VERA AI
SIGN UP

Premium Content

Bluegrass: Gold Medal Rundown

March 11, 2024

The 30th anniversary of the Adidas Bluegrass tournament did not disappoint! Here is a rundown of the Open finals from Sunday. While I didn’t get to watch this 18s final match I did get to see both of these squads in the Gold Bracket all day. Team Pineapple 18 Black ended up sweeping WVBA 18 Adidas (25-17,25-12). A 5-star Notre Dame signee, Morgan Gaerte was on fire. She was hitting over or around blocks with ease. Her setter Mya Ball, a 3-star Central Florida signee, did a great job quarterbacking on the court too. And on the WVBA side of the net 2026 3-star recruit Laura Eichert was terminating balls on the regular in each match. The 17 Open match up ended with Tribe 17 Elite Cardinal defeating Adidas KIVA 17 Red in three sets (25-16, 24-26, 18-16). In game one KIVA couldn’t find their normal groove and Tribe was happy to jump on the opportunity. The second game was a bit closer where KIVA started to play like they have all weekend. In the end Tribe took the title with a 18-16 win in the third set. A couple of tidbits from the match includes the fact that one of KIVA’s middle 5-star Louisville commit Addison Makun was on the sideline cheering on her squad with a boot on. Another tidbit about both of these squads is that both of them genuinely look like they love playing together and have this feeling of fun on the court which I so love to see. And there were so many shining stars on the court for this matchup. On the KIVA side of the net setter and 3-star recruit Emilee Fuller was dishing with ease consistently while Libero Kristen Simon, a 5-star Wisconsin commit, was holding the line in serve receive and defensively. On the Tribe side of the net, Charlotte Glass, a 5-star recruit committed to Duke, was shining both in the assists department and offensively (her dump is pretty lethal). Also the pins 5-star Minnesota commit Kelly Kinney, 3-star Oklahoma commit Tekoa Barnes, and 4-star UCLA commit Mija Bendziute were continuously cranking on the ball with a vengeance. Boiler Jrs 161E Gold ended up sweeping Illini Elite 16 Cardinal in 2 sets (25-15,25-20) for the 16s Final. Boiler Jrs all weekend looked incredibly strong offensively and completely tenacious on defense. A 4-star recruit setter, Lexi Shondell and 4-star libero Ellie Hepler are a duo that literally betters their teammates. On the Illini Elite side of the net 4-star Lily Bosworth was a wall defensively in every match. That being said Illini Elite was the team I loved watching get better and better as the tournament went on. Passionate is how I would describe Munciana 15 Blue. In the finals their chemistry helped them defeat Tri-State Elite 15 Blue in 2 sets (25-19,28-26). That being said, Tri-State Elite really pushed their opponent and was another squad I loved to see get better and better as the tournament went on. Impact players for this match included Munciana athletes 5-star middle blocker Carsyn Comer and outside hitter Shania Rhamy along with Tri-State Elite middle blocker Jillian Forrest and 2028 3-star setter Penelope Reisman. Circle City 14 Purple played well this weekend and defeated Munciana 14 Chipmunks in 3 sets (25-16, 19-25, 15-13) in the finals. Circle City was led by 3-star outside hitter Audrey Utterback and 3-star setter Charlee Groninger while Munciana was led by middle blocker 3-star Abbie Powell and setter Paislee Terry. The 13s final was well in the afternoon (and I had to catch a flight) BUT Elevation 13 S J swept Circle City 13 Purple 25-20, 25-18. I watched both of these squads leading up to the finals and both squads have a ton of upcoming talent! Elevation was anchored by libero Miranda Ludwick while Circle City had outside hitter Abby Mccory firing away consistently. The 12s Finals are always fun to watch. Yes, serving is a huge force in the end BUT watch out for both of these squads in June. Boiler Jrs 121E Gold defeated Elevation 12 Berg in 2 sets (25-22, 25-17) and was the team that not only capitalized on being consistent but attacking well at the net. One thing about the Boilers you don’t see everyday is no libero on the court. And watch out for setter Story Nixon. She might be small but she is cunning. On the Elevation side of the net the S/MB duo of Kennedy Mallory and Anna Richter are always going to be going after it hard!

Read More »

Bluegrass: Day 2 Show Stoppers

March 10, 2024

On the second day of the Adidas Bluegrass Tournament all age groups were in full effect. In the morning wave the “even” age group divisions (10,12,14,16,18) squared off followed by the “odd” age groups (11,13,15,17) in the afternoon. Overall the day was filled with an electrifying showcase of volleyball skills, packed with incredible play and spectacular displays of athleticism. The national volleyball pipeline is brimming with budding talent. Witnessing these young athletes — some playing one, two, even three levels beyond their age — competing with poise is a testament to the future of the sport. Their ability to not just participate, but to truly contend, is a thrilling spectacle for volleyball enthusiasts everywhere. Keep an eye out for these athletes: 2028 Kairos 15 Alpha setter Josalyn Samuels,  2029 Kairos 14 Alpha outside hitter Julia Masselink, and 2029 S/RS Evelyn Shirk Dunes 16 Black. And fun fact for everyone this is the 30th Anniversary of the Bluegrass Tournament. Kudos KIVA! DAY 2 SHOW STOPPERS Morgan Asleson L SPVB 18 Elite: Asleson, a 2025 Dayton commit, is steady out of serve receive. She also reads and anticipates well which helps her be in the right spots to make plays. Hailee Mack L IMGA 18: There’s a smoothness to the way 3-star Vandebilt signee Mack plays. She’s always under control and rarely misses as pass or dig. Delaney Gash OH Lex United 18 Elite: Gash, an Akron signee, is an outside with a knack for scoring. She’s a physical, hard swinger and plays with lots of aggression. Makayla Bays OH K2 18 Adidas Jota: Bays, an East Tennessee State signee, was hammering the line while I was watching the court. I love her intensity on defense too. Kelly Kinney OH Tribe 17 Elite Cardinal: Kinney, a 5-star Minnesota commit, is incredibly smart offensively. While she is known for her aggressive swings, she is also very smart in shot placement which I love to see. Jordyn Hughes MB Dead Frog 17 Black: Hughes, a UConn commit, is an undersized middle who is very quick both laterally and jumping. Her swing is fast and aggressive. Mariah Gaines OH OPVC 17 Day: Gaines, a 3-star recruit committed to Dayton, is a strong six-rotation player with good passing skills. She hits front and back row and is a heady attacker. Ellie Hepler L Boiler Jrs 161E Gold: Hepler, a 4-star recruit, is smooth out of serve receive. She also has great technique both defensively and while passing. Cali Foster OH Boiler Jrs 161E Gold: Foster, a 4-star recruit, attacks from the back row with a vengeance. She is also very scrappy defensively. Lily Van Hal & Londyn Smith S Kairos 16 Alpha: Van Hal/Smith are the setters on their squad. Both have a great touch on the ball and connect well with their hitters. Makenzie Walsh & Kya Keegan RS Kairos 16 Alpha: Walsh/Keegan were the right side pins on their squad. Both provided a defensive wall for their squad. Leilani Ramos S Tribe 16 Elite Cardinal: Ramos brings both smooth dishing and a no fear 5-1 setter tone to the court. Alexa Benda MB Bama Elite 16 Spartans: Benda is a literally wall defensively at the net. She moves well laterally consistently. Evelyn Shirk S/RS Dunes 16 Black: Shirk is a 2029 playing up and hanging quite well in the 16’s age group. She packs a punch offensively in the front row while dishing with strength in the back row. Tallulah Carney MB K2 16-1 Adidas: Carney is fast, long, and aggressive in the middle. She is one to watch grow in this game. Ryea Jackson MB IMGA 16: Jackson, a 4-star recruit, runs a quick in the middle like nobody’s business. It’s quite impressive. Amirra Bailey MB BRAVO 16 Black: Whenever you walk by a court Bailey, a 5-star recruit, is on you just have to stop and watch. She is a force both offensively and defensively at the net. Courtney Burgess S/RS Armor 16 Valor: Burgess is a strong disher who makes big plays both as a setter and a hitter. Josalyn Samuels S Kairos 15 Alpha: Samuels, a 2028 5-star recruit, runs the show well on the court. She dishes with precision and aggression which is fun to watch. Sarah Stegall OH Team Pineapple 15 Black: Stegall is an athletic outside hitter who swings with a heavy hand and no fear. Kyla Williams MB AVC CLE 15 Red: Williams, a 4-star recruit, holds a huge presence on the court. She can literally go over blockers when she connects. Audrey Utterback OH Circle City 14 Purple: Utterback, a 3-star recruit, is literally following in her sister’s footsteps. She can fly offensively and when she connects down the line, watch out! Julia Masselink OH Kairos 14 Alpha: Masselink, a 2029 outside, is an offensive weapon who plays well above her age level. Gia Stokes MB Boiler Jrs 131E Gold: Stokes attacks in middle with fire and force. She moves laterally well which makes her a defensive gem. Ava Anders OH AVC CLE 13 Red: Anders is a six rotation outside who hits a high and heavy ball well.

