Chris Tobolski

We are pleased to present vballrecruiter.com’s 16 and 17 Open All-Tournament Team from the USAV Girls Junior National Championships in Chicago. After covering the divisions for four days we were presented with the challenge of putting together the selections. This is not to be confused with the honors awarded by USAV itself at the conclusion of the championship match. These picks are made from our observations and our observations alone. It would be easy to add more to each position or even include honorable mentions, but that’s something we do at the end of the year with our Club All-Americans. As for the All-Tournament Team selections, they are meant to be limited and difficult to make given all the talented players. To narrow the selections, we honored players from the Top 16 finishers, or the teams which advanced as far as the challenge rounds. We want to keep a team element to the award and making the challenge round is a strong indicator of team success. The process does leave amazing players off, even some of the best in the field! But if we were to pick solely based on talent, we could pick the team ahead of time as we know in advance who many of the talented players are competing. Congrats to those named to this year’s vballrecruiter.com All-Tournament Teams. 16 OPEN OUTSIDESTeraya Sigler Arizona Storm 16 ThunderAbby Vander Wal 1st Alliance 16 GoldSuli Davis Drive Nation 16 RedAsia Harvey A5 16 GabeKelly Kinney Tribe 16 Elite CardinalMadison Quest OH MKE Sting 16 Gold MIDDLESNatalie Wardlow Nebraska One 16 SynergyJordan Taylor HJV 16 EliteBayleigh Minor Hou Skyline 16 RoyalReese Dunkle Circle City 16 PurpleZoe Gillen-Malveaux Drive Nation 16 RedKenna Cogill MB Arizona Storm 16 Thunder RIGHT SIDESTaylor Porter Hou Skyline 16 RoyalCamryn Jeffery A5 16 GabeTaryn Morris Drive Nation 16 RedAddison Horner 1st Alliance 16 Gold (S/RS) SETTERSCharlotte Glass Tribe 16 Elite CardinalKassidy O’Brien Hou Skyline 16 RoyalTenesyn Frye ID Crush 16 BowerMalorie Boesiger Nebraska One 16 Synergy LIBEROSSydney Black HJV 16 EliteKeri Leimbach Nebraska One 16 SynergyElizabeth Bower ID Crush 16 BowerZoey Matias Tribe 16 Elite Cardinal *** 17 OPEN OUTSIDESSkyler Pierce Dynasty 17 BlackCari Spears TAV 17 BlackKendall Beshear SCVC 17 RoxyEmerson Sellman Metro 17 TravelEllie White 1st Alliance 17 GoldGrace Nelson 1st Alliance 17 Gold MIDDLESJaela Auguste Hou Skyline 17 RoyalAyden Ames Drive Nation 17 RedFavor Anyanwu TAV 17 BlackJulia Hunt NKYVC 17-1 TsunamiJenna Hanes Wave 17 JulianaJade Dudley-Epps SCVC 17 Roxy RIGHT SIDESRyan Hunter Triangle 17 BlackAbigail Mullen Dynasty 17 BlackJadyn Livings TAV 17 BlackIzzy Starck Co Jrs 17 Kevin (S/RS) SETTERSReese Messer Dynasty 17 BlackTaylor Yu SG Elite 17 RoshCharlie Fuerbringer Mizuno Long Beach 17 RockstarTaylor Parks OT 17 Aaron LIBEROSTaylor Deckert SCVC 17 RoxyAva Falduto 1st Alliance 17 GoldGillian Pitts TAV 17 BlackRyan McAleer Dynasty 17 Black

While the 17 Open division ended with a stunning gold-medal performance from SCVC 17 Roxy – which defeated Dynasty 17 Black in the championship – what was not surprising was the caliber of play on the last day of the USAV Girls Junior National Championships in Chicago. The standout efforts came from everywhere. Below, we feature our favorite 10 players of Day 4. The goal 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 4 ALL RED HAT TEAM Kendall Beshear OH SCVC 17 Roxy: Beshear – a 3-star Cal Poly SLO commit – played an instrumental role in her team earning the top spot on the podium. She’s an explosive, hard-hitting outside with the savviness and smarts to frustrate defenses. She also helps makes up a strong ball control and defensive group, as she’s solid out of serve receive and covers well too. Jada Ingram MB/OH Dynasty 17 Black: A 4-star UNLV recruit, Ingram showed her versatility in the finals against SCVC. Part of Dynasty’s comeback against SCVC and forcing a third set was shifting Ingram from the middle to the pin. She brought a jolt to the attack and was delivering at key times with aggressive swings. Piper Newton MB Dynasty 17 Black: Newton was the other half of the lineup shift that allowed Dynasty to get back into the match and extend the contest to three. She filled out the middle position and helped give Dynasty a lift with her contributions. Favor Anyanwu MB TAV 17 Black: A 5-star USC recruit, Anyanwu plays the position like no other. She’s so physically strong and overpowering and can be flat-out dominating at times. She brings production to both sides, with her ability to score points with massive blocks and/or kills that