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Big South Preview and Predictions

March 29, 2024

The Big South Qualifier is part of a busy weekend that also features three more qualifiers taking place. Like Windy City, Big South is contested over the course of one weekend, with all age groups competing. We take a glance below and offer a brief outlook, nationally-ranked teams, players to know plus make our predictions. 17 OPEN Number of Teams: 40 Number of Bids: 3 Previously-Qualified Teams (2): OT 17 Aaron; AZ Sky 17 Gold Vballrecruiter Nationally-Ranked Teams (7): 9. OT 17 T Aaron FL 20. A5 17-1 Calvin GA 23. AZ Sky 17 Gold AZ 29. CUVC 17 Open NC 33. Triangle 17 Black NC 35. GP 17 Rox FL 39. OT 17 O Felix FL   5-Star Players to Know: Amina N’diaye OH OT 17 Felix (Miami)   4-Star Players to Know: Gabby Nichols MB Triangle 17 Black (Penn State) Elena Maynulet OH GP 17 Rox (Columbia) KK Green S/RS GP 17 Rox (Holy Cross) Francesca Popescu L/DS A5 17-1 Calvin (Cal) Abigail Li A5 17-1 Calvin (SMU) Izzy Mogridge S OT 17 Aaron (Oregon) Riley McCloskey RS NKYVC 17-1 Tsunami (Memphis) Ava Tilden OH NKYVC 17-1 Tsunami (Xavier) Leni Stanton-Parker OH Metro 17 Travel (Michigan) Natalie Carr OH Pitt Elite 17 Elite (2026)   Outlook: With four qualifiers taking place this coming weekend in 17 Open, the teams are spread around and that makes for a great chance for teams without a bid yet. OT Aaron and AZ Sky are safe, having already qualified. Looking at the rest of the ranked teams, this is the time to step up and make it happen by earning a bid. Three bids will be going out, so teams like A5, CUVC, Triangle, GP and OT Felix figure to be in the mix. The question is can any unranked teams breakthrough? This is definitely the weekend to surprise. Prediction: OT Aaron has been playing well, tying for fifth at Sunshine and winning MEQ. We are calling for OT Aaron to go back-to-back and win Big South, beating CUVC in the final. A5 and GP tie for third and earn the remaining bids. ***** 16 OPEN Number of Teams: 48 Number of Bids: 3 Previously-Qualified Teams (2): GP 16 Rox; A5 16-1 Gabe Vballrecruiter Nationally-Ranked Teams (10): 7. A5 16-1 Gabe GA 14. NKYVC 16-1 Tsunami KY 17. Elevation 16 Goller OH 20. GP 16 Rox FL 25. Metro 16 Travel DC 26. WPVC 16 Armour Black FL 27. Academy 16 Diamond NC 36. TAV Houston 16 Adidas TX 39. EC Power KOP 16 Empire PA 47. Jupiter Elite 16E FL   5-Star Players to Know: Nadiya Johnson RS Metro 16 Travel Genevieve Harris S Academy 16 Diamond   4-Star Players to Know: Kendall Northern MB Elevation 16 Goller Sydney Geselbracht MB Elevation 16 Goller Sidney Sprada OH Elevation 16 Goller Ella Grimes L/DS Elevation 16 Goller Audrey Dyas MB NKYVC 16-1 Tsunami Morgan Williams OH Metro 16 Travel Ryan Sadler OH A5 16-1 Gabe Sofia Guerrero-Wilson A5 16-1 Gabe Kalyssa Taggart S A5 16-1 Gabe Leilani Lawrence OH OT 16 JP Elle Mottola S WPVC 16 Armour Black   Outlook: That only two teams are qualified and the field is maxed-out at 48, getting the job done this weekend in 16 Open is no small task. GP and A5 are the two teams who don’t need to sweat it, but the rest is up against it. The thing about the other ranked teams, they have been somewhat up-and-down this weekend and that makes for plenty of unpredictability. Any of them can get hot at the right time and pull through. NKYVC and Elevation might be slightly ahead of the pack, but there is no guarantees either will qualify. Metro is getting better after playing at Sunshine and MEQ. WPVC and Academy Diamond are both capable of earning bids as well. Prediction: A5 showed well at Sunshine then qualified at MEQ. This is the weekend A5 wins a qualifier, beating Elevation in the final. NKYVC and TAV Houston tie for third and qualify as well. ***** 15 OPEN Number of Teams: 38 Number of Bids: 3 Previously-Qualified Teams (1): A5 15-1 Kelly Vballrecruiter Nationally-Ranked Teams (6): 4. OT 15 Randy FL 6. A5 15-1 Kelly GA 16. Excel 15 National Red TX 43. GP 15 Rox FL 44. Elevation 15 Tony OH 48. AZ Sky 15G AZ   5-Star Players to Know: Marissa Jones S A5 15-1 Kelly   4-Star Players to Know: Kailey Leonard L/DS A5 15-1 Kelly Kylee Evans MB A5 15-1 Kelly Natalie Norton OH Excel 15 National Red Kamryn Mullican S/RS Excel 15 National Red Hailey Mueller OH Triangle 15 Black Sophie Puleo OH OT 15 Randy Mia Diouf RS GP 15 Rox Morgan Meiring OH Elevation 15 Tony   Outlook: The 15 Open race is wide open. A5 is the only team, surprisingly, with a bid. That means trickle-down can’t extend past fourth place. OT Randy is a top contender and a team to watch out for the most in terms of qualifying. Excel is another one to follow. After that, there is a big gap in the rankings but that only means it’s a great opportunity for another team or two to pull through. There’s always the chance of an unranked team getting a bid too. It’s really anyone’s game the way this division is set up. Prediction: I’m going with OT Randy holding seed and winning it all. Excel finishes runner-up, while A5 and Elevation tie for third. AZ Sky beats out Academy Diamond for the final bid. ***** 14 OPEN Number of Teams: 24 Number of Bids: 3 Previously-Qualified Teams: n/a Vballrecruiter Nationally-Ranked Teams (6): 3. A5 14-1 Helen GA 5. OT 14 Laura FL 12. Elevation 14 Molly OH 13. AZ Sky 14G AZ 30. CJV 14 Mizuno NC 44. ARVC 14-1 Adidas NM   5-Star Players to Know: Leilani Lamar OH OT 14 Laura   4-Star Players to Know: Jamie Carnes MB CJV 14 Mizuno Molly Monday S/RS OT 14 Laura

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Windy City Preview and Predictions

March 28, 2024

The Windy City Qualifier, like Big South, is a convergence of all age groups over one weekend. It’s grown into one of the toughest qualifiers as well in recent years. Below, we look at the 14-17 Open divisions and give a brief rundown, including nationally-ranked teams, players to know as well as our predictions as to what might happen. 17 OPEN Number of Teams: 31 Number of Bids: 3 Previously-Qualified Teams (1): Circle City 17 Purple Vballrecruiter Nationally-Ranked Teams (12): 5. 1st Alliance 17 Gold IL 6. TAV 17 Black TX 7. Tribe 17 Elite Cardinal FL 12. Legacy 17-1 Adidas MI 14. HJV 17 Elite TX 15. Nebraska One 17 Synergy NE 25. Adrenaline 17 Ben IA 28. AVC Cle 17 Red OH 30. MAVS KC 17-1 KC 36. Alamo 17 Premier TX 41. VCNebraska 17 Elite NE 47. HPSTL 17 Royal MO   5-Star Players to Know: Addy Horner S/RS 1st Alliance 17 Gold (Wisconsin) Abby Vander Wal 1st Alliance 17 Gold (Texas) Logan Parks S/RS MAVS KC 17-1 Natalie Wardlow MB Nebraska One 17 Synergy (Wisconsin) Kelly Kinney OH Tribe 17 Elite Cardinal (Minnesota) Charlotte Glass S Tribe 17 Elite Cardinal (Duke) Jordan Taylor MB HJV 17 Elite (Minnesota) Campbell Flynn S Legacy 17-1 Adidas (Nebraska) Annabelle Groomes S AVC Cle 17 Red (San Diego) Megan Fitch OH Alamo 17 Premier (Texas AM)   4-Star Players to Know: Emma Parks OH AVC Cle 17 Red (Marquette) Brookelyn Hatton L/DS MAVS KC 17-1 (Arizona) Olivia Guzman MB Tribe 17 Elite Cardinal Zoey Matias L/DS Tribe 17 Elite Cardinal (Missouri) Mija Bendziute RS Tribe 17 Elite Cardinal (UCLA) Keri Leimbach L/DS Nebraska One 17 Synergy (Nebraska) Sydney Bryant OH HJV 17 Elite (Vanderbilt) Reese Dunkle MB Circle City 17 Purple (Northwestern) Logan Bell OH Circle City 17 Purple (Oregon Malorie Boesiger S Nebraska One 17 Synergy (2027)   Outlook: This division is going to be thrilling. There are 12 teams from our Top 50 but only one – Circle City – is qualified. That’s going to make for a wild ride to the finish line to determine the three bids. Circle City, along with TAV, Tribe, Legacy and HJV were all together at Sunshine but none earned bids there. TAV, Tribe, Legacy and HJV are the favorites this weekend to earn bids, right with 1st Alliance. Nebraska One and AVC Cle are certainly capable enough to not allow that to take place. MAVS, Alamo and VCNebraska are teams that can upset anyone and cause havoc as a result. Prediction: I think Tribe catches fire, beating TAV in the final. Both qualify. 1st Alliance gets by Nebraska One in the third-place match to earn the remaining bid. ***** 16 OPEN Number of Teams: 27 Number of Bids: 3 Previously-Qualified Teams (2): Mintonette Sports m.61; Madfrog 16 Green Vballrecruiter Nationally-Ranked Teams (11): 1. Mintonette Sports m.61 OH 2. Legacy 16-1 Adidas MI 9. Madfrog 16 Green TX 11. Austin Skyline 16 Royal TX 13. 1st Alliance 16 Gold IL 22. AVC Cle 16 Red OH 30. Rev 16-1 Fury IN 45. Tribe 16 Elite Cardinal FL 48. TVC 16 Black OH 49. OT 16 Roberto FL 50. Top Select 16 Elite FL   5-Star Players to Know: Gigi Artiles OH Tribe 16 Elite Cardinal Gabby Divita OH Legacy 16-1 Adidas Ella Andrews MB Legacy 16-1 Adidas Kayla Nwabueze MB Legacy 16-1 Adidas Emma Cugino L/DS Mintonette Sports m.61 Henley Anderson OH Austin Skyline 16 Royal Riley Malloy OH Austin Skyline 16 Royal Bennett Raterman MB HPSTL 16 Royal   4-Star Players to Know: Bella Lopez RS Madfrog 16 Green Gabi Rodriguez L/DS Madfrog 16 Green Lynney Tarnow MB 1st Alliance 16 Gold Natalie Surges OH 1st Alliance 16 Gold Katherine Byergo MB HPSTL 16 Royal Eva Long S Legacy 16-1 Adidas Meredith Martin L/DS Legacy 16-1 Adidas Mallory Matheny S Mintonette Sports m.61 Layla Hoying OH Mintonette Sports m.61 Sara Snowbarger OH Mintonette Sports m.61 Mia Gold OH Tribe 16 Elite Cardinal Lauren Garcia S/RS Alamo 16 Premier (2027)   Outlook: The 16 Open field is another one set up to deliver the goods. Mintonette is one of 11 ranked teams and is seeking its third qualifier victory to go with Sunshine and MEQ. Madfrog qualified at MEQ and is also safe. After that, the three bids are up for grabs. Legacy has had two prior shots at Sunshine and MEQ but took untimely losses and is still seeking a bid. Austin Skyline is playing in its first qualifier and figures to factor into the mix on the final day. 1st Alliance has been competitive all year and could walk away with a bid. AVC Cle has been playing well of late too and could make a run. Prediction: It’s a tight field, but I’m picking Madfrog in an upset, taking down Mintonette in the final. Legacy and Austin Skyline tie for third to qualify, while AVC outlasts 1st Alliance for the final bid. ***** 15 OPEN Number of Teams: 31 Number of Bids: 3 Previously-Qualified Teams (1): Legacy 15-1 Adidas Vballrecruiter Nationally-Ranked Teams (10): 12. Legacy 15-1 Adidas MI 21. Premier Nebraska 15 Gold NE 23. 1st Alliance 15 Gold IL 26. Madfrog 15 Black TX 29. Austin Skyline 15 Royal TX 33. TAV 15 Fifer TX 40. Top Select 15 Elite FL 42. Mintonette Sports m.51 OH 45. Dynasty 15 Black KS 46. HPSTL 15 Royal MO   5-Star Players to Know: Peyton Kubik OH Dynasty 15 Black Allie Hudgins OH Austin Skyline 15 Royal   4-Star Players to Know: Jenny Glushakov RS Top Select 15 Elite Kyla Williams MB AVC Cle 15 Red Peyton Heatherly S 1st Alliance 15 Gold Bryn Meyer RS Mintonette Sports m.51 Emerson Butler S Austin Skyline 15 Royal Reagan Wallraff MB Premier Nebraska 15 Gold Kate Kalcynski OH Legacy 15-1 Adidas Cynthina Ockerman MB Legacy 15-1 Adidas   Outlook: With Legacy the only team with a bid, 15 Open is going to be incredible to watch play out. That’s because the field

