Chris

vballrecruiter.com spent this past weekend at the JVA SummerFest in Columbus. The two-day event offered up plenty of talented teams and individuals. Below, we list our outside hitter Show Stoppers. 17 Open Safi Hampton, OH, Metro 17 Travel – Hampton is a 6-1, three-star recruit committed to North Carolina. She jumps like she was shot out of a cannon. She gets up high and fast and there’s really nothing the average block can do about it. She goes straight over most. Harper Murray, OH, Legacy 17-1 Adidas – A five-star recruit committed to Nebraska, it’s easy to go on and on about Murray’s play. The way she gets in the air she plays taller than her 6-2 frame. She extends well, gets on top of the ball and can rip it to any part of the court consistently. Sydney Helmers, OH, Adidas KiVA 17 Red – Helmers – a four-star recruit committed to Texas – is such a threat and commands all sorts of attention. She’s long at 6-4 and can generate plenty of pace to keep defenders on their toes. Caitlyn Little, Rockwood Thunder 17 Elite – A three-star recruit, Little is a tiny bit undersized at 5-10 yet she possesses a huge arm. She caught a few balls that she just absolutely hammered! Sarah Gooch, Top Select 17 Elite – Gooch was one of the main weapons in the Top Select attack. She’s long and lanky with a good swing and can over and around blocks regularly. Remi Madison, Mich Elite 17 Mizuno – Madison is a fearless attacker who aggressively goes at bigger blockers. She was carrying the offensive load at times. Lauren Hurst, K2 17 Adidas – It was our first time catching Hurst this season. She’s a freshman playing up two age groups and she has a bright future to be sure. She has a nice swing and gets set plenty. Ava Siefke, NKYVC 17-1 Tsunami – A three-star recruit committed to Eastern Michigan, Siefke is 6-1 and one of the key parts of the attack. She has a good arm and is a reliable option on the left. Sydney Nolan, NKYVC 17-1 Tsunami – With Nolan and Siefke, NKYVC is a pin-heavy offense and for good reason. Nolan is 6-3 and a three-star recruit committed to North Carolina. With her height she can go over blocks consistently. Gabriella Durham, Mintonette Sports m.71 – A 6-3, three-star recruit committed to San Diego, Durham was playing a pivotal role in the attack and carrying a big load. She’s long and was able to find the gaps in the defense. Kira Holland, AVC Cle Rox 17 Red – A 6-0, four-star recruit, Holland takes a lot of swings. She’s one of the mainstays in the attack and consistently finds ways to score. 16 Open Macaria Spears, OH, Metro 16 Travel – A five-star recruit, Spears is a 6-4 freshman playing up an age group. She’s a freak athlete with great length. She goes over smaller blocks with ease and absolutely torments the defense with her scoring ability. Asia Thigpen, OH, Triangle 16 Black – Thigpen was showing tremendous potential. She was taking aggressive swings and showcasing a quick arm that was lighting defenses up. Morgan Gaerte, OH, Team Pineapple 16 Black – This five-star recruit is 6-4 and a potent offensive piece. Gaerte is long with a nice extension. She’s a threat out of the back row as well and is tough for defenses to figure out. Lameen Mambu, OH, Paramount VBC 16 – A 5-11, three-star recruit, Mambu is a freshman playing up. She is a fun one to watch. She’s a leaper with a great vertical and fluid swing. She attacks from all over and is a big-time weapon. Emerson Sellman, Metro 16 Travel – Sellman is part of a tall roster. She’s 6-3 and has a nice swing to back it up. She’s a three-star recruit with plenty of upside to her game. Lilly Gillespie, NKYVC 16-1 Tsunami – A three-star recruit, Gillespie is an undersized pin yet she’s a gamer. Her aggressive attacking shows she doesn’t back down and is fearless against bigger blockers. Maya Witherspoon, Rockwood Thunder 16 Elite – Witherspoon is a name to get familiar with. She’s a 5-11, four-star recruit from the Class of 2025. She has those moments that get you excited for her future. She was able to connect on a few balls that she just ripped! Alison Risley, Rockwood Thunder 16 Elite – A three-star recruit, Risley is that six-rotation glue piece who holds it down. She’s a heady scorer who can score in a variety of ways. Reese Wuebker, Tri-State Elite 16 Blue – A 5-10, three-star recruit, Wuebker does well across the front row. She has an easy jump and seems to hang for an extra second. It makes it difficult to time