February 20, 2024

Even a day later, our heads are still buzzing from everything we saw on Day 3 of Triple Crown. Whether still in contention and playing for a title or finishing out the weekend, teams and players were still out to prove themselves and show what they can do. It gave us an unforgettable ending to the prestigious tournament. The Vballrecruiter.com was on hand for the action from 12-18s and below we present 20 of our favorite stars with Part 4 of our Day 3 Show Stoppers. DAY 3 SHOW STOPPERS (Part 4) Leah Stickney OH A5 14-1 Helen: Stickney sees the court well and plays a very smart and smooth game as an outside hitter. She elevates her team’s performance with her infectious enthusiasm and the big kills she delivers. Bella Turcios L/DS Tstreet 14 Tara: Turcios brings a lot of energy to the court. She hustles and gets after it and that helps extend rallies and give her team extra chances to win the point. Bo Bronson OH KC Power 15 Black: Bronson is a fun hitter to watch get after it. She doesn’t hold back and is a relentless attacker. She has a very fast arm and can crush shots. Fara Bronson S Arizona Storm 15 Thunder: Bronson is in control and does well guiding the offense. She connects well with her hitters and doesn’t become over-reliant on any one player. Lyndsey Robinson L/DS Munciana 15 Blue: Robinson’s ability to command the back row and anchor the defense is why Munciana was in contention on the final day. Emma Cugino L/DS Mintonette Sports m.61: Cugino is a high IQ libero who is silky smooth in the plays she makes. She has no problem making digs on well-struck shots. Mallory Matheny S Mintonette Sports m.61: Mathney is a quick, energetic setter. She spreads the ball around while at the same time knowing to ride a hot hand. Izzy Mahaffey L/DS Arizona Storm 17 Thunder: Mahaffey’s presence on defense can’t be overlooked. She’s a fearless defender who can make big-time saves. Izzy Busignani OH Mich Elite 17 Mizuno: Busignani can straight bring it on the outside. She has a strong arm and doesn’t have a problem connecting. Tekoa Barnes OH Tribe 17 Elite Cardinal: Barnes is another outside with a powerful arm. That, and her explosiveness make her a handful to deal with. *** Sophie Diouf MB ARVC 17n1: Diouf has some serious power behind her attacks. She pushes to constantly find more openings on the court. Mariana Alvarado-Rivera MB A4 17-1: Rivera dominates the net with a strong block. She makes quick decisions and her feet follow. She consistently demonstrates her value as a dynamic player. Meg Goodwin S Tulsa Power 17-1: Goodwin covers really well and made some great digs. She created a lot of different scoring opportunities for her hitters with her consistent setting. Nikki Tawil S Sunshine 17-1: Tawil Showcases her leadership on the court through actively communicating. She has great hands and utilizers all of her hitters to create various scoring opportunities for her team. Rylee Jewell L/DS NKYVC 15-1 Tsunami: Jewell is the backbone of the team’s defense, showcasing exceptional reflexes and reading of the game to make crucial digs and keep rallies alive. Kari Knotts OH A5 13 Karen: Knotts is a six-rotation high-flier with the ability to produce highlight kill after highlight kill. Milan Tallman MB A5 13 Karen: Tallman is part of a middle blocking duo that is very effective both offensively and defensively. Madison Middleton MB A5 13 Karen: Middleton is the second part of the middle blocking duo that made a huge impact. Like Tallman, Middleton both attacks and blocks well. Plus she brings a ton of emotion to the court! Tessa Redmond OH Dynasty 13 Black: Remond was fun to watch get better and better in the finals. And while she brings the heat when she connects she also is a tooling machine offensively. Courtney Neil L Dynasty 13 Black: Neil is a rhythm libero on the court. She passes nails in serve receive and is a headsy defender.

