As we turn toward the club season, we’ll start releasing our Club National Rankings in January. For now though, we want to dip our toes in the water a bit by checking in on some 18s teams from around the country to get an idea of where things may stand and where they might stack up.
1ST ALLIANCE 18 GOLD: Last season’s 17 Open gold medalists look poised to be among the nation’s best once more. Seven core players return, including 4-star libero Gigi Navarrete (Northwestern), 4-star outside Kennedy Wagner (Clemson), 4-star middle Kamryn Lee-Caracci (Georgetown) and 3-star setter Jordan Heatherly (Memphis). The squad is set to play three qualifiers – Winter Championships (Chicago), Ft. Lauderdale and MEQ (Indianapolis) – as well as Triple Crown (Kansas City) and the JVA World Challenge (Louisville).
COAST 18-OZHAN: We wrote about Coast after the team’s opening weekend of SCVA play. You can read about Coast and other top So Cal teams including Wave 18 Juliana here.
MN SELECT 18-1: No one denied the potential of last year’s 17s group. The question is whether MN Select could put it all together at the end? Finishing second in 17 Open and earning a silver medal answered that question. Many are back but if MN Select is to reach the podium once more it will have to do so without 5-star right side Sydney Schnichels (Minnesota). However, her future collegiate teammates in 5-star setter Stella Swenson and 4-star outside Olivia Swenson are back as the juniors continue to play up an age group. Also fitting that description is 4-star middle Kaia Caffee (Ohio State). She’s another returning player and junior playing up. Others back include 4-star L/DS Kate Thibault (Oregon) and 4-star middle Kate Simington (Clemson). Among the events on the team’s schedule are the KC MLK, Northern Lights and MEQ qualifiers, as well as Triple Crown.
PREMIER NEBRASKA 18 GOLD: Premier produced high-finishing results last year wherever it played in 17 Open and returns essentially intact. The only difference on the roster is setter Reese Booth stayed on the 17s for this season. Other than that, everyone else is back as Premier starts among the favorites. Among the pieces on this year’s roster is 5-star RS/S Grace Heaney (Purdue), 5-star junior L/DS Olivia Mauch (Nebraska), 4-star pin hitter Alanna Bankston and 4-star outside Destiny Ndam-Simpson (Creighton).
A5 18-MARC: A5 is likely to be motivated by the way last season concluded. After one of the strongest regular seasons among the 17s teams, A5 didn’t reach the Top 8 at AAUs and then finished 18th at JNs. There are 11 players back who will have A5 looking to finish higher in Columbus this spring. Among them is 5-star outside Jurnee Robinson (LSU), 4-star L/DS Arya Jue (Yale), setters Rebecca Watkins (James Madison) and Taylor Pecht, L/DS Mary Neal (Mississippi State) and right side Sydney Bray, as well as middles Sydney Austin, Iyanna Garvin and MIlana Thornton (Florida AM). A5 added three outsides to the mix in Abby Jones (Portland State), Brooke Crummel and Christiana Greene.
LEGACY 18-1 ADIDAS: Last year’s AAU 17 Open national champions will definitely look different this go around with the absence of 5-star outside Harper Murray (Nebraska). Legacy also is playing without last year’s other starting outside in 3-star recruit Nina Horning (Cincinnati). With that, Legacy added two new outsides in Kennedy Louisell (UNC Greensboro) and Reagan Sass (Dension), as well as right side Ella Schomer (Wofford). Another change comes defensively, with Sarah Vellucci no longer on the roster. Alexis Smith (Oakland) and Kailtyn Hoffman (Ohio State) return in defensive roles, joined by newcomer Ella Shields (Stony Brook). Familiar faces also back include 4-star middle Laurece Abraham (Yale), 4-star setter Erin Kline (Mississippi State), 3-star middle Olivia Gardner (Loyola-Chicago) and outside Abby Reck (Northeastern).
CIRCLE CITY 18 PURPLE: With 5-star outside Chloe Chicoine (Purdue) leading the charge last year, Circle City was a top contender. However, with no Chicoine this season it remains to be seen where Circle City will fall. Returning on the pins is Quinci Thomas (Xavier) and Ava Smith (FGCU). They are joined by newcomer Avery Hobson. The 3-star Duquesne commit was among our Senior Player of the Year Finalists. Josie Noble is another new addition on the pin, while middle Lillian Merk (Valparaiso) is the only other new player on the roster. Returning players include setter Macy Hinshaw (Santa Clara) and 3-star L/DS Molly Urban (Louisville).
DRIVE NATION 18 RED: After a really strong season, finishing tied for 19th in 17 Open at JN’s wasn’t what Drive Nation was expecting a season ago. There were a few changes but a lot of key pieces return. Among them are 4-star setters in Lily Nicholson (TCU) and Callie Kieffer (Alabama), as well as 5-star middles Reese Robins (Louisville) and Leah Ford (USC). Defenders Kea Whillock and Landry McEachern also are back, as are 4-star pin hitters Samantha Hoppes (Boston College) and Halle Schroder (Boston College). One key change is on the outside with 4-star recruit Sydney Breon (UCLA) who joins Drive Nation from TAV.
TAV 18 BLACK: TAV was a top contender with 5-star outside Kyndal Stowers (Baylor) in the lineup but struggled to a 25th-place finish at JN’s without her due to injury. Stowers isn’t playing club this year so TAV will have to figure it out without her but at least they have the season and talent to do it. Among those back is 4-star setter Audrey Clark (Creighton) and 3-star defenders Zoe Winford (Georgia Tech) and Mckenna Gildon (Clemson). As for hitters, there are familiar names as well which include 3-star outside Kamille Gibson (Tennessee), 3-star middle Stephanie Gutierrez (Rice) and 4-star middle Hannah Pfiffner (Oklahoma).
NPJ 18 FOREFRONT: This group fits the dark horse category. NPJ did qualify for 18 Open a season ago and has a few players from that Junior Nationals roster back. It includes junior and 4-star setter Alexis Haury (Washington) and 3-star junior middle Lauryn Johnson (ASU), as well as senior outside Naima Foster. There are a couple of additions that make this group intriguing. Alex Acevedo not only announced she reclassified from the Class of 2024 to 2023, but she also moved from Idaho Crush to NPJ. The outside and Oregon commit adds a serious arm to the lineup. Joining her is another Oregon commit in right side Bridget Gould. The lefty adds to the pin attack and is another player who figures to boost NPJ’s offense this coming season.