for blockers. Sophia Adkins, Tri-State Elite 16 Blue – A six-rotation outside, Adkins is a three-star recruit. She’s 6-0 and almost touches 10 feet. She has a good arm to boot. Sydney Waller, ECJ 16-1 – At 6-2, Waller has the height to make life tough on blockers. She’s a normal right-side hitter who was hitting on the left. She’s one to keep tabs on as she develops. Layla Visser, MVA 16 Black – A 5-11 freshman playing up, Visser has great extension. It allows her to generate nice pace on her shots. Kiarrah Horne, Triangle 16 Black – Triangle is tough because there’s always an outside front row who can cause headaches for defenders. Horne – a 6-1, three-star recruit – has a solid arm and gets up well. Grace Busold, AVC Cle Rox 16 Red – An undersized left at 5-9, Busold is wirey. She doesn’t back down and was taking some aggressive cuts. Lily Barron, Mintonette Sports m.61 – Barron is lanky at 6-2. She has a fluid swing and can get after it when the set allows for it. Amanda Mack, K2 16 Adidas – A

It was a wonderful weekend covering the JVA SummerFest in Columbus. It was two days of whirlwind action and vballrecruiter.com was scurrying around and taking notes on the players who made us take notice. Below, we highlight our setter Show Stoppers. 17 Open Juliette Myrick, Rockwood Thunder 17 Elite – A four-star recruit committed to Army, Myrick moves the ball around well to get her various hitters involved. She shows consistent accuracy with a consistent release. Erin Kline, Legacy 17-1 Adidas – This 6-2, four-star recruit is committed to Mississippi State. She has shown continually improvement throughout the season. Her height is an asset across the front row and her location with her sets rarely wander off target. Arleigh Hanson, Metro 17 Travel – Hanson is another setter with nice height. At 6-1, it plays to her advantage blocking and plays that are tight along the net. Nayelis Cabello, S/RS, Top Select 17 Elite – A three-star recruit playing up an age group, Cabello is the motor that makes Top Select go. She plays a vital role hitting and setting. She has good hands and can dish to anywhere effectively. She’s also a strong hitter who can generate plenty of pace. Ava Sarafa, Mich Elite 17 Mizuno – Sarafa is one of the more entertaining setters to watch. She’s a four-star recruit committed to Kentucky and her deception keeps defenders guessing and gives her hitters plenty of one-on-one opportunities to score. 16 Open Erin Debiec, S, Metro 16 Travel – With the hitters at her disposal, it has to be fun to be this 6-1 setter. Debiec is a three-star recruit who can be part of a 6-2 setting in the back or running a 5-1. Maria Drapp, S, Tri-State Elite 16 Blue – Drapp – a three-star recruit – runs a good offense. She gets everybody involved, has good connections with her middles and is consistent with her locations. Abby Yoder, NKYVC 16-1 Tsunami – Yoder – a three-star recruit – isn’t a flashy setter and there’s nothing wrong with that. She’s a gamer with pin-point accuracy who shows strong command of running the show. Emily Bobbitt, Triangle 16 Black – Bobbitt is another three-star recruit. She’s a competitor with a strong ability to dish the ball around to her hitters. It includes going behind her very well as well as pushing it far cross court. Annabelle Groomes, AVC Cle Rox 16 Red – This is a name to know. Groomes – a five-star recruit from the Class of 2025 – stands 6-0 and has tremendous upside. She showed her strength repeatedly by setting balls accurately from far away from her targets. 15 Open Campbell Flynn, S, Legacy 15-1 Adidas – A four-star recruit, Flynn is certainly one to keep watch on. She’s 6-1 with good hands and accurate location. She can run tempo sets at times as well and can help slow down attackers with her block. Larsen Terrill, S, Mintonette m.51 – Terrill was a key part of Mintonette’s second-place showing in 15 Open. A three-star recruit, Terrill does well directing the offense. Her sets are effortless and she rarely is off the mark. Abbigail Pickard, S, Far Out 15 Black – A smooth setter with a great touch, Pickard – a four-star recruit – sets a clean ball consistently. She’s able to push sets far across the court and deliver them on the money. Kennedy Tinch, Academy 15 Venom – Tinch is an undersized setter at 5-7. Her hands are nice as she consistently sets a clean ball and regularly hits her spots. Charlotte Glass, Tribe 15 Dean – You’ll be hearing