The only way as a fan to be disappointed on the last day of competition at Triple Crown is if an unexpected blizzard forced the tournament to be cancelled. Short of that, it’s guaranteed to deliver on a level worthy of a national championship. That’s how Day 3 played out, as teams went toe-to-toe for early-season bragging rights. The Vballrecruiter.com was on hand for the action from 12-18s and below we present 20 of our favorite stars with Part 3 of our Day 3 Show Stoppers. DAY 3 SHOW STOPPERS (Part 3) Leilani Lamar OH OT 14 Laura: Lamar helped OT push HPSTL to three games in the quarterfinals. She’s long and extends high up which allows her to go over the block consistently and keep pressure on defenses. Isabel Penrose L/DS OT 14 Laura: Penrose made the switch from outside to libero after the opening day of play. She’s a lights-out passer and was delivering dimes out of serve receive. Sophia Puleo OH OT 15 Randy: Puleo and her heavy arm helped OT make the semis before losing in three to Club V. She hits with tons of power and is a key part of the offense. Marissa Jones S A5 15-1 Kelly: From coaches to fans, Jones grabs the attention of those walking by her court. Her ceiling is limitless. She’s already setting at a high level and is super smooth with her delivery. Marlie Smith S Legacy 15-1 Adidas: Smith is a mobile setter who moves well. She spreads the ball around and keeps her various hitters involved. Madisyn Crnjac OH Arizona Storm 16 Thunder: Crnjac has a powerful arm. When the opportunity presents itself she can load up and rip shots with authority. Keoni Williams MB Skyline 16 Royal: Williams is a serious presence in the middle with her length. She can close gaps in a hurry. Defenses also need to track her on the attack because she’s a legit scorer. Devin Dzienny L/DS Legacy 17 Adidas: Legacy made a surprise run to the semifinals. Dzienny faced some serious hitters and does more than hold her own and give her side a shot at winning the point. Chloe Johnson OH Madfrog 17 Green: Madfrog was another surprise semifinalist. Johnson has a legit arm and can let it fly. Isabela Haggard S/RS Adidas KiVA 17 Red: Haggard brings plenty of emotion and passion to the lineup. Her ability to both set and hit is of tremendous value and part of the reason why KiVA was still in the hunt on Day 3. *** Naya Salfiti RS Skyline 17 Royal: Salfiti is a scoring machine. She finds all the open spot on the court. Her team can feel confident th you at when she is attacking that she can put the ball away. Stella Dillon RS Coast 17-1s: Dillon communicates effectively, supports her team both on and off the court in time outs, and her strong play on the right side brings balance and versatility to the team. Maia Raleigh S Madfrog 15 Black: Raleigh has really smooth hands and excels at creating opportunities for her teammates by delivering precise and well-timed sets. Keely DePauw Fieldhouse 15Ikaika: As a defensive specialist, DePauw excels at reading the game, making crucial digs, and providing a solid defensive foundation for her team. Allie Brietling OH Vegas Aces 15 UA: Brietling presses well over the net when she is blocking. As an outside hitter, she brings power and precision to her attacks, consistently delivering strong hits from the left side, while also showcasing strong defensive skills and versatility, making her a valuable asset to her team. Akshara Jay Sky High 15 Elite: Jay is a left-handed player on the right side, she brings an advantage, creating different angles and scoring opportunities. She is able to adjust to any set. Skye Lincoln OH Excel 13 Red: Lincoln has a fluid swing and can pack a punch when she connects. Julianna Godbey OH Skyline 13 Royal: Godbey is finding her groove on the outside this season. She is a smart hitter who can crank with the best of the. Kennedy Jefferson S Skyline 13 Royal: Jefferson is a 2030 setter with a beautiful touch and the ability to push the ball from pin to pin. Macurdy Harden OH A5 13 Karen: Harden is a reliable scorer. She is a six rotation outside who has a solid arm and hits with plenty of pace.