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Vballrecruiter 16s Club National Rankings (April)

March 27, 2024

Vballrecruiter’s national rankings update continues on as we head into April with the 16s division. Since our last release there has been three qualifiers – Sunshine, Mideast and Northern Lights – and Bluegrass to add to the results. The newest Top 50 brings us a change at No. 1. Like we saw in 17s, there was a flip-flop between the two top-ranked teams, with Mintonette Sports m.61 trading spots with Legacy 16-1 Adidas and earning the top spot. Even though Mintonette has captured both the Sunshine and Mideast qualifiers, it was a tight call as to which team should be No. 1. Despite Legacy still not being qualified, the club is 2-1 in head-to-head meetings with Mintonette, so it was tough placing Legacy right behind a team it has a better head-to-head record against. At the same time, there’s no denying Mintonette is playing like the best team in recent weeks having earned two first-place finishes. Among other changes included Arizona Storm 16 Thunder climbing higher in the Top 10, as well as both A5 16-1 Gabe and Boiler Jrs 16 Gold moving inside the Top 10. You can view the full Top 50 below. VBALLRECRUITER 16s TOP 50 NATIONAL RANKINGS 1. Mintonette Sports m.61 OH (3 – previous ranking) 2. Legacy 16-1 Adidas MI (1) 3. Arizona Storm 16 Thunder AZ (10) 4. Skyline 16 Royal TX (2) 5. TAV 16 Black TX (4) 6. SCVC 16 Roxy CA (5) 7. A5 16-1 Gabe GA (14) 8. Boiler Jrs 16 Gold IN (12) 9. Madfrog 16 Green TX (8) 10. Hou Skyline 16 Royal TX (6) *** 11. Austin Skyline 16 Royal TX (7) 12. Wave 16 Scott CA (17) 13. 1st Alliance 16 Gold IL (9) 14. NKYVC 16-1 Tsunami KY (27) 15. Team Pineapple 16 Black IN (11) 16. Club V 16 Ren Matt UT (16) 17. Elevation 16 Goller OH (18) 18. MN Select 16-1 MN (19) 19. AZ Sky 16G AZ (22) 20. GP 16 Rox FL (24) *** 21. Forza1 North 16 One CA (20) 22. AVC Cle 16 Red OH (29) 23. Pohaku 16-1 KS (21) 24. HJV 16 Elite TX (30) 25. Metro 16 Travel DC (32) 26. WPVC 16 Armour Black FL (13) 27. Academy 16 Diamond NC (26) 28. Tri-State Elite 16 Blue OH (31) 29. SPVB 16 Elite IL (15) 30. Rev 16-1 Fury IN (42) *** 31. Vegas Aces 16 UA NV (33) 32. MKE Sting 16 Gold WI (28) 33. Vision 16 Gold CA (25) 34. Premier Nebraska 16 Gold NE (37) 35. Co Jrs 16 Kaleena CO (38) 36. TAV Houston 16 Adidas TX (34) 37. Academy 16 National CA (23) 38. EC Power KOP 16-Empire PA (39) 39. Mizuno Long Beach 16 Rockstar CA (40) 40. Coast 16-1 CA (45) *** 41. OP2 16-1 Elite OK (36) 42. Kairos 16 Alpha SD (n/r) 43. Far Out 16 Black MI (n/r) 44. Illini Elite 16 Cardinal IL (49) 45. Tribe Elite 16 Cardinal FL (41) 46. KiVA 16 Red KY (48) 47. Jupiter Elite 16E FL (n/r) 48. TVC 16 Black OH (35) 49. OT 16 Roberto FL (n/r) 50. Top Select 16 Elite FL (n/r) *** ON THE CUSP 1United 16 Blue TX Alamo 16 Premier TX Team Indiana 16 Elite IN Vital 16-1 Gold MN Northern Lights 16-1 MN Triangle 16 Black NC STVA 16 Mizuno TX Wildfire 16 Open FL Tribe 16 Elite Navy FL Academy 16 Yeti IN

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Vballrecruiter Player of the Week: Evie Pool

March 26, 2024

We’re proud to be a part of an ongoing partnership with Dick’s Sporting Goods, which is sponsoring our Player of the Week award. We’ll be releasing a featured Vballrecruiter.com Player of the Week, sponsored by Dick’s Sporting Goods, on Tuesdays. Below is this week’s Player of the Week: Evie Pool. *** When it comes to volleyball, the family ties run deep for Evie Pool. With her parents having played and an older brother she watched compete as she was growing up, it all led to her wanting to play too. She started on a local recreation team in third grade and eventually moved to club volleyball for her 12s season. “I started playing on the right side just for that 12s year and the next year I switched to playing middle,” Pool said. “I feel like in the middle you can impact the game in different ways even though you don’t play in the back row. You get the opportunity to swing, plus blocking and serving so you can be a fundamental part of your team.” Currently a freshman at Woodcrest Christian and part of Forza1 15 One, Pool stands 6-2 and is a 4-star recruit from the Class of 2027. She carries a GPA well north of 4.0 and spends her free time painting. “I am really artistic,” she said. “I love painting with my mom. She’s taught me a lot. Painting helps me relax. I can’t even remember when I started. I feel like since I was old enough to hold a paint brush.” Even though Pool shared she didn’t see much court time her first club season, she was still enamored by the sport for other reasons. She was excited to be part of the team and meeting new friends and developing those relationships. Eventually, her skill level began to increase. “I think the summer after my 12s year really getting into the gym a lot with my dad,” Pool said. “We did one-on-one lessons and were putting in a lot of work. That was a drastic jump for me.” This past fall, Pool played on the outside for her high school team. Though she said she still prefers to play in the middle, she did enjoy being part of the outside duo with her current club teammate and another freshman Lauren Green. “That was a big, fun part of high school for me,” Pool said. As for club, Forza is gearing up in hopes of earning another USAV Open bid this spring. The group qualified for Open last summer, finishing tied for 11th. Coming off a 41st-place showing in Triple Crown in February, Pool and company are hoping their recent showing during SCVA regional play has the team on the right trajectory. Forza1 upset the region’s top-ranked club in Tstreet 15 Asics earlier this month. Tstreet is currently ranked No. 8 in Vballrecruiter’s 15s Top 50 National Rankings for March. Forza1 currently sits at No. 34. Both clubs are heading to Las Vegas this coming weekend for the SCVA Red Rock Rave. ““I feel like our last tournament we did really well,” Pool said. “We took second in SCVA after beating Tstreet. We have been trying to beat them for two years now. That was a big step for us. It showed how much potential we have. We had such high energy and everyone was playing really well. It showed how well we are capable of playing. It made us excited for the rest of the year.” Pool made it clear her development in volleyball and beating a team like Tstreet wouldn’t come without those around her. “I wanted to say how much my team has impacted me and I wouldn’t be anywhere I am without them,” she said. “They make me so much better. Volleyball wouldn’t be the same without them. Also, the coaches have had a real impact too.” As our featured Player of the Week sponsored by Dick’s Sporting Goods, we recently spoke with Pool about volleyball and more. Who is a role model or someone you look up to? Pool: I really look up to Andi Jackson, who plays middle blocker for Nebraska. She is such a strong presence on the court and plays at such a high level. Even though she’s a freshman, she had a leadership role and impacts the game a lot and I look up to her for that. If you could choose to do anything for a day, what would you do and why? Pool: I think I would want to spend the day in Greece. It seems so beautiful and I like to travel a lot. Other than volleyball, what skill would you most like to learn and why? Pool: I would like to learn how to sculpt and create pottery. Stuff like that would be fun and relax me and it would be a cool skill to learn. Do you have any volleyball superstitions or rituals and if so what? Pool: I don’t really have any superstitions, but my team in the huddle on the court right before every match one of our setters taps each person’s foot in the circle. It’s a thing we do every single match. It’s our ritual to lead us into the game. Aside from basic necessities, what is one thing you could not go a day without? Pool: My family and friends because they bring a lot of joy to my life. They make each task throughout the day more enjoyable having people like that by your side. What is one thing that instantly makes your day better or makes you smile? Pool: I love when I get to go to Forza with my dad and he takes me on the court and we just play on the court for like an hour. That always makes my day better. What’s one of your favorite ways to have fun? Pool: I love just playing with my teammates. I also love going to the beach and just hanging out with my

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Vballrecruiter 17s Club National Rankings (April)

