Season Position Preview, Part Two: The Middle Blockers
8/19/2025 3:00:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
Boise State volleyball is in its final week of preseason training and headed toward the season opener on Aug. 29 in Orem, Utah. This week, we are previewing each position on the court in a four-part series.
Today, we are focusing on the middle blocker position, which has five Broncos working for starting roles when the season begins. This group has three returners from 2024 and two freshmen.
In the Broncos' system, the middle blockers are responsible for orchestrating and organizing the blockers in the front row. Communication is essential with the right and left outside hitters along the front line. The middle blockers need to relay to their teammates what the opponents are doing, as well as being available to hit for a high percentage offensively when on the attack.
Entering fall camp, there are only two Broncos with actual collegiate match experience at middle blocker. Those two are junior Layla Smith and redshirt-sophomore Kendall Hastings.
"The most experienced middle in the gym is Layla Smith," said head coach Shawn Garus. "Layla played quite a bit for us last year as a sophomore, even though we had senior middles in front of her. Layla played a key role for us, and then she had a fantastic spring in preparation for this fall. Her skills and overall game have really progressed. Layla has always been a great blocker, but now she has become a more well-rounded offensive attacker. She's going to be a cog for us in the middle this year and somebody we're going to go to quite a bit."
Smith is entering her third year with the Blue and Orange, where she has started at middle blocker in 26 of the 55 contests she has played. The native of Humble, Texas, is a career .336 percent hitter with 64 kills, 52 blocks and 92.5 points. Smith recorded the majority of those statistics as a sophomore in 2024, when she hit .336, recording 58 kills to go with 47 blocks, for a total of 83.5 points.
"Kendall was a redshirt-freshman last year when she got a little bit of experience off the bench and had a couple of starts late in the year," Garus said. "Hastings is coming off a solid spring, when she made great strides. I see her confidence growing, adding more and more offensive weapons to her game. She's a great teammate and possesses the intangibles of being both supportive and driven to compete at the same time. It's a great mix that you want to see in a leader."
After redshirting during her first year in Boise, Hastings has steadily gained praise from her coaches as she continues to work hard. She saw limited playing time in 2024, with a talented senior core ahead of her at the position. She played in nine matches, hitting .200 with 22 kills and 19 blocks, giving her 31.5 points on the year.
"Eliza Sharp is a very dynamic athlete in the middle," said Garus. "She's been a lot of fun to coach because she's so fast off one foot and is a big blocker. I think Eliza could be a surprise to many of our opponents this year, as they may not know who that kid is who sat on our bench last year. She has the talent and skills to be successful and is going to be a lot of fun to watch."
Eliza Sharp is the third member of the 2024 roster to return at middle blocker, although she redshirted last fall. After one year, she is familiar with the program and the system the Broncos operate. At 6-foot-3, she is the tallest member of the team and possesses the strength and skills to be an impactful player in 2025.
The last two middle blockers are freshmen, Hallee Heath and Reese Weinert. However, both enrolled at Boise State in January and participated in spring training with the team.
"Hallie has a good all-around game," said Garus. "I see her being a mindful learner with a big upside. She works very hard in practice and gives it her all every day. I have a lot of confidence in her ability and can't wait to see how she progresses in our program as a freshman."
Heath came to Boise State from St. George, Utah, where she graduated from Desert Hills High School early, joining the Broncos last spring after winter break. She was a three-year starter at DHHS, where she was a three-year all-state and all-region honoree. As a senior, she was named the Utah Region 9 MVP and a first-team all-state selection, as well as the ESPN 97.7 Southern Utah Female Athlete of the Year.
The last member of the middle blocker group is Reese Weinert. "Weinert has maybe the biggest arm in the gym," said Garus. "She can really hammer the ball. She is learning every day how to be a middle blocker in our gym and how to communicate with the other players in the front row, so that she can tactically slow down our opponents."
Weinert graduated in spring 2024 from Dana Hills High School in Dana Point, California. She took fall 2024 off from college before enrolling at Boise State last January. As a prep star, Weinert was a three-year starter for Dana Hills, where she was named the South Coast League MVP as a senior and was a three-time all-conference honoree.
The Broncos will open the 2025 campaign on the road, on Aug. 29 in Orem, Utah, where they will face Navy and Montana in a doubleheader on the first day of the Utah Valley Invitational.
The third part of this series will be released on Wednesday afternoon, featuring the setters.
BUY TICKETS NOW
Fans can purchase single-match and season tickets in person at the Boise State Athletic Ticket Office or by calling 208-426-4737. All tickets can also be purchased online. Season tickets start at $50 per seat, and family plans are also available for $120 (must buy four seats).
The Broncos have already sold out of their reserved season tickets for 2025, marking the fourth consecutive year that reserved tickets have sold out. However, general admission season tickets are still available, so don't wait to buy yours today. Â
