February 18, 2024

There is no time for rest when it comes to the first day of the Triple Crown NIT. With the best teams in the country across the net from each other, the atmosphere is bubbling with big-time competition and energy. The Vballrecruiter.com team spread out across the 12-18s to tackle as much as we could get to. Below, you can find 28 standout athletes who made us take notice the most with Part 4 of our Day 1 Show Stoppers. Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 DAY 1 SHOW STOPPERS (Part 4) Zoe Anderson L/DS AZ Sky 14G: Anderson was getting after it on the defensive side. She made plays to extend rallies and was passing on target. Kelsey Green S Elevation 14 Molly: Green is a smooth disher with a very nice touch. She sets a clean ball and knows how to run the attack. Kennedy Wilkinson L/DS Wave 14 Tammy: Wilkinson was another defender who stood out with her ability to keep balls alive and rarely miss her target. Che Tachibana S SAS 14-1: Tachibana is a heady setter who does well to help her team beyond setting. Presley Kreter MB PVA 15 Elite: Kreter was making her presence known in the middle. She’s strong and holds her block well. Clara Christ L/DS Northern Lights 15-1: Christ is a crisp passer and covers a lot of ground in keeping the play going. Chloe Taylor S/RS Forza1 North 15 One: Taylor’s size and versatility is what makes her so valuable to the lineup. She’s an efficient attacker who can vary her shots. She’s also a sound setter with a nice touch. Vivian Hickman S AZ Sky 16G: Guiding the offense in a 5-1, Hickman is a steady, under control setter who spreads the ball around and locates with consistency. Avery Poulton OH Club V 16 Ren Matt: Poulton is an up-and-coming prospect with her length and way she can get up and let loose. She was extending well and hitting with lots of pace. Genevieve Harris S Academy 16 Diamond: Harris knows what she’s doing out there. She has an easy delivery and can make tough sets even when out of position. *** Isabella Ruether OH MKE Sting 16 Gold: Ruether is having a breakout season. She has a lively arm and is a real factor on the outside. Kelly Kinney OH Tribe 17 Elite Cardinal: Kinney was making her mark. She can get up and really get after it and connect. Mackenzie Collins MB Hou Skyline 17 Royal: Collins is slightly undersized in the middle, but she makes up for it with the way she gets in the air. She explodes up and can unleash before defenses can fully react. Hannah Leftridge L/DS HPSTL 17 Royal: An outside the past few seasons, Leftridge is holding down the defensive side this year. She’s a sharp, consistent passer with strong ball control. Maia Raleigh S Madfrog 15 Black: Raleigh is someone who is making hustle plays when nobody else is. She has smooth hands and is super agile. She has great determination to make her team succeed. Aubrey Blake L/DS Elevation 17-1 Peak: Blake is a consistent passer on serve receive. She has extreme hustle and leaves everything on the court. Candela Ruano Fiuza S Elevation 17-1 Peak: Ruano Fiuzo moves well on the court and can anticipate the passes well so that she can optimize the set. She also makes sure to give all of her hitters a chance to score points Ailanni Sellers S OTJ 15 J Will: Sellers has a quick release on her sets. She puts up a good block. She is a smart player and looks for the open spots on the court to dump. Jaden Friar S Madfrog 12 Green: Friar distributes the ball around with ease consistently. Leighton Butters S Arizona Storm 12 Thunder: Butters is a 5-1 setter who has a consistent release point and spreads the ball around to all of her hitters. She is also scrappy on defense. *** Amicah Coleman MB Madfrog 11 Green: Coleman did a great job moving laterally on the net, both defensively and offensively. Kaelyn Easton S Legacy 13-1 Adidas: Easton has a strong hands and can run a nice tempo. She has the ability to push the ball to the outside from far off when out of system. Lexi Coleman OH Legacy 13-1 Adidas: Coleman is a physical hitter who’s more than capable of putting down balls and carrying the load offensively anywhere on the court. Macurdy Harden OH A5 13 Karen: A steady six-rotation player, Harden knows how to score against big blockers. She’s good at taking what the block and defenses are giving her. Emilie LaSala OH Coast 14 Luis: LaSala can leap, has a smooth swing, and add in a no fear mentality on the outside. She’s a ton of fun to watch offensively. Anabella Isabel Valentin-Miranda S/RS Borinquen Coquí 14-1F: Valentin-Miranda is another dual threat on the court. From the back row she quarterbacks her squad well. From the front row she brings a fire offensively. Jaelyn Jordan S MAVS KC 14-1: Jordan is a 5-1 athletic setter who has no fear dishing from anywhere on the court. Payton Woodruff S Legacy 14-1 Adidas: Woodruff is a 5-1 setter whose hands are soft and she hits her spots with great consistency.