plenty about Glass in the coming years. She’s a five-star recruit with a high ceiling. At 6-0, she has the desired height of an impact setter and her consistent release point and direction of the offense are fun to watch. Isabelle Hoppe, Pgh Elite 15 Elite – An eighth-grader playing up, Hoppe is a bit undersized at 5-9 but was flashing lots of potential. Her hands are good and she sets a very hittable ball. 14 Open Lexi Shondell, S, Boiler Jrs 14 Gold – It appears the future is bright for Shondell. She’s a super smooth disher with great hands and spot-on location. She already shows great command and leadership. Addyson Bianchini, S/RS, NKYVC 14-1 Tsunami – Bianchini was running a 5-1 and part of a 6-2 at times. She’s an excellent setter with great touch and accuracy. She can also hit across the front row if needed, giving NKYVC lineup options. Makenna Kirlin, S, Elevation 14 Molly – There’s no doubt Kirlin makes the offense tick. She has strong hands and push her sets from farther away than most. She also goes behind her very well and with accuracy. Haley Wilson, S/RS, AVC Cle Rox 14 Red – A front-row setter, Wilson makes an impact with her height when she checks in. She can get in the way of opposing hitters. Morgan Heater, Tri-State Elite 14 Blue – Heater showed her potential plenty of times and is one to take note of as she continues to develop. She has nice size and sets a good ball. Sydney Bryant, Metro 14 Travel – We didn’t see as much of Bryant as we would like. But we did see her make an incredible set that showed what type of setter she can be. She pushed a ball 30 feet cross court on the money, displaying her strength and footwork to make a play like that. Mackenzie Davis, VA Elite 14s – Davis displayed a nice touch. She was putting the ball in good spots for her hitters and was also playing some nice defense too. Marlie Smith, S/OH, Legacy 14-1 Adidas – Smith, a seventh-grader playing up, is part of a key duo for Legacy, setting in the back and hitting on the left in the front. She has a nice touch as a setter and showed her smarts as a hitter. Eva

If you are new to vballrecruiter.com, after every tournament we cover we roll out a list of Show Stoppers. These are players who stood out to us during our time covering an event. In this case it was the JVA SummerFest in Columbus. Below, we present our middle blocker Show Stoppers. 17 Open Nya Bunton, MB, Adidas KiVA 17 Red – A 6-3, five-star recruit committed to Texas, Bunton is fun to watch do her thing. She gets way off the ground and has a strong swing. When she connects she’s nearly impossible to stop. Laurece Abraham, MB, Legacy 17-1 Adidas – Abraham – who is a four-star recruit committed to Yale – is a valuable piece to the puzzle at middle. She’s 6-1, is quick, runs the slide well and almost has her elbows at the net when blocking. Brooke Bultema, MB, Elevation 17 Goller – The last thing you want to see as a defense is Elevation in system and Bultema running the slide. She’s a lengthy 6-3 and this four-star recruit who is committed to Kentucky delivers time and time again on the play. Brielle Kemavor, Metro 17 Travel – You know when this 6-5 middle is in. Kemavor – a four-star recruit committed to BYU – is a presence and takes up a lot of space with her wingspan and ability to interfere with attackers. Gabrielle Gerry, Adidas KiVA 17 Red – Gerry – a three-star recruit committed to South Carolina – is part of a tall KiVA lineup. She’s 6-5 and utilizes that length to her advantage. 16 Open Munachiso Mmuo, MB, EC Power 16-Empire – A bit undersized at 5-10, Mmuo is quick and moves very well. She carries a good arm and proved to be a consistent, reliable scorer when called upon. Julia Hunt, NKYVC 16-1 Tsunami – We’ve written about this four-star recruit before. She’s a 6-1 middle with great attacking skills. She’s good enough to carry the offense at times and defenses must always be aware of where she’s lining up. Faith Young, Tri-State Elite 16 Blue – A 6-1 middle, Young adds a physical presence to the attack. She had some big swings and hard connections. Natalie Robinson, ECJ 16-1 – Robinson is one to keep an eye on. At 6-4, she’s a three-star recruit with plenty of length. She has a good arm as well and can be difficult to slow at times. Kiylah Presley, Paramount VBC 16s – A three-star recruit, the 6-0 Presley is explosive with a quick, high jump that has her touching well over 10-0. She gets off the ground in