There was extra fire on the court on the final day of Triple Crown as teams still in contention aimed to finish the weekend on top of their respective divisions. With no one backing down, the back-and-forth competition produced many memorable moments and performances. The Vballrecruiter.com was on hand for the action from 12-18s and below we present 21 of our favorite stars with Part 2 of our Day 3 Show Stoppers. DAY 3 SHOW STOPPERS (Part 2) Brooke Neal L/DS Munciana 14 Chipmunks: Neal is a standout defender and part of why Munciana is so tough to beat. With her at the center of it, Muncie thrives on its passing and ball control to stay in matches. Caitlin Carrizales L/DS TAV 14 Black: Carrizales gets after it in the back row. She’s a fearless defender who doesn’t blink against big-time arms. Emilie LaSala OH Coast 14-1: One thing that stands out about LaSala is the aggression she attacks with. She has a lively arm and brings it. Zamari Christensen S Club V 15 Ren Kalee: Club V made a surprise run to the final, only losing to TAV and taking second. Christensen is a quick, agile setter who gets her feet to the ball and locates well. Ava Burgess OH Club V 15 Ren Kalee: Burgess continues to show why she’s a next-level talent. At times she really lets it fly and brings the thunder on the attack. Danielle Whitmire S/RS TAV 16 Black: Whitmire was doing what she could to try and help TAV advance to the final before falling to Mintonette in the semis. She was moving her sets around well while coming up with timely kills. Nikolija Bulatovic S 1st Alliance 16 Gold: 1st Alliance was a bit of surprise contender on the final day. But with Bulatovic guiding the offense, the Illinois club is a tough out. She has a nice touch and sets a clean ball. Abby Zimmerman RS SCVC 16 Roxy: Zimmerman’s size and length on the right side is valuable. Besides that making her a factor at the net, she can stay in across the back and remain an offensive threat. Madison Quest OH MKE Sting 17 Gold: It’s unlikely MKE Sting is taking home the 17s title without Quest’s contributions. She extends really high up and can rip it. Defenses can’t let up when she’s in the back row either because she’s a threat there too. Karli Molnau MB MKE Sting 17 Gold: Molnau was an unsung hero. She’s not one of the tallest members and is a bit undersized in the middle, but she was clutch in the final against 1st Alliance as she was a consistent and reliable point scorer. *** Kalli Lipo L/DS Arizona Storm 16 Thunder: Lipo knows how to rally her team together. They can all count on her to set their team up for success and to save plays. Mia Crowley RS TAV Houston 16 Adidas: Crowley is able to move quick enough to close the block in the middle. Ella Swinn OH Vegas Aces 18: Swinn is able to get her feet to the ball quickly on her approach. She also sees the other side of the court well when hitting. Chloe Hansen ID Crush 17 Bower: Hansen has a fast arm swing from the outside. She is able to find really good angles on the court and she has a high reach. Bria Dawson MB PVA 17-1: Dawson agility and quick reflexes make her a strong middle blocker, she is able to read the game and block opponents attacks effectively, while also providing a strong offense. Sydney Mayfield RS Paramount VBC Nick 17: Mayfield delivers powerful hits from the right side and her ability to get up quick helps her contribute a valuable block to her team. Jenna Barnes OH A5 12-1: Barnes is always a threat no matter where she is on the court and isn’t afraid to “get dirty” on defense and make the big plays defensively. Kamryn Carlson L MAVS KC 12-1: Carlson is a smooth passer and scrappy defender who always plays under control with a hint of sass. Sophia Morris S/OH MAVS KC 12-1: Morris has great energy on the court. She set across the back and hit in the front. She did well moving the ball around and getting her hitters involved. *** Mary-Christine (MC) Crutcher OH Excel 13 Red: MC is an explosive outside who was scoring front and back row in a variety of ways, from tooling blocks to going around them or over them.

