Northern Lights Preview and Predictions
The Northern Lights qualifier takes on a slightly new look this season. While the 17s age group was added a couple of seasons ago to go with the 18s, this year features the 15s age group bundled in for the first time. That provides the younger age group an early chance to qualify, which is a big change from years past. Below, we look at the 15, 17 and 18 Open divisions and offer our predictions, as well as nationally-ranked teams competing, 4 and 5-star players in the field and a brief outlook. NORTHERN LIGHTS 18s Number of Teams: 27 Number of Bids: 3 Previously-Qualified Teams (2): KC Power 18 Black; Premier Nebraska 18 Gold vballrecruiter.com Nationally-Ranked Clubs (8): 10. KC Power 18 Black 14. Pohaku 18-1 16. Premier Nebraska 18 Gold 19. A5 18 Marc 35. MKE Sting 18 Gold 37. FC Elite 18 Elite 42. VCNebraska 18 Elite 44. Drive Nation 18 Red vballrecruiter.com 5-star Players to Watch: Lauren Medeck OH Premier Nebraska 18 Gold (South Dakota) Faith Frame L/DS Premier Nebraska 18 Gold (Cincinnati) Hannah Benjamin OH A5 18 Marc (Kentucky) vballrecruiter.com 4-star Players to Watch: Malayah Long S VCNebraska 18 Elite (Marquette) Paisley Douglas L/DS VCNebraska 18 Elite (USC) Mia Tvrdy MB Premier Nebraska 18 Gold (Oregon) Janelle Green S KC Power 18 Black (Cincinnati) Claire Luoma L/DS MKE Sting 18 Gold (Clemson) Anna Bjork MB MKE Sting 18 Gold (Notre Dame) Lilly Wagner S MKE Sting 18 Gold (Maryland) Ella Demetrician OH FC Elite 18 Elite (Michigan) Carly Gilk RS MN Select 18-1 (2025, Minnesota) Outlook: Like Florida Fest that is also happening this weekend, Northern Lights is also the first weekend that trickle down could play a role in qualifying with KC Power and Premier Nebraska already owning bids. Both qualified at the KC MLK two weekends ago. They start off as the top two seeds and there’s a strong likelihood they will help create some level of trickle down, which could extend out to fifth place. It makes for a good opportunity for the remaining teams. It’s just a matter of which ones are going to take advantage? MKE Sting and FC Elite were both at Windy City, taking seventh and 11th respectively. MN Select, Pohaku, VCNebraska, A5 and Kairos were all together at the KC MLK event, along with KC Power and Premier. That makes for familiarity among many of the participants. Teams are ultimately fighting to make the four-team gold pool. That’s where KC Power and Premier Nebraska come into play. Should both make the gold pool, the other two teams would qualify. That would leave the final bid to go to the winner of the four-team silver pool. If only one of the two between KC Power and Premier Nebraska make the gold pool, the remaining three teams will earn bids before playing a match on Sunday. Prediction: We like KC Power to come out with its second qualifier victory of the season. As for the teams earning bids, those picks are MN Select, Pohaku and MKE Sting. **** NORTHERN LIGHTS 17s Number of Teams: 36 Number of Bids: 3 Previously-Qualified Teams: n/a vballrecruiter.com Nationally-Ranked Clubs (17): 3. 1st Alliance 17 Gold 4. Hou Skyline 17 Royal 6. MKE Sting 17 Gold 7. Mich Elite 17 Mizuno 8. Surfside 17 Legends 9. Nebraska One 17 Synergy 12. ID Crush 17 Bower 14. HJV 17 Elite 17. Dynasty 17 Black 19. Northern Lights 17-1 23. GP 17 Rox 29. Drive Nation 17 Red 31. OT 17 O Felix 37. VCNebraska 17 Elite 40. NKYVC 17-1 Tsunami 43. KC Power 17 Black 48. Rockwood Thunder 17 Elite vballrecruiter.com 5-star Players to Watch: Addy Horner S/RS 1st Alliance 17 Gold (Wisconsin) Abby Vander Wal OH 1st Alliance 17 Gold (Texas) Natalie Wardlow MB Nebraska One 17 Synergy (Wisconsin) Amina N’Diaye OH OT 17 O Felix (Miami) Bailey Warren OH Hou Skyline 17 Royal (Wake Forest) Kassidy O’Brien S Hou Skyline 17 Royal (Kentucky) Bayleigh Minor MB Hou Skyline 17 Royal Kaci Demaria OH Surfside 17 Legends Jordan Taylor MB HJV 17 Elite (Minnesota) Madison Quest OH MKE Sting 17 Gold (Wisconsin) Reese Messer S Dynasty 17 Black (USC) Abigail Mullen RS Dynasty 17 Black (USC) vballrecruiter.com 4-star Players to Watch: Gabriella Pitcel MB MKE Sting 17 Gold (Illinois) Olivia Durst L/DS MKE Sting 17 Gold (Michigan State) Emma Koceja OH MKE Sting 17 Gold Keri Leimbach L/DS Nebraska One 17 Synergy (Nebraska) Elena Maynulet OH GP 17 Rox (Columbia) KK Green S/RS GP 17 Rox (Holy Cross) Tenesyn Frye S ID Crush 17 Bower (Houston) Ava Tilden OH NKYVC 17-1 Tsunami (Xavier) Riley McCloskey OH/RS NKYVC 17-1 Tsunami (Memphis) Rebekah Pfefferkorn RS Hou Skyline 17 Royal (Florida International) Taylor Porter OH Hou Skyline 17 Royal (Vaderbilt) Morgan Madison L/DS Hou Skyline 17 Royal (Baylor) Sydney Bryant OH HJV 17 Elite (Vanderbilt) Aaliyah Smith OH HJV 17 Elite (Rice) Mesaiya Bettis OH Northern Lights 17-1 (Iowa State) Hannah Beauford S Drive Nation 17 Red (Cal) Reese Jackson MB Drive Nation 17 Red Izzy Busignani OH Mich Elite 17 Mizuno (Cincinnati) Kalyssa Blackshear MB Surfside 17 Legends (Louisville) Malorie Boesiger S Nebraska One 17 Synergy (2027) Outlook: This could turn out being the toughest qualifier of the season. It’s a large field with 36 teams and not only is there no trickle down in play, almost half the field is ranked in our Top 50 rankings. To say the field is loaded is a gross understatement. That only three teams can earn bids here is going to make for plenty of unsatisfied teams who thought they could get the job done and punch an early bid. 1st Alliance, Nebraska One and Hou Skyline are powerhouse teams. Surfside, HJV and MKE Sting are other big-time players. Mich Elite, GP and Idaho Crush are also major factors. Then there’s Dynasty, which is offering a new look this season and could easily play a role when it’s all said and done.