Read More »

Bluegrass: Day 1 Show Stoppers

March 9, 2024

Hello Bluegrass! Not only is it my first time to this tournament, BUT it’s also the debut of the three-day tournament for 15-18 Open. That being said, since we started in the PM I took the opportunity to walk from court to court to watch as many matches as possible. Tons of top notch talent were on the courts and it will make the next two days fun to watch. This afternoon I saw two pairs of defensive gems who both stood out to me on their respective squads. Liberos Yana Tuioti and Sidney Ginter on NPJ Salem 16 National both were balling out respectively on their court. TPV 18-Maverick libero Julianna Santiago, a Tennessee signee, and defensive specialist Layla Haritatos, a North Dakota State signee, were fun to watch work in tandem on the court. Their energy was contagious also. *** DAY 1 SHOW STOPPERS Addison Tindall OH Munciana 18 Samurai:  Tindall, a 5-star Purdue commit, was literally ripping on the outside. Bella Bullington OH SPVB 18 Elite: Bullington, a 4-star Northwestern commit, always brings the heat anywhere she is on the court. Julianna Santiago L TPV 18-Maverick: Santiago, a Tennessee signee, is a gamer. She’s quick and covers ground in a hurry. She can be seen flying all over the court in pursuit of the ball. Natalie Carr OH Pgh Elite 17 Elite: Carr, a 4-star recruit, is a steadying six-rotation player who does just about everything for her squad. She’s very strong and powerful when she goes on the attack. Abbey Emch OH/MB Infinity 17 Green: Emch, a 4-star Pitt commit, is a six-rotation outside/middle blocker who can terminate everywhere on the court. Malia Romes MB Athlete HQ 17-Burger: Romes, a 2026 athlete playing up, can make an impact across the front row. She has a quick arm and adds an offensive dimension to the attack. Maya Harris OH Munciana 17 Pandas: Harris, another 2026 playing up, has an unassuming demeanor about her but she shouldn’t be underestimated. She can really lay into kills with her lively swing. Reese Lowe OH FaR Out 17 Black: Lowe is an outside with a knack for scoring. She’s a physical, hard swinger and plays with lots of fight. Daisy Oatsvall OH Alliance 17 REN: While Oatsvall is technically an undersized outside, she can literally fly. So much fun to watch! Victoria Otter MB Ozark Juniors 17 Elite: Otter ran one of the prettiest slide attacks I have seen in a while. She always provides a great first layer of defense. Madison Hooper OH Ozark Juniors 17 Elite: Hooper, 3-star recruit, has a great swing and really gets after it attacking the block and hitting with pace. Clara Hoegh S Kairos 17 Alpha: Hoegh, a Augustana commit, was running the show for her squad. She’s a competitor with a strong ability to dish the ball around to her hitters. Delaney Steers OH Academy 17E Tsunami: Steers, a 3-star recruit, is an effective scorer on the court. She also brings great energy to the floor. Abigail Knight OH/RS SPVB 16 Elite: Knight, a 3-star recruit, does well on both pins offensively and defensively. Brooklynne Brass OH SPVB 16 Elite: Brass, a 3-star recruit, is a firecracker on the outside. She has an incredibly fast swing to boot. Kendall Bosse MB Tri-State Elite 16 Blue: Bosse, 3-star recruit, might not be the tallest middle in the gym but she can attack incredibly fast and beats the block on the regular. Finley Arp OH FaR Out 16 Black: Arp is a six-rotation player who is a smart attacker with a fluid swing who can score in multiple ways. Lily Bosworth Illini Elite 16 Cardinal: Bosworth, 4-star recruit, is a literal wall at the net defensively. She moves well laterally quickly and efficiently. Cassidy Monahan MB Illini Elite 16 Cardinal: Monahan brings good energy, has a solid arm and was showing a knack for making timely blocks. Jada Johnson OH/RS NPJ Salem 16 National: Johnson is an undersized pin who not only jumps well but brings a lot of athleticism and fire to the court. Lily Mae Buerkle S NPJ Salem 16 National: Buerkle does a great job quarterbacking her squad. She dishes the ball with ease. Audrey Dyas MB NKYVC 16-1 Tsunami: Dyas, a 4-star recruit, has the ability to make impacts on both side of the ball. She has a quick jump, which helps her be both a reliable scorer and effective blocker. Macie Smith OH Academy 16E Yeti: Smith, 3-star recruit, might not be the flashiest outside but she knows how to both terminate and play smoothly. Piper Batie S Ozark Juniors 16 Elite: Batie moves the ball around well to get her various hitters involved. She shows consistent accuracy with a consistent release. Mia Gold OH Tribe 16 Elite Cardinal: Gold, a 4-star recruit, is a combination of a calm and smooth outside who has no fear swinging and likes to bring the heat. Kendall Hubbard S Elevation 15 Tony: Hubbard, a 3-star recruit, dishes the ball from pin to pin with ease. She is also a force at the net. Kinley Sandager RS TPV 15-Maverick: Sandager is a lefty with a whip of an armswing who when she connects she can crush.

Read More »

Sunshine Classic: 16 Open All Red Hat Team

March 7, 2024

With the first weekend of the Sunshine Classic all wrapped up and the Open bids awarded in the 16 and 17 divisions, we turn our attention to our All Red Hat Team for 16 Open. It’s our version of an all-tournament team. The selections were picked from the 12 teams which made the gold pools and based on their performances over the course of three days. 16s ALL RED HAT TEAM PIN HITTERS Sara Snowbarger Mintonette Sports m.61 Layla Hoying Mintonette Sports m.61 Jordin Southall GP 16 Rox Catherine Palmi GP 16 Rox Jenness Orcutt GP 16 Rox Madisyn Crnjac Arizona Storm 16 Thunder Taylor Clarke Skyline 16 Royal LeVariya Pinder Skyline 16 Royal Clara Briley A5 16-1 Gabe Sofia Guerrero-Wilson A5 16-1 Gabe Gigi Artiles Tribe 16 Elite Cardinal Mia Gold Tribe 16 Elite Cardinal Isabella Umpierre WPVC 16 Armour Black Brooklyn Jenkins AZ Sky 16G Sarah Hickman HJV 16 Elite Amaya Love HJV 16 Elite *** MIDDLE BLOCKERS Alia Schoonover Mintonette Sports m.61 London Adkins GP 16 Rox Brooke Harwood Arizona Storm 16 Thunder Hayden Conner Arizona Storm 16 Thunder Keoni Williams Skyline 16 Royal Riley Bethea A5 16-1 Gabe Gracison Saylors A5 16-1 Gabe Eva Smith Triangle 16 Black Jolene Oddo Triangle 16 Black Jenna Hunt Vision 16 Gold *** SETTERS Mallory Matheny Mintonette Sports m.61 Elizabeth Scholvin Mintonette Sports m.61 Lily Rolfes Arizona Storm 16 Thunder Madison Victoriano Skyline 16 Royal Riley McCaughey Tribe 16 Elite Cardinal Elle Mottola WPVC 16 Armour Black Vivian Hickman AZ Sky 16G *** LIBEROS/DSs Emma Cugino Mintonette Sports m.61 Aylani Correa GP 16 Rox Kalli Lipo Arizona Storm 16 Thunder Kiley Brooks Skyline 16 Royal Marianne Garcia AZ Sky 16G Gemma Hopkins HJV 16 Elite