always fire up her teammates. She can also get out on the slide and crush balls, adding yet another worry to watch defenses must be ready for. Ryan Hunter RS Triangle 17 Black: Hunter – a 5-star recruit from the Class of 2025 – is a high-flying, free swinging right side who also produces highlight kills frequently. Her height and explosiveness allows her to swing over blocks and down with ease. She’s a featured part of the Triangle attack and was one of the reasons the club tied for fifth. Jadyn Livings RS TAV 17 Black: Livings – a 5-star USC commit – stays on the court as a six-rotation right side. She’s a threat front and back row with a big arm to match. She’s also part of serve receive at times and plays with lots of fire. Reese Messer S Dynasty 17 Black: Messer – a 5-star USC recruit from the Class of 2025 – does a masterful job directing the attack and getting her hitters one-on-one swings. She’s smooth with her delivery and makes things look easy. She’s also tough to read, as she doesn’t give away her sets and keeps defenses guessing. Emily Bobbitt S Triangle 17 Black: A 4-star Iowa State commit, you can see Bobbitt’s competitiveness in the determination in which she plays with. She doesn’t back down and is another setter who does well guiding the offense and distributing the ball to her all her hitters. Ava Falduto L 1st Alliance 17 Gold: Falduto – a 5-star Penn State recruit – is an exciting libero with the energy and passion she plays with. She gets after it defensively with all-out hustle and effort and is solid with her first-ball contacts. Taylor Deckert L SCVC 17 Roxy: Deckert – a 4-star USC commit from the Class of 2025 – is another top-notch libero who makes the game look easy. She’s always cool, calm and collected in her demeanor and rarely misses a play. Her defensive contributions and what she brings to the position were a major reason SCVC finished on top in 17 Open.

For the final time this club season we’ll release our All Red Hat Team from the 16s division, which came to a close Thursday at the USAV Girls Junior National Championships in Chicago. Arizona Storm 16 Thunder completed an undefeated run by downing 1st Alliance 16 Gold in a heavyweight championship clash for the gold medal. The win-or-lose nature of the gold bracket delivered unbelievable, highlight-worthy play. Below, we note our 10 favorite players of Day 4. DAY 4 ALL RED HAT TEAM Teraya Sigler OH Arizona Storm 16 Thunder: A 5-star recent Nebraska commit, Sigler showed what type of special talent she is on the biggest of stages. She’s an all-around contributer who does everything at a high level. She’s a physical hitter with the capability of taking over matches. She produced over and over on Day 4 in helping Storm to the gold medal. Abby Vander Wal OH 1st Alliance 16 Gold: Vander Wal – a 5-star Texas commit – did everything she could to put 1st Alliance on the brink of a gold medal. She has a big, strong arm and hammers balls all over. She’s long and one of the best back row attackers in the division with her length and ability to hit at high angles. Natalie Wardlow MB Nebraska One 16 Synergy: Wardlow – a 5-star Wisconsin recruit – changes the whole dynamic of the front row. At 6-4, she’s by far the tallest player on the roster and has the ability to change momentum on either side. She has a strong arm and can send balls straight down. She also puts up a monster block and forces hitters to change direction. Makena Rumple MB Arizona Storm 16 Thunder: Rumple was coming through at clutch moments with timely plays that helped Storm cap a perfect tournament. She knows how to score and provide what’s needed on that end. She does well timing her blocks and getting touches to also contribute on the defensive side. Taylor Porter RS Hou Skyline 16 Royal: Porter – a 4-star recruit – was awesome on the right side. She’s a big jumper and free swinger who defenses must be prepared for. Along with her quickness, defenders struggled to contain her. Addison Horner S/RS 1st Alliance 16 Gold: Horner – a 4-star Wisconsin commit – has tremendous upside and potential to star at the next level. She’s 6-3, with the ability to set and hit. She’s a solid setter who locates well. Her length as an attacker is a problem for defenses. Charlotte Glass S Tribe 16 Elite Cardinal: A 5-star recruit, Glass is in total control of the offense and you can see the competitiveness that she plays with. She brings a lot of fire to the court. She’s a smooth disher on top of that, capable of making difficult sets with ease. Malorie Boesiger S Nebraska One 16 Synergy: Boesiger is part of the Class