June 19, 2023

We are excited for the All Red Hat Team from Day 2 of 15 Open at AAUs in Orlando. There was a feeling that the competition took a big step forward Monday as only the top two teams in each pool advanced. It led to not only great team play but outstanding individual efforts as well. The goal of the All Red Hat Team is to highlight a daily team consisting of two players from each position – outside, middle, right side, setter and libero – who were our absolute favorite players of the day. Favorite doesn’t mean only a 5-star recruit or a familiar name. These are players who stood out to us for a variety of reasons, from amazing play to great energy or attitude or making key hustle plays. These are daily all-stars who really stood out the most to us for one reason or another. (Day 2 Show Stoppers) DAY 2 ALL RED HAT TEAM Madison Miles OH Boiler Jrs 15 Gold: Our first two players share a lot in common in terms of progress and development. Miles – a 4-star outside – is 6-0 with a whip for an arm. She extends and has a high contact point and knows what to do from there. She absolutely unloaded on a couple of balls and slammed them straight to the floor. Miles continues to develop her offensive game in big ways and is part of the reason why Boiler Jrs should challenge for a medal here. Sara Snowbarger OH Mintonette Sports m.51: Snowbarger is built in much of the same mold as Miles. She’s another lanky outside with great extension and a high contact point. She also has a very lively arm and can rip balls left and right. She’s also worked hard on her game and is becoming a big-time offensive threat. She’s currently a 3-star recruit who is very likely to climb in our next rankings update after national championship season. LeVariya Pinder MB Skyline 15 Royal: There are lots of players like Pinder, who happens to play middle along with 5-star recruit Keoni Williams. That’s not an easy situation to be in but Pinder does a great job churning out plays across the front row to keep it going in the middle when Williams rotates out. She plays outside in high school. She’s quick on her feet and has a really nice arm and was making plays on both sides as Skyline rolled on Day 2. Alana Bailey MB Far Out 15 Black: Bailey was extremely fun to watch. She’s a high-energy middle who plays with lots of passion. She’s listed at 5-11 but could be pushing 6-0. She’s another quick middle who moves very well at the net. She was closing blocks nicely and touching attacks. She’s also a legit threat on offense and Far Out was looking to get her the ball often. She has a smooth swing and tons of upside as she continues down the road. Brynlee Major RS Northern Lights 15-1: Major was filling her role well. She’s a bit undersized on the right side but she was bringing it on the attack nonetheless. She’s a fearless hitter who jumps well and was staying aggressive in challenging the defense. It paid off as she was coming through and providing offense when called upon. Saylor Parker RS OT 15 Semei: If you are starting to sense an offensive theme here, you aren’t wrong. Parker, part of the Class of 2025, is a 5-11 right side who can also let loose. OT likes to get her the ball a lot as she’s a reliable, consistent scorer who can let it fly. Leilani Ramos S/RS Jupiter Elite 15E: We really like the way Ramos gets after it and competes on the court. She plays with a lot of determination. At 5-9, she’s a two-way player who sets and hits. She moves well and does a nice job of getting to the ball and delivering accurate sets. She’s also a handful on the attack. She jumps well and is a smart hitter who scores in a variety of ways. Eva Long S Legacy 15-1 Adidas: Long is coming along well as she continues developing. She runs a smooth offense and connects well with all her hitters. She’s effective at running the middle and also knowing when to go to the pins and always keeping the defense honest when in system. She has great hands and is rarely off her mark with her location. She’s also a fierce competitor. Gracie Miller L Black Swamp 151: Watching these next two play defense is part of the reason we created the All Red Hat Team. We just love ballers and gamers and Miller is certainly that. She’s a feisty defender who passes well out of serve receive. She also does a fine job of taking the ball overhand and placing it on target. Emily Miller DS Black Swamp 151: With both Millers in the back row, the defense shines for Black Swamp. It’s hard to get a ball down and neither one is the best option to challenge in serve receive.