March 26, 2024

The last time we updated the 17s National Rankings was after Triple Crown in February. The schedule hasn’t been quite as busy as it was for the 18s, but still there has been the Sunshine Classic, the Northeast Qualifier, Mideast Qualifier and Bluegrass to deliver more results and help shape our latest Top 50. In it, there has been a flip-flop at the top, with Arizona Storm 17 Thunder taking over the No. 1 spot and trading places with MKE Sting 17 Gold. There was plenty of movement beyond that as well. Skyline 18 Royal moved up inside the Top 5, while TAV 17 Black Jon, OT 17 Aaron and Circle City 17 Purple all climbed inside the Top 10. You can view the full rankings below. VBALLRECRUITER 17s TOP 50 NATIONAL RANKINGS 1. Arizona Storm 17 Thunder AZ (2 – previous ranking) 2. MKE Sting 17 Gold WI (1) 3. Hou Skyline 17 Royal TX (3) 4. Skyline 17 Royal TX (8) 5. 1st Alliance 17 Gold IL (4) 6. TAV 17 Black Jon TX (15) 7. Tribe 17 Elite Cardinal FL (10) 8. Adidas KiVA 17 Red KY (5) 9. OT 17 Aaron FL (23) 10. Circle City 17 Purple IN (17) *** 11. Mich Elite 17 Mizuno MI (6) 12. Legacy 17-1 Adidas MI (9) 13. ID Crush 17 Bower ID (11) 14. HJV 17 Elite TX (25) 15. Nebraska One 17 Synergy NE (12) 16. Surfside 17 Legends Loriann CA (14) 17. Northern Lights 17-1 MN (18) 18. Dynasty 17 Black KS (13) 19. Madfrog 17 Green TX (21) 20. A5 17-1 Calvin GA (16) *** 21. Coast 17-1 CA (24) 22. Wave 17 Juliana CA (31) 23. AZ Sky 17 Gold AZ (41) 24. Excel 17 National Red TX (7) 25. Adrenaline 17 Ben IA (19) 26. Drive Nation 17 Red TX (20) 27. Tri-State Elite 17 Blue OH (22) 28. AVC Cle 17 Red OH (26) 29. CUVC 17 Open NC (34) 30. MAVS KC 17-1 KS (27) *** 31. Co Jrs 17 Kevin CO (29) 32. NorCal 17-1 Black CA (32) 33. Triangle 17 Black NC (33) 34. Sky High Adidas 17 Elite IL (28) 35. GP 17 Rox FL (37) 36. Alamo 17 Premier TX (38) 37. Austin Skyline 17 Royal TX (36) 38. Mizuno Long Beach 17 Rockstar CA (39) 39. OT 17 O Felix FL (46) 40. AJV 17 Adidas TX (45) *** 41. VCNebraska 17 Elite NE (42) 42. Academy 17 Tsunami IN (49) 43. Seal Beach 17 Black CA (44) 44. AVA TX 17 Adidas TX (47) 45. PVA 17-B FL (n/r) 46. Tx Performance 17s Black TX (n/r) 47. HPSTL 17 Royal MO (30) 48. KC Power 17 Black KS (n/r) 49. TAV 17 Black Haroun TX (n/r) 50. Top Select 17 Elite FL (43) *** ON THE CUSP Vision 17 Gold CA A4  Volley 17 Joaco CA SG Elite 17 Rosh CA Metro 17 Travel DC FC Elite 17 Navy WI Ku’Ikahi 17 Wahine RSB HI NKYVC 17-1 Tsunami KY Wildfire 17N Open FL AP 17 Adidas TX PVA 17 Elite KS EU U17 Black IN No Name 17 Sarah FL

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Vballrecruiter 18s Club National Rankings (April)

March 26, 2024

We are a week away from the final month of the season for the USAV portion of the 18s season. There is only one qualifier left – the SCVA Red Rock Rave this coming weekend – and it will determine three more bid winners. As we move closer to April, we have updated our 18s National Rankings. We released our last update right after the conclusion of Triple Crown. Since then, there have been eight qualifiers as well as Bluegrass to add to the results pool. While it led to plenty of shifting overall in our latest update, the top-ranked team remains the same in TAV 18 Black. KC Power 18 Black and Coast 18-1 Ozhan also remained put at Nos. 2 and 3 respectively. From there though is when the movement starts to take place, with Munciana 18 Samurai moving up to No. 4 after winning MEQ and Skyline 18 Royal climbing into the Top 10 for the first time this season. You can see the full rankings below. VBALLRECRUITER 18s TOP 50 NATIONAL RANKINGS 1. TAV 18 Black TX (1 – previous ranking) 2. KC Power 18-1 Black KS (2) 3. Coast 18-1 Ozhan CA (3) 4. Munciana 18 Samurai IN (6) 5. Skyline 18 Royal TX (12) 6. 1st Alliance 18 Gold IL (4) 7. Club V 18 Ren Reed UT (5) 8. Madfrog 18 Green TX (7) 9. Tri-State Elite 18 Blue OH (8) 10. Team Pineapple 18 Black IN (10) *** 11. Triangle 18 Black NC (9) 12. Hou Skyline 18 Royal TX (11) 13. Academy 18 Rage IN (14) 14. Wave 18 Brennan CA (16) 15. SCVC 18 Roxy CA (13) 16. Six Pack 18 IA (47) 17. Premier Nebraska 18 Gold NE (15) 18. A5 18 Marc GA (17) 19. Mizuno Long Beach 18 Rockstar CA (22) 20. NPJ 18 Forefront OR (20) *** 21. Pohaku 18-1 KS (19) 22. Rockwood Thunder 18 Elite MO (21) 23. K2 18 Adidas Jota TN (23) 24. OT 18 Roberto FL (24) 25. Metro 18 Travel DC (33) 26. City 18 Gold CA (18) 27. MKE Sting 18 Gold WI (35) 28. Madfrog 18 Black TX (n/r) 29. AZ Rev 18 Premier AZ (44) 30. Circle City 18 Purple IN (49) *** 31. FC Elite 18 Elite WI (39) 32. Mintonette Sports m.81 OH (25) 33. HJV 18 Elite TX (26) 34. MN Select 18-1 MN (29) 35. SG Elite 18 Rosh CA (48) 36. Vision 18 Gold CA (30) 37. MAVS KC 18-1 KS (32) 38. AZ Sky 18G AZ (27) 39. VCNebraska 18 Elite NE (36) 40. Top Select 18 Elite FL (n/r) *** 41. SASVBC 18 Lesli HI (42) 42. Tstreet 18 Chandler CA (37) 43. Momentous 18 Dan CA (31) 44. SPVB 18 Elite IL (43) 45. NKYVC 18-1 Tsunami KY (28) 46. Far Out 18 Black MI (41) 47. Norco 18-1 Black CO (n/r) 48. Academy 18 Diamond NC (45) 49. Seal Beach 18 Black CA (n/r) 50. OJVA 18-1 Gold OR (n/r) *** ON THE CUSP OVA 18 Black FL HPSTL 18 Royal MO Tribe 18 Elite Cardinal FL Miami Hype 18 Emilio FL Northern Lights 18-1 MN OT 18 Tony FL VC United 18 Elite IL Paramount 18 Walter VA Alamo 18 Premier TX AVA TX 18 Adidas TX OT 18 J Stephen FL Absolute 18 Black CA

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Commitments & Signings Week of March 15-21

March 22, 2024

Congrats to all! Corrections? Questions? Additions? Email christi@vballrecruiter.com or DM on Social Media @vballphil   2024 NEW MEXICO STATE: OH Jacqueline Corcoran (Shockwave) NEW MEXICO STATE: L Makayla Martinez (DCVA) NOTRE DAME:  OPP Kailyn Greene-Gordon (Jersey Juniors) NEVADA: L Summer Suppik (Mizuno Long Beach) BELLARMINE UNIVERSITY: S MaKenzie Chivington (Empowered VBA) TOLEDO: S Maija Eglitis (Elite VBTC) KENT STATE: MB Nadia Miller (Premier Academy) PURDUE FORT WAYNE: OPP Jaelyn Hall (Premier Academy) DEFIANCE COLLEGE: OH Kate Suter (Premier Academy) BOWLING GREEN STATE: OH Ava Buddelmeyer (Premier Academy) ARIZONA STATE: OH Kiylah Presley (Paramount) SAINT LOUIS: MB Justina Asamoa (UNO) EASTERN MICHIGAN: L Rylee Szyszka (Sports Performance) GADSDEN STATE COLLEGE: MB Makasia Crawford (Alabama Performance) MISSOURI VALLEY COLLEGE: OH Jamia Smith (Alabama Performance) WISCONSIN STEVENS POINT: OH/OPP Addison Miller (Iowa Select) CAMERON: MB Haley Beggs (TAV) ROCHESTER COMMUNITY TECHNICAL COLLEGE:  DS Jayda Bednarek (SWMVB) EAST CENTRAL UNIVERSITY: OH/OPP Peyton Spahn (Houston Stellar) LAWRENCE TECH: OH Hannah Kotch (L2 Volleyball) MISSOURI WEST PLAINS: L Chesnea Blakey (Ozark Juniors) ST. MARYS COLLEGE MD: OH Maya Mauro NOTRE DAME MD: MB Gwen Abnett (Sparks VBC) NOTRE DAME MD: OPP/MB Jillian Shoultz (Maryland Juniors) ROCKY MOUNTAIN COLLEGE: OH Kelsie McColloch ROCKY MOUNTAIN COLLEGE: DS/RS Delayne Lindeen WALLACE STATE: DS Mia Fowler (Bama Elite) SD MESA CC: MB Giselle Haugen (A4 Volley) SD MESA CC: S/OPP Kaitlyn Johnson (Coast) MINNESOTA CROOKSTON: MB/OH Karys Johnson ARKANSAS TECH: MB Karlly Dillard (AZ Storm) OREGON TECH: OH Berlynn Overturf (Idaho Crush) OREGON TECH: L Ellie Owen (Central Oregon) TEMPLE COLLEGE: MB/OH Lana Wright (Roots) CHICO STATE: OH Jillian Davis (Spokane Renovators) AMARILLO COLLEGE: MB Jacey Loudder AMARILLO COLLEGE: MB Jaelynn Hardman AMARILLO COLLEGE: S Lilliana Rangel DALLAS COLLEGE NORTH LAKE: MB Rosa Harris WHITTIER COLLEGE: L Alyssa Gonzalez (Tstreet IE)   2025 SAINT LOUIS: S Jetta Brenning (Mintonette Sports) SOUTH CAROLINA UPSTATE: L Emma Nash (KC Power) SOUTH CAROLINA UPSTATE: OH/DS Sophia Overholt (Upward Stars) WEST VIRGINIA: S Sarah Pfiffner (TAV) USC: OH Presley Kiffin (Mizuno Long Beach) NEW HAMPSHIRE: OH Lucy Chertock (Norcal) BOWLING GREEN STATE: OH Ava Buddelmeyer (Premier OH) MONTANA: OH Mylee Blake (North Pacific Juniors) NORTH FLORIDA: MB Katelyn Bowman (Excel) SOUTHEAST MISSOURI: S Ellie Burns (Northern Lights) WINTHROP: OH/OPP KeAra Bowen (United) DUQUESNE: OH Karli Jordan (TAV) COLORADO STATE: OH Halle Jameson (Excel) APPALACHIAN STATE: L Izzy Perkins (Carolina Union) MEMPHIS: L Mandy Lawson (Rockwood Thunder) OAKLAND: MB Ellen Zapp (Circle City) MIDDLE TENNESSEE: OH Gabrielle Clinkscale (Rockwood Thunder) ELON: L Dani Wallace (Elon) WRIGHT STATE: L Taygan Corstange (Dead Frog) PURDUE: OH Maija Howse (North Pacific Juniors) ST. CLOUD STATE: MB Kendall Huhnerkoch (SWMVB) SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA STATE: L Natalie Wahl (SWMVB) WILLIAM AND MARY: S Shylah Swope (VA Elite) DRURY: MB Caroline Red (Ozark Juniors) HARVARD: L Sophia Jo (A5) FORT LEWIS COLLEGE: OH Cambria Freymuth (Excel) SOUTHWEST BAPTIST: OH Julia Hicks (Excel)     TRANSFERS LMU: TR MB Kalani Hayes (Sacramento State/Oregon Juniors) ALABAMA: GR OH Paris Thompson (Notre Dame/Florida Gulfside) BRADLEY: TR L Megan DePoorter (SIUE/Iowa Select) PENN STATE MONT ALTO: TR MB Arianna Davey (Montgomery College) NOTRE DAME MD: GR OPP/MB Dasia Wade (Delaware State/Bowie State/Baltimore Elite)  

