June 17, 2024

The four days across 14 Open at AAUs eventually ended with Dynasty 14 Black earning the gold medal after defeating A5 14-1 Helen in the championship match. You can read all about how the final day played out here. We also released our Day 4 Show Stoppers from the last day of competition. Now, it’s time to present our 14 Open All Red Hat Team. It’s Vballrecruiter’s version of an all-tournament team. We determined our list from the teams which made the 14 Open gold bracket. 14 OPEN ALL RED HAT TEAM PIN HITTERS Brooklyn Andrews Dynasty 14 Black Jensen Kubik Dynasty 14 Black Molly McGovern Dynasty 14 Black Sydney Harrison A5 14-1 Helen Leah Stickney A5 14-1 Helen Azaria Ehima A5 14-1 Helen Quinn Nelson Legacy 14-1 Adidas Lia Ray Tribe 14 Elite Cardinal Natalia Marciante Tribe 14 Elite Cardinal Taylor Price Adidas KiVA 14 Red Kayleigh Rogers Adidas KiVA 14 Red Julia Masselink Kairos 14 Alpha Leilani Lamar OT 14 Laura Lowe Long Tri-State Elite 14 Blue Charlotte Patton Tri-State Elite 14 Blue Decelise Champion K1 Bayamon 14 Ava Broadie Peak 14 Black Kyra Bolden Peak 14 Black ***** MIDDLE BLOCKERS Lilianah Jackson Dynasty 14 Black Madelyn Moog A5 14-1 Helen Lauren Sheldon Legacy 14-1 Adidas McKenzie Andrews Legacy 14-1 Adidas Morgan Kooiman Kairos 14 Alpha Lauren Williams Tri-State Elite 14 Blue Aubrey McDaniel Tri-State Elite 14 Blue Kennedy Christie MB Peak 14 Black ***** SETTERS Payton Woodruff Legacy 14-1 Adidas Logan McGuire Kairos 14 Alpha Molly Monday OT 14 Laura Mila Zujovic OT 14 Laura Mya Bosse Tri-State Elite 14 Blue Tiana Kinsella Dynasty 14 Black Sophia Sturdy Dynasty 14 Black Chelsea Torrence A5 14-1 Helen Jane Myers A5 14-1 Helen ***** LIBEROS/DSs Haedyn Lynnes Dynasty 14 Black Bethany Benjamin A5 14-1 Helen Ashlyn Pelon Legacy 14-1 Adidas Isabella DeSensi Adidas KiVA 14 Red Deviryn McCarty Kairos 14 Alpha Izzie Penrose OT 14 Laura Meagan Timmerman Tri-State Elite 14 Blue Sofia Tang Tribe 14 Elite Cardinal

We continue on with Part 2 of our Day 1 Show Stoppers. You can find Part 1 here. Though Day 1 is like dipping your toes in the pool, there were still plenty of individuals bringing the noise and we highlight the ones who stood out the most to us below. DAY 1 SHOW STOPPERS Bryn Meyer OH Mintonette Sports m.51: A 4-star recruit, Meyer is a lanky outside with lots of upside. She can really extend up and hit at a high angle. There are times she can go right over the block. Isabella Borgio OH Mintonette Sports m.51: Borgio, a 3-star recruit, has a strong arm and hits a heavy ball. She’s another key part of the offense and gives Mintonette someone it can count on to deliver when needed. Ailanni Sellers S OT 15 Will: A 3-star recruit, Sellers does a nice job running the offense. She has a consistent release and locates well. She is also capable of moving the ball around and keeping defenses guessing. Lillie Eason OH OT 15 Will: A member of the Class of 2028, is a key component as a six-rotation outside. She’s solid on the attack. She can swing both front and back row and is a featured part of the attack. Sage Illian OH Shockwave 15 Black: Illian demonstrates a high volleyball IQ by frequently exploiting the block’s weaknesses, using the block at times and angles to find gaps in the defense. Her agility and quick footwork enable her to seamlessly transition between offensive and defensive roles, consistently maintaining a dominant presence throughout the match. Throughout the match she was a key player in gaining them points. Autumn Popp S Shockwave 15 Black: Popp is an exceptionally dynamic and athletic setter, known for her ability to get her feet to every ball with remarkable consistency. Her reliable hands and skill in switching up the offense were crucial in leading her team to a victorious performance against SPVB 15 Elite. She quickly adapted to high pressure moments. Bailey