Read More »

Sunshine Classic: 17 Open All Red Hat Team

March 7, 2024

It was an incredible three days of competition this past weekend at the Sunshine Classic. The first bids went out in 16 Open, while 17 Open picked up its qualifying after the opening round at Northern Lights back in January. You can read about how it played out here. Below, we introduce our 17 Open All Red Hat Team. It’s our version of an all-tournament team. The selections were picked from the 12 teams which made the gold pools and based on their performances over the course of three days. 17s ALL RED HAT TEAM PIN HITTERS Teraya Sigler Arizona Storm 17 Thunder Devyn Wiest Arizona Storm 17 Thunder Raegan Richardson AZ Sky 17G Georgi Stein AZ Sky 17G Addison France AZ Sky 17G Sophia Thornburg Skyline 17 Royal Bella Ocampo Skyline 17 Royal Naya Salfiti Skyline 17 Royal Alex Richter TAV 17 Black Marie Laurio Legacy 17-1 Adidas Hannah Hankerson OT 17 Aaron Maggie Dostic OT 17 Aaron Ava Wysocki Sky High Adidas 17 Elite Kelly Kinney Tribe 17 Elite Cardinal Victoria Hill GP 17 Rox Gabi Martinez HJV 17 Elite Layli Ostovar Mizuno Long Beach 17 Rockstar Brianna Brewer Mizuno Long Beach 17 Rockstar *** MIDDLE BLOCKERS Kenna Cogill Arizona Storm 17 Thunder Makena Rumple Arizona Storm 17 Thunder Zoe Gillen-Malveaux Skyline 17 Royal Olivia Wayne TAV 17 Black Shelby Burris TAV 17 Black Olivia Grenadier Legacy 17-1 Adidas Connore Siler-Nixon OT 17 Aaron Sydney Davis GP 17 Rox Jordan Taylor HJV 17 Elite *** SETTERS Sarah Pfiffner TAV 17 Black Campbell Flynn Legacy 17-1 Adidas Izzy Mogridge OT 17 Aaron Emelyn Stettin Sky High Adidas 17 Elite Charlotte Glass Tribe 17 Elite Cardinal KK Green GP 17 Rox *** LIBEROS/DSs Izzy Mahaffey Arizona Storm 17 Thunder Lilliana LaFlesch AZ Sky 17G Maddie Smotherman Skyline 17 Royal Sarah Mendoza TAV 17 Black Devin Dzienny Legacy 17-1 Adidas Lily Hayes OT 17 Aaron Zoey Matias Tribe 17 Elite Cardinal Sydney Black HJV 17 Elite

Read More »

Sunshine Classic: Day 3 Show Stoppers

March 6, 2024

The Sunshine Classic wrapped up with plenty of drama and unexpected results. With the gold pools playing out and remaining teams in the hunt competing for Open bids, the final day produced big-time efforts and performances. Below, we highlight those players who stood out to us the most with our Day 3 Show Stoppers. DAY 3 SHOW STOPPERS Teraya Sigler OH Arizona Storm 17 Thunder: Sigler – a 5-star Nebraska commit – anchored Storm’s run to the 17 Open championship. She’s a do-it-all type, high-IQ outside who is solid out of serve receive and can hurt opponents with a wide array of shot selections. Makena Rumple MB Arizona Storm 17 Thunder: A 3-star Iowa commit, Rumple was very effective in the middle. She scored at a high rate when called upon and delivered timely blocks to aid in Storm’s dominant day. Georgi Stein OH AZ Sky 17 Gold: Stein – a 3-star Northern Arizona commit – was a key piece as Sky worked its way to a second-place finish and one of the three bids. The six-rotation contributor takes her share of swings on the outside and knows how to beat opponents in different ways. Addison France RS AZ Sky 17 Gold: A 3-star recruit, France is a physical right side. She can drop the hammer at times and power down kills with authority. Zoe Gillen-Malveaux MB Skyline 17 Royal: A 5-star Duke commit, Gillen-Malveaux is a dynamic middle who is a handful offensively. She runs an effective slide attack and with the way she can get up and extends, it’s very tough to slow down. Maddy Smotherman L/DS Skyline 17 Royal: Smotherman – a 3-star recruit – was solid in the back row and showed up well on that side of the ball. She did well extending rallies and making hustle plays. Alex Richter OH TAV 17 Black: A 4-star Georgia commit, Richter played at a high level and scored at a high clip. She’s long and can hit at high contact points which helps create sharp angles for defenders to cover. Campbell Flynn S Legacy 17-1 Adidas: Flynn – a 5-star Nebraska commit – helped Legacy position itself to qualify on the final day but came up short of making the semis. There’s plenty of superlatives one can use to describe her. Effortless and smooth are among them, as she shows total command of the offense. Marie Laurio OH Legacy 17-1 Adidas: A 3-star Syracuse commit, Laurio is a wirey outside with a lively arm. She can unleash at times and rip impressive winners. Izzy Mogridge S OT 17 Aaron: A 4-star Oregon commit, Mogridge is a fun setter to watch get after it. She’s quick and does well getting her feet to the ball. She also connects well with all of her hitters. *** Charlotte Glass S Tribe 17 Elite Cardinal: Glass – a 5-star Duke commit – is another setter who is in complete control of the offense. She locates consistently and puts her hitters in favorable matchups. Kelly Kinney OH Tribe 17 Elite Cardinal: A 5-star Minnesota commit, Kinney can get up and crush it. She has a big-time arm and is a featured part of Tribe’s attack. Jordan Taylor MB HJV 17 Elite: Another 5-star Minnesota commit, Taylor is so long in the middle and takes up a ton of space. She can close the gap on the block in a hurry, as well as hit over blockers on the regular. Layla Hoying OH Mintonette Sports m.61: Hoying – a 4-star recruit – is part of a strong 1-2 punch on the outside for Mintonette. She has a powerful arm but can keep defenses guessing with her ability to deliver a well-timed off-speed shot. Sara Snowbarger OH Mintonette Sports m.61: Another 4-star recruit, Snowbarger completes the outside duo that helped Mintonette to the 16 Open title. She’s a lanky hitter who extends and can hit straight down when the opportunity is right. Alia Schoonover MB Mintonette Sports m.61: Schoonover – a 3-star recruit – is a play-maker in the middle. She’s quick and knows how to finish and always seems to come up with a clutch play at a key moment. Emma Cugino L/DS Mintonette Sports m.61: A 5-star recruit, Cugino is a lights-out defender. She has the ability to change the course of a set or match with the way she can make saves or keep her team in a point. Catherine Palmi OH GP 16 Rox: Palmi – a 3-star recruit – helped hold it down as GP took home a surprise bid after finishing runner-up to Mintonette. She has a booming arm and hits a heavy, heavy ball that eats defenders up. Aylani Correra L/DS GP 16 Rox: Correra played a key role in GP’s success. She’s quick, scrappy defender who shows a lot of hustle and desire to keep the ball alive. Brooke Harwood MB Arizona Storm 16 Thunder: Harwood – a 5-star recruit – is virtually unstoppable on the slide attack. When in system, it is a high-percentage play that Storm turns to time and time again. *** Madisyn Crnjac OH Arizona Storm 16 Thunder: Crnjac – a 3-star recruit – is a six-rotation outside with a knack for scoring. She has a strong arm and isn’t afraid to challenge the block in front of her. Kalli Lipo L/DS Arizona Storm 16 Thunder: A 3-star recruit, Lipo brings a defensive edge to the lineup. She covers really well and shows nice reactions in the back row. Alexis Anderson RS Skyline 16 Royal: Anderson was an unsung hero at times. Skyline its share of options but it was Anderson making timely contributions on both sides of the ball with her attacking and blocking. Taylor Clarke RS Skyline 16 Royal: A 4-star recruit, Clarke is a menace on the right side. Skyline likes to feed her the ball and with the way she explodes and lets it go, she’s a reliable option. Riley Bethea MB A5 16-1 Gabe: Bethea –