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PNQ 18s: Preview and Predictions

March 22, 2024

Among the final qualifiers for the 18s is the Pacific Northwest Qualifier in Spokane. Below, we take a look at the teams competing, which ones are nationally-ranked, players to know, as well as offer our predictions. 18 OPEN Number of Teams: 11 Number of Bids: 2 Previously-Qualified Teams (3): Pohaku 18-1; OJVA 18-1 Gold; Seal Beach 18 Black Vballrecruiter Nationally-Ranked Teams (2): 19. Pohaku 18-1 KS 20. NPJ 18 Forefront OR   5-Star Players to Know Mak Miller MB Pohaku 18-1   4-Star Players to Know: Alexis Haury S NPJ 18 Forefront (Washington) Lauren Dreves OH OJVA 18 Gold (Auburn)   3-Star Players to Know: Tea Bosanac Dakine Warriors 18 Surf (Colgate) Bridget Woodruff Dakine Warriors 18 Surf (Fordham) Tessa Hurley Seal Beach 18 Black Ava Spachek OH Pohaku 18-1 (Saint Louis) Ava Martin S Pohaku 18-1 (San Jose State)) Alexis Alexander MB Pohaku 18-1 (Arkansas) Lauryn Johnson OH NPJ 18 Forefront (Arizona State) Hailey Heytvelt MB OJVA 18 Gold (Campbell) Elisabeth Levick S OJVA 18 Gold (Old Dominion) Halle Reiter L/DS OJVA 18 Gold (Santa Clara)   Outlook: With 11 teams, this weekend’s 18 Open field is the smallest of the season. With it, just two bids are going to be awarded, with the third one going into the at-large pool. Three of the 11 teams have bids already, so two of the remaining eight are guaranteed to join them. It’s a great opportunity for those clubs to join the Open ranks. One team to definitely watch is NPJ. The club was close to qualifying previously and performed well at last month’s Triple Crown tournament. It’s hard not seeing NPJ getting it done this weekend. After that, it’s wide open. Prediction: I think NPJ not only qualifies in Spokane but comes away with the victory after beating Pohaku in the final. OJVA and Norco 18-1 tie for third, with Norco earning the second available bid.

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SCVA Red Rock 14s: Preview and Predictions

March 21, 2024

The 14s division has been the slowest of the age groups to get going. There has been just one qualifier so far – the Sunshine Classic – to award bids. That changes this coming weekend with three qualifiers on the schedule. It includes the SCVA Red Rock Rave for the younger age groups, including 14 Open. We take a look at the field below, with nationally-ranked teams, players to know, as well as offer predictions on how it might unfold. 14 OPEN Number of Teams: 26 Number of Bids: 3 Previously-Qualified Teams: n/a Vballrecruiter Nationally-Ranked Teams (9): 6. Coast 14-1 CA 18. Arizona Storm 14 Thunder AZ 20. Tstreet 14 Tara CA 29. SG Elite 14 Rosh CA 33. Wave 14 Tammy CA 34. Absolute 14 Black CA 38. Mizuno Long Beach 14 Rockstar CA 47. Sunshine 14 Westside CA 48. SASVBC 14 Kevin HI   4-Star Players to Know: Milan Hendrickson OH Absolute 14 Black Piper Coady OH Tstreet 14 Tara Bella Turcios L/DS Tstreet 14 Tara   3-Star Players to Know: Lila Liimatta OH Aspire 14 Premier Zoe Keaney MB SASVBC 14 Kevin Samantha Saba L/DS Coast 14-1 Alice Burgett S Coast 14-1 Emilie LaSala OH Coast 14-1 Kennedy Wilkinson L/DS Wave 14 Tammy Brooke Badorek S/RS Tstreet 14 Tara Abby Moffett S/RS Tstreet 14 Tara Amari Frazier MB Arizona Storm 14 Thunder Annabelle Ross MB Arizona Storm 14 Thunder Jade Smith S Arizona Storm 14 Thunder Nikolina Djordjevich OH Arizona Storm 14 Thunder Riley Stringer S Mizuno Long Beach 14 Rockstar Carolina Delaney OH Absolute 14 Black Abigail Lennon OH Sunshine 14 Westside Caira Tasi MB SF Elite 14 Saga   Outlook: Most of the teams in 14 Open have only played one national tournament to date and that was Triple Crown. It’s hard to believe, but that was over a month ago. No doubt teams learned from their time in Kansas City and all have improved since then. That makes this coming weekend’s event in Las Vegas wide open in my opinion. Coast did the best of anyone in the field at Triple Crown, but that offers no assurance of performing well in Vegas. A factor that heavily shapes the three-day event is the absence of trickle down. There are no teams which have qualified previously, so taking home a bid means finishing in the top three. A scenario like that always creates plenty of drama and intense conclusions. Not all that surprising is the field is West Coast heavy, with all the ranked teams competing from California, Arizona and Hawaii. Prediction: It’s tough to call results in the 14s, because the play can be so back-and-forth. I’m picking Tstreet to beat Arizona Storm in the final, as both qualify. SG Elite outlasts Coast in the third-place contest to grab the last bid.

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MEQ 14 & 15s: Preview and Predictions

March 21, 2024

The second weekend of the Mideast Qualifier features the 14 and 15 Open divisions competing in St. Louis this Friday, Saturday and Sunday. As one would expect of MEQ, both fields are loaded and earning a bid in either is going to be a difficult task. As for the 14s, MEQ is one of three qualifiers taking place this weekend for that age group. Below, we take a glance at both divisions, with nationally-ranked teams, players to know, as well as offer a prediction on what may transpire. 15 OPEN Number of Teams: 48 Number of Bids: 3 Previously-Qualified Teams (1): TAV 15 Black Vballrecruiter Nationally-Ranked Teams (15): 1. TAV 15 Black TX 5. A5 15-1 Kelly GA 6. Skyline 15 Royal TX 10. KC Power 15 Black KS 22. VCNebraska 15 Elite NE 23. 1st Alliance 15 Gold IL 25. MN Select 15-1 MN 29. Austin Skyline 15 Royal TX 31. FH 15 Ikaika-Andy TX 42. Mintonette Sports m.51 OH 44. Elevation 15 Tony OH 45. Dynasty 15 Black KS 46. HPSTL 15 Royal MO 47. Rockwood Thunder 15 Elite MO 49. Peak 15 Black TX   5-Star Players to Know: Peyton Kubik OH Dynasty 15 Black Shaye Witherspoon OH Rockwood Thunder 15 Elite Allie Hudgins OH Austin Skyline 15 Royal Naomi Livings OH/RS TAV 15 Black Nyla Livings MB TAV 15 Black Brynn Stephens S/RS TAV 15 Black Marissa Jones S A5 15-1 Kelly   4-Star Players to Know: McKinley Moser S VCNebraska 15 Elite Kailey Leonard L/DS A5 15-1 Kelly Kylee Evans MB A5 15-1 Kelly Kyla Williams MB AVC Cle 15 Red Peyton Heatherly S 1st Alliance 15 Gold Bryn Meyer RS Mintonette Sports m.51 Lexi Martin OH TAV 15 Black Gentry Barker OH TAV 15 Black Sophee Peterson S/RS TAV 15 Black Mariah Akinsola MB TAV 15 Black Ansley Shafer L/DS TAV 15 Black Emerson Butler S Austin Skyline 15 Royal Ryan Spencer OH Skyline 15 Royal Morgan Meiring OH Elevation 15 Tony   Outlook: Among the items we know for sure is TAV is safe. That’s because our top-ranked club secured its bid to nationals already by finishing runner up at the Sunshine Classic. We also know all three bids are going to be handed out, and that trickle down can’t go beyond fourth place. After that, who knows? It’s a full field with 48 teams and features 15 from our Top 50 national rankings. It should make for a wild ride with lots of twists and turns. A5 and Skyline have delivered consistent results to date and figure to factor in. KC Power was a big surprise with its performance at Triple Crown and will look to back it up with another strong showing this weekend. The rest of the ranked teams are evenly-matched and all figure to show improvement over the course of the last month when most competed at Triple Crown. All it takes at a qualifier like this is an upset on Day 1 or 2 to upend the seedings and force contenders into the same pools. That leads to someone you would expect to be in the hunt getting eliminated earlier than expected and that opens up a spot for an unexpected team to take advantage of. The guess is something along those lines happens here. Prediction: If my predictions play out accordingly, it’s going to be a good weekend for TAV. I picked the club to win both 14 and 16 Open at Northern Lights, and I’m going with TAV to leave with a title in 15 Open as well at MEQ. As for the bids, I’m going with KC Power to finish in second place and earn one of them. Tying for third place and earning the other two bids is going to be Skyline and VCNebraska. ***** 14 OPEN Number of Teams: 28 Number of Bids: 3 Previously-Qualified Teams (1): HPSTL 14 Royal Vballrecruiter Nationally-Ranked Teams (13): 1. Madfrog 14 Green TX 2. HPSTL 14 Royal MO 8. Dynasty 14 Black KS 9. Circle City 14 Purple IN 10. NKYVC 14-1 Tsunami KY 12. Elevation 14 Molly OH 14. AVC Cle 14 Red 16. MAVS KC 14-1 KS 23. HJV 14 Elite TX 28. Mintonette Sports m.41 OH 31. KC Power 14 Black KS 44. ARVC 14-1 Adidas NM 50. TPV 14-Zulu TN   5-Star Players to Know: Sarah Albers RS HPSTL 14 Royal Maya Ogbogu OH Madfrog 14 Green   4-Star Players to Know: Gracie White MB Madfrog 14 Green Olivia Kitur OH Madfrog 14 Green Hayden Thomas MB Madfrog 14 Green Aleyna Bramschreiber S/RS Madfrog 14 Green Nora Goodenow MB MAVS KC 14-1 Jaelyn Jordan S MAVS KC 14-1 Carsyn Chitty L/DS Mintonette Sports m.41 Sade Bello OH HJV 14 Elite   Outlook: Like 15 Open, there is only one team which has a bid already in HPSTL. It creates the same scenario, where teams must finish in the top four to have any shot of qualifying, and that is if HPSTL also finishes in the top four. If not, teams have to finish in the top three to qualify. With 13 teams featured in our Top 50, nearly half the field is in our national rankings. That should make for a competitive weekend, one that is going to make earning a bid tough to accomplish. One thing to watch for is a possible Triple Crown finals rematch between Madfrog and HPSTL. While HPSTL is safe having a bid already, Madfrog is seeking to take care of its qualifying spot in its first effort of the season. Dynasty has been a strong team so far, and Circle City captured the title at Central Zone. Both are real contenders in terms of qualifying. In 14 Open though, the play is unpredictable enough that teams can rise up, pull off upsets and earn bids. NKYVC, Elevation, AVC Cle, MAVS and HJV are all examples of teams that could find themselves in that position. Prediction: My call is going with a reverse of Triple Crown, with