Bernal OH Shockwave 15 Black: Against SPVB 15 Elite, Bernal made several crucial plays. When every point matters in this sport her points really mattered when it came down to a close scoring match. More scoring possibilities resulted from her defensive one-arm saves and steady passing to keep them in-system. She was a dependable player on the net for her team since she was putting every ball away. Harper Sanders L/DS 575 15-1 Kortney: Sanders, playing as libero, showed incredible tenacity throughout the game, consistently passing difficult balls with accuracy. She also stepped in seamlessly for the setter when needed, delivering excellent sets and demonstrating her versatility and dedication on the court against VoltageVB 15 Elite. Holly Dufrene MB 575 15-1 Kortney: Dufrene is an excellent middle blocker in the Club division who uses her awareness and quick reactions to dominate the net against VoltageVB 15 Elite by anticipating what is happening from the other team. Her powerful blocks and ability to read hitters make her a defensive powerhouse, while her strategic placement of attacks adds an extra layer of threat to her offensive game. Bella Cocke OH Polar Elite 18-1: As an outside hitter, Cocke excels at finding scoring opportunities even in out-of-system plays. She stays confident and always goes for it, turning challenging situations into successful results against Top Flight 18 Theta. *** Madison Holker S Polar Elite 18-1: As a setter with strong leadership, Holker unites the team and skillfully utilizes all her players at the net. Her exceptional ball control is evident in her ability to set up plays and keep the team in rhythm throughout a match. Cat Nygaard L A5 Chattanooga 15-1 Mary: Nygaard has no problem hustling for every ball and giving 110% on the court. Her adept ball control is apparent in how she orchestrates plays, maintaining the team’s momentum and setting up scoring opportunities effectively against Rampage 15s Black. The outcome of her having a solid platform on serve receive, provides the team a solid foundation. Rory Oleksik DS A5 Chattanooga 15-1 Mary: Oleksik is incredibly energetic and agile on the court, covering sharp angles with her court knowledge and preparedness. Oleksik is easily recognizable on any court because of her extremely active athleticism. Amelia Lamberti OPP Eastside Volleyball 15 Ice: Lamberti came out firing in the first set against Trivolley 15-1. Right out of the gate, she made several huge swings down the line on the RS resulting in multiple points on the scoreboard for her team. Lamberti is someone to watch closely. Ellie Payne S Eastside Volleyball 15 Ice: Payne is a skilled setter who anticipates everything and knows exactly what to do next. She connects well with her middle and right side. She has great footwork on out of system balls. Emmerson Otto MB Eastside Volleyball 15 Ice: Otto, a middle blocker, does a good job of following the hitters and made a couple of blocks against Trivolley 15-1. She is a vital component of her team’s offensive and defensive lineup. She makes excellent lateral movement across the net and is able to close the block efficiently. Avery Warren S/OPP Block Out Academy 15-1: Warren has exceptional hands and can run a fast offense with the help of her teammates, additionally, she ensures that she gets to the ball square as much as possible. Warren has good court awareness and can see the openings when she is swinging on the right side. It is also noticeable that she has great communication with her hitters. Elizabeth Lee L/DS Block Out Academy 15-1: In Lee’s match against Crossfire 15-1, she had a beautiful platform on serve receive continuously setting her team up for success. She also made some really impressive hustle plays, particularly when it was necessary for her to intervene and set. Charlotte Poole MB Block Out Academy 15-1: Poole made some big time blocks in the second set against Crossfire 15-1 to put her team back in the game