Read More »

Vballrecruiter Player of the Week: Lowe Long

March 5, 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: Lowe Long. *** In a roundabout way, Lowe Long danced her way into volleyball. Growing up, our latest Player of the Week performed ballet before getting into competitive dancing. Those competitions took Long – a 3-star recruit from the Class of 2028 – on the road, where she sometimes ended up performing in the same venues that happened to be hosting volleyball tournaments. “We would be on breaks and would just be walking around,” Long said. “We would watch volleyball sometimes. My mom asked me one time if it ever interested me. I have four generations of volleyball in my family. My great grandpa, my aunts, my cousins and brother all played. There’s a history in my family. Watching it, it seemed interesting.” After years of dancing, Long decided to move on. She joined Tri-State Elite for her 11s season. At that time, she was one of the tallest on the team so she naturally started off as a middle blocker. She eventually switched to being a pin. She is currently an outside hitter on Tri-State Elite 14 Blue. One element of volleyball that drew her to the sport was the team atmosphere. She loved watching how excited everyone seemed to be and all the celebrating. “It sounds cheesy, but it’s in my blood,” she said. “It seemed like something I should be doing. It interested me a lot.” Moving on from dance to volleyball was an easy decision for Long. During Covid, she was forced to do Zoom calls and practice dancing in her kitchen. “It wasn’t working for me,” she said. “I wasn’t looking forward to the Zoom calls or driving to dance anymore. I said goodbye to it and never thought about it again. Plus, having to do all the makeup and my hair, it was all getting on my nerves, so it was like ‘Okay, we are done.’” To date, Tri-State Elite 14 Blue has had two Mideast Power League weekends, as well as competing at both Central Zone and Triple Crown. The team finished ninth at the former and 51st at the latter. It was the first time Long had competed at the prestigious Triple Crown event. “I heard many things about it,” she said. “It was so cool. There were a lot of college coaches and you are there turning around and seeing them watching. I also saw friends I made at The Red Hat Games and got to watch them play. It was also fun to see teams from other states I haven’t seen before.” The season continues on this coming weekend for Tri-State Elite 14 Blue with Bluegrass in Louisville. As for life outside of volleyball, living in Ohio one extracurricular activity that seems unlikely to get involved in is surfing. However, her parents used to live in California and her dad would surf with his friends in Los Angeles. Long said it seemed like a fun thing to learn so on family vacations it was something her and her twin brother tried. “We caught onto it very quickly,” she said. “It’s something I can do in another state that I can’t do in Ohio. When we travel to California and Florida we go surfing. It’s very fun for my brother and I.” As our featured Player of the Week sponsored by Dick’s Sporting Goods, we recently spoke with Long about volleyball and more. Who is a role model or someone you look up to? Long: I look up to my parents because they set a great example. They teach me all I need to know about life and help me through anything I need help with. My grandparents are also big role models. They have a lot of experiences and they help me so much too. They are very supportive of my choices I make in life. If you could choose to do anything for a day, what would you do and why? Long: I would probably want to go to Hawaii and go to see all the beaches. I would love to go see the mountains and all the different plants. I would love seeing all the cool places that we don’t have in Ohio. Other than volleyball, what skill would you most like to learn and why? Long: I would want to get good at cooking because it’s something you can share your love for someone else is by cooking a nice meal. Or learning how to bake pastries and stuff like that. It seems fun. Do you have any volleyball superstitions or rituals and if so what? Long: When I’m up at the net, I either have a Kendra Scott necklace or a necklace with an L and it has to be in the center and even on both sides. My jersey needs to fit right and I tighten my ponytail. I always have these two tiny pieces of hair that have to be in the front of my ear and I touch my earrings. All when I’m up at the net. Aside from basic necessities, what is one thing you could not go a day without? Long: It’s my family because they are my emotional, mental and physical support and back up when you need them. They help me get through the day. What is one thing that instantly makes your day better or makes you smile? Long: Getting to see my friends at school and talking with everyone and catching up with everyone what they did last night or talking about stuff we want to do in the future. What’s one of your favorite ways to have fun? Long: I love spending time with my friends and going to the park or just hanging out with them at

Read More »

Sunshine Classic: Gold Medal Rundown

March 5, 2024

When we look back at the Sunshine Classic at the end of qualifying season, it very likely will stand as the toughest one for the 16 and 17 Open divisions. The depth of both fields played out on Day 3 in a highly-anticipated conclusion and with it delivered its share of drama and excitement. While it didn’t come as a surprise to see nationally-ranked No. 2 Arizona Storm 17 Thunder finish on top of 17 Open and punch its bid to nationals, it most certainly was a shock to see Storm’s final opponent and another bid winner in Arizona Sky 17 Gold. AZ Sky came into the weekend ranked No. 41 in Vballrecruiter’s Top 50 rankings and did well positioning itself to make a move Monday. With upsets of No. 28 Sky High Adidas 17 Elite and No. 37 GP 17 Rox, AZ Sky moved onto the semifinals where it was matched up with No. 8 Skyline 17 Royal. While Sky’s gold-pool victories were minor upsets, sweeping Skyline and earning a bid was a major one. It left Skyline in need of beating No. 15 TAV 17 Black in the third-place match to pick up the final bid, which it did with a sweep. TAV took down both No. 10 Tribe 17 Elite Cardinal and No. 25 HJV 17 Elite in its gold pool before running into the buzz saw that was Arizona Storm in the semis. Storm, meanwhile, had no issues with any of its contests Monday. The eventual champ only saw an opponent break 20 points in one of the eight sets played. It included downing No. 9 Legacy 17 Adidas and No. 39 Mizuno Long Beach 17 Rockstar in gold-pool action. Storm finished the weekend a perfect 10-0 with its only set loss to AVA TX 17 Adidas in the opening match Saturday morning. As for Skyline, it fended off No. 23 OT 17 Aaron in Game 3, 15-13, to win its pool and advance. Skyline’s loss to Sky in the semis was the only one on the weekend for Skyline. As for 16 Open, nationally-ranked No. 2 Mintonette Sports m.61 matched Storm’s effort in 17 Open by going a perfect 10-0 and taking home the title as well as qualifying. Like Storm, Mintonette also beat a surprise finalist in No. 24 GP 16 Rox. GP was dealt a blow along the way. After sweeping No. 25 Vision 16 Gold in its first gold pool match, GP lost outside hitter Jordin Southall to injury in the third set against No. 13 WPVC 16 Armour Black. Trailing at the time, GP managed to rally and pulled it out 15-13. The other two semifinalists were No. 2 Skyline 16 Royal and No. 10 Arizona Storm 16 Thunder. While Skyline rolled through its gold pool with victories over No. 41 Tribe 16 Elite Cardinal and unranked Tribe 16 Elite Navy, Storm had a slugfest with No. 14 A5 16-1 Gabe to win its pool. A5 was leading 24-18 before a fierce Storm rally pulled it out and eventually led to a three-set victory, 26-24, 14-25, 15-11. It left Storm facing GP in one semi and Skyline and Mintonette dueling in the other. Mintonette and Skyline have plenty of history. It features Mintonette beating Skyline in the 15 Open championship at AAUs while Skyline returned the favor and downed Mintonette in the 15 Open gold medal match at the USAV GJNC. The two also met on Day 1 at Triple Crown two weeks ago, with Skyline prevailing in three. The latest chapter went Mintonette’s way, but not before a thrilling comeback. Skyline was leading 12-9 in Game 3 before Mintonette used a 6-0 run to close it out and advance. In the other semi, GP kept its hot hand going by outlasting Storm in three sets. It set up a showdown between Skyline and Storm for the final bid. However, it seemed all the drama had been tapped out by that point as Storm swept handily, 25-15, 25-14, to secure the last remaining bid and end the weekend 9-1.