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Big South Preview and Predictions

March 29, 2024

The Big South Qualifier is part of a busy weekend that also features three more qualifiers taking place. Like Windy City, Big South is contested over the course of one weekend, with all age groups competing. We take a glance below and offer a brief outlook, nationally-ranked teams, players to know plus make our predictions. 17 OPEN Number of Teams: 40 Number of Bids: 3 Previously-Qualified Teams (2): OT 17 Aaron; AZ Sky 17 Gold Vballrecruiter Nationally-Ranked Teams (7): 9. OT 17 T Aaron FL 20. A5 17-1 Calvin GA 23. AZ Sky 17 Gold AZ 29. CUVC 17 Open NC 33. Triangle 17 Black NC 35. GP 17 Rox FL 39. OT 17 O Felix FL   5-Star Players to Know: Amina N’diaye OH OT 17 Felix (Miami)   4-Star Players to Know: Gabby Nichols MB Triangle 17 Black (Penn State) Elena Maynulet OH GP 17 Rox (Columbia) KK Green S/RS GP 17 Rox (Holy Cross) Francesca Popescu L/DS A5 17-1 Calvin (Cal) Abigail Li A5 17-1 Calvin (SMU) Izzy Mogridge S OT 17 Aaron (Oregon) Riley McCloskey RS NKYVC 17-1 Tsunami (Memphis) Ava Tilden OH NKYVC 17-1 Tsunami (Xavier) Leni Stanton-Parker OH Metro 17 Travel (Michigan) Natalie Carr OH Pitt Elite 17 Elite (2026)   Outlook: With four qualifiers taking place this coming weekend in 17 Open, the teams are spread around and that makes for a great chance for teams without a bid yet. OT Aaron and AZ Sky are safe, having already qualified. Looking at the rest of the ranked teams, this is the time to step up and make it happen by earning a bid. Three bids will be going out, so teams like A5, CUVC, Triangle, GP and OT Felix figure to be in the mix. The question is can any unranked teams breakthrough? This is definitely the weekend to surprise. Prediction: OT Aaron has been playing well, tying for fifth at Sunshine and winning MEQ. We are calling for OT Aaron to go back-to-back and win Big South, beating CUVC in the final. A5 and GP tie for third and earn the remaining bids. ***** 16 OPEN Number of Teams: 48 Number of Bids: 3 Previously-Qualified Teams (2): GP 16 Rox; A5 16-1 Gabe Vballrecruiter Nationally-Ranked Teams (10): 7. A5 16-1 Gabe GA 14. NKYVC 16-1 Tsunami KY 17. Elevation 16 Goller OH 20. GP 16 Rox FL 25. Metro 16 Travel DC 26. WPVC 16 Armour Black FL 27. Academy 16 Diamond NC 36. TAV Houston 16 Adidas TX 39. EC Power KOP 16 Empire PA 47. Jupiter Elite 16E FL   5-Star Players to Know: Nadiya Johnson RS Metro 16 Travel Genevieve Harris S Academy 16 Diamond   4-Star Players to Know: Kendall Northern MB Elevation 16 Goller Sydney Geselbracht MB Elevation 16 Goller Sidney Sprada OH Elevation 16 Goller Ella Grimes L/DS Elevation 16 Goller Audrey Dyas MB NKYVC 16-1 Tsunami Morgan Williams OH Metro 16 Travel Ryan Sadler OH A5 16-1 Gabe Sofia Guerrero-Wilson A5 16-1 Gabe Kalyssa Taggart S A5 16-1 Gabe Leilani Lawrence OH OT 16 JP Elle Mottola S WPVC 16 Armour Black   Outlook: That only two teams are qualified and the field is maxed-out at 48, getting the job done this weekend in 16 Open is no small task. GP and A5 are the two teams who don’t need to sweat it, but the rest is up against it. The thing about the other ranked teams, they have been somewhat up-and-down this weekend and that makes for plenty of unpredictability. Any of them can get hot at the right time and pull through. NKYVC and Elevation might be slightly ahead of the pack, but there is no guarantees either will qualify. Metro is getting better after playing at Sunshine and MEQ. WPVC and Academy Diamond are both capable of earning bids as well. Prediction: A5 showed well at Sunshine then qualified at MEQ. This is the weekend A5 wins a qualifier, beating Elevation in the final. NKYVC and TAV Houston tie for third and qualify as well. ***** 15 OPEN Number of Teams: 38 Number of Bids: 3 Previously-Qualified Teams (1): A5 15-1 Kelly Vballrecruiter Nationally-Ranked Teams (6): 4. OT 15 Randy FL 6. A5 15-1 Kelly GA 16. Excel 15 National Red TX 43. GP 15 Rox FL 44. Elevation 15 Tony OH 48. AZ Sky 15G AZ   5-Star Players to Know: Marissa Jones S A5 15-1 Kelly   4-Star Players to Know: Kailey Leonard L/DS A5 15-1 Kelly Kylee Evans MB A5 15-1 Kelly Natalie Norton OH Excel 15 National Red Kamryn Mullican S/RS Excel 15 National Red Hailey Mueller OH Triangle 15 Black Sophie Puleo OH OT 15 Randy Mia Diouf RS GP 15 Rox Morgan Meiring OH Elevation 15 Tony   Outlook: The 15 Open race is wide open. A5 is the only team, surprisingly, with a bid. That means trickle-down can’t extend past fourth place. OT Randy is a top contender and a team to watch out for the most in terms of qualifying. Excel is another one to follow. After that, there is a big gap in the rankings but that only means it’s a great opportunity for another team or two to pull through. There’s always the chance of an unranked team getting a bid too. It’s really anyone’s game the way this division is set up. Prediction: I’m going with OT Randy holding seed and winning it all. Excel finishes runner-up, while A5 and Elevation tie for third. AZ Sky beats out Academy Diamond for the final bid. ***** 14 OPEN Number of Teams: 24 Number of Bids: 3 Previously-Qualified Teams: n/a Vballrecruiter Nationally-Ranked Teams (6): 3. A5 14-1 Helen GA 5. OT 14 Laura FL 12. Elevation 14 Molly OH 13. AZ Sky 14G AZ 30. CJV 14 Mizuno NC 44. ARVC 14-1 Adidas NM   5-Star Players to Know: Leilani Lamar OH OT 14 Laura   4-Star Players to Know: Jamie Carnes MB CJV 14 Mizuno Molly Monday S/RS OT 14 Laura

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Windy City Preview and Predictions

March 28, 2024

The Windy City Qualifier, like Big South, is a convergence of all age groups over one weekend. It’s grown into one of the toughest qualifiers as well in recent years. Below, we look at the 14-17 Open divisions and give a brief rundown, including nationally-ranked teams, players to know as well as our predictions as to what might happen. 17 OPEN Number of Teams: 31 Number of Bids: 3 Previously-Qualified Teams (1): Circle City 17 Purple Vballrecruiter Nationally-Ranked Teams (12): 5. 1st Alliance 17 Gold IL 6. TAV 17 Black TX 7. Tribe 17 Elite Cardinal FL 12. Legacy 17-1 Adidas MI 14. HJV 17 Elite TX 15. Nebraska One 17 Synergy NE 25. Adrenaline 17 Ben IA 28. AVC Cle 17 Red OH 30. MAVS KC 17-1 KC 36. Alamo 17 Premier TX 41. VCNebraska 17 Elite NE 47. HPSTL 17 Royal MO   5-Star Players to Know: Addy Horner S/RS 1st Alliance 17 Gold (Wisconsin) Abby Vander Wal 1st Alliance 17 Gold (Texas) Logan Parks S/RS MAVS KC 17-1 Natalie Wardlow MB Nebraska One 17 Synergy (Wisconsin) Kelly Kinney OH Tribe 17 Elite Cardinal (Minnesota) Charlotte Glass S Tribe 17 Elite Cardinal (Duke) Jordan Taylor MB HJV 17 Elite (Minnesota) Campbell Flynn S Legacy 17-1 Adidas (Nebraska) Annabelle Groomes S AVC Cle 17 Red (San Diego) Megan Fitch OH Alamo 17 Premier (Texas AM)   4-Star Players to Know: Emma Parks OH AVC Cle 17 Red (Marquette) Brookelyn Hatton L/DS MAVS KC 17-1 (Arizona) Olivia Guzman MB Tribe 17 Elite Cardinal Zoey Matias L/DS Tribe 17 Elite Cardinal (Missouri) Mija Bendziute RS Tribe 17 Elite Cardinal (UCLA) Keri Leimbach L/DS Nebraska One 17 Synergy (Nebraska) Sydney Bryant OH HJV 17 Elite (Vanderbilt) Reese Dunkle MB Circle City 17 Purple (Northwestern) Logan Bell OH Circle City 17 Purple (Oregon Malorie Boesiger S Nebraska One 17 Synergy (2027)   Outlook: This division is going to be thrilling. There are 12 teams from our Top 50 but only one – Circle City – is qualified. That’s going to make for a wild ride to the finish line to determine the three bids. Circle City, along with TAV, Tribe, Legacy and HJV were all together at Sunshine but none earned bids there. TAV, Tribe, Legacy and HJV are the favorites this weekend to earn bids, right with 1st Alliance. Nebraska One and AVC Cle are certainly capable enough to not allow that to take place. MAVS, Alamo and VCNebraska are teams that can upset anyone and cause havoc as a result. Prediction: I think Tribe catches fire, beating TAV in the final. Both qualify. 1st Alliance gets by Nebraska One in the third-place match to earn the remaining bid. ***** 16 OPEN Number of Teams: 27 Number of Bids: 3 Previously-Qualified Teams (2): Mintonette Sports m.61; Madfrog 16 Green Vballrecruiter Nationally-Ranked Teams (11): 1. Mintonette Sports m.61 OH 2. Legacy 16-1 Adidas MI 9. Madfrog 16 Green TX 11. Austin Skyline 16 Royal TX 13. 1st Alliance 16 Gold IL 22. AVC Cle 16 Red OH 30. Rev 16-1 Fury IN 45. Tribe 16 Elite Cardinal FL 48. TVC 16 Black OH 49. OT 16 Roberto FL 50. Top Select 16 Elite FL   5-Star Players to Know: Gigi Artiles OH Tribe 16 Elite Cardinal Gabby Divita OH Legacy 16-1 Adidas Ella Andrews MB Legacy 16-1 Adidas Kayla Nwabueze MB Legacy 16-1 Adidas Emma Cugino L/DS Mintonette Sports m.61 Henley Anderson OH Austin Skyline 16 Royal Riley Malloy OH Austin Skyline 16 Royal Bennett Raterman MB HPSTL 16 Royal   4-Star Players to Know: Bella Lopez RS Madfrog 16 Green Gabi Rodriguez L/DS Madfrog 16 Green Lynney Tarnow MB 1st Alliance 16 Gold Natalie Surges OH 1st Alliance 16 Gold Katherine Byergo MB HPSTL 16 Royal Eva Long S Legacy 16-1 Adidas Meredith Martin L/DS Legacy 16-1 Adidas Mallory Matheny S Mintonette Sports m.61 Layla Hoying OH Mintonette Sports m.61 Sara Snowbarger OH Mintonette Sports m.61 Mia Gold OH Tribe 16 Elite Cardinal Lauren Garcia S/RS Alamo 16 Premier (2027)   Outlook: The 16 Open field is another one set up to deliver the goods. Mintonette is one of 11 ranked teams and is seeking its third qualifier victory to go with Sunshine and MEQ. Madfrog qualified at MEQ and is also safe. After that, the three bids are up for grabs. Legacy has had two prior shots at Sunshine and MEQ but took untimely losses and is still seeking a bid. Austin Skyline is playing in its first qualifier and figures to factor into the mix on the final day. 1st Alliance has been competitive all year and could walk away with a bid. AVC Cle has been playing well of late too and could make a run. Prediction: It’s a tight field, but I’m picking Madfrog in an upset, taking down Mintonette in the final. Legacy and Austin Skyline tie for third to qualify, while AVC outlasts 1st Alliance for the final bid. ***** 15 OPEN Number of Teams: 31 Number of Bids: 3 Previously-Qualified Teams (1): Legacy 15-1 Adidas Vballrecruiter Nationally-Ranked Teams (10): 12. Legacy 15-1 Adidas MI 21. Premier Nebraska 15 Gold NE 23. 1st Alliance 15 Gold IL 26. Madfrog 15 Black TX 29. Austin Skyline 15 Royal TX 33. TAV 15 Fifer TX 40. Top Select 15 Elite FL 42. Mintonette Sports m.51 OH 45. Dynasty 15 Black KS 46. HPSTL 15 Royal MO   5-Star Players to Know: Peyton Kubik OH Dynasty 15 Black Allie Hudgins OH Austin Skyline 15 Royal   4-Star Players to Know: Jenny Glushakov RS Top Select 15 Elite Kyla Williams MB AVC Cle 15 Red Peyton Heatherly S 1st Alliance 15 Gold Bryn Meyer RS Mintonette Sports m.51 Emerson Butler S Austin Skyline 15 Royal Reagan Wallraff MB Premier Nebraska 15 Gold Kate Kalcynski OH Legacy 15-1 Adidas Cynthina Ockerman MB Legacy 15-1 Adidas   Outlook: With Legacy the only team with a bid, 15 Open is going to be incredible to watch play out. That’s because the field