The second wave of the AAU girls national championships kicked off Monday at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando. It features all of the 15s age groups. We spent Day 1 taking in as much of the action as we could. Below, we present Part 1 of our Day 1 Show Stoppers featuring the players who made us take notice the most. DAY 1 SHOW STOPPERS Eden Hafermann OH Illini Elite 15 Cardinal: Illini Elite enjoyed a 3-0 start thanks in part to the contributions of Hafermann. She showed off a strong arm and the ability to score consistently as she helped lift the offense. Annabelle Bischoff MB Illini Elite 15 Cardinal: When the opportunity presented itself, Bischoff took advantage. There were moments when she reared back and unleashed to liven up the attack. Marissa Jones S A5 15-1 Kelly: A 5-star recruit, Jones is as smooth a disher as there is. She’s in complete command of the offense and can turn off balls into perfect sets still. Kaylee Foreman L/DS Tribe 15 Elite Cardinal: Foreman was among the group of defenders who held it down and made us take notice. She’s quick, covers a lot of ground and brings a lot of competitive energy to the court. Ella Gravlee OH Tribe 15 Elite Cardinal: A 6-2 outside, Gravlee filled her role as a six-rotation outside very well. She’s a big piece of the offense. She has a strong arm and showed it off plenty. Ellie Enger OH WPVC 15 Armour Black: A 3-star recruit, the 6-0 Enger is a glue piece. She’s a steadying presence on the outside. She has a solid arm and is a smart attacker who does well finding holes. Isabel Incinelli OH WPVC 15 Armour Black: A 6-5, 4-star recruit, Incinelli is certainly a presence on the court. Her length is a huge advantage. With it, she can easily go over blocks and hit down from high angles. Brennan Hoppe OH Balboa Bay 15 Blue: A bit undersized on the pin, Hoppe was taking aggressive swings and really putting pressure on defenses. Isabella Kompaniez RS Balboa Bay 15 Blue: Kompaniez is certainly someone opponents to keep track of. When in system, Balboa Bay will get her the ball. She’s a heady attacker with a sound arm who can find the gaps and exploit them. Mia Diouf RS GP 15 Rox: A 4-star right side, Diouf is an explosive attacker who can light up defenses. She can score from sideline to sideline and carries her fair share of the attack. *** Brianna Napoles S/OH Miami Hype 15 Nekane: A 3-star recruit, Napoles is very versatile. She’s a beach player and it helps her in being well-round on the indoor side. She spent time setting and hitting on the outside. She’s quick to ball and has a soft touch and accurate location setting. She’s a crafty hitter who finds ways to score and frustrate defenses. Aylah Belding RS Tri-State Elite 15 Blue: Belding was having a good time on the right side. She was bringing it, taking big, aggressive swings and tooling blocks and providing an offensive boost. Penelope Reisman S Tri-State Elite 15 Blue: A 3-star recruit from the Class of 2028, Reisman has plenty of upside. She has nice size for the position. She showed she can move the ball around and connect well with her hitters. Margaret Kurpeikis OH Adversity 15 Adidas: Kurpeikis is a real problem for opponents. She’s a wirey outside with a lively arm. She can really extend and connect high and with it blast winners from corner to corner. Caroline Hanchar RS Munciana 15 Blue: A bit undersized on the pin, Hanchar makes up for it with her ability to get off the ground and swing with authority. She was connecting at times in impressive fashion and thundering shots down. Mallory Wandel OH Rise Academy 51: Wandel is a physical attacker who shoulders a large load offensively. She hits a heavy ball and can overpower opponents at