Read More »

Commitments & Signings Week of Feb 23-29

March 5, 2024

Congrats to all! Corrections? Questions? Additions? Email christi@vballrecruiter.com or DM on Social Media @vballphil   2024 MARYLAND EASTERN SHORE: OH/OPP Kyra Bradford (East Coast VBC) NORTH ALABAMA: L Lankford Gurner (Alabama Performance) UT EL PASO: MB Hannah Crowe (Front Range) UT CHATTANOOGA: S Mallory Merz (Oviedo VBA) BAYLOR: S Emelyn Stettin (Sky High) MIAMI: MB Marla Valentin Salicrup (Borinquen Coqui) AUSTIN PEAY: OH/DS Aubrey Stitcher (Munciana) MORGAN STATE: OH/OPP Jordan Williams (Alabama Performance) FLORIDA SOUTHERN: L Taylor Zimmerman (A5) BETHUNE COOKMAN: MB/OPP Morgan Wingo (A5) PAUL QUINN: OH Carrie Weston (Austin Skyline) VERNON COLLEGE: MB Iyahna Hibbler (Austin Skyline) DAYTONA STATE: MB Mia McCurley (Austin Skyline) TEXAS A&M INTERNATIONAL: L Mia Perez (Austin Skyline) ENDICOTT COLLEGE: OPP Annie Draper (South County Juniors) ENDICOTT COLLEGE: DS/S Reagan Mitchell (PVA) ENDICOTT COLLEGE: MB/OH Angelina Fitzharris (VolleyFX) ENDICOTT COLLEGE: S Hannah Maguire (Mountain View) ENDICOTT COLLEGE: OH Ava Grace Dresback (South County Juniors) NEWBERRY COLLEGE: MB Madi Smith (Upward Stars) FOLSOM LAKE COLLEGE: OH Ginger Scheidt (Motherload VBC) FOLSOM LAKE COLLEGE: OH Erin Ayers (Olympus VBA) FOLSOM LAKE COLLEGE:MB Marlee Williams (Core VBC) ODESSA COLLEGE: OH/OPP Lauren Dale (Texas Legacy) OTTAWA UNIVERSITY: L Bre Castillo (Zona) WESTERN NEW MEXICO: S/OH Hannah Haggard (Zona) WEST GEORGIA: OH Molly Brunell (Zona) MULTNOMAH UNIVERSITY: S/DS Sophia Hernandez (Zona) NICHOLLS STATE: OH/DS Claire Reed (Cajun Elite) CLARKE UNIVERSITY: OH/OPP Kaelyn Minich (VC United) MERRIMACK COLLEGE: OH Aubrey Baker (Triple Cities) SAINT MARYS COLLEGE: MB Evelyn Hendrix (Omni Volleyball) HUSSON UNIVERSITY: OPP Kimberly Daniels (Vibe VBC) MAYVILLE STATE: S/OH McKenzie Olson ILLINOIS TECH: OPP Madison Gowan (San Antonio Juniors) LAKELAND COLLEGE: OH Rylee Esquibel (San Antonio Juniors) INDIAN RIVER STATE COLLEGE: OH Sydney Matthews (Jupiter Elite) INDIAN RIVER STATE COLLEGE: L Maya Rhamy (Dallas Arsenal) COLORADO CHRISTIAN: S Mariah Potter (FC Elite) SAINT LEO UNIVERSITY: OH/OPP Hailey Jeskewitz (FC Elite) ELMIRA COLLEGE: S Erin Bracken (Niagara Frontier) FEATHER RIVER COLLEGE: OH/DS McKenna Curtis (Rise VBC) WISCONSIN LUTHERAN: L Lexi Dhein (One Wisconsin) ST. NORBERT COLLEGE: MB/OPP Paige Olson (One Wisconsin) ALMA COLLEGE: OH Madelyn Herzberger (Five:1 VBC) COLBY SAWYER COLLEGE: MB Leah Barlow (Lockdown VBC) FRANK PHILLIPS COLLEGE: S Celeste Jensen (Boliva) FRANK PHILLIPS COLLEGE:OH/S Alana Martinez (Dominican Republic) MACALESTER COLLEGE: OH Adonia Anene (San Gabriel Elite) BUFFALO STATE: MB/OPP Mia Valdes  (B&B Volleyball Club) BUFFALO STATE: S Rose Kory (Husky) KEENE STATE: OH Lucy Santoli (CT Stars) SANTE FE COLLEGE: OH Jessica McKee (Florida Gulfside) FRANKLIN COLLEGE: MB Addison Piotrowski (Florida Gulfside) CONCORDIA CHICAGO: L Micaela Barraza (Florida Gulfside) CAMERON UNIVERSITY: L Tatum Gehring (Excel) WESTMINSTER COLLEGE: OH Annika Rhodes (Springfield Shock) CARROLL UNIVERSITY: S/OPP Megan Kopocis (Club Legacy) CARROLL UNIVERSITY: OH Bronwyn Rowse (Juggernaut Volleyball) FELICAN UNIVERSITY: S Brooke Stone (Dallas Arsenal) WITTENBURG UNIVERSITY: S Addie Moore (Greater Columbus VBC) WEST ALABAMA: L Maggie Roddam (Bama Elite) WEATHERFORD COLLEGE: S Philippa Tinnert (Sweden) VENTURA COLLEGE: OH Shai Daniels (Sunshine) DE LA SALLE UNIVERSITY (PHILIPPINES): OH Olivia Alicante (Sideout Sports) JOLIET JC: MB Livija Luzaite (630 Volleyball) ROCKHURST UNIVERSITY: MB Delaney Hope (417 Juniors) BELLEVUE COLLEGE: OH Gillian Merhoff (North Pacific Juniors) SUNY GENESEO: OH Kate Barba (Long Island VBC) BLUE MOUNTAIN CHRISTIAN: S Olivia Domino (Memphis Metro) CLEVELAND CC: DS Jadyn Johnson (Precision Athletics)   2025 ARKANSAS TECH: L Karis Brinlee (Madfrog) PURDUE: S Isabelle Bardin (Metro) HARVARD: OH/OPP Bridget Egan (KIVA) SOUTHERN ILLINOIS: S Ally Hughes (Elevation) LAFAYETTE: L Kadi Pynchon (VA Elite) IUPUI: MB Amanda Stephens (Rockwood Thunder) CAL POLY SLO: OH Aveya Stone (Absolute) MORGAN STATE: OH/OPP Zayda Thomas (OTVA Tampa) NORTHERN ILLINOIS: L Isabel Junior (Nebraska Elite) MERCER: OH/OPP Charlotte Thompson (Tampa United) ARMY: OPP Janiemarie Deapen (Excel) SETON HALL: OH/DS Rowan Carr (M1) WICHITA STATE: MB Sophia Thompson (Mamba) OHIO UNIVERSITY: MB Yosola Adeleke (Houston Juniors) ST. OLAF: OH/OPP Allyson Gates (Tribe) EAST CENTRAL UNIVERSITY: OH/OPP Jayla Buford (Houston Skyline) SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA STATE: S Trevyn Smith (Club Iowa) HILLSDALE COLLEGE: OH Maddie Krappmann (Unified Volleyball) SARAH LAWRENCE: MB Olivia Richard (Lockdown VBC) BYRANT: S Madison Keem (CADO VBC)   TRANSFERS MIDLAND UNIVERSITY: TR OH Zophi Hendricks (Des Moines Area CC/Banzai VBC) SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI: TR L Sunni Shepard (Houston/Infinity VBA) MICHIGAN: TR OH Kendyl Reaugh (Alabama/Skyline) TULANE: TR OH Ashley Sturzoiu (Mississippi State/A5) LOUISVILLE: TR OH Sofia Maldonado Diaz  (Arizona/Mexico) MARSHALL: TR MB Sarah Stratton (Daytona State College/VCU/New Zealand) ILLINOIS STATE: TR MB Maggie McCrary  (Ohio University/FaR OuT) FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL: TR OH/DS Courtney O’Brien (Texas Tech/Houston Skyline) FLORIDA: GR S Erin Engel (Maryland/Tribe) CAL STATE BAKERSFIELD: TR L Kya Jones (Bakersfield College) DUQUESNE: GR OH/OPP Elizabeth Drelling (George Washington/Tstreet) SOUTHEAST MISSOURI: TR L Abbey Richman (Wofford/Team Indiana) SOUTHEAST MISSOURI: GR OPP Abby Johnson (Bradley/H2 Illinois) SOUTHEAST MISSOURI: TR S Alandry Below (Mineral Area College) DUKE: TR S Grace Penn (Boston College/Sunshine) MISSISSIPPI STATE: GR S Cecilia Harness (McNeese State/North Texas/Houston Juniors) MAYVILLE STATE: TR S Lindsey Nyhagen (Lake Region State College) UC RIVERSIDE: TR OH/MB Brianna Bowyer (Bakersfield College/Bakersfield VBC)     BEACH 2025 MISSOURI STATE: Raylee Stenzel (417 Juniors)   TRANSFERS UNC WILMINGTON: TR Avery Markham (North Alabama/Triangle) TEXAS A&M CORPUS CHRISTI: TR Ruby Kayser (Colorado State/OJVA)     BOY’S 2024 SAINT XAVIER: MB Kyle Petrusch (Sports Performance) OTTAWA UNIVERSITY ARIZONA: MB Owen Draeger (951 Elite)  