(Day 2 All Red Hat Team) With the top-two teams in each pool advancing and remaining in gold-medal contention, the top seeds managed to stay safe from elimination on the second day of 15 Open action at the AAU Girls Junior National Championships in Orlando. Safe in terms of moving on, but they were not all untouchable. It was also a great day to be the No. 3 team in a pool as half finished in the top two to stay in the hunt, including NE Elite 15 Phoenix which went 3-0 and took first place after upsetting A5 15 Bob. The other No. 3 teams in Illini Elite 15 Cardinal, SPVB 15 Elite, MN Select 15-1, JJVA 15 Teal and NorCal 15-1 Black each went 2-1 and grabbed second in their respective pools as the field was cut from 48 to 24. Only one No. 4 team – Munciana 15 Rise – finished in the top two. Muncie went 2-1, beating Kairos 15 Alpha and Elevate 15 Nike in the process. As for the top teams in each pool, we already mentioned A5 falling to NE Elite. Other top teams in their pools to go down included High Tide 15 Elite and AP 15 Adidas. Meanwhile, the top seven seeds – Skyline 15 Royal, Legacy 15-1 Adidas, Mintonette Sports m.51, Tribe 15 Elite Cardinal, Boiler Jrs 15 Gold, GP 15 Rox and Far Out 15 Black – went a combined 21-0 with only Far Out and Mintonette dropping a set. There are six, four-team pool set for Day 3. The top-two teams once again advance into Day 4’s 12-team gold bracket. With the field shrinking, it pushed GP and Far Out into the same pool, along with High Tide and VCNebraska 15 Elite. And with AP losing, AP faces Mintonette in the first match in that pool. Mintonette is ranked No. 2 in our current Top 50 National Rankings, while AP is No. 11. Top Select 15 Elite, at No. 33, is also in the pool.   *** DAY 2 SHOW STOPPERS Kayla Nwabueze MB Legacy 15-1 Adidas: Legacy has a wicked middle attack, with Nwabueze one half of the riddle defenses struggle to solve. She’s an athletic middle who puts up a big block and is a tough cover offensively with the way she gets up and delivers. Ella Andrews MB Legacy 15-1 Adidas: Andrews is the other reason why defenses have headaches from this duo. She also puts up a huge block and is a physical attacker who pounds kills down to the floor. Meredith Martin L/DS Legacy 15-1 Adidas: Martin commands the back row in every way. She’s in total control. She’s a sharp passer and gets around the court making plays all over. Keoni Williams MB Skyline 15 Royal: Skyline is another team with a strong middle combo, anchored by Williams in the middle. The 6-4 middle is near an impossible cover with her size and reach. She just makes blocks disappear. On the flip side, she takes up a good stretch at teh net and makes it difficult on attackers who try challenging her. Henley Anderson OH AP 15 Adidas: vballrecruiter.com’s National HS Freshman Player of the Year recipient is arguably the top-rated outside in the Class of 2026. At 6-3, she’s long and has a high IQ. It’s a lethal combination as she simply tees off at times and leaves defenses helpless. Grace Lee OH High Tide 15 Elite: Lee is a key part of the offense. She has nice length and a fluid arm. She was putting balls away off blocks and cross court on the regular. Riley McCaughey S High Tide 15 Elite: We really liked the way McCaughey was doing her thing. She has a nice touch and was spotting the ball well. Kennedy Hale L/DS Elevate 15 Nike: Hale was not afraid to hit the floor in hopes of keeping the ball alive. She was displaying lots of hustling and going all out in trying to keep her side in the rally. Catherine Palmi OH GP 15 Rox: Palmi has a heavy arm. She can crush it no matter what, whether with her powerful jump serve or her hard-swinging on the outside. When she gets one, you can feel the thunder. Ella Thorson S Kokoro 15-1: Thorson is among the setters in the division with nice size. She’s 5-10 and has a consistent release. *** Kailey Gieske L/DS Kokoro 15-1: Gieske was showing her scrappiness in the back row. She was covering and picking up balls well and passing soundly out of serve receive. Courtney Peters OH Kokoro 15-1: Peters shoulders a load on offense. She’s someone who gets set front and back row. She has a strong arm and the size to make an impact. Megan Ingersoll OH Alabama Performance 15 Toukon: Ingersoll doesn’t hold back. She has a big arm and swings with authority. She was powering balls through and around blocks as the go-to hitter. Malia Baker MB VVA 15-1: Baker flies under the radar but she’s an effective middle on both sides of the ball. She has the height for the position and she moves and swings well. She also puts up a solid block and makes her share of plays at the net. Caroline Tucker OH Carolina Rogue 15: Tucker is undersized compared to other outsides taking on a big role on offense. Yet, she gets off the ground well and has a good arm. She isn’t afraid of challenging bigger blocks. Alexis Jodie S Carolina Rogue 15: Jodie is a gamer at the setting position. She’s a bit undersized too but she hustles out there and puts up a hittable ball consistently. Ava Castro OH Jupiter Elite 15E: Castro is another outside who is a bit undersized but comes with it. She’s a springy, heady attacker who knows how to place her shots and frustrate blockers and defenders. Emma Adkins OH Tri-State Elite 15 Blue: Adkins is one of the more versatile