times. Bradee Boyd OH Princeton 15-1 National: Boyd is a feisty hitter. She’s wirey and carries a loose arm. She can let it fly in a blink of an eye. Kennedy Hummert L/DS Pitt Elite 15 Elite: Hummert, part of the Class of 2028, was showing up strong in the back row. She has a sound platform. She was passing well out of serve receive and defending with lots of energy and effort. Ella Hartung OH Kokoro Volleyball 15-1: Hartung was another outside who is just a bit undersized but carries a really strong arm. She took a few swings and rocketed balls either off or past the block. Hailey Mueller OH Triangle 15 Black: Mueller, a 4-star recruit, has a plenty of upside. She’s an athletic outside who jumps and swings well. She can come with it at times and blast shots. *** Graceyn Shepard L/DS Triangle 15 Black: Shepard was part of the reason Triangle opened up 3-0 and upset No. 15 overall seed Tribe 15 Elite Cardinal. She’s a scrappy defender who goes all out to help keep her team in the point. Piper Endris L/DS Team Indiana Elite 15.1: Endris was another defender who played at a high level. She’s a smooth passer who plays under control and always seemed to be in the right position to make a play. Jaylynn Carter OH CUVC 15 Open: Carter, a 4-star recruit, is a tremendous talent. She can jump through the roof and has the arm to match. She can simply get on opponents and overwhelm them with the speed she comes at them with. Kinley Young MB Boiler Jrs 15 Gold: Young, at 6-2, is a presence and big factor in the middle. She changes the dynamic of the front row with her ability to both block and score. Riley Loehfelm OH FarOut 15 Black: Loehfelm was holding it down on the outside. She has a solid arm. She hits with both pace and power and was giving

Of the Open divisions at AAU, 16 Open packs the most punch. With that, the division should bring the most drama and we are very much looking forward to it. The four-day event is set for June 21-24 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando. Below, we take a brief look at the field, including nationally-ranked teams, players to know plus our predictions. Number of Teams: 79 Vballrecruiter Nationally-Ranked Teams (19): 1. Mintonette Sports m.61 OH 4. Boiler Jrs 16 Gold IN 6. Legacy 16-1 Adidas MI 8. Skyline 16 Royal TX 9. A5 16-1 Gabe GA 15. MN Select 16-1 MN 16. Team Pineapple 16 Black IN 24. WPVC 16 Armour Black FL 25. Tribe 16 Elite Cardinal FL 29. GP 16 Rox FL 31. EC Power KOP 16 Empire PA 36. Academy 16 Diamond NC 38. Tri-State Elite 16 Blue OH 39. SPVB 16 Elite IL 40. Rev 16-1 Fury IN 41. Academy 16 Yeti IN 46. Sunshine 16 LA 47. Tribe 16 Elite Navy FL 49. OT 16 Roberto FL   5-Star Players to Know: Gigi Artiles OH Tribe 15 Elite Cardinal (Georgia) Genevieve Harris S Academy 16 Diamond (Texas) Kayla Nwabueze MB Legacy 16-1 Adidas Ella Andrews MB Legacy 16-1 Adidas Gabi Divita OH Legacy 16-1 Adidas (Nebraska) Emma Cugino L/DS Mintonette Sports m.61 (Texas) Elena Hoecke MB MN Select 16-1 Rayna Christianson S/RS Northern Lights 16-1 (Creighton) Keoni Williams MB Skyline 16 Royal Caroline Ward RS Boiler Jrs 16 Gold (2027)   4-Star Players to Know: Taylor Clarke RS Skyline 16 Royal (2025) Jessica Smallwood MB Adidas KiVA 16 Red Cala Haffner L/DS Team Pineapple 16 Black Eva Long S Legacy 16-1 Adidas Meredith Martin L/DS Legacy 16-1 Adidas Sara Snowbarger OH Mintonette Sports m.61 (Indiana) Layla Hoying OH Mintonette Sports m.61 Mallory Matheny S Mintonette Sports m.61 Lexi Shondell S Boiler Jrs 16 Gold Madison Miles OH Boiler Jrs 16 Gold Cali Foster OH Boiler Jrs 16 Gold Reese Resmer MB Boiler Jrs 16 Gold Ellie Hepler L/DS Boiler Jrs 16 Gold (Indiana) Ava Wilkerson MB Academy 16 Diamond Levariya Pinder OH/MB Skyline 16 Royal Ryan Sadler OH A5 16-1 Gabe Sofia Guerrero-Wilson RS A5 16-1 Gabe Kalyssa Taggart S A5 16-1 Gabe Cassidy Cage MB SPVB 16 Elite Leilani