There is nothing quite like the opening day of the Triple Crown NIT. Teams are eager to test themselves against the best and see where they stack up. With the top teams in the country going toe-to-toe there was plenty to get to and we did our very best covering as much as we could get to on Day 1. The Vballrecruiter.com team spent time watching action from the 12-18s divisions on Saturday and we highlight 28 players who caught our eye the most with Part 3 of our Day 1 Show Stoppers. Part 1 Part 2 DAY 1 SHOW STOPPERS (Part 3) Lilianah Jackson MB Dynasty 14 Black: A couple of things stood out about Jackson. She is very quick and gets off the ground in a hurry. Once in the air she knows what to do with the ball, as she was an effective scorer. Mckenzie Andrews MB Legacy 14-1 Adidas: Andrews’ length is a big plus in the middle for Legacy. She changes the dynamic of the front row, as she takes up a lot of space with her block. She can also reach high and hit sharp-angled attacks that defenses aren’t ready for. Grace Bengfort OH MAVS KC 14-1: Bengfort is a handful to contain. She has a fast arm and can really connect and unload. Janiah Burrage RS Forza1 15 One: Part of the Class of 2028, Burrage is an athletic hitter with a big jump and strong arm. She can go over the top of blocks consistently. Alli Bornschlegl OH VCNebraska 15 Elite: Bornschlegl is the go-to on the left side. She swings very well and was taking aggressive cuts and challenging the blocks. Kennedy Whyte OH Absolute 15 Black: One thing about Whyte is she hits a heavy ball. She has a massive arm and when she loads up and lets loose you can feel it. Isabel Incinelli OH WPVC 15 Armour Black: Incinelli spent last club and high school season patrolling the middle but was playing on the left when we caught her. She’s super long and can really extend and get on top of the ball. Reese Stringer S Mizuno 16 Beach Rockstar: Stringer puts her team in the best positions possible. She is a resilient player. She also gets her feet to the ball and hustles for every play. Ella Florez S Pohaku 16-1: Florez is a high IQ setter who runs a smooth offense. She can take off balls and still make the most of them, allowing her hitters to still get quality swings. Westley Matavao OH Forza1 North 16 One: Matavao is a physical outside who brings the power to the attack. She can simply crush balls at times. *** Kalyssa Blackshear MB Surfside 17 Legends: Blackshear’s length in the middle can be a real problem. She can extend way up and when she does she’s capable of sending balls down at the 10-foot line. Erika Sayer MB Co Jrs 17 Kevin: Opponents are not happy to see Sayer in the front row because she can impact a play on both sides of the ball. She can deliver resounding blocks as well as bash winners from sideline to sideline. Keri Leimbach L/DS Nebraska One 17 Synergy: Leimbach brings a defensive edge to the lineup. She’s a feisty defender who can frustrate opponents with the saves she makes. Simi Kapustova MB Sports Performance 18 Elite: Kapustova does well staying ready in the middle and is super agile along the net. Soraya Dennis S Wave 16-1 Scott: Dennis has quick hands and her fast tempo to the outside is what sets her apart from most setters her size. She is extremely consistent and her coverage behind her blockers is above average. Kalli Lipo L/DS Arizona Storm 16 Thunder: Lipo was passing dimes and is exuding calm confidence on the court. She reads the court really well and makes outstanding digs. She knows