of 2027 and does an incredible job guiding the attack. She’s a fearless leader who doesn’t shy away from the moment. She plays sound defense and can set with tempo and consistent location. Izzy Mahaffey L Arizona Storm 16 Thunder: We love the spirit and desire Mahaffey plays with. There’s no question she wants to win and she does everything she can in her defensive role to make it happen. She did well patrolling the back court and making plays to extend rallies. Aniya Warren L 1st Alliance 16 Gold: Warren was a strong in her role taking care of the back court. She didn’t rattle and held firm against the biggest hitters the division had to offer. She’s quick and flies around the court with her all-out effort and hustle plays.

It was that type of day when all the stars stepped up in efforts to will their teams to the podium as the 16s age group wrapped up on the final day of the club season at the USAV Girls Junior National Championships on Thursday in Chicago. We were on hand for the fantastic ending, one that saw Arizona Storm 16 Thunder lift the championship trophy after knocking off 1st Alliance 16 Gold in the final. Below, we highlight our Show Stoppers from the last day of action. DAY 4 SHOW STOPPERS By Chris Tobolski and Christine Phillips Hannah Kenny S 1st Alliance 16 Gold: Kenny is a fun backrow setter with great hands and location. She’s quick and strong and able to make any set. Kenna Cogill MB Arizona Storm 16 Thunder: Cogill – a 4-star recent Oregon commit – is long and impactful at the middle position. She’s a tough cover offensively with her whippy and ability to send balls flying. She’s also takes away a lot of space at the net blocking. Keri Leimbach L Nebraska One 16 Synergy: Leimbach – a recent Nebraska commit – is an energetic libero who flies around making hustle plays. She’s a sharp passer too. Tekoa Barnes OH Tribe 16 Elite Cardinal: Barnes – a 3-star recruit – can get up and bring it on the outside. She’s a solid attacker with a strong arm and was putting balls down in big moments. Morgan Madison L Hou Skyline 16 Royal: A 4-star recruit, Madison was among the standout defenders with the way she was going all out in her role. She plays under control and makes tough plays look routine. Kassidy O’Brien S Hou Skyline 16 Royal: O’Brien – a 5-star Kentucky commit – runs a great offense and keeps all her hitters involved. She has a nice touch and locates well. McKenna Garr L Northern Lights 16-1: Garr – a 3-star recruit – also caught our attention with her defensive tenacity and sharp passing out of serve receive. Maddie Smotherman L Madfrog 16 Green: Smotherman – a 3-star recruit – was another libero who was patrolling the back row with a passion. She was making hustle balls and helping keep her side in the rally. Audrey Nuckols OH/RS SG Elite 16 Roshambo: Nuckols, a 3-star recruit, can hit from either pin with her smooth yet powerful swing. Avery Boothe RS Club One AZ 16Platinum: Boothe, a 3-star recruit, is a 6-4 wall on the right side. Sydni Vice OH MJVA 16 Elite: Vice, a 2026 4-star recruit playing up a division, has a limitless ceiling. She can attack from anywhere efficiently and the featured piece of the MJVA offense. Jordyn Dugi L AZ Sky 16G: Dugi, a 3-star recruit, is a smooth yet tenacious defender who doesn’t quit on plays. Zoe Haan OH ARIZONA STORM 16LIGHTNING: Haan is a ball-control oriented outside who can swing with the best of them AND then throw in a shot here and there. Ryan Murphy S JJVA 16 Teal: Murphy, a 4-star recruit committed to Florida State, has nice length at the setting position. She does a good job of getting all her hitters involved with her distribution. Olivia Guzman MB MVA 16 Pedro: Guzman, a 4-star recruit, is incredibly fast, jumps well and was putting away impressive kills. Damisi Osibodu MB H Skyline 16 Black: Osibodu is an athletic gem with a lot of upside in the middle. Chloe Elarton S CoJrs 16Shannon: Elarton, a 3-star recruit committed to Georgia, distributes the ball well from pin to pin. Takyla Brown S AJV 16 adidas: Brown, a 3-star recruit, is an undersized 5-1 setter that has a great touch on the ball. Her athleticism helps her defensively at the net. Sophie Bridges L TAV 16 Platinum: Bridges, a 3-star recruit, is quick and was making ups consistently. She was also strong out of serve receive. Ava Lloyd OH MVP United 16 Red: Lloyd is a ball control minded outside hitter who can also get on the ball in a hurry and unload. Ashby Zubchevich OH CITY Volleyball 16 Gold: Zubchevich explodes off the ground and gets in the air quickly. She has a fluid swing and can rip the ball.