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Vballrecruiter 16s Club National Rankings (April)

March 27, 2024

Vballrecruiter’s national rankings update continues on as we head into April with the 16s division. Since our last release there has been three qualifiers – Sunshine, Mideast and Northern Lights – and Bluegrass to add to the results. The newest Top 50 brings us a change at No. 1. Like we saw in 17s, there was a flip-flop between the two top-ranked teams, with Mintonette Sports m.61 trading spots with Legacy 16-1 Adidas and earning the top spot. Even though Mintonette has captured both the Sunshine and Mideast qualifiers, it was a tight call as to which team should be No. 1. Despite Legacy still not being qualified, the club is 2-1 in head-to-head meetings with Mintonette, so it was tough placing Legacy right behind a team it has a better head-to-head record against. At the same time, there’s no denying Mintonette is playing like the best team in recent weeks having earned two first-place finishes. Among other changes included Arizona Storm 16 Thunder climbing higher in the Top 10, as well as both A5 16-1 Gabe and Boiler Jrs 16 Gold moving inside the Top 10. You can view the full Top 50 below. VBALLRECRUITER 16s TOP 50 NATIONAL RANKINGS 1. Mintonette Sports m.61 OH (3 – previous ranking) 2. Legacy 16-1 Adidas MI (1) 3. Arizona Storm 16 Thunder AZ (10) 4. Skyline 16 Royal TX (2) 5. TAV 16 Black TX (4) 6. SCVC 16 Roxy CA (5) 7. A5 16-1 Gabe GA (14) 8. Boiler Jrs 16 Gold IN (12) 9. Madfrog 16 Green TX (8) 10. Hou Skyline 16 Royal TX (6) *** 11. Austin Skyline 16 Royal TX (7) 12. Wave 16 Scott CA (17) 13. 1st Alliance 16 Gold IL (9) 14. NKYVC 16-1 Tsunami KY (27) 15. Team Pineapple 16 Black IN (11) 16. Club V 16 Ren Matt UT (16) 17. Elevation 16 Goller OH (18) 18. MN Select 16-1 MN (19) 19. AZ Sky 16G AZ (22) 20. GP 16 Rox FL (24) *** 21. Forza1 North 16 One CA (20) 22. AVC Cle 16 Red OH (29) 23. Pohaku 16-1 KS (21) 24. HJV 16 Elite TX (30) 25. Metro 16 Travel DC (32) 26. WPVC 16 Armour Black FL (13) 27. Academy 16 Diamond NC (26) 28. Tri-State Elite 16 Blue OH (31) 29. SPVB 16 Elite IL (15) 30. Rev 16-1 Fury IN (42) *** 31. Vegas Aces 16 UA NV (33) 32. MKE Sting 16 Gold WI (28) 33. Vision 16 Gold CA (25) 34. Premier Nebraska 16 Gold NE (37) 35. Co Jrs 16 Kaleena CO (38) 36. TAV Houston 16 Adidas TX (34) 37. Academy 16 National CA (23) 38. EC Power KOP 16-Empire PA (39) 39. Mizuno Long Beach 16 Rockstar CA (40) 40. Coast 16-1 CA (45) *** 41. OP2 16-1 Elite OK (36) 42. Kairos 16 Alpha SD (n/r) 43. Far Out 16 Black MI (n/r) 44. Illini Elite 16 Cardinal IL (49) 45. Tribe Elite 16 Cardinal FL (41) 46. KiVA 16 Red KY (48) 47. Jupiter Elite 16E FL (n/r) 48. TVC 16 Black OH (35) 49. OT 16 Roberto FL (n/r) 50. Top Select 16 Elite FL (n/r) *** ON THE CUSP 1United 16 Blue TX Alamo 16 Premier TX Team Indiana 16 Elite IN Vital 16-1 Gold MN Northern Lights 16-1 MN Triangle 16 Black NC STVA 16 Mizuno TX Wildfire 16 Open FL Tribe 16 Elite Navy FL Academy 16 Yeti IN

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Vballrecruiter Player of the Week: Evie Pool

March 26, 2024

We’re proud to be a part of an ongoing partnership with Dick’s Sporting Goods, which is sponsoring our Player of the Week award. We’ll be releasing a featured Vballrecruiter.com Player of the Week, sponsored by Dick’s Sporting Goods, on Tuesdays. Below is this week’s Player of the Week: Evie Pool. *** When it comes to volleyball, the family ties run deep for Evie Pool. With her parents having played and an older brother she watched compete as she was growing up, it all led to her wanting to play too. She started on a local recreation team in third grade and eventually moved to club volleyball for her 12s season. “I started playing on the right side just for that 12s year and the next year I switched to playing middle,” Pool said. “I feel like in the middle you can impact the game in different ways even though you don’t play in the back row. You get the opportunity to swing, plus blocking and serving so you can be a fundamental part of your team.” Currently a freshman at Woodcrest Christian and part of Forza1 15 One, Pool stands 6-2 and is a 4-star recruit from the Class of 2027. She carries a GPA well north of 4.0 and spends her free time painting. “I am really artistic,” she said. “I love painting with my mom. She’s taught me a lot. Painting helps me relax. I can’t even remember when I started. I feel like since I was old enough to hold a paint brush.” Even though Pool shared she didn’t see much court time her first club season, she was still enamored by the sport for other reasons. She was excited to be part of the team and meeting new friends and developing those relationships. Eventually, her skill level began to increase. “I think the summer after my 12s year really getting into the gym a lot with my dad,” Pool said. “We did one-on-one lessons and were putting in a lot of work. That was a drastic jump for me.” This past fall, Pool played on the outside for her high school team. Though she said she still prefers to play in the middle, she did enjoy being part of the outside duo with her current club teammate and another freshman Lauren Green. “That was a big, fun part of high school for me,” Pool said. As for club, Forza is gearing up in hopes of earning another USAV Open bid this spring. The group qualified for Open last summer, finishing tied for 11th. Coming off a 41st-place showing in Triple Crown in February, Pool and company are hoping their recent showing during SCVA regional play has the team on the right trajectory. Forza1 upset the region’s top-ranked club in Tstreet 15 Asics earlier this month. Tstreet is currently ranked No. 8 in Vballrecruiter’s 15s Top 50 National Rankings for March. Forza1 currently sits at No. 34. Both clubs are heading to Las Vegas this coming weekend for the SCVA Red Rock Rave. ““I feel like our last tournament we did really well,” Pool said. “We took second in SCVA after beating Tstreet. We have been trying to beat them for two years now. That was a big step for us. It showed how much potential we have. We had such high energy and everyone was playing really well. It showed how well we are capable of playing. It made us excited for the rest of the year.” Pool made it clear her development in volleyball and beating a team like Tstreet wouldn’t come without those around her. “I wanted to say how much my team has impacted me and I wouldn’t be anywhere I am without them,” she said. “They make me so much better. Volleyball wouldn’t be the same without them. Also, the coaches have had a real impact too.” As our featured Player of the Week sponsored by Dick’s Sporting Goods, we recently spoke with Pool about volleyball and more. Who is a role model or someone you look up to? Pool: I really look up to Andi Jackson, who plays middle blocker for Nebraska. She is such a strong presence on the court and plays at such a high level. Even though she’s a freshman, she had a leadership role and impacts the game a lot and I look up to her for that. If you could choose to do anything for a day, what would you do and why? Pool: I think I would want to spend the day in Greece. It seems so beautiful and I like to travel a lot. Other than volleyball, what skill would you most like to learn and why? Pool: I would like to learn how to sculpt and create pottery. Stuff like that would be fun and relax me and it would be a cool skill to learn. Do you have any volleyball superstitions or rituals and if so what? Pool: I don’t really have any superstitions, but my team in the huddle on the court right before every match one of our setters taps each person’s foot in the circle. It’s a thing we do every single match. It’s our ritual to lead us into the game. Aside from basic necessities, what is one thing you could not go a day without? Pool: My family and friends because they bring a lot of joy to my life. They make each task throughout the day more enjoyable having people like that by your side. What is one thing that instantly makes your day better or makes you smile? Pool: I love when I get to go to Forza with my dad and he takes me on the court and we just play on the court for like an hour. That always makes my day better. What’s one of your favorite ways to have fun? Pool: I love just playing with my teammates. I also love going to the beach and just hanging out with my

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Vballrecruiter 17s Club National Rankings (April)