a hurry and can beat the block before it gets set up. Mallory Bohl, Legacy 16-1 Adidas – A 6-3, three-star recruit, Bohl has plenty of upside. She can put up a sound block and give attackers trouble with it. Elena Arana, K2 16 Adidas – Arana had some moments and flashed her potential to be sure. She can let it fly when she really gets a hold of one. 15 Open Linden Radaszewski, Elevation 15 Crofton – A bit undersized at 5-11, Radaszewski is wirey and jumps well. Combined with a nice swing, it led to some impressive winners when her number was called. Addison Makun, Adidas KiVA 15 Red – A three-star recruit, Makun is definitely one to keep tabs on as she moves up through the ranks. She’s really long, hits at a high contact point and can get her elbows at the net on her block. Bailey Blair, Adidas KiVA 15 Red – Another three-star recruit, Blair is part of a position of strength for KiVA in the middle. She runs an effective slide attack. Jessica Costlow, Mich Elite 15 Mizuno – At 5-11, Costlow is a bit undersized for the middle spot but this three-star recruit doesn’t let that slow her down. She’s also a rare six-rotation middle who Mich Elite uses in serve receive. Kayla Channell, ECJ 15-1 – Channell is also a three-star recruit. She’s a slim 6-1 with a fluid swing and nice arm. She’ll add more and more power as she gains strength and continues to develop. Olivia Grenadier, Legacy 15-1 Adidas – A 6-1, three-star recruit, Grenadier has plenty of potential. She helps open up the Legacy attack and can also turn around and get in the way of opposing attackers. 14 Open Reese Resmer, MB, Boiler Jrs 14 Gold – Defenses cannot lose track of Resmer. She’s 5-11 and Boiler Jrs looks to get her the ball as much as possible. She’s quick to the ball with a great arm and knows how to finish plays off. Kayla Nwabueze, MB, Legacy 14-1 Adidas – Nwabueze is a name you’ll be hearing plenty about in the coming years. She’s a tremendous prospect. She’s a strong 6-0 with a good arm. She’ll take swings on the left as well. Isabelle Thomas, Mintonette Sports m.41 – A 5-11 middle, Thomas has good timing with her block. She was touching lots of swings and giving her defenders chances to make plays behind her. D’Aira Whitner, AVC Cle Rox 14 Red – Defenses have to pay attention to Whitner. AVC will feed her when in system. She gets up well and was a reliable scoring option. Kendall Bosse, Tri-State Elite 14 Blue – Bosse can get points for Tri-State out of the middle. She has a fluid, loose swing and connects well when the set is there. Alexa Telly, Metro 14 Travel – Power is part of Telly’s game. She’s physical and she’s strong. It leads to some big swings and winners. 13 Open Cynthia Ockerman, MB, Legacy 13-1 Adidas – Ockerman garners attention when she checks in. She puts up a huge block and is also a constant offensive threat. 12 Open Jazlyn Langenkamp, MB, Elevation 12 Bergheger – Langenkamp brings a presence to the front row. Defenses need to be aware of her explosiveness, which leads to some impressive blocks and kills. Sarah Albers, HPSTL

The biggest volleyball action of the weekend was located in Columbus, home of the JVA SummerFest. vballrecruiter.com spent the weekend covering the two-day event. It led us to finding some standout players. Below, we present our right side Show Stoppers who made us take notice. 17 Open Claire Morrissey, Rockwood Thunder 17 Elite – A sophomore playing up, Morrissey is a six-rotation right side. She brings her share of offense to the front row and is someone Rockwood Thunder likes to get the ball to. Olivia Fish, Adidas KiVA 17 Red – A three-star recruit committed to Wake Forest, Fish offers nice size to the front row. She’s a capable scorer when called upon and helps balance out the attack. Lauryn Bowie, Mintonette Sports m.71 – Bowie – a three-star recruit committed to Virginia – is a physical presence. She has a powerful arm and delivers some big-time stuff blocks. 