The final day of the 17s division Thursday at the USAV Girls Junior National Championships in Chicago officially marked the conclusion of the 2022-23 club season. With everything riding on teams performing in the clutch, it set the stage for a finale that could not disappoint. Below, we highlight our Day 4 Show Stoppers. DAY 4 SHOW STOPPERS By Chris Tobolski and Christine Phillips Jade Dudley-Epps MB SCVC 17 Roxy: Dudley-Epps is a fun middle to watch. She’s quick and knows how to score from getting set in the middle or pressuring defenses with a slide attack. Ryan McAleer L Dynasty 17 Black: McAleer – a 4-star Purdue commit – helped Dynasty to a silver medal. She’s a locked-in libero who can makes plays all over the court. Abigail Mullen OH Dynasty 17 Black: Mullen – a 5-star Class of 2025 recruit – was showcasing her powerful arm on the right side. She’s a strong hitter who is no match when she’s swinging one-on-one. Skyler Pierce OH Dynasty 17 Black: Pierce – a 5-star Nebraska commit – was carrying a large load of offense and taking lots of swings. She’s a long outside who can get up and extend. Grace Nelson OH 1st Alliance 17 Gold: A 4-star Kansas recruit, Nelson carries a booming arm and hits a heavy, hard ball. She swings all over the court is a key part of the offense. Ellie White OH 1st Alliance 17 Gold: White fills out the leftside duo for 1st Alliance. The 4-star Michigan commit is a smart attacker who hits with pace and sees the court extremely well. Jaela Auguste MB Hou Skyline 17 Royal: Auguste – a 5-star Florida commit – produces highlight kill after highlight kill. Her athleticism makes her a difficult cover, as she’s both quick and jumps high. Mykayla McMillian L Hou Skyline 17 Royal: McMillian was showing her scrappiness and her willingness to go all-out to cover the court. She’s very active and was bringing lots of energy. Cari Spears OH TAV 17 Black: Spears – a 5-star recruit from the Class of 2025 – is one of the hardest hitters in the division. She can get way up and launch balls at incredible angles with tons of power. Caleigh King Drive Nation 17 Red: King – a 3-star UNLV commit from the Class of 2023 – is a fiery libero who plays with lots of passion. She flat-out gets after it in her pursuit of defending the back court. Emerson Sellman OH Metro 17 Travel: A 5-star Ohio State commit, Sellman is among the tallest outsides in the division. It’s that length and size combined with her fluid swing that makes her an offensive force. Lameen Mambu OH Metro 17 Travel: Mambu – a 5-star recruit from the Class of 2025 – is a high-flying outside with a loose arm. She can rip balls from sideline to sideline and fills out a dynamic outside duo for Metro. Myah Sharfner S ARIZONA STORM 17 THUNDER: Sharfner directs the offense well. She’s very good at getting all her hitters involved. Elizabeth Andrew MB ATHENA VB 17-1 Gold: Andrew, a 5-star recruit, definitely makes herself known to opposing teams with both her attacking and defending. Ashlyn Tafoya S Rocky Elite 17 National: Tafoya, a 2025 3-star recruit playing up, was doing a good job with her tempo sets and connecting with her hitters everywhere on the court. Maeve Rehmann MB Club Ignit Select 17 Blue: Rehmann, a Winthrop commit, has a strong feel for blocking and gets in the way of plenty of attacks. She’s also a reliable scorer who Club Ignit looks to get involved often. Madison Scrivner S/RS FH 17 Ikaika-Daniel: Scrivner, a North Texas commit, plays a duel role for her squad. This lefty dishes well to her hitters in the backrow while swinging with fire in the front row. Madeline Stucky S NORCO 17 Black: Stucky, a 4-star recruit committed to Wyoming, runs the show on her court. She connects well with her hitters and isn’t afraid to attack offensively when given the opportunity. Onyinyechi Ndee RS HJV 17 PREMIER: Ndee, a six-rotation right side, gets fed a ton of balls on the court. She also makes some great defensive plays. Claire Mosh L Mizuno Club North 17Ang: Mosh is steady out of serve receive. She also reads and anticipates well, which helps her be in the right spots to make plays. Jordyn Gove OH Ama Xtreme 17 Queens: Gove, a Valparaiso commit, can get up and get after it. She has a smooth swing and generates