern Lights' top volleyball players lead AAU clubs

Elena Hoecke and Rayna Christianson, both committed to Division I teams, excelled in national AAU tournaments in Orlando and Dallas this summer.

www.startribune.com

Centennial’s Elena Hoecke didn’t waste any time after college volleyball coaches were first allowed to be in contact on June 15 after her sophomore year.
Hoecke, the No. 1 prospect in Minnesota’s 2026 class, committed to Gophers coach Keegan Cook only a few days after her recruitment started a year ago.
Cook, who last week coached the 19-and-under United States national team in the World Championships, was an assistant on Hoecke’s U.S. team last year.
“The [Gophers] coaching staff is great because they know a lot about volleyball but are great people,” Hoecke said. “I did talk to five other schools and heard them out, but in the end, Minnesota felt like home.”