16 Open Renee Jones, Metro 16 Travel – At 6-5, Jones can make an impact without ever touching the ball. She puts up a monster block on the right side. So much so that offenses won’t even look to set their outsides when she’s in. Makenzie Wagner, Union 16-1 UA – A little undersized at 5-10, Wagner has a quick jump and fast swing. It helps her generate pace and gives Union a scoring option on the right. Emma Parker, Rockwood Thunder 16 Elite – Parker – who is 6-0 – can put down some strong kills with her strength. Rockwood Thunder will feed her when in system as she’s a reliable option. Natalie Ricevuto, EC Power 16 Empire – Ricevuto gets involved in a variety of ways, including running and swinging on combos. She’s a physical hitter who delivers a heavy ball. 15 Open Jada Aksu, RS, Metro 15 Travel – A three-star recruit, Aksu commands attention from defenses when she’s across the front row. The lefty can carry the offensive load at times with her quick swing and ability to generate pace. Gabriella Babinski, Mich Elite 15 Mizuno – Babinski, at 6-1, is someone to keep an eye on. She brings height across the net and she also has a big arm and attacks hard. Addison Williams, Legacy 15-1 Adidas – A three-star recruit, this 6-2 right side is another one to follow as she progresses. She has lots of upside and can help slow down attacks with her block. Lily Riegel, Elevation 15 Crofton – Riegel is in the same mold as Williams. At 6-3, she’s a tall right side and also a three-star recruit. She can over blocks and is someone to keep track of as she moves up in age. BreAnna McMillan, S/RS, Triangle 15 Black – A hybrid player who sets and hits, McMillan can absolutely bring the heat. Defenses have to take notice when she rotates to the front row because she’s the biggest offensive threat in the lineup. 14 Open Caroline Ward, Boiler Jrs 14 Gold – Ward is a seventh-grader playing up. She’s 5-11 but plays longer than that. She has tremendous upside with a good swing and ability to hit with some pace already. Addison Buckner, AVC Cle Rox 14 Red – Buckner was supplying offense on the right side. She has a strong arm, jumps well and was being aggressive with her attacking.

We start off our JVA SummerFest Show Stoppers with the liberos who caught our attention the most. Players make the list based on our own observations during the times we saw them in action. Check them out below. 17 Open Laney Klika, L, AVC Cle Rox 17 Red – AVC Cle had a good run reaching the semis and part of it was due to the performance of Klika. A three-star recruit committed to Wofford, she helped steady out the defense and was making some nice digs against some big-time attackers she faced. Sarah Vellucci, Legacy 17-1 Adidas – A four-star recruit committed to Long Beach State, Vellucci is not targeted in serve receive often. She has good range and the ability to stand in and take on some big attacks to keep plays alive. Kalliann Cook, Mich Elite 17 Mizuno – Cook – a three-star recruit – is a gamer and hustler. At times it seems like she’s everywhere making plays as she’s a strong defender. Jonna Spohn, Mintonette Sports m.71 – Mintonette can struggle out of serve receive at times, but Spohn is typically consistent when she’s served at. A three-star recruit committed to Ole Miss, she moves well and isn’t afraid to lay out to make a dig. 16 Open Mailinh Godschall, Metro 16 Travel – Godschall is speedy and gets places quickly. She was proving reliable in serve receive and taking charge in the back row. Elizabeth Tabeling, NKYVC 16-1 Tsunami – NKYVC’s ball control is usually steady. Tabeling – a three-star recruit – is a big part of that. She defends and passes well and has the ability to make some big-time digs. Kelsey Niesen, Tri-State Elite 16 Blue – Niesen was holding it down defensively, coming up with saves all over to extend rallies. Eily Painter, EC Power 16 Empire – Painter was showing off her coverage skills, picking up balls at the net to keep the play going. She was also on point out of serve receive with first-ball contact. Coley Shiflet, Triangle 16 Black – Shiflet was making the plays in front of her. She was calm and steady and helping anchor the defensive charge. Brenna Ginder, Team Pineapple 16 Black – Ginder is a hard working, scrappy libero. She was making some nice saves on cross-court shots and preventing kills. Jessica Gutridge, Mintonette Sports m.61 – Gutridge was very active. She plays with a good energy. She’s also talkative and was passing well. 15 Open Sakura Codling, L, Tri-State Elite 15 Blue – Codling – who is a three-star recruit – was sharp. She provides a steadying presence in the back row and at times was passing almost 50 percent of the court in serve receive. Julia Grace, NKYVC 15-1 Tsunami – A three-star recruit, Grace is money in the back row. Her passes are sharp, crips and accurate. Cassidy Trahan, Pgh Elite 15 Elite – Trahan was taking care of the back court and defending with