pace. Autumn Bax RS Missouri Jrs 17-Black: Bax, a 4-star athlete committed to Lindenwood, is a six-rotation right side. She is a lefty who continually brings the heat everywhere on the court. Brooklyn Kostoff S San Clemente 17-Riley: Kostoff, a 3-star recruit, who knows how to run a balanced offense, getting her middles and right side involved as much as she can. Payton Petersen OH Six Pack 17: Petersen, a 3-star recruit committed to Louisville, is a solid all-around outside. She passes sound. She can score. She can block. She is just plain fun to watch. Annalise Grant L Six Pack 17: Grant was covering the court and making digs everywhere. She was also consistent in serve receive and keeping her squad in system. Audrey Small L HPSTL 17 Royal: Small, a North Alabama commit, seems to read the court well and position herself to make play after play. She’s tough to breakdown in serve receive. Lauren Schneider OH Skyline 17 Black: Schneider, a 3-star recruit heading to Kansas State this fall, is an explosive outside hitter who can terminate with the best of them. Gemma Larbalestier L Actyve 17-Black: Larbalestier, a 3-star recruit, is quick. She can track down balls in a hurry and brings lots of energy to the court.

Everyone knew the stakes at this point of the tournament, as Day 3 at the USAV Girls Junior National Championships in Chicago brought the 17s to the brink of bracket play and a potential spot on the podium. With it came tremendous individual efforts as highlighted below with our daily Show Stoppers. DAY 3 SHOW STOPPERS By Chris Tobolski and Christine Phillips Ayden Ames MB Drive Nation 17 Red: Ames – a 5-star Nebraska recruit – is a menace in the middle. Her length and agility is a combo most opponents struggle to slow, as she can get on the slide and deliver haymakers. Hannah Benjamin OH A5 17 Jing: Benjamin – a 5-star Kentucky commit – is a dangerous threat anywhere on the court. She’s a springy outside with a big arm who can blast balls sideline to sideline. Caroline Byrne OH Rage Westside 17 Kimmy: Bryne was bringing it on the outside. She’s an aggressive attacker with a strong arm. Grace Killion OH HPSTL 17 Royal: Killion is a hard-hitting outside with a heavy arm. She was hammering balls down and providing steady offense. Ellie Moore S Northeast 17 Open: Moore is part of sister setting-duo. She has nice hands with a consistent release. She can also set tempo and spread the ball around. Aubrey Moore S Northeast 17 Open: Moore is similar, also showing a soft touch and steady location and does well getting her feet to the ball. Jenna Hanes MB Wave 17 Juliana: Hanes – a 4-star Michigan commit – brings a lot to the front row. From her scoring ability to her blocking and competitiveness, she’s a dynamic middle who plays a key role whenever she checks in. Camdyn Stucky S Shockwave 17 Black: Stucky, a 4-star Tennessee commit, is a fun 5-1 setter to watch on the court. She connects incredibly well with her hitters and isn’t afraid to attack at the net.  Sydney Mayfield RS VA Juniors 17 Elite: Mayfield is a physical presence on the court both offensively and defensively.  Isabel Ostvig S/RS VA Juniors 17 Elite: Ostvig, a Maryland Baltimore County commit, is an upbeat two-way player who sets and hits well. She has a nice release and locates well and can also help out providing offense. Blaykli Bobik OH ARIZONA STORM 17 THUNDER: Bobik, a 4-star recruit committed to BYU, brings the heat on the outside. She can unleash with a fury. Petra Fritz OH DCVA 17-Hong: Fritz, a six-rotation 3-star recruit, is an aggressive attacker who takes big swings everywhere. Anna Blaine S TX LEGACY 17 ELITE: Blaine, a Texas State commit, dishes well on the court. She also is a defensive wall in the front row.  Hadley Hardersen Iowa PowerPlex 17U Black: Hardersen is a dual contributor on the court. She connects well in the back row with her hitters and in the front row this lefty can pack a punch offensively.  Leilia Toailoa OH Vegas Aces 17 UnderArmour: Toailoa, a 3-star committed to Alabama, is a huge presence on the court. She hits with lots of power that defenses really struggle with. Ale Romo S Areté 16 Navy Telos: Fun fact, Romo, who normally swings on the outside, stepped into the setting position this week. And she is doing a great job dishing her hitters. Defensively she is making some scrappy plays.  