March 26, 2024

The last time we updated the 17s National Rankings was after Triple Crown in February. The schedule hasn’t been quite as busy as it was for the 18s, but still there has been the Sunshine Classic, the Northeast Qualifier, Mideast Qualifier and Bluegrass to deliver more results and help shape our latest Top 50. In it, there has been a flip-flop at the top, with Arizona Storm 17 Thunder taking over the No. 1 spot and trading places with MKE Sting 17 Gold. There was plenty of movement beyond that as well. Skyline 18 Royal moved up inside the Top 5, while TAV 17 Black Jon, OT 17 Aaron and Circle City 17 Purple all climbed inside the Top 10. You can view the full rankings below. VBALLRECRUITER 17s TOP 50 NATIONAL RANKINGS 1. Arizona Storm 17 Thunder AZ (2 – previous ranking) 2. MKE Sting 17 Gold WI (1) 3. Hou Skyline 17 Royal TX (3) 4. Skyline 17 Royal TX (8) 5. 1st Alliance 17 Gold IL (4) 6. TAV 17 Black Jon TX (15) 7. Tribe 17 Elite Cardinal FL (10) 8. Adidas KiVA 17 Red KY (5) 9. OT 17 Aaron FL (23) 10. Circle City 17 Purple IN (17) *** 11. Mich Elite 17 Mizuno MI (6) 12. Legacy 17-1 Adidas MI (9) 13. ID Crush 17 Bower ID (11) 14. HJV 17 Elite TX (25) 15. Nebraska One 17 Synergy NE (12) 16. Surfside 17 Legends Loriann CA (14) 17. Northern Lights 17-1 MN (18) 18. Dynasty 17 Black KS (13) 19. Madfrog 17 Green TX (21) 20. A5 17-1 Calvin GA (16) *** 21. Coast 17-1 CA (24) 22. Wave 17 Juliana CA (31) 23. AZ Sky 17 Gold AZ (41) 24. Excel 17 National Red TX (7) 25. Adrenaline 17 Ben IA (19) 26. Drive Nation 17 Red TX (20) 27. Tri-State Elite 17 Blue OH (22) 28. AVC Cle 17 Red OH (26) 29. CUVC 17 Open NC (34) 30. MAVS KC 17-1 KS (27) *** 31. Co Jrs 17 Kevin CO (29) 32. NorCal 17-1 Black CA (32) 33. Triangle 17 Black NC (33) 34. Sky High Adidas 17 Elite IL (28) 35. GP 17 Rox FL (37) 36. Alamo 17 Premier TX (38) 37. Austin Skyline 17 Royal TX (36) 38. Mizuno Long Beach 17 Rockstar CA (39) 39. OT 17 O Felix FL (46) 40. AJV 17 Adidas TX (45) *** 41. VCNebraska 17 Elite NE (42) 42. Academy 17 Tsunami IN (49) 43. Seal Beach 17 Black CA (44) 44. AVA TX 17 Adidas TX (47) 45. PVA 17-B FL (n/r) 46. Tx Performance 17s Black TX (n/r) 47. HPSTL 17 Royal MO (30) 48. KC Power 17 Black KS (n/r) 49. TAV 17 Black Haroun TX (n/r) 50. Top Select 17 Elite FL (43) *** ON THE CUSP Vision 17 Gold CA A4  Volley 17 Joaco CA SG Elite 17 Rosh CA Metro 17 Travel DC FC Elite 17 Navy WI Ku’Ikahi 17 Wahine RSB HI NKYVC 17-1 Tsunami KY Wildfire 17N Open FL AP 17 Adidas TX PVA 17 Elite KS EU U17 Black IN No Name 17 Sarah FL

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Vballrecruiter 18s Club National Rankings (April)

March 26, 2024

We are a week away from the final month of the season for the USAV portion of the 18s season. There is only one qualifier left – the SCVA Red Rock Rave this coming weekend – and it will determine three more bid winners. As we move closer to April, we have updated our 18s National Rankings. We released our last update right after the conclusion of Triple Crown. Since then, there have been eight qualifiers as well as Bluegrass to add to the results pool. While it led to plenty of shifting overall in our latest update, the top-ranked team remains the same in TAV 18 Black. KC Power 18 Black and Coast 18-1 Ozhan also remained put at Nos. 2 and 3 respectively. From there though is when the movement starts to take place, with Munciana 18 Samurai moving up to No. 4 after winning MEQ and Skyline 18 Royal climbing into the Top 10 for the first time this season. You can see the full rankings below. VBALLRECRUITER 18s TOP 50 NATIONAL RANKINGS 1. TAV 18 Black TX (1 – previous ranking) 2. KC Power 18-1 Black KS (2) 3. Coast 18-1 Ozhan CA (3) 4. Munciana 18 Samurai IN (6) 5. Skyline 18 Royal TX (12) 6. 1st Alliance 18 Gold IL (4) 7. Club V 18 Ren Reed UT (5) 8. Madfrog 18 Green TX (7) 9. Tri-State Elite 18 Blue OH (8) 10. Team Pineapple 18 Black IN (10) *** 11. Triangle 18 Black NC (9) 12. Hou Skyline 18 Royal TX (11) 13. Academy 18 Rage IN (14) 14. Wave 18 Brennan CA (16) 15. SCVC 18 Roxy CA (13) 16. Six Pack 18 IA (47) 17. Premier Nebraska 18 Gold NE (15) 18. A5 18 Marc GA (17) 19. Mizuno Long Beach 18 Rockstar CA (22) 20. NPJ 18 Forefront OR (20) *** 21. Pohaku 18-1 KS (19) 22. Rockwood Thunder 18 Elite MO (21) 23. K2 18 Adidas Jota TN (23) 24. OT 18 Roberto FL (24) 25. Metro 18 Travel DC (33) 26. City 18 Gold CA (18) 27. MKE Sting 18 Gold WI (35) 28. Madfrog 18 Black TX (n/r) 29. AZ Rev 18 Premier AZ (44) 30. Circle City 18 Purple IN (49) *** 31. FC Elite 18 Elite WI (39) 32. Mintonette Sports m.81 OH (25) 33. HJV 18 Elite TX (26) 34. MN Select 18-1 MN (29) 35. SG Elite 18 Rosh CA (48) 36. Vision 18 Gold CA (30) 37. MAVS KC 18-1 KS (32) 38. AZ Sky 18G AZ (27) 39. VCNebraska 18 Elite NE (36) 40. Top Select 18 Elite FL (n/r) *** 41. SASVBC 18 Lesli HI (42) 42. Tstreet 18 Chandler CA (37) 43. Momentous 18 Dan CA (31) 44. SPVB 18 Elite IL (43) 45. NKYVC 18-1 Tsunami KY (28) 46. Far Out 18 Black MI (41) 47. Norco 18-1 Black CO (n/r) 48. Academy 18 Diamond NC (45) 49. Seal Beach 18 Black CA (n/r) 50. OJVA 18-1 Gold OR (n/r) *** ON THE CUSP OVA 18 Black FL HPSTL 18 Royal MO Tribe 18 Elite Cardinal FL Miami Hype 18 Emilio FL Northern Lights 18-1 MN OT 18 Tony FL VC United 18 Elite IL Paramount 18 Walter VA Alamo 18 Premier TX AVA TX 18 Adidas TX OT 18 J Stephen FL Absolute 18 Black CA

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Commitments & Signings Week of March 15-21

March 22, 2024

Congrats to all! Corrections? Questions? Additions? Email christi@vballrecruiter.com or DM on Social Media @vballphil   2024 NEW MEXICO STATE: OH Jacqueline Corcoran (Shockwave) NEW MEXICO STATE: L Makayla Martinez (DCVA) NOTRE DAME:  OPP Kailyn Greene-Gordon (Jersey Juniors) NEVADA: L Summer Suppik (Mizuno Long Beach) BELLARMINE UNIVERSITY: S MaKenzie Chivington (Empowered VBA) TOLEDO: S Maija Eglitis (Elite VBTC) KENT STATE: MB Nadia Miller (Premier Academy) PURDUE FORT WAYNE: OPP Jaelyn Hall (Premier Academy) DEFIANCE COLLEGE: OH Kate Suter (Premier Academy) BOWLING GREEN STATE: OH Ava Buddelmeyer (Premier Academy) ARIZONA STATE: OH Kiylah Presley (Paramount) SAINT LOUIS: MB Justina Asamoa (UNO) EASTERN MICHIGAN: L Rylee Szyszka (Sports Performance) GADSDEN STATE COLLEGE: MB Makasia Crawford (Alabama Performance) MISSOURI VALLEY COLLEGE: OH Jamia Smith (Alabama Performance) WISCONSIN STEVENS POINT: OH/OPP Addison Miller (Iowa Select) CAMERON: MB Haley Beggs (TAV) ROCHESTER COMMUNITY TECHNICAL COLLEGE:  DS Jayda Bednarek (SWMVB) EAST CENTRAL UNIVERSITY: OH/OPP Peyton Spahn (Houston Stellar) LAWRENCE TECH: OH Hannah Kotch (L2 Volleyball) MISSOURI WEST PLAINS: L Chesnea Blakey (Ozark Juniors) ST. MARYS COLLEGE MD: OH Maya Mauro NOTRE DAME MD: MB Gwen Abnett (Sparks VBC) NOTRE DAME MD: OPP/MB Jillian Shoultz (Maryland Juniors) ROCKY MOUNTAIN COLLEGE: OH Kelsie McColloch ROCKY MOUNTAIN COLLEGE: DS/RS Delayne Lindeen WALLACE STATE: DS Mia Fowler (Bama Elite) SD MESA CC: MB Giselle Haugen (A4 Volley) SD MESA CC: S/OPP Kaitlyn Johnson (Coast) MINNESOTA CROOKSTON: MB/OH Karys Johnson ARKANSAS TECH: MB Karlly Dillard (AZ Storm) OREGON TECH: OH Berlynn Overturf (Idaho Crush) OREGON TECH: L Ellie Owen (Central Oregon) TEMPLE COLLEGE: MB/OH Lana Wright (Roots) CHICO STATE: OH Jillian Davis (Spokane Renovators) AMARILLO COLLEGE: MB Jacey Loudder AMARILLO COLLEGE: MB Jaelynn Hardman AMARILLO COLLEGE: S Lilliana Rangel DALLAS COLLEGE NORTH LAKE: MB Rosa Harris WHITTIER COLLEGE: L Alyssa Gonzalez (Tstreet IE)   2025 SAINT LOUIS: S Jetta Brenning (Mintonette Sports) SOUTH CAROLINA UPSTATE: L Emma Nash (KC Power) SOUTH CAROLINA UPSTATE: OH/DS Sophia Overholt (Upward Stars) WEST VIRGINIA: S Sarah Pfiffner (TAV) USC: OH Presley Kiffin (Mizuno Long Beach) NEW HAMPSHIRE: OH Lucy Chertock (Norcal) BOWLING GREEN STATE: OH Ava Buddelmeyer (Premier OH) MONTANA: OH Mylee Blake (North Pacific Juniors) NORTH FLORIDA: MB Katelyn Bowman (Excel) SOUTHEAST MISSOURI: S Ellie Burns (Northern Lights) WINTHROP: OH/OPP KeAra Bowen (United) DUQUESNE: OH Karli Jordan (TAV) COLORADO STATE: OH Halle Jameson (Excel) APPALACHIAN STATE: L Izzy Perkins (Carolina Union) MEMPHIS: L Mandy Lawson (Rockwood Thunder) OAKLAND: MB Ellen Zapp (Circle City) MIDDLE TENNESSEE: OH Gabrielle Clinkscale (Rockwood Thunder) ELON: L Dani Wallace (Elon) WRIGHT STATE: L Taygan Corstange (Dead Frog) PURDUE: OH Maija Howse (North Pacific Juniors) ST. CLOUD STATE: MB Kendall Huhnerkoch (SWMVB) SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA STATE: L Natalie Wahl (SWMVB) WILLIAM AND MARY: S Shylah Swope (VA Elite) DRURY: MB Caroline Red (Ozark Juniors) HARVARD: L Sophia Jo (A5) FORT LEWIS COLLEGE: OH Cambria Freymuth (Excel) SOUTHWEST BAPTIST: OH Julia Hicks (Excel)     TRANSFERS LMU: TR MB Kalani Hayes (Sacramento State/Oregon Juniors) ALABAMA: GR OH Paris Thompson (Notre Dame/Florida Gulfside) BRADLEY: TR L Megan DePoorter (SIUE/Iowa Select) PENN STATE MONT ALTO: TR MB Arianna Davey (Montgomery College) NOTRE DAME MD: GR OPP/MB Dasia Wade (Delaware State/Bowie State/Baltimore Elite)  