Read More »

Sunshine Classic: Day 2 Show Stoppers

March 4, 2024

It only takes one match for things to go boom! And with it, the 16 Open division on Day 2 at the Sunshine Classic took on an entirely unexpected look. The opening round Sunday saw nationally-ranked No. 41 Tribe 16 Elite Cardinal upset No. 1 Legacy 16-1 Adidas in straight sets. The recent Triple Crown champion and newly-appointed top-ranked team in the country in our Top 50 rankings finished in a three-way tie at 2-1 with Tribe and GP 16 Rox. However, Legacy lost out in the tiebreaker because of the head-to-head defeat to Tribe and wound up finishing third, behind first-place GP and second-place Tribe. Legacy had a shot at winning the pool, but needed to sweep GP in the final match but instead pulled it out in three. Joining the shock of Legacy not advancing was Tribe 16 Elite Navy going 3-0 as the No. 3 team in Pool 6. It included upending national No. 13 WPVC 16 Armour Black. STVA 16 Mizuno was another No. 1 seed in its pool to not make Monday’s gold pools. STVA went 0-3 in Pool 5, as A5 16-1 Gabe (3-0) and Triangle 16 Black (2-1) advanced. Mintonette Sports m.61, Skyline 16 Royal and Arizona Storm 16 Thunder all went 3-0 and held their seeds going into Day 3. There was drama in Pool 4 behind Storm’s performance as HJV 16 Elite, Wildfire 16 Open and OT 16 Roberto all went 1-2. HJV took second to stay in bid contention. In 17 Open, the big surprise came out of Pool 3. Nationally-ranked No. 7 Excel 17 National Red had a rough ride, going 0-3 with losses to Legacy 17-1 Adidas, Sky High Adidas 17 Elite and OT 17 Felix. The latter three clubs all tied at 2-1, with Sky High taking first and Legacy second to advance. Arizona Storm 17 Thunder, Skyline 17 Royal, HJV 17 Elite and TAV 17 Black all went 3-0 as No. 1 seeds in their pools. GP 17 Rox also took first as the No. 1 team in Pool 6, but only after finishing in a three-way tie at 2-1 with Circle City 17 Purple and Mizuno Long Beach 17 Rockstar. Long Beach, the No. 4 team, took second based on tiebreakers. AZ Sky 17 Gold and KC Power 17 Black joined Long Beach as moving on as a No. 4 team. AZ Sky went 2-1 in Pool 1 to stay alive. KC Power, the No. 4 team in Pool 4, beat Triangle 17 Black and PVA 17B. *** With teams settling in after opening-day jitters, the action kicked up a notch Sunday. There were difficult pools to navigate and with a chance to stay in contention for bids on the line, the competition was intense. Below, we highlight the players who caught our attention the most with their performances with our Day 2 Show Stoppers. DAY 2 SHOW STOPPERS Karis Carpenter L/DS STVA 16 Mizuno: STVA lost all three matches in three sets, with Carpenter providing a boost defensively. She was making digs all over the court and extending rallies. Isabella Umpierre RS WPVC 16 Armour Black: Umpierre – a 3-star recruit – is a heavy-armed right side who shoulders a fair share of the attack. She can hit through or off blocks with consistency. Jolene Oddo MB Triangle 16 Black: Oddo’s length creates all sorts of advantages on her side of the net. She can easily go over blocks and score at will at times. She can also get in the way of attackers with her reach. Nadiya Johnson RS Metro 16 Travel: Johnson – a 5-star recruit – is filled with endless potential. She gets set a ton and for good reason. She can absolutely sky and extends way up in the air to produce highlight kills. Kiley Brooks L/DS Skyline 16 Royal: A 3-star recruit, Brooks was covering the back row with reckless abandon. She brings intensity to the defensive side and was passing well out of serve receive. Lily Rolfes S Arizona Storm 16 Thunder: Rolfes does a nice job directing the attack and moving the ball around. It helps keep the defense guessing. She also does well going behind her and going against the flow. Hayden Conner MB Arizona Storm 16 Thunder: Conner – a 3-star recruit – is part of a strong middle group for Storm. She has a strong arm and can power shots down with authority. Brooke Harwood MB Arizona Storm 16 Thunder: A 5-star recruit, Harwood is more than a handful in the middle. She runs a really effective slide attack that opponents have a tough time slowing down. Eva Long S Legacy 16-1 Adidas: Long – a 4-star recruit – showed consistent location. She connects very well with both of her middles and runs a balanced offense. Jenelle Legates S Vision 16 Gold: Legates has a nice touch and release. She sets a clean ball and did well getting her feet in position. *** Isabella Sohl S HPSTL 16 Royal: Sohl is a feisty setter who did well guiding the attack and moving the ball around. Bennett Raterman MB HPSTL 16 Royal: Raterman – a 5-star recruit – is a presence in the middle on both sides of the ball. She puts up a very strong block. She is also an effective scorer who can hurt defenses in a variety of ways. Amaya Love OH HJV 16 Elite: Love is an athletic outside with lots of potential. She can extend and hit at a high contact point and is one of the featured parts of the attack. Marianne Garcia L/DS AZ Sky 16G: Garcia is a quick libero who covers lots of ground. She was solid out of serve receive and putting the ball on target. Gracison Saylors MB A5 16-1 Gabe: Saylors was making an impact in the middle. She was delivering when called upon and showed she’s a reliable scoring option. Gabby Nichols MB Triangle 17 Black: Nichols – a 4-star Penn

Read More »