Triple Crown is over but it didn’t end without a bang! The final day of competition is sure to be among the best volleyball we witness this season. With the stakes the highest of the weekend, players rose to the challenge and produced incredible moments. The Vballrecruiter.com was on hand for the action from 12-18s and below we present 21 of our favorite stars with Part 1 of our Day 3 Show Stoppers. DAY 3 SHOW STOPPERS (Part 1) Maya Ogbogu OH Madfrog 14 Green: The 14s champion reigned supreme in part because of the production from Ogbogu. She plays too high and above the block for defenders to do anything about it and it leads to massive kills. Gracie White MB Madfrog 14 Green: White is an impactful middle because of her size and length. She does well slowing down attackers with touches at the net. And when in system, she’s a viable offensive option. Carina Buttrum L/DS HPSTL 14 Royal: Buttrum brought her defensive tenacity to the court and helped HPSTL make the finals with it. She flies around the court making plays and keeping her team in points. Brynn Stephens S TAV 15 Black: TAV being forced to a run a 5-1 with Stephens due to injury wasn’t a deterrent to the club walking away with the 15s championship title. She displays a nice, consistent touch and is effortless in delivering the ball. Gentry Barker OH TAV 15 Black: Barker is a six-rotation, high IQ outside who adds plenty of value to the lineup. She’s a strong passer out of serve receive and she has a wide variety of shots to help out offensively. Gabby Divita OH Legacy 16-1 Adidas: Legacy’s championship run was in part fueled by the contributions of Divita. She has a quick, fluid swing. Combined with the way she jumps, she unleashes at times in impressive fashion. Meredith Martin L/DS Legacy 16-1 Adidas: Martin is an upbeat defender who plays with lots of passion and desire. She does well picking off shots and frustrating hitters. Abbey Knight RS Sports Performance 16 Elite: Knight is brought big energy as she did her part to help SPVB make the semis. She times her blocks really well and makes it hard for those outside hitters to get through her. Aniya Warren L/DS 1st Alliance 17 Gold: Warren is fun to watch on the defensive side. She plays with lots of fire and flies around the court making plays all over. Abby Vander Wal OH 1st Alliance 17 Gold: Vander Wal and her massive arm had 1st Alliance on the doorsteps of winning it all. She can crush balls over the block in the front row. And there’s no letting up across the back because she can hammer shots all the same. *** Brooke Harwood MB Arizona Storm 16 Thunder: Harwood is the real deal for her age division. Not only does she have the height but her agility along the next allows her to make great timing on the blocks to close. Halie McGinest OH Mizuno Long Beach 18 Rockstar: As an outside hitter, McGinest is a dynamic force on the court, delivering powerful hits and showing great versatility in both offense and defense, making her a key player and a valuable asset to her team. Cali Reece L/DS TAV Houston 16 Adidas: Reece is a real solid libero that moves really well on the court and is consistent on serve receive. Neveah Tien S Club V 16 Ren Matt: Tien’s ability to switch up her sets at a fast pace is what leads her team to victories. She doesn’t let the other team get comfortable. Soraya Dennis S Wave 16 Scott: Dennis is not only a great setter but is a great teammate as well. She creates trust with all of her hitters and continue to dial in with her consistent hands. Ai-Vy Ho S Excel 16 Red: Ho moves well to the ball on the court and she has a great connecting with her RS hitters. She also has a strong serve. Jocelyn Bridie OH Madfrog 12 Green: Bridie takes a ton of swings. She’s one of the mainstays in the attack and consistently finds ways to score. Lochlyn Aldridge MB Excel 12 Red: Aldridge brings the heat in the middle blocking position. She packs a punch when she connects. Kora Callahan OH Arizona Storm 12 Thunder: Callahan is one to watch develop. She is long and lean and can literally hit over every block with ease. Jeivannise Rodriquez S K1 MANATI JASON 12-1: Rodriquez is an aggressive setter with nice hands. She does well guiding the attack and moving the ball around. *** Lia Rivera OH K1 MANATI JASON 12-1: Rivera is a six-rotation, go-to outside. She’s a smart attacker who can score in a variety of ways. And watch out for her topspin jump serve!