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PNQ 18s: Preview and Predictions

March 22, 2024

Among the final qualifiers for the 18s is the Pacific Northwest Qualifier in Spokane. Below, we take a look at the teams competing, which ones are nationally-ranked, players to know, as well as offer our predictions. 18 OPEN Number of Teams: 11 Number of Bids: 2 Previously-Qualified Teams (3): Pohaku 18-1; OJVA 18-1 Gold; Seal Beach 18 Black Vballrecruiter Nationally-Ranked Teams (2): 19. Pohaku 18-1 KS 20. NPJ 18 Forefront OR   5-Star Players to Know Mak Miller MB Pohaku 18-1   4-Star Players to Know: Alexis Haury S NPJ 18 Forefront (Washington) Lauren Dreves OH OJVA 18 Gold (Auburn)   3-Star Players to Know: Tea Bosanac Dakine Warriors 18 Surf (Colgate) Bridget Woodruff Dakine Warriors 18 Surf (Fordham) Tessa Hurley Seal Beach 18 Black Ava Spachek OH Pohaku 18-1 (Saint Louis) Ava Martin S Pohaku 18-1 (San Jose State)) Alexis Alexander MB Pohaku 18-1 (Arkansas) Lauryn Johnson OH NPJ 18 Forefront (Arizona State) Hailey Heytvelt MB OJVA 18 Gold (Campbell) Elisabeth Levick S OJVA 18 Gold (Old Dominion) Halle Reiter L/DS OJVA 18 Gold (Santa Clara)   Outlook: With 11 teams, this weekend’s 18 Open field is the smallest of the season. With it, just two bids are going to be awarded, with the third one going into the at-large pool. Three of the 11 teams have bids already, so two of the remaining eight are guaranteed to join them. It’s a great opportunity for those clubs to join the Open ranks. One team to definitely watch is NPJ. The club was close to qualifying previously and performed well at last month’s Triple Crown tournament. It’s hard not seeing NPJ getting it done this weekend. After that, it’s wide open. Prediction: I think NPJ not only qualifies in Spokane but comes away with the victory after beating Pohaku in the final. OJVA and Norco 18-1 tie for third, with Norco earning the second available bid.

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SCVA Red Rock 14s: Preview and Predictions

March 21, 2024

The 14s division has been the slowest of the age groups to get going. There has been just one qualifier so far – the Sunshine Classic – to award bids. That changes this coming weekend with three qualifiers on the schedule. It includes the SCVA Red Rock Rave for the younger age groups, including 14 Open. We take a look at the field below, with nationally-ranked teams, players to know, as well as offer predictions on how it might unfold. 14 OPEN Number of Teams: 26 Number of Bids: 3 Previously-Qualified Teams: n/a Vballrecruiter Nationally-Ranked Teams (9): 6. Coast 14-1 CA 18. Arizona Storm 14 Thunder AZ 20. Tstreet 14 Tara CA 29. SG Elite 14 Rosh CA 33. Wave 14 Tammy CA 34. Absolute 14 Black CA 38. Mizuno Long Beach 14 Rockstar CA 47. Sunshine 14 Westside CA 48. SASVBC 14 Kevin HI   4-Star Players to Know: Milan Hendrickson OH Absolute 14 Black Piper Coady OH Tstreet 14 Tara Bella Turcios L/DS Tstreet 14 Tara   3-Star Players to Know: Lila Liimatta OH Aspire 14 Premier Zoe Keaney MB SASVBC 14 Kevin Samantha Saba L/DS Coast 14-1 Alice Burgett S Coast 14-1 Emilie LaSala OH Coast 14-1 Kennedy Wilkinson L/DS Wave 14 Tammy Brooke Badorek S/RS Tstreet 14 Tara Abby Moffett S/RS Tstreet 14 Tara Amari Frazier MB Arizona Storm 14 Thunder Annabelle Ross MB Arizona Storm 14 Thunder Jade Smith S Arizona Storm 14 Thunder Nikolina Djordjevich OH Arizona Storm 14 Thunder Riley Stringer S Mizuno Long Beach 14 Rockstar Carolina Delaney OH Absolute 14 Black Abigail Lennon OH Sunshine 14 Westside Caira Tasi MB SF Elite 14 Saga   Outlook: Most of the teams in 14 Open have only played one national tournament to date and that was Triple Crown. It’s hard to believe, but that was over a month ago. No doubt teams learned from their time in Kansas City and all have improved since then. That makes this coming weekend’s event in Las Vegas wide open in my opinion. Coast did the best of anyone in the field at Triple Crown, but that offers no assurance of performing well in Vegas. A factor that heavily shapes the three-day event is the absence of trickle down. There are no teams which have qualified previously, so taking home a bid means finishing in the top three. A scenario like that always creates plenty of drama and intense conclusions. Not all that surprising is the field is West Coast heavy, with all the ranked teams competing from California, Arizona and Hawaii. Prediction: It’s tough to call results in the 14s, because the play can be so back-and-forth. I’m picking Tstreet to beat Arizona Storm in the final, as both qualify. SG Elite outlasts Coast in the third-place contest to grab the last bid.

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MEQ 14 & 15s: Preview and Predictions

March 21, 2024

The second weekend of the Mideast Qualifier features the 14 and 15 Open divisions competing in St. Louis this Friday, Saturday and Sunday. As one would expect of MEQ, both fields are loaded and earning a bid in either is going to be a difficult task. As for the 14s, MEQ is one of three qualifiers taking place this weekend for that age group. Below, we take a glance at both divisions, with nationally-ranked teams, players to know, as well as offer a prediction on what may transpire. 15 OPEN Number of Teams: 48 Number of Bids: 3 Previously-Qualified Teams (1): TAV 15 Black Vballrecruiter Nationally-Ranked Teams (15): 1. TAV 15 Black TX 5. A5 15-1 Kelly GA 6. Skyline 15 Royal TX 10. KC Power 15 Black KS 22. VCNebraska 15 Elite NE 23. 1st Alliance 15 Gold IL 25. MN Select 15-1 MN 29. Austin Skyline 15 Royal TX 31. FH 15 Ikaika-Andy TX 42. Mintonette Sports m.51 OH 44. Elevation 15 Tony OH 45. Dynasty 15 Black KS 46. HPSTL 15 Royal MO 47. Rockwood Thunder 15 Elite MO 49. Peak 15 Black TX   5-Star Players to Know: Peyton Kubik OH Dynasty 15 Black Shaye Witherspoon OH Rockwood Thunder 15 Elite Allie Hudgins OH Austin Skyline 15 Royal Naomi Livings OH/RS TAV 15 Black Nyla Livings MB TAV 15 Black Brynn Stephens S/RS TAV 15 Black Marissa Jones S A5 15-1 Kelly   4-Star Players to Know: McKinley Moser S VCNebraska 15 Elite Kailey Leonard L/DS A5 15-1 Kelly Kylee Evans MB A5 15-1 Kelly Kyla Williams MB AVC Cle 15 Red Peyton Heatherly S 1st Alliance 15 Gold Bryn Meyer RS Mintonette Sports m.51 Lexi Martin OH TAV 15 Black Gentry Barker OH TAV 15 Black Sophee Peterson S/RS TAV 15 Black Mariah Akinsola MB TAV 15 Black Ansley Shafer L/DS TAV 15 Black Emerson Butler S Austin Skyline 15 Royal Ryan Spencer OH Skyline 15 Royal Morgan Meiring OH Elevation 15 Tony   Outlook: Among the items we know for sure is TAV is safe. That’s because our top-ranked club secured its bid to nationals already by finishing runner up at the Sunshine Classic. We also know all three bids are going to be handed out, and that trickle down can’t go beyond fourth place. After that, who knows? It’s a full field with 48 teams and features 15 from our Top 50 national rankings. It should make for a wild ride with lots of twists and turns. A5 and Skyline have delivered consistent results to date and figure to factor in. KC Power was a big surprise with its performance at Triple Crown and will look to back it up with another strong showing this weekend. The rest of the ranked teams are evenly-matched and all figure to show improvement over the course of the last month when most competed at Triple Crown. All it takes at a qualifier like this is an upset on Day 1 or 2 to upend the seedings and force contenders into the same pools. That leads to someone you would expect to be in the hunt getting eliminated earlier than expected and that opens up a spot for an unexpected team to take advantage of. The guess is something along those lines happens here. Prediction: If my predictions play out accordingly, it’s going to be a good weekend for TAV. I picked the club to win both 14 and 16 Open at Northern Lights, and I’m going with TAV to leave with a title in 15 Open as well at MEQ. As for the bids, I’m going with KC Power to finish in second place and earn one of them. Tying for third place and earning the other two bids is going to be Skyline and VCNebraska. ***** 14 OPEN Number of Teams: 28 Number of Bids: 3 Previously-Qualified Teams (1): HPSTL 14 Royal Vballrecruiter Nationally-Ranked Teams (13): 1. Madfrog 14 Green TX 2. HPSTL 14 Royal MO 8. Dynasty 14 Black KS 9. Circle City 14 Purple IN 10. NKYVC 14-1 Tsunami KY 12. Elevation 14 Molly OH 14. AVC Cle 14 Red 16. MAVS KC 14-1 KS 23. HJV 14 Elite TX 28. Mintonette Sports m.41 OH 31. KC Power 14 Black KS 44. ARVC 14-1 Adidas NM 50. TPV 14-Zulu TN   5-Star Players to Know: Sarah Albers RS HPSTL 14 Royal Maya Ogbogu OH Madfrog 14 Green   4-Star Players to Know: Gracie White MB Madfrog 14 Green Olivia Kitur OH Madfrog 14 Green Hayden Thomas MB Madfrog 14 Green Aleyna Bramschreiber S/RS Madfrog 14 Green Nora Goodenow MB MAVS KC 14-1 Jaelyn Jordan S MAVS KC 14-1 Carsyn Chitty L/DS Mintonette Sports m.41 Sade Bello OH HJV 14 Elite   Outlook: Like 15 Open, there is only one team which has a bid already in HPSTL. It creates the same scenario, where teams must finish in the top four to have any shot of qualifying, and that is if HPSTL also finishes in the top four. If not, teams have to finish in the top three to qualify. With 13 teams featured in our Top 50, nearly half the field is in our national rankings. That should make for a competitive weekend, one that is going to make earning a bid tough to accomplish. One thing to watch for is a possible Triple Crown finals rematch between Madfrog and HPSTL. While HPSTL is safe having a bid already, Madfrog is seeking to take care of its qualifying spot in its first effort of the season. Dynasty has been a strong team so far, and Circle City captured the title at Central Zone. Both are real contenders in terms of qualifying. In 14 Open though, the play is unpredictable enough that teams can rise up, pull off upsets and earn bids. NKYVC, Elevation, AVC Cle, MAVS and HJV are all examples of teams that could find themselves in that position. Prediction: My call is going with a reverse of Triple Crown, with

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