Bluegrass: Gold Medal Rundown

March 11, 2024

The 30th anniversary of the Adidas Bluegrass tournament did not disappoint! Here is a rundown of the Open finals from Sunday. While I didn’t get to watch this 18s final match I did get to see both of these squads in the Gold Bracket all day. Team Pineapple 18 Black ended up sweeping WVBA 18 Adidas (25-17,25-12). A 5-star Notre Dame signee, Morgan Gaerte was on fire. She was hitting over or around blocks with ease. Her setter Mya Ball, a 3-star Central Florida signee, did a great job quarterbacking on the court too. And on the WVBA side of the net 2026 3-star recruit Laura Eichert was terminating balls on the regular in each match. The 17 Open match up ended with Tribe 17 Elite Cardinal defeating Adidas KIVA 17 Red in three sets (25-16, 24-26, 18-16). In game one KIVA couldn’t find their normal groove and Tribe was happy to jump on the opportunity. The second game was a bit closer where KIVA started to play like they have all weekend. In the end Tribe took the title with a 18-16 win in the third set. A couple of tidbits from the match includes the fact that one of KIVA’s middle 5-star Louisville commit Addison Makun was on the sideline cheering on her squad with a boot on. Another tidbit about both of these squads is that both of them genuinely look like they love playing together and have this feeling of fun on the court which I so love to see. And there were so many shining stars on the court for this matchup. On the KIVA side of the net setter and 3-star recruit Emilee Fuller was dishing with ease consistently while Libero Kristen Simon, a 5-star Wisconsin commit, was holding the line in serve receive and defensively. On the Tribe side of the net, Charlotte Glass, a 5-star recruit committed to Duke, was shining both in the assists department and offensively (her dump is pretty lethal). Also the pins 5-star Minnesota commit Kelly Kinney, 3-star Oklahoma commit Tekoa Barnes, and 4-star UCLA commit Mija Bendziute were continuously cranking on the ball with a vengeance. Boiler Jrs 161E Gold ended up sweeping Illini Elite 16 Cardinal in 2 sets (25-15,25-20) for the 16s Final. Boiler Jrs all weekend looked incredibly strong offensively and completely tenacious on defense. A 4-star recruit setter, Lexi Shondell and 4-star libero Ellie Hepler are a duo that literally betters their teammates. On the Illini Elite side of the net 4-star Lily Bosworth was a wall defensively in every match. That being said Illini Elite was the team I loved watching get better and better as the tournament went on. Passionate is how I would describe Munciana 15 Blue. In the finals their chemistry helped them defeat Tri-State Elite 15 Blue in 2 sets (25-19,28-26). That being said, Tri-State Elite really pushed their opponent and was another squad I loved to see get better and better as the tournament went on. Impact players for this match included Munciana athletes 5-star middle blocker Carsyn Comer and outside hitter Shania Rhamy along with Tri-State Elite middle blocker Jillian Forrest and 2028 3-star setter Penelope Reisman. Circle City 14 Purple played well this weekend and defeated Munciana 14 Chipmunks in 3 sets (25-16, 19-25, 15-13) in the finals. Circle City was led by 3-star outside hitter Audrey Utterback and 3-star setter Charlee Groninger while Munciana was led by middle blocker 3-star Abbie Powell and setter Paislee Terry. The 13s final was well in the afternoon (and I had to catch a flight) BUT Elevation 13 S J swept Circle City 13 Purple 25-20, 25-18. I watched both of these squads leading up to the finals and both squads have a ton of upcoming talent! Elevation was anchored by libero Miranda Ludwick while Circle City had outside hitter Abby Mccory firing away consistently. The 12s Finals are always fun to watch. Yes, serving is a huge force in the end BUT watch out for both of these squads in June. Boiler Jrs 121E Gold defeated Elevation 12 Berg in 2 sets (25-22, 25-17) and was the team that not only capitalized on being consistent but attacking well at the net. One thing about the Boilers you don’t see everyday is no libero on the court. And watch out for setter Story Nixon. She might be small but she is cunning. On the Elevation side of the net the S/MB duo of Kennedy Mallory and Anna Richter are always going to be going after it hard!

Read More »

Bluegrass: Day 2 Show Stoppers

March 10, 2024

On the second day of the Adidas Bluegrass Tournament all age groups were in full effect. In the morning wave the “even” age group divisions (10,12,14,16,18) squared off followed by the “odd” age groups (11,13,15,17) in the afternoon. Overall the day was filled with an electrifying showcase of volleyball skills, packed with incredible play and spectacular displays of athleticism. The national volleyball pipeline is brimming with budding talent. Witnessing these young athletes — some playing one, two, even three levels beyond their age — competing with poise is a testament to the future of the sport. Their ability to not just participate, but to truly contend, is a thrilling spectacle for volleyball enthusiasts everywhere. Keep an eye out for these athletes: 2028 Kairos 15 Alpha setter Josalyn Samuels,  2029 Kairos 14 Alpha outside hitter Julia Masselink, and 2029 S/RS Evelyn Shirk Dunes 16 Black. And fun fact for everyone this is the 30th Anniversary of the Bluegrass Tournament. Kudos KIVA! DAY 2 SHOW STOPPERS Morgan Asleson L SPVB 18 Elite: Asleson, a 2025 Dayton commit, is steady out of serve receive. She also reads and anticipates well which helps her be in the right spots to make plays. Hailee Mack L IMGA 18: There’s a smoothness to the way 3-star Vandebilt signee Mack plays. She’s always under control and rarely misses as pass or dig. Delaney Gash OH Lex United 18 Elite: Gash, an Akron signee, is an outside with a knack for scoring. She’s a physical, hard swinger and plays with lots of aggression. Makayla Bays OH K2 18 Adidas Jota: Bays, an East Tennessee State signee, was hammering the line while I was watching the court. I love her intensity on defense too. Kelly Kinney OH Tribe 17 Elite Cardinal: Kinney, a 5-star Minnesota commit, is incredibly smart offensively. While she is known for her aggressive swings, she is also very smart in shot placement which I love to see. Jordyn Hughes MB Dead Frog 17 Black: Hughes, a UConn commit, is an undersized middle who is very quick both laterally and jumping. Her swing is fast and aggressive. Mariah Gaines OH OPVC 17 Day: Gaines, a 3-star recruit committed to Dayton, is a strong six-rotation player with good passing skills. She hits front and back row and is a heady attacker. Ellie Hepler L Boiler Jrs 161E Gold: Hepler, a 4-star recruit, is smooth out of serve receive. She also has great technique both defensively and while passing. Cali Foster OH Boiler Jrs 161E Gold: Foster, a 4-star recruit, attacks from the back row with a vengeance. She is also very scrappy defensively. Lily Van Hal & Londyn Smith S Kairos 16 Alpha: Van Hal/Smith are the setters on their squad. Both have a great touch on the ball and connect well with their hitters. Makenzie Walsh & Kya Keegan RS Kairos 16 Alpha: Walsh/Keegan were the right side pins on their squad. Both provided a defensive wall for their squad. Leilani Ramos S Tribe 16 Elite Cardinal: Ramos brings both smooth dishing and a no fear 5-1 setter tone to the court. Alexa Benda MB Bama Elite 16 Spartans: Benda is a literally wall defensively at the net. She moves well laterally consistently. Evelyn Shirk S/RS Dunes 16 Black: Shirk is a 2029 playing up and hanging quite well in the 16’s age group. She packs a punch offensively in the front row while dishing with strength in the back row. Tallulah Carney MB K2 16-1 Adidas: Carney is fast, long, and aggressive in the middle. She is one to watch grow in this game. Ryea Jackson MB IMGA 16: Jackson, a 4-star recruit, runs a quick in the middle like nobody’s business. It’s quite impressive. Amirra Bailey MB BRAVO 16 Black: Whenever you walk by a court Bailey, a 5-star recruit, is on you just have to stop and watch. She is a force both offensively and defensively at the net. Courtney Burgess S/RS Armor 16 Valor: Burgess is a strong disher who makes big plays both as a setter and a hitter. Josalyn Samuels S Kairos 15 Alpha: Samuels, a 2028 5-star recruit, runs the show well on the court. She dishes with precision and aggression which is fun to watch. Sarah Stegall OH Team Pineapple 15 Black: Stegall is an athletic outside hitter who swings with a heavy hand and no fear. Kyla Williams MB AVC CLE 15 Red: Williams, a 4-star recruit, holds a huge presence on the court. She can literally go over blockers when she connects. Audrey Utterback OH Circle City 14 Purple: Utterback, a 3-star recruit, is literally following in her sister’s footsteps. She can fly offensively and when she connects down the line, watch out! Julia Masselink OH Kairos 14 Alpha: Masselink, a 2029 outside, is an offensive weapon who plays well above her age level. Gia Stokes MB Boiler Jrs 131E Gold: Stokes attacks in middle with fire and force. She moves laterally well which makes her a defensive gem. Ava Anders OH AVC CLE 13 Red: Anders is a six rotation outside who hits a high and heavy ball well.