when to step in for her setter to create great out of system plays. Meg Goodwin S Tulsa Power 17-1: Goodwin moves very fast on the court and utilizes her middles when she can. She has a leader’s mentality with very clean hands. Itzamar Arana-Martinez OH Borinquen Coquí 14-1F: Arana-Martinez might be undersized but don’t tell her that. She jumps incredibly well and has a whip of an arm. Carsyn Chitty L Mintonette Sports – m.41: Chitty is a steady passer in serve receive, opponents were reluctant to go at her. She was also making plays and keeping rallies alive. Ariana White MB Paramount VBC 14 Maureen: White plays with physicality and when she gets a hold of one watch out! *** Angelia Robinson MB Lions 14-1: Robinson is very springy off the ground with a nice swing. Kari Knotts OH A5 13 Karen: Knotts gets up quickly and can generate a ton of pace on her attacks from everywhere on the court. Kris Yoo L MIZ LB 13 Rockstar: Yoo was picking up everything opponents were sending her way. Scrappy is an understatement for her. Mary McDowell OH KIVA 13 Red: McDowell gets her share of swings in helping carrying the offensive load. She definitely had some moments taking nice solid swings. Peyton Smith-Johnson OH Madfrog 13 Green: Smith-Johnson has a whip for an arm. She’s an aggressive hitter who uses the block well. Abbie Powell MB Munciana 14 Chipmunks: Powell makes an impact across the front row. She has a quick arm and adds an offensive dimension to the attack. Mikaela Curry MB Aspire 14 Premier: Curry is an undersized middle who jumps incredibly well with a quick arm. Ella Zieske OH Northern Lights 14-1: Zieske jumps well and can really light it up when she gets a hold of it!

There is so much fierce competition at the Triple Crown NIT that no matter what it’s impossible to get to all of it. However, the Vballrecruiter.com did our best to get to as much as the action as we could. It meant catching play from the 12-18s divisions. Below, we highlight 27 athletes who stood out the most to us with Part 2 of our Day 1 Show Stoppers. Part 1 DAY 1 SHOW STOPPERS (Part 2) Piper Coady OH Tstreet 14 Tara: Coady showcased her talents and the bright future in front of her. She’s a lanky outside who hits at high angles and stretches out defenses. Bethany Benjamin L/DS A5 14-1 Helen: Benjamin was a standout outside a season ago but has made the move to the back row this season. She’s a lights-out passer and defender who reads and reacts very well. Lucy Waleskowski S/RS NKYVC 14-1 Tsunami: Waleskowski is a dynamic player who adds versatility with her ability to set and hit. She has nice size and uses it to her advantage well when attacking. She’s also a steady setter who locates well. Sarah Floyd RS TAV 14 Black: Floyd is a real menace and a nightmare for opponents to deal with. She’s very long with a fluid swing and can unleash from all over the court. Tessa Larkin OH Arizona Storm 15 Thunder: One thing about Larkin, if there’s an opportunity to tee off she’s going to make the most of it. She has a whip for an arm and can rips balls down with ease. Cedra Talaga L/DS Mizuno Long Beach 15 Rockstar: Talaga plays with so much fire and energy that she’s a real sparkplug on defense. She flies around the court and brings a never-back-down attitude to the lineup. Marissa Jones S A5 15-1 Kelly: A next-level sensation, Jones can dazzle in ways others can’t at the setting position. Her size gives her a big advantage at the net, and her delivery is clean and smooth. Cynthia Ockerman MB