Before getting to how the final day of the Triple Crown NIT unfolded, know that we have plenty more coverage coming in the days ahead. Beyond our Gold Medal Rundown below covering Monday’s action from the 12-18s division, we’ll have our Day 3 Show Stoppers, plus our All Red Hat Teams and a post-tournament write up sharing thoughts and perspective from the three days in Kansas City. 18s With the quarterfinals set, the final day of the 18s carried its share of storylines. There was eventual champion Coast 18-1 – which defeated top-ranked TAV 18 Black in three sets, 24-26, 25-23, 17-15, in the championship match – and its recent victory earlier this month at the Ohio Valley 18s qualifier in Columbus, where the So Cal club went 9-0. There was TAV, our No. 1 team in the country and winner of the Lone Star Classic, looking to solidify its reputation as the best. Club V 18 Ren Reed was coming off qualifying last weekend at the Salt Lake Showdown and was only playing in its second major tournament of the season. Tri-State Elite 18 Blue captured the Central Zone Invitational title the same weekend Coast triumphed in Ohio. KC Power 18 Black already had two qualifier victories under its belt, finishing on top at the KC MLK Tournament and Northern Lights. Two more qualifier champions were in the mix in 1st Alliance 18 Gold (Windy City) and Triangle 18 Black (Florida Fest). Then there was Madfrog 18 Green, which was another Open qualified team. No matter which club left victorious, there was a tale behind it. As for Coast, the San Diego based club was not looking like championship material on Day 1. Opening competition in Power Pool A, Coast lost to both Triangle and KC Power while picking up a victory over 1st Alliance, which was the team Vballrecruiter.com predicted to win 18s. However, Coast turned it on for Day 2 and 3. It included sweeping 1st Alliance to start Monday’s quarterfinal action. Coast then swept Tri-State Elite in the semis before rallying past TAV in the final. It was TAV’s only loss on the weekend. Club V and Tri-State finished tied for third, while KC Power and Madfrog tied for fifth. 1st alliance and Triangle wound up tied for seventh. It was a great showing for Triangle considering the North Carolina club lost junior right side Ryan Hunter, a 5-star Nebraska commit, to injury on Day 1. The final results were also pretty good for us in regards to our national rankings. TAV (No. 1), 1st Alliance (2), Triangle (3), Madfrog (4), KC Power (5) and Coast (10) all entered ranked in the Top 10. Tri-State (23) and Club V (25) showed they deserved to climb the rankings in our next update. *** 17s The list of top contenders in the 17s divisions was impressive, starting with teams like Hou Skyline 17 Royal, MKE Sting 17 Gold and ID Crush 17 Bower. All three earned Open bids last month at the Northern Lights Qualifier. There were also teams like Arizona Storm 17 Thunder, last year’s 16 Open champ, and 1st Alliance 17 Gold, the 16 Open runner up. Adidas KiVA 17 Red was coming off its victory at Central Zone earlier this month, where it defeated Legacy 17-1 Adidas in the final. Then there was clubs like Mich Elite 17 Mizuno, Skyline 17 Royal, Tribe 17 Elite Cardinal and Nebraska One 17 Synergy which could beat anyone they step on the court with. However, when the quarterfinals commenced Monday morning, our top-ranked team in Hou Skyline and the winner of Northern Lights was absent. That’s because Legacy surprised Hou Skyline in the Round of 16 to close play Sunday evening. The unexpected team still in contention was Madfrog 17 Green. The North Texas Region club didn’t have the showing it would’ve liked last weekend at the Tour of Texas stop in Houston, but showed it can beat anyone at anytime here. Madfrog outlasted Skyline 17 Royal in three thrilling sets in the Round of 16 and then kept it going when it eliminated Mich Elite in the quarters Monday morning. While 1st Alliance fought off KiVA in three sets in another quarterfinal, MKE Sting handled Storm in straight sets and Legacy did the same to Tribe. 1st Alliance then swept Madfrog in one semi as MKE Sting took down Legacy in straight sets. It set up a showdown between our No. 3 (MKE Sting) and No. 4 (1st Alliance) teams from our Top 50 in the 17s final. Both teams were at Northern Lights together, but didn’t face off there. Both were at Central Zone a season ago, but 1st Alliance didn’t return this season so Monday marked the first time the two clubs squared off in 2024. After two lopsided sets, MKE Sting earned the upper-hand with the three-game victory, 17-25, 25-12, 16-14. Much like Coast in the 18s, MKE Sting didn’t have the best start to the weekend. Sting was upended by both Skyline and Arizona Storm on Day 1. However, after eliminating TAV 17 Black Jon to end Day 2, Sting kept the momentum rolling by earning payback against Storm in the quarters. Storm tied with KiVA for fifth, while Mich Elite and Tribe tied for seventh. Like the 18s, our 17s rankings held up well. Arizona Storm (No. 2), MKE Sting (3), 1st Alliance (4), KiVA (6) and Mich Elite (7) all entered ranked in the Top 10. Tribe, meanwhile, opened the year at No. 1 before dropping to No. 16 in our latest update. Legacy sits at No. 13, while Madfrog, after its less-than-strong showing at the last Tour stop, dropped to No. 27. *** 16s It was not the start Legacy 16-1 Adidas was expecting but it was the ending the Michigan club was aiming for. After losing its opening match of the weekend to Wave 16 Scott, Legacy put the loss in the rearview mirror and forged full speed