grit. 14 Open Meredith Martin, L, Legacy 14-1 Adidas – Martin was controlling the back row like no else. She was passing lights out in serve receive and was passing nearly half the court. Cala Haffner, L/OH/S, Team Pineapple 14 Black – The first time we watched Haffner she was lineup at outside. The next set she was part of a 6-2, setting and hitting on the left. The next match she was wearing the libero jersey. That’s some amazing versatility and she was doing all three things at an above-average level. Day 2 she settled in at libero. Emma Cugino, Mintonette Sports m.41 – Mintonette had a strong run to the semifinals. Mintonette is a scrappy team overall, with Cugino playing that part in the libero jersey. She was showing consistent passing and helping keep the team in system. Arielle Hepler, Boiler Jrs 14 Gold – A nice anchor in the backcourt, Hepler doesn’t rattle easy and is all over the court. She made some strong plays and has good, consistent energy. Emily Keiran, Adidas KiVA 14 Red – Quick and accurate, Keiran is a strong libero. She also was displaying a tough serve and scoring points with it. Cara Wolf, Far Out 14 Black – Wolf was active, scurrying all around the court and playing with high energy. Eleanor James, K2 14 Adidas – James flies around the court. She was covering a bunch of space and extending rallies. Emma Frietch, NKYVC 14-1 Tsunami – Frietch has good court sense and seemed to be in the right spots at the right times. She was fairly consistent out of serve receive as well. Ella Grimes, Elevation 14 Molly – Grimes plays with a certain determination and confidence. She was making some nice plays and wasn’t off very many times passing out of serve receive. 13 Open Kaniyah Ball, L, Metro 13 Travel – Ball was one of the standout liberos. She was steady in helping anchoring the defense and keeping rallies alive. Francesca Hansel, L, Tri-State Elite 13 Blue – Hansel was able to get her platform on a ton of balls. She was the clear defensive leader and showed plenty of scrappiness. 12 Open Kenadi Sieg, L, NKYVC 12-1 Tsunami – One way to describe Sieg’s play was smooth. She was very consistent running the back court. Abigail Cisler, L, Mintonettte m.21 – A stalwart in the backcourt, Cisler is the defensive leader. She was getting her hands on a lot of balls and helping keep rallies alive.

Being a two-day event, the JVA SummerFest happens fast. Sunday brought bracket action to the Columbus Convention Center and vballrecruiter.com was on hand for it all. We have a recap of the Open divisions below if you keep on scrolling down but first we want to introduce our Day 2 Show Stoppers. These are 20 players who lit it up in the 12-17 Open divisions. vballrecruiter.com DAY 2 SHOW STOPPERS Harper Murray, OH, Legacy 17-1 Adidas – A five-star recruit committed to Nebraska, it’s easy to go on and on about Murray’s play. The way she gets in the air she plays taller than her 6-2 frame. She extends well, gets on top of the ball and can rip it to any part of the court consistently. Sydney Helmers, OH, Adidas KiVA 17 Red – Helmers – a four-star recruit committed to Texas – is such a threat and commands all sorts of attention. She’s long at 6-4 and can generate plenty of pace to keep defenders on their toes. Laney Klika, L, AVC Cle Rox 17 Red – AVC Cle had a good run reaching the semis and part of it was due to the performance of Klika. A three-star recruit committed to Wofford, she helped steady out the defense and was making some nice digs against some big-time attackers she faced. Brooke Bultema, MB, Elevation 17 Goller – The last thing you want to see as a defense is Elevation in system and Bultema running the slide. She’s a lengthy 6-3 and this four-star recruit who is committed to Kentucky delivers time and time again on the play. Erin Debiec, S, Metro 16 Travel – With the hitters at her disposal, it has to be fun to be this 6-1 setter. Debiec is a three-star recruit who can be part of a 6-2 setting in the back or running a 5-1. Maria Drapp, S, Tri-State Elite 16 Blue – Drapp – a three-star recruit – runs a good offense. She gets everybody involved, has good connections with her middles and is consistent with her locations. Lameen Mambu, OH, Paramount VBC 16 – A 5-11, three-star recruit, Mambu is a freshman playing up. She is a fun one to watch. She’s a leaper with a great vertical and fluid swing. She attacks from all over and is a big-time weapon. Campbell Flynn, S, Legacy 