Legacy 15-1 Adidas: Ockerman is a physical middle who can overpower blockers and crush balls at defenders. Presley Thompson L/DS Wave 16 Scott: Thompson is a sound defender who doesn’t rattle and is always making plays to keep her team in the point. Reese Resmer MB Boiler Jrs 16 Gold: Resmer was coming up with kill after kill. She’s an explosive hitter with a strong arm and defenders weren’t able to come up with an answer to slow her down. *** Audrey Dyas MB NKYVC 16-1 Tsunami: Dyas’ presence in the middle is a game-changer. She’s a strong attacker who can lineup and score from the left, middle or right with equal effectiveness. Emma Cugino L/DS Mintonette Sports m.61: Cugino missed Central Zone but she’s back for Triple Crown and showing why she is one of the best liberos in her class. She sees plays ahead of time and is rarely out of position. Tenesyn Frye S ID Crush 17 Bower: Frye continues to improve. It doesn’t hurt that she’s a long setter but she also shows great touch and ability to put her hitters in position to make a play. Teraya Sigler OH Arizona Storm 17 Thunder: Sigler’s all-around game is on another level. She’s also such a physical hitter who can overpower blockers by going off or through blocks. Layli Ostovar OH Mizuno Long Beach 17 Rockstar: Ostovar, part of the Class of 2026, is the go-to outside for Beach. She’s a smart attacker with a lively arm who can beat defenses in multiple ways. McKenzie Jones RS Madfrog 17 Green: Jones’ athleticism is a real weapon. She’s a springy attacker who elevates in a hurry and can get balls past blockers before they are set up. Izzy Mogridge S OT 17 Aaron: Mogridge is an energetic setter who moves very well. She does a nice job getting her feet to the ball and locating consistently. Jada Johnson OH NPJ Salem 16 National: Johnson brings infectious enthusiasm when she steps on the court. She jumps really well and is getting high over the block when hitting. Eden Tardy OH Paramount VBC 16-1: Tardy is very explosive when attacking and sees the court really well. She has a great platform on serve receive and sets up her team really well to run various plays. Petra Fritz OH/S E3 18-1: Fritz is an extremely versatile player, she can do it all. She has an aggressive arm swing, runs a versatile offense and can pass well on serve receive. *** Ella Swinn OH Vegas Aces UA 18s: Swinn has a high arm swing and finds all the open spots on the court. She anticipates the set well and moves on and off the net quickly. She is a force to be reckoned with at the net. Abby Dolle MB KIVA 12 Red: Dolle displayed good timing along the net both defensively and offensively. Londyn Cottrill OH Legacy 12-1 Adidas: Cottrill does a bit of everything for her team, including providing a big arm to be relied on plenty offensively. Mary-Christine (MC) Crutcher OH Excel 13 Red: Crutcher has a limitless ceiling. She can attack from anywhere and has a smooth swing with pace. Brylie Milo OH KC Power 13 Black: Milo is a key feature of the offense. She gets up well and takes hard, aggressive swings. She’s relentless on the attack and doesn’t let up. Nariah Johnson OH Coast 13-1: Johnson is a consistent passer out of serve receive and can track down balls on defense. She also jumps well and has a variety of shots she can throw at defenders. Sade Bello OH Houston Juniors 14 Elite: Bello is an instrumental part of the offense for her squad. She’s a physical hitter who’s more than capable of putting down balls and carrying the load offensively.