Jenna Meitzler S/RS Sky High-Adidas 17 Elite: Meitzler, an Iowa commit, is a smooth setter who connects well with her hitters along with being a force at the net offensively..  Caelyn Emmerling OH TAV Houston 17 Adidas: Emmerling, 3-star Texas State commit, swings well everywhere on the court and knows how to keep pressure on defenses. Chloe Morgan MB TAV Houston 17 Adidas: Morgan, a 3-star recruit committed to Loyola Chicago, has a quick arm and can beat blocks on the middle attacks.  Victoria Staples MB Zona VBC 17-1: Staples has long arms and reaches well on defense. When she gets on top of the ball she can crush.

There was plenty to witness on Day 3 of the 16s age group at the USAV Girls Junior National Championships in Chicago. With the second-round of pool play followed by a set of challenge rounds the play elevated as the competition rose. Below, we present our Day 3 Show Stoppers.   DAY 3 SHOW STOPPERS By Chris Tobolski and Christine Phillips Asia Harvey OH A5 16 Gabe: Harvey is the exact definition of what a Show Stopper really is! Wow. Her high-flying antics are impossible to ignore. She gets way high up and hits sharp cross-court angles few at any age group are able to pull off. Lily Hayes L OT 16 JP: Hayes and company made a run to the challenge round. Hayes is a sound libero who doesn’t get rattled and keeps her poise in the biggest of moments. Kelly Kinney OH Tribe 16 Elite Cardinal: Kinney – a 5-star recruit – is part of the reason why Tribe is in the quarterfinals. She’s a long outside who gets up and extends and hits with power. Elizabeth Bower L ID Crush 16 Bower: Bower – part of the Class of 2026 – is a lockdown defender with great range. The way she reads and anticipates shows her high IQ.   Tenesyn Frye S ID Crush 16 Bower: Frye is another reason why ID Crush reached the challenge rounds and was competing for a spot in the quarterfinals. She’s a lanky setter with a soft touch and spot-on location. Ava Hunter S Circle City 16 Purple: Hunter was another standout setter who helped Circle City fight for a spot in the quarterfinals in a close loss to Nebraska One 16 Synergy. She does well distributing the ball around as well as play solid defense. Reese Dunkle MB Circle City 16 Purple: Dunkle was playing a key role in the middle with her ability to impact both sides of the ball. She’s a legit threat when in system and also gets her share of touches on swings coming her way. Jordan Taylor MB HJV 16 Elite: Taylor is a game-changing middle with her length and size. She’s a huge disrupter at the net blocking. On offense, she goes right over blocks with ease. Sydney Black L HJV 16 Elite: Black is a fun libero who brings a ton of energy to the lineup. She flies around the court and makes tough digs look routine. Taylor Cook S Skyline 16 Royal: Cook – a 4-star, 5-1 setter – is strong and not afraid to be offensive. She can dish pin to pin with ease.  Halle Jameson OH EXCEL 16 National Red: Jameson, a 3-star six rotation outside was swinging with fire. She can power through block or tool with ease. Chloe Johnson OH TAV 16 Platinum: Johnson, a six-rotation outside can pack a punch on the pins.   Alexis Ewing OH VA Juniors 16 Elite: Ewing, a 4-star recruit, is an athletic gem on the court. She is high-flying, hard-hitting six-rotation outside.  Addison Worley OH OK Charge 16 UA: Worley is an undersized scrapper on the court. She isn’t afraid to swing through blocks or get dirty on defense.   Gia McGrew RS OK Charge 16 UA: Mcgrew, a 3-star recruit committed to Iowa, adds a physical presence to the attack. She had huge swings and big blocks. Addyson Rebmann OH CSDP 16 National: Rebmann, a 3-star recruit, was bringing it on the attack. She was taking aggressive, hard swings and pressuring the defense in providing a steady, reliable option. Sophia Van Ness OH Sunshine 16 Pacific: Van Ness carries a strong arm and was bringing it over and over. When she connects she can really rip it. Ellie Muller MB Club Ignit Select 16 Blue: Muller is an effective scorer who does well putting balls in open spaces. Thalia Yancey OH SA Juniors 16 Adidas: Yancey is an explosive outside who jumps well and passes consistently.   Georgi Stein OH AZ Sky 16G 1 OH: Stein, a 3-star six-rotation outside, tools blocks with ease. She isn’t afraid to power through blocks either. Emma Stewart  OH TVA 16 Smack Sheila: Stewart extends really well and can drill the line when given the opportunity. Lola Sageer  OH VolleyFX 16 Mantra: Sageer, a six-rotation 3-star 2026 recruit, wields a heavy hand. She also played sound defense in the back row.