15-1 Adidas – A four-star recruit, Flynn is certainly one to keep watch on. She’s 6-1 with good hands and accurate location. She can run tempo sets at times as well and can help slow down attackers with her block. Larsen Terrill, S, Mintonette m.51 – Terrill was a key part of Mintonette’s second-place showing in 15 Open. A three-star recruit, Terrill does well directing the offense. Her sets are effortless and she rarely is off the mark. Abbigail Pickard, S, Far Out 15 Black – A smooth setter with a great touch, Pickard – a four-star recruit – sets a clean ball consistently. She’s able to push sets far across the court and deliver them on the money. Makenna Kirlin, S, Elevation 14 Molly – There’s no doubt Kirlin makes the offense tick. She has strong hands and push her sets from farther away than most. She also goes behind her very well and with accuracy. Reese Resmer, MB, Boiler Jrs 14 Gold – Defenses cannot lose track of Resmer. She’s 5-11 and Boiler Jrs looks to get her the ball as much as possible. She’s quick to the ball with a great arm and knows how to finish plays off. Kayla Nwabueze, MB, Legacy 14-1 Adidas – Nwabueze is a name you’ll be hearing plenty about in the coming years. She’s a tremendous prospect. She’s a strong 6-0 with a good arm. She’ll take swings on the left as well. Grace Portwood, OH, NKYVC 14-1 Tsunami – A bit undersized at 5-7, Portwood makes up for it with her aggressive attacking. She really brings it and isn’t afraid to challenge bigger blocks and proved to be one of NKYVC’s most reliable offensive options. Cynthia Ockerman, MB, Legacy 13-1 Adidas – Ockerman garners attention when she checks in. She puts up a huge block and is also a constant offensive threat. Francesca Hansel, L, Tri-State Elite 13 Blue – Hansel was able to get her platform on a ton of balls. She was the clear defensive leader and showed plenty of scrappiness. Lola Waleskowski, OH, NKYVC 13-1 – There’s no backing down with Waleskowski. She kept swinging and challenging defenses. She’s a smart and crafty hitter too. Olivia Lewis, S, Adidas KiVA 12 Red – Setting a 5-1, Lewis was on point and steady with her play. She was running the offense very well. Abigail Cisler, L, Mintonettte m.21 – A stalwart in the backcourt, Cisler is the defensive leader. She was getting her hands on a lot of balls and helping keep rallies alive. Jazlyn Langenkamp, MB, Elevation 12 Bergheger – Langenkamp brings a presence to the front row. Defenses need to be aware of her explosiveness, which leads to some impressive blocks and kills. *** Let’s begin in 14 Open. Why? Because there was the largest set score I’ve seen yet this season. It happened in the semifinals as national No. 8 Boiler Jrs 14 Gold outlasted No. 6 Mintonette Sports m.41 in Game 1, 40-38!! That’s not a typo. The score kept on building and building and building. Finally, right side Caroline Ward ended the madness with a big kill down the line. Boiler Jrs closed out the match by winning the second set, 25-20, then earned redemption in the final by sweeping No. 9 Elevation 14 Molly, 25-21, 25-21. Elevation handed Boiler Jrs its only loss on the weekend. It came on Day 1 in power pool play and prevented Boiler Jrs from finishing the day 3-0. Saturday, Boiler Jrs topped both No. 10 NKYVC 14-1 Tsunami and No. 33 AVC Cle Rox 14 Red. Boiler Jrs downed another

The JVA SummerFest might be a quick tournament but the two days is packed full of exciting teams and players. vballrecruiter.com is at the event in Columbus taking notes and on the lookout for the individuals who are catching our attention the most. We found 20 Show Stoppers on Day 1 in 12-17 Open and highlight them below. Also, continue scrolling for a recap of the day’s action as well. vballrecruiter.com DAY 1 SHOW STOPPERS Nya Bunton, MB, Adidas KiVA 17 Red – A 6-3, five-star recruit committed to Texas, Bunton is fun to watch do her thing. She gets way off the ground and has a strong swing. When she connects she’s nearly impossible to stop. Laurece Abraham, MB, Legacy 17-1 Adidas – Abraham – who is a four-star recruit committed to Yale – is a valuable piece to the puzzle at middle. She’s 6-1, is quick, runs the slide well and almost has her elbows at the net when blocking. Safi Hampton, OH, Metro 17 Travel – Hampton is a 6-1, three-star recruit committed to North Carolina. She jumps like she was shot out of a cannon. She gets up high and fast and there’s really nothing the average