Lawrence OH OT 16 JP Sophia Stallworth OH OT 16 Roberto Madeline Kraft L/DS Northern Lights 16-1 Eva Swenson S/RS MN Select 16-1 Mia Gold OH Tribe 16 Elite Cardinal Rylan Miller L/DS OT 16 Will (Georgia) Lily Bosworth MB Illini Elite 16 Cardinal Elle Mottola S WPVC 16 Armour Black   Outlook: There is no doubt that 16 Open is the premier division at AAU this season. The field is loaded, featuring five teams inside the Top 10 from Vballrecruiter’s Top 50 national rankings. It includes two from the Top 5, one being top-ranked Mintonette. There are 19 total from the Top 50, including 11 teams which qualified for 16 Open at USAV nationals in July. With such a strong field, we shouldn’t have to wait as long for the action to heat up. We could see some clubs squaring off on Day 2 if the draw breaks right. Mintonette enters looking to defend its 15 Open title from last year when it defeated Skyline in the final. Skyline is back too. However, there’s no guarantee either makes it that far again. Legacy is coming off its SummerFest victory, when it defeated Mintonette in the final. A5 and Boiler Jrs are certainly going to have a big say in what happens. Then there are many teams that can cause havoc. MN Select, Team Pineapple and Tribe all have the ability to make a deep run and put themselves in position to medal. Plenty others could spring big upsets. The ranked teams aren’t the only ones who can make things happen. Northern Lights, Triangle, Jupiter Elite, KiVA, FarOut, Kairos and Illini Elite are not featured in the Top 50 but all have shown at varying times this season they can make life difficult on opponents. The first day starts with 79 teams. Only 20 get eliminated heading into Day 2, but that’s when it picks up. Days 2 and 3 teams must finish first or second in their respective pools to move on. Teams are competing to make the 16-team gold bracket on Day 4. That’s a large gold bracket. It means the two teams which make the championship match are going to be playing four matches in one day having already played three days in a row. That’s a tough ask no matter who makes it that far. Prediction: I’m taking Legacy to build on its victory at SummerFest and continue on to win gold at AAU. Legacy tops Boiler Jrs in the final. Mintonette and MN Select take third.

We are already through the first wave at AAU. Sunday brought the completion of the 14 Open division, where Dynasty 14 Black took down A5 14-1 Helen in the championship match. You can read more about how the gold bracket played out here. Below, we highlight the standout players who caught our attention the most with our Day 4 Show Stoppers. DAY 4 SHOW STOPPERS Brooklyn Andrews OH Dynasty 14 Black: Equipped with a strong arm, Andrews hits a  heavy ball. Defenders need to close off the line because given any space Andrews can hammer balls past the block and down for winners. Jensen Kubik OH Dynasty 14 Black: Kubik – a 3-star recruit – extends and hits the ball and high contact point. She sees the court well and knows when to unload and when to place her shots to keep the point going. Lilianah Jackson MB Dynasty 14 Black: A 3-star middle, Jackson brings a real offensive dynamic to the front row with her quickness and ability to terminate. Defenses need to be ready for her because when in system Dynasty will get her involved. Haedyn Lynnes L/DS Dynasty 14 Black: Lynnes – a 3-star defender – is steady out of serve receive and helps keep Dynasty in system. She has a solid platform and doesn’t miss very many plays. Molly McGovern RS Dynasty 14 Black: A 3-star right side, McGovern’s length presents real problems on both sides of the ball. She puts up a solid block and in turn can hit over blocks and help expand the offense. Bethany Benjamin L/DS A5 14-1 Helen: Benjamin is a 4-star recruit and a libero teams aim to keep the ball away from in serve