There are few days like Day 3 at the USAV Girls Junior National Championships. The action in Chicago started with 24 teams in medal contention and ended with just eight in the quarterfinals. With must-win matches taking place all over, it produces high-level and entertaining volleyball and it’s extremely fun to cover and watch. Below, we highlight our favorite 10 players of the day. The goal 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 1 ALL RED HAT TEAM Camryn Hayek OH Momentous 17 Dan: Hayek was playing large! She’s a bit undersized but she was coming through time and time again in the clutch, including in Momentous’ big victory over Metro 17 Travel to open pool play. She’s fearless on the attack. She was staying aggressive and as a result was coming up with key kills at key moments, going through or around blocks and pumping up her teammates. Rachel Van Gorp OH KC Power 17 Black: Van Gorp is similar to Hayek in that she too is an undersized outside who shows no fear and never backs down. She jumps well and has a lively arm. She’s a heady attacker who knows how to score against bigger blocks. Taylor Walsh MB Momentous 17 Dan: Walsh was another key member of Momentous’ success. She’s a lanky middle who was providing offense for Momentous out of the middle and causing defenses to respect her scoring ability. She also has a nice swing and was hitting with pace. Allison Legates MB Vision 17 Gold: Legates is a perfect fit for the All Red Hat Team as well. She’s another player who is undersized for her position but she doesn’t back down and stands in with the biggest of middles. It helps she jumps well and can get up, which allows her to deliver kills when set. Madison Loiselle RS OT 17 Aaron: The AAU 17 Open champs were on the cusp of the quarterfinals but fell in challenge play. We absolutely love what Loiselle brings to the lineup. She’s a physical presence with her blocking and attacking. She can hammer balls down from all across the front row. Even though defenses know she’s getting the ball when she’s in, they still struggle to stop her. Abigail Mullen RS Dynasty 17 Black: Mullen – a 5-star recruit from the Class of 2025 – is an absolute joy to watch. She’s intense and you can see her competitiveness and will to win in the way she carries herself. She’s also among the top two-way players on the right side in terms of her blocking and attacking. Teams consistently set away from her when she’s front row. On offense, she has a big, booming arm and can punish defenses with it whether she’s front or back row. Izzy Starck S/RS Co Jrs 17 Kevin: Starck – a 5-star Penn State recruit – is one of the top all-around players in the division. She’s an above-average hitter who can get up and launch balls from corner to corner. But she’s even more fun to watch dish. She can simply sling it from pin to pin without any trouble and has excellent location. Reese Messer S Dynasty 17 Black: Messer – another 5-star recruit from the Class of 2025 who recently committed to USC – is silky-smooth and is almost never misses her mark when setting. She too is a serious competitor who can make just about any set from anywhere. Lauren Lynch L SG Elite 17 Rosh: Lynch – a 4-star recruit from the Class of 2025 – simply gets the job done. She’s not flashing and doesn’t play in a way that brings a lot of attention her way, except for her exceptional play. She has great first-ball contact and does well defending and picking up shots in the back row. Gillian Pitts L TAV 17 Black: Pitts is yet another member of the Class of 2025 who is playing up and starring. She’s one of the more athletic liberos in the division. The way she plays, she makes plays look effortless at times. She’s also a feisty competitor who will meet any challenge in front of her head on.