The opening day of the Triple Crown NIT never disappoints! The action is intense from the opening serve and doesn’t let up until the final one. We at Vballrecruiter.com were on hand for both the morning and afternoon waves taking in as much of the competition as we could get to. Below, you can find Part 1 of our Day 1 Show Stoppers, featuring 27 standout players who caught our attention the most. DAY 1 SHOW STOPPERS (Part 1) Sarah Albers RS HPSTL 14 Royal: A force on the right side, Albers is a game-changing presence. Her size and length, especially at this age, make her difficult to slow with the way she can extend and hit over blocks. Leilani Lamar OH OT 14 Laura: Another top prospect from the Class of 2028, has a ton of potential. She’s not only long but a free-swinger who can also elevate and make blocks disappear. Maya Ogbogu OH Madfrog 14 Green: The way Ogbogu gets up in the air is not fair for opponents who have to try and stop her. She’s a legit high-flyer with a booming arm who can blast winners from corner to corner. Baylee Wilson OH Coast 14-1: A standout beach player and part of the Class of 2029, Wilson is a fun player to watch get after it. She has a lively arm and can beat defenses with both pace and off-speed shots. Carsyn Comer MB Munciana 15 Blue: Comer is so physical in the middle. She has a huge arm and adds tons of power to the attack. Lauren Forelli OH AZ Rev 15 Premier: Speaking of big arms, Forelli fits in that category. She can really let it fly at times and send the ball down in a flash. Josalyn Samuels S Kairos 15 Alpha: A member of the Class of 2028, Samuels is silky-smooth in the setting position. She has a tremendous touch and high IQ. It leads to getting her hitters favorable looks. Candice Holloway MB OT 15 Randy: Holloway is someone to keep tabs on. She has unbelievable upside with her length and ability to make impact plays at the net on both sides of the ball. Audrey Flanagan OH SCVC 16 Roxy: Flanagan’s lively arm and offensive prowess was on full display. She has a quick arm and can really extend. Those two things together lead to impressive kills. Brooke Harwood MB Arizona Storm 16 Thunder: Harwood puts up a huge block in the middle. She is a dominating force on the court, getting on top of the ball when attacking and has great court vision to put the ball down. She shows up in big ways for her team. *** Halle Thompson OH Hou Skyline 16 Royal: A high-flying outside with a whip of an arm, Thompson is next-level material. She hits shots others simply cannot and because of it puts tremendous strain on defenses. Henley Anderson OH Austin Skyline 16 Royal: Anderson is another next-level talent whose size and power make for a lethal combination. She is a legit threat whether front or back row and drills shots to the deep corner with ease. Addy Horner S/RS 1st Alliance 17 Gold: Horner’s length and versatility are big factors in what she brings to the court. She’s a solid setter with consistent location. She’s also contributor on offense as she does well finding space and gaps. Macie Potter RS Drive Nation 17 Red: Potter is an explosive attacker and has great timing on her blocks. Campbell Flynn S Legacy 17-1 Adidas: There are few players who can impact a match at the setting position like Flynn. She’s so touch to get a beat on and is consistently getting her hitters one-on-one looks. Reese Messer S Dynasty 17 Black: Messer is another game-changing setter who is in total control of the offense. Her command of the offense is unquestionable and she slings it was total ease and confident. Delainy Williams S Athena 18-1 Gold: Williams has a quick release, moves her feet well to the ball and her setter-middle connection is superb. Allie Davison S Mich Elite 16 Mizuno: Davison moves quickly and has positive energy on the court. She does a great job on defense and covers the ball well. Jillian Ferrill RS Legacy 16-2 Adidas: Ferrill puts up a strong block and follows the ball well. She shows great tenacity as well having a high arm reach. Abbi Sells RS Legacy 16-2 Adidas: Sells demonstrates exceptional agility on the court while making great digs and finding her hitters during out of system plays. She plays with a fire under her and has great communication. *** Izzie McCarthy RS Excel 12 Red: McCarthy is a good attacker with a quick arm swing, which allows her to beat blockers and defenders to their spots. Emma Harter S Munciana 12 Peppers: Harter, a 5-1 setter, possesses nice, consistent hands and location. It makes her sets super hittable. Rosalee Johnson OH Dynasty 13 Black: Johnson brings a physicality to her attacking anywhere on the court. Sahmone Wadsworth OH Arizona Storm 13 Thunder: Wadsworth is an athlete who has a quick swing and is fearless on the attack. Danaya Petkova OH Rockwood 13 Thunder: Petkova is long and she lights it up when she unleashes on the outside. Mya Lee OH KC Power 14 Black: Lee connected so well on the outside we had to stop to watch. She can crank on the pins. Jensen Kubik OH Dynasty 14 Black: Kubik is a steady six-rotation outside for squad. She covers well in the back row and attacks well up the middle.