receive. She’s quick, makes up a lot of ground and covers a lot of court. Sydney Harrison OH A5 14-1 Helen: Harrison – a 3-star hitter – has a big arm and helps power the offense along. She can deliver electric kills and overwhelm defenses at times. Leah Stickney OH A5 14-1 Helen: Stickney is another 3-star recruit who can do it all on the outside. She’s a sound passer and defender and can attack front and back row in carrying her fair share of the offense. Azaria Ehima RS A5 14-1 Helen: A 3-star recruit, Ehima is another key component of the offense. She helps to balance the attack with her scoring prowess on the right side. She can elevate and connect in the blink of an eye. Ashlyn Pelon L/DS Legacy 14-1 Adidas: Pelon, a 3-star recruit, was part of a strong defensive group on the final day of competition. She’s another back-row player who is solid out of serve receive. She’s also scrappy and hangs tough against big hitters. *** Lauren Sheldon MB Legacy 14-1 Adidas: A 3-star recruit, Sheldon brought it in the middle repeatedly. She has a big arm and showed time and time again she can power shots down and end points. Lia Ray OH Tribe 14 Elite Cardinal: Ray – a 4-star outside – does a lot of things on the court. She’s a strong passer out of serve receive and smart attacker who sees the court well and takes her shots accordingly. Sofia Tang L/DS Tribe 14 Elite Cardinal: Tang’s defensive efforts helped Tribe reach the semifinals. She’s relentless with her coverage and doesn’t get rattle in big moments. Taylor Price OH Adidas KiVA 14 Red: Price – a 3-star recruit – flashes her potential at times. She gets up well and has a fluid swing. She uses it to torch defenses. Kayleigh Rogers OH Adidas KiVA 14 Red: Rogers – also a 3-star outside – has a loose arm and can let it fly. She’s a key piece of the offense and shoulders an impressive load. Julia Masselink OH Kairos 14 Alpha: Part of the Class of 2029, Masselink brings it on the outside. She jumps and swings very well. She can blast shots from sideline to sideline. Libby Kranz OH Kairos 14 Alpha: Kranz is another effective outside who helps the Kairos attack. She has a solid arm and when the opportunity is there can really connect. Morgan Kooiman MB Kairos 14 Alpha: Kooiman is a tall middle who impacts the match on both sides of the ball. She can get out and run the slide attack and the fact she hits at a high angle makes it difficult to slow her down. Leilani Lamar OH OT 14 Laura: Lamar – a 5-star recruit – displayed her next-level talent. She’s a smooth operator with an easy swing and ability to crush shots effortlessly. Izzie Penrose L/DS OT 14 Laura: A 4-star defender, Penrose owns the back row. She’s a sharp passer who rarely is out of position or misses her target. *** Lowe Long OH Tri-State Elite 14 Blue: Long – a 3-star recruit – has lots of upside. She can extend and hit at a high contact point. She also sees the court well and does a nice job placing her shots. Lauren Williams MB Tri-State Elite 14 Blue: A 3-star recruit, Williams’ length in the middle is a factor. She makes plays on both sides of the ball with her blocking and attacking and always provides a boost across the front row. Aubrey McDaniel MB Tri-State Elite 14 Blue: McDaniel is an effective attacker. Her speed is a weapon and can beat defenders before they can form the block fully. Decelise Champion OH K1 Bayamon 14: Champion – a 5-star outside from the Class of 2027 – is a one-man wrecking ball. At 6-4, she can simply hit over blocks and/or overpower defenders. And it doesn’t matter if she’s front or back row, she’s equally effective. Kyra Bolden RS Peak 14 Black: Bolden was among the standouts in 14 Open. She’s a wirey attacker with the ability to light it up in a hurry. Ava Broadie OH Peak 14 Black: Broadie was another star outside. She’s a six-rotation contributor who passes well