block can do about it. She goes straight over most. Macaria Spears, OH, Metro 16 Travel – A five-star recruit, Spears is a 6-4 freshman playing up an age group. She’s a freak athlete with great length. She goes over smaller blocks with ease and absolutely torments the defense with her scoring ability. Asia Thigpen, OH, Triangle 16 Black – Thigpen was showing tremendous potential. She was taking aggressive swings and showcasing a quick arm that was lighting defenses up. Morgan Gaerte, OH, Team Pineapple 16 Black – This five-star recruit is 6-4 and a potent offensive piece. Gaerte is long with a nice extension. She’s a threat out of the back row as well and is tough for defenses to figure out. Munachiso Mmuo, MB, EC Power 16-Empire – A bit undersized at 5-10, Mmuo is quick and moves very well. She carries a good arm and proved to be a consistent, reliable scorer when called upon. Navea Gauthier, OH, Far Out 15 Black – A four-star recruit, Gauthier is a highlight reel. She hits from everywhere on the court. Her jumping ability combined with a high contact point and big arm makes her a huge weapon wherever she is. Kelsie Thompson, OH, ECJ 15-1 – This outside was getting after it with some aggressive attacking. Thompson, a three-star recruit, has a good swing and isn’t afraid to challenge bigger blocks with it. Sakura Codling, L, Tri-State Elite 15 Blue – Codling – who is a three-star recruit – was sharp. She provides a steadying presence in the back row and at times was passing almost 50 percent of the court in serve receive. Jada Aksu, RS, Metro 15 Travel – A three-star recruit, Aksu commands attention from defenses when she’s across the front row. The lefty can carry the offensive load at times with her quick swing and ability to generate pace. Meredith Martin, L, Legacy 14-1 Adidas – Martin was controlling the back row like no else. She was passing lights out in serve receive and was passing nearly half the court. Lexi Shondell, S, Boiler Jrs 14 Gold – It appears the future is bright for Shondell. She’s a super smooth disher with great hands and spot-on location. Addyson Bianchini, S/RS, NKYVC 14-1 Tsunami – Bianchini was running a 5-1 and part of a 6-2 at times. She’s an excellent setter with great touch and accuracy. She can also hit across the front row if needed, giving NKYVC lineup options. Layla Hoying, OH, Mintonette Sports m.41 – Hoying was getting after it with her attack. She has a decent jump with a fluid swing. It was leading to some hard kills and consistent scoring. Cala Haffner, L/OH/S, Team Pineapple 14 Black – The first time we watched Haffner she was lineup at outside. The next set she was part of a 6-2, setting and hitting on the left. The next match she was wearing the libero jersey. That’s some amazing versatility and she was doing all three things at an above-average level. Kaniyah Ball, L, Metro 13 Travel – Ball was one of the standout liberos. She was steady in helping anchoring the defense and keeping rallies alive. Morgan Meiring, OH, Elevation 13 Lippert – Meiring was a heavy-hitter on offense, helping carrying the load. She was also nails at middle back and contributing in multiple ways. Kenadi Sieg, L, NKYVC 12-1 Tsunami – One way to describe Sieg’s play was smooth. She was very consistent running the back court. Elise Parker, OH, HPSTL 12 Royal – Parker displayed her skills all around. She passed well out of the backrow. She also was swinging well and providing offense. *** With AM and PM pools taking place Saturday, this is going to be a quick write up because of the late hour. With SummerFest incorporating two, four-team power pools in 14-17 Open none of those teams were eliminated on Day 1 regardless of the results. In 17 Open, the eight teams in power pools were Legacy 17-1 Adidas, Adidas KiVA 17 Red, Top Select 17 Elite and Rockwood Thunder 17 Elite in Pool 1 and Mintonette Sports m.71, Elevation 17 Goller, Paramount 17s and AVC Cle Rox 17 Red in Pool 2. Both Top Select and AVC Cle went 3-0 in their respective pools. Metro 17 Travel and NKYVC 17-1 Tsunami are teams to watch for outside of power pools. Metro went 3-0 in its pool while NKYVC was 2-1, losing to EC Power 17-Steel. As for 16 Open, Metro 16 Travel, Triangle 16 Black, Far Out 16 Black and Union 16-1 formed one power pool. The other consisted of NKYVC 16-1 Tsunami, Tri-State Elite 16 Blue and K2 16-1 Adidas Zac. Metro and NKYVC went 3-0 in their pools. The eight teams appear to