June 22, 2022

As teams transition from pool play to gold bracket, we like to call that moving day. That was what Day 3 represented in the 15s and 17s divisions at AAU in Orlando. There are 12 teams still in the hunt for the gold in 15 Open. In 17 Open, the field was reduced to eight teams still alive for the top spot on the podium. A5 Mizuno 17 Jing – ranked No. 3 in our National Rankings and the original No. 2 seed overall in 17 Open – is not one of them after an unexpected turn of events Tuesday. You can read more about that and more if you keep scrolling down. First, we want to bring you our Day 3 Show Stoppers highlighting the players who caught our attention the most during our time walking from court to court. Jannelize Perez, L, OT 15 Meg – Perez was active and playing with high energy. She was making big digs to extend rallies, bringing a defensive edge to the lineup. KK Green, S/RS, OT 15 Meg – One of the key pieces with her role as a setter and hitter, Green delivers a consistent ball. Offensively, she has the ability to unload on the ball with her strong arm. Addison Tindall, OH, Team Pineapple 15 Black – It’s impossible to watch this 6-2 four-star recruit and not mention her as a Show Stopper. She never fails to hit at least one wow shot that leaves you shaking your head and asking yourself how did she do that? Maya Harris, OH, Team Pineapple 15 Black – A bit undersized at outside, Harris an aggressive and smart hitter who can challenge blocks or tip/roll into the open spaces. She’s also an option in the back row too. Bella Bullington, OH, SPVB 15 Elite – Bullington – who we mentioned on Day 1 – was at it again. She’s one to keep watch on with an arm that rips and generates lots of pace. Lauren Coyne, RS, SPVB 15 Elite – A 6-2 four-star recruit, Coyne is a difference maker across the front row. She adds another dynamic to the attack with her length and forcing blockers to stay on her. Kennedy Cherry, L, Boiler Jrs 15 Gold – A three-star recruit, Cherry was passing dimes in serve receive and helping to keep Boiler Jrs in system. She was also all over the court chasing down balls. Taylor Cripe, OH, Boiler Jrs 15 Gold – Another three-star recruit on the roster, Cripe is a six-rotation glue piece. She’s a hard worker who can hit front and back row, as well as pass and play defense. Charlotte Glass, S, Tribe 15 Elite – Glass – a five-star recruit – is a highly-sought after setter at the collegiate level. Her touch is soft and she can be aggressive across the front row going on two to keep defenses on guard. Tekoa Barnes, OH, Tribe 15 Elite – The more we catch Barnes, the more we like of her. She’s a high-flying outside who can absolutely pound down winners with her powerful arm. Addison Applegate, L, Asics Munciana 15 Lorax – Applegate – a three-star recruit – is just so smooth and steady at the position. She is lights-out in serve receive and covers the court with high IQ. Spencer Etzler, OH, Asics Munciana 15 Lorax – A bit undersized, Etzler doesn’t back down against bigger blockers. She keeps coming with an aggressive swing. She also takes care of business in the back row with her above average defending. Ava Hunter, S, Asics Munciana 15 Lorax – A three-star recruit, Hunter sets a clean ball that is rarely off the mark. She can set on the move as well and does a nice job of connecting with all her hitters. Isabelle Busignani, OH, Mich Elite 15 Mizuno – A six-rotation outside and three-star recruit, Busignani has a fluid swing and nice upside. She gets set both front and back row and can carry the offense in spurts. Lindsey Mangelson, OH, Munciana Indy 15 Eagles – A lanky 6-2 outside, Mangelson is a name to follow as she moves up in age groups. She flashed lots of potential with the shots she was hitting. Connore Siler-Nixon, MB, OT 15 Randy – Siler-Nixon, though a bit undersized at the position, is a quick jumper with a strong arm. She’s difficult to lineup and time and was giving OT a great scoring presence when she was in. Amaiyah Long, RS, OT 15 Randy – Another undersized attacker for OT, Long also jumps and swings well. She delivered a few big kills that showed defenses cannot forget about her and must pay her respect. Maija Howse, OH, ID Crush 15 Bower – A three-star recruit with plenty of upside, Howse is a consistent contributor to the attack and a tough one to slow down with her extension that has her going over the block. Brooklyn Hardy, MB, ID Crush 15 Bower – Hardy, a member of the Class of 2026, was putting on a show as ID Crush upset KiVA in the morning match. She was making all types of plays, from scoring on 1s, to tips and putting down any overpasses that came her way. McKenna Garr, L, Northern Lights 15-1 – Garr can pass a large portion of the court in serve receive, where she was passing dimes. She was also covering well and makes up ground well. Sophia Randall, S, Kairos 15 Adidas – We were really impressed with Randall’s play. She sets a clean ball with soft hands and was hitting her spots on the regular. Chloe Karn, MB, A4 Volley 17 Joaco – Karn was another middle who when we caught her was making a big impact with her scoring. She was connecting on 1s well and was winning 50-50 balls, as well as tipping down a couple overpasses. Margo Hernandez, S, Rev 17-1 – Hernandez – three-star recruit – is a vital