The 17 Open at-large race is shaping up to be a fascinating conclusion to the qualifying year. The last chance to qualify outright is this coming weekend at Far Western in Reno, where all three available bids are set to go out. There are four teams accepted in 17 Open with bids in Club V 17 Matthew, Co Jrs 17 Kevin, NorCal 17-1 Black and Vision 17 Gold, so one way or another all three bids will be awarded and the at-large pool will remain at two. There are 28 teams from vballrecruiter.com’s 17s Top 50 National Rankings and three unranked ones with bids already. Here’s the full list:
- 1. Co Jrs 17 Kevin (MEQ)
- 2. Dynasty 17 Black (Northern Lights)
- 3. Drive Nation 17 Red (Red Rock)
- 4. TAV 17 Black (Show Me)
- 5. A5 17 Jing (Northern Lights)
- 6. OT 17 Aaron (Sunshine)
- 7. Triangle 17 Black (Sunshine)
- 8. 1st Alliance 17 Gold (MEQ)
- 9. NKYVC 17-1 Tsunami (Big South)
- 10. Wave 17 Juliana (Red Rock)
- ***
- 11. Hou Skyline 17 Royal (NEQ)
- 12. Rockwood Thunder 17 Elite (Windy City)
- 13. Premier Nebraska 17 Gold (Northern Lights)
- 14. SCVC 17 Roxy (PNQ)
- 15. Coast 17-1 (Red Rock)
- 17. SG Elite 17 Rosh (Salt Lake)
- 18. Momentous 17 Dan (Big South)
- 19. KC Power 17 Black (Show Me)
- 20. OT 17 Felix (Sunshine)
- 21. Vision 17 Gold (PNQ)
- ***
- 22. HJV 17 Elite (Lone Star)
- 23. Club V 17 Ren Matthew (Big South)
- 28. Metro 17 Travel (NEQ)
- 30. Skyline 17 Royal (Show Me)
- 35. Boiler Jrs 17 Gold (MEQ)
- 37. AJV 17 Adidas (PNQ)
- 39. AVC Cle 17 Red (Windy City)
- 47. Rev 17-1 Raptors (NEQ)
- *Seal Beach 17 Black (Salt Lake)
- *NorCal 17-1 Black (Salt Lake)
- *MAVS KC 17-1 (Windy City)
*unranked
There are six more teams from the Top 50 without bids which are participating in Reno. That list includes:
- 16. Pohaku 17-1
- 27. Madfrog 17 Green
- 38. City 17 Gold
- 44. Arizona Storm 17 Thunder
- 46. Mizuno Long Beach 17 Rockstar
- 50. Academy 17 Diamond
The at-large race is very tight, so this coming weekend is huge for those teams still chasing bids. Pohaku 17-1, City 17 Gold and Mizuno Long Beach 17 Rockstar are in the top pack of at-large candidates. There’s a chance that if none qualify in Reno, two of the three would receive the at-larges. Of course, if all three were to qualify in Reno, that totally changes the at-large picture. Madfrog 17 Green and Arizona Storm 17 Thunder are also teams playing in Reno. Their at-large cases aren’t as strong as Pohaku, Long Beach and City’s, so this weekend is big for them. Qualifying is their best shot obviously, but if teams like Pohaku, Beach and City get bids, it helps a team like Madfrog.
Here’s a rundown of ranked teams that would have to rely on an at-large bid:
- 24. Academy 17 Tsunami
- 25. AZ Sky 17G
- 29. 417 Jrs 17 Black
- 31. VCNebraska 17 Elite
- 34. MKE Sting 17 Gold
- 36. Miami Hype 17 Emilio
- 40. Elevation 17 Ulland
- 41. Top Select 17 Elite
- 42. Iowa PowerPlex 17U
- 43. Circle City 17 Purple
- 45. Mintonette Sports m.71
- 48. Shockwave 17 Black
- 49. Northern Lights 17-1
As you’ll see below, it’s critical for teams in Reno to clinch bids this weekend. It’s a packed bunch of teams that will be seeking one of the two at-larges. City, Long Beach and Pohaku are positioned well, but so too are clubs like Elevation 17 Ulland, VCNebraska 17 Elite and MKE Sting 17 Gold. That trio is right in the mix as well. One way or another, there are tough, tough decisions to be made!
— City 17 Gold (6-11) (5th PNQ; 5th Salt Lake)
W: Coast (2x); NorCal; SCVC; OT Felix; Club V
L: SG Elite (2x); SCVC; Wave (2x); AJV; Dynasty; TAV; NorCal; Seal Beach; Vision
— Mizuno Long Beach 17 Rockstar (6-12) (21st PNQ; 8th NEQ; 7th Salt Lake)
W: Coast; MAVS; AVC; Rev; Vision (2x)
L: Momentous (2x); Wave (2x); Coast; SCVC; Seal Beach; Vision; 1st Alliance; AVC; Metro; NorCal
— Elevation 17 Ulland (5-10) (14th Windy City; 7th MEQ)
W: Rev; Triangle; Metro; Skyline; MAVS
L: AVC Cle; Vision (2x); SG Elite; KC Power; Boiler Jrs (2x); Co Jrs; Dynasty; NKYVC
— Madfrog 17 Green (5-13) (5th PNQ; 9th Lone Star)
W: Drive Nation; Skyline; Hou Skyline; NorCal; Coast
L: A5 (2x); Hou Skyline; HJV; Skyline; TAV (2x); NKYVC; OT Aaron; Drive Nation; Vision; SCVC; AVC
— Pohaku 17-1 (4-7) (6th MEQ; 11th Show Me; 14th Northern Lights)
W: KC Power; Metro; NKYVC; Rockwood Thunder
L: Club V; SCVC; 1st Alliance (2x); Boiler Jrs; Drive Nation; KC Power
— VCNebraska 17 Elite (4-13) (8th Northern Lights; 5th Show Me; 9th Lone Star)
W: Boiler Jrs; Premier Nebraska (2x); Metro
L: Rockwood Thunder; Premier Nebraska; 1st Alliance; Drive Nation; SCVC; Skyline (2x); KC Power (2x); Dynasty; Hou Skyline; TAV; Triangle
— MKE Sting 17 Gold (4-12) (9th Northern Lights; 9th Sunshine; 9th Windy City; 9th Lone Star)
W: Hou Skyline; Dynasty; HJV; AVC Cle
L: 1st Alliance; A5; Premier Nebraska; Co Jrs; OT Aaron (2x); Skyline (3x); Triangle; Boiler Jrs; MAVS
— Academy 17 Tsunami (6-10) (9th MEQ)
W: Boiler Jrs (4x); NKYVC; SCVC
L: Boiler Jrs (2x); OT Aaron; Co Jrs; Hou Skyline; Momentous; Triangle (2x); Rockwood Thunder; NKYVC
— AZ Sky 17G (3-4) (15th Red Rock)
W: Club V; Momentous; Wave
L: Drive Nation; Hou Skyline; Club V; NKYVC
— Top Select 17 Elite (3-9) (14th Big South; 9th Sunshine)
W: Club V; AJV; Boiler Jrs
L: Co Jrs; AVC Cle; OT Aaron; Drive Nation; KC Power; Vision; A5; OT Felix; TAV
— Arizona Storm 17 Thunder (2-7) (4th Red Rock; 15th Lone Star)
W: Hou Skyline; Vision
L: SG Elite; Coast; Wave; AJV; Dynasty; A5; Skyline