There is no letting up at a tournament of the caliber that is the USAV Girls Junior National Championships. The competition in Chicago took a major step up as Day 3 rolled around and teams could sense their place in the quarterfinals. Trimming the All Red Hat Team selections to 10 was nearly impossible. It’s no exaggeration to say we could list 25 players easily. However, we stuck with our normal 10, which you can read about below.   The goal 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 3 ALL RED HAT TEAM Logan Bell OH Circle City 16 Purple: Bell – a 4-star recruit who recently verbaled to Oregon – is an exciting player who brings lots of energy and spirit to the court. She’s a springy attacker with a quick jump and swing. Those together make her a legit offensive weapon and one of the key pieces in the Circle City attack. Mesaiya Bettis OH Northern Lights 16-1: Bettis spent last season on the right side and has excelled on the left this year. She’s a big part of why Northern Lights is in the quarterfinals. She’s long with great reach and extension. She can get up there and it makes her very difficult to slow when she gets it going. Riley Lynch MB VA Jrs 16 Elite: Lynch has been coming on here making us take notice. She moves well laterally, which helps with her blocking. She can put up a strong block. She does nice work off the net to make herself available. She exudes a positive demeanor as well, cheering on her teammates. Charlotte Kelly MB NorCal 16-1 Black: NorCal had a great, great run until barely missing out on advancing from its three-team pool. Kelly played a vital role in NorCal’s upset of Drive Nation. She’s a big middle who can make plays on both sides of the ball to help her team win. She has a strong arm that can power through blocks. Camryn Jeffery RS A5 16 Gabe: Jeffery – a 4-star recruit – keeps improving every tournament we catch her at. A5 was on the cusp of the quarterfinals in part because of the production of Jeffery on the right side. She stays in across the back row too, adding another option there. She’s also physical and can hit with power. Bella Schwantz S/RS Cape Coast 16 Titan: You can see Schwantz bringing her beach skills to the indoor side of things. She’s a bit undersized but is a savvy hitter who has a solid arm and can frustrate defenses with her well-placed off-speed shots too. She jumps well, which also helps her play. Ella Craggs S Mich Elite 16 Mizuno: Mich Elite gave Drive Nation everything it had in the challenge round. We love Craggs at the setter position because she represents what the All Red Hat Team is about. She’s a bit undersized but she is fearless and doesn’t let up. She does well moving the ball around. She has a consistent release and locates well too. Reese Axness S Northern Lights 16-1: Axness is not necessarily in the same mold as Axness but fairly similar in that she too is a bit undersized but runs the offense well. She does well getting her feet to the ball and delivering hittable balls to all her attackers. Brookelyn Hatton L MAVS KC 16-1: Hatton is smooth! She’s on the stoic side and plays with a fierce intensity. She also happens to be really, really good. She reads and anticipates as well as any libero in the division. She’s not needing to make a ‘highlight’ save to keep a ball up because she’s in position to make the simple pass. Callie Krueger L Austin Skyline 16 Royal: Krueger – a recent Texas commit – can flat-out defend and pass. She’s a top-notch libero with the way she covers and reacts. She shows great first-ball contact and does well keeping her team in system.