Read More »

Bluegrass: Day 1 Show Stoppers

March 9, 2024

Hello Bluegrass! Not only is it my first time to this tournament, BUT it’s also the debut of the three-day tournament for 15-18 Open. That being said, since we started in the PM I took the opportunity to walk from court to court to watch as many matches as possible. Tons of top notch talent were on the courts and it will make the next two days fun to watch. This afternoon I saw two pairs of defensive gems who both stood out to me on their respective squads. Liberos Yana Tuioti and Sidney Ginter on NPJ Salem 16 National both were balling out respectively on their court. TPV 18-Maverick libero Julianna Santiago, a Tennessee signee, and defensive specialist Layla Haritatos, a North Dakota State signee, were fun to watch work in tandem on the court. Their energy was contagious also. *** DAY 1 SHOW STOPPERS Addison Tindall OH Munciana 18 Samurai:  Tindall, a 5-star Purdue commit, was literally ripping on the outside. Bella Bullington OH SPVB 18 Elite: Bullington, a 4-star Northwestern commit, always brings the heat anywhere she is on the court. Julianna Santiago L TPV 18-Maverick: Santiago, a Tennessee signee, is a gamer. She’s quick and covers ground in a hurry. She can be seen flying all over the court in pursuit of the ball. Natalie Carr OH Pgh Elite 17 Elite: Carr, a 4-star recruit, is a steadying six-rotation player who does just about everything for her squad. She’s very strong and powerful when she goes on the attack. Abbey Emch OH/MB Infinity 17 Green: Emch, a 4-star Pitt commit, is a six-rotation outside/middle blocker who can terminate everywhere on the court. Malia Romes MB Athlete HQ 17-Burger: Romes, a 2026 athlete playing up, can make an impact across the front row. She has a quick arm and adds an offensive dimension to the attack. Maya Harris OH Munciana 17 Pandas: Harris, another 2026 playing up, has an unassuming demeanor about her but she shouldn’t be underestimated. She can really lay into kills with her lively swing. Reese Lowe OH FaR Out 17 Black: Lowe is an outside with a knack for scoring. She’s a physical, hard swinger and plays with lots of fight. Daisy Oatsvall OH Alliance 17 REN: While Oatsvall is technically an undersized outside, she can literally fly. So much fun to watch! Victoria Otter MB Ozark Juniors 17 Elite: Otter ran one of the prettiest slide attacks I have seen in a while. She always provides a great first layer of defense. Madison Hooper OH Ozark Juniors 17 Elite: Hooper, 3-star recruit, has a great swing and really gets after it attacking the block and hitting with pace. Clara Hoegh S Kairos 17 Alpha: Hoegh, a Augustana commit, was running the show for her squad. She’s a competitor with a strong ability to dish the ball around to her hitters. Delaney Steers OH Academy 17E Tsunami: Steers, a 3-star recruit, is an effective scorer on the court. She also brings great energy to the floor. Abigail Knight OH/RS SPVB 16 Elite: Knight, a 3-star recruit, does well on both pins offensively and defensively. Brooklynne Brass OH SPVB 16 Elite: Brass, a 3-star recruit, is a firecracker on the outside. She has an incredibly fast swing to boot. Kendall Bosse MB Tri-State Elite 16 Blue: Bosse, 3-star recruit, might not be the tallest middle in the gym but she can attack incredibly fast and beats the block on the regular. Finley Arp OH FaR Out 16 Black: Arp is a six-rotation player who is a smart attacker with a fluid swing who can score in multiple ways. Lily Bosworth Illini Elite 16 Cardinal: Bosworth, 4-star recruit, is a literal wall at the net defensively. She moves well laterally quickly and efficiently. Cassidy Monahan MB Illini Elite 16 Cardinal: Monahan brings good energy, has a solid arm and was showing a knack for making timely blocks. Jada Johnson OH/RS NPJ Salem 16 National: Johnson is an undersized pin who not only jumps well but brings a lot of athleticism and fire to the court. Lily Mae Buerkle S NPJ Salem 16 National: Buerkle does a great job quarterbacking her squad. She dishes the ball with ease. Audrey Dyas MB NKYVC 16-1 Tsunami: Dyas, a 4-star recruit, has the ability to make impacts on both side of the ball. She has a quick jump, which helps her be both a reliable scorer and effective blocker. Macie Smith OH Academy 16E Yeti: Smith, 3-star recruit, might not be the flashiest outside but she knows how to both terminate and play smoothly. Piper Batie S Ozark Juniors 16 Elite: Batie moves the ball around well to get her various hitters involved. She shows consistent accuracy with a consistent release. Mia Gold OH Tribe 16 Elite Cardinal: Gold, a 4-star recruit, is a combination of a calm and smooth outside who has no fear swinging and likes to bring the heat. Kendall Hubbard S Elevation 15 Tony: Hubbard, a 3-star recruit, dishes the ball from pin to pin with ease. She is also a force at the net. Kinley Sandager RS TPV 15-Maverick: Sandager is a lefty with a whip of an armswing who when she connects she can crush.

Read More »

Sunshine Classic: 16 Open All Red Hat Team

March 7, 2024

With the first weekend of the Sunshine Classic all wrapped up and the Open bids awarded in the 16 and 17 divisions, we turn our attention to our All Red Hat Team for 16 Open. It’s our version of an all-tournament team. The selections were picked from the 12 teams which made the gold pools and based on their performances over the course of three days. 16s ALL RED HAT TEAM PIN HITTERS Sara Snowbarger Mintonette Sports m.61 Layla Hoying Mintonette Sports m.61 Jordin Southall GP 16 Rox Catherine Palmi GP 16 Rox Jenness Orcutt GP 16 Rox Madisyn Crnjac Arizona Storm 16 Thunder Taylor Clarke Skyline 16 Royal LeVariya Pinder Skyline 16 Royal Clara Briley A5 16-1 Gabe Sofia Guerrero-Wilson A5 16-1 Gabe Gigi Artiles Tribe 16 Elite Cardinal Mia Gold Tribe 16 Elite Cardinal Isabella Umpierre WPVC 16 Armour Black Brooklyn Jenkins AZ Sky 16G Sarah Hickman HJV 16 Elite Amaya Love HJV 16 Elite *** MIDDLE BLOCKERS Alia Schoonover Mintonette Sports m.61 London Adkins GP 16 Rox Brooke Harwood Arizona Storm 16 Thunder Hayden Conner Arizona Storm 16 Thunder Keoni Williams Skyline 16 Royal Riley Bethea A5 16-1 Gabe Gracison Saylors A5 16-1 Gabe Eva Smith Triangle 16 Black Jolene Oddo Triangle 16 Black Jenna Hunt Vision 16 Gold *** SETTERS Mallory Matheny Mintonette Sports m.61 Elizabeth Scholvin Mintonette Sports m.61 Lily Rolfes Arizona Storm 16 Thunder Madison Victoriano Skyline 16 Royal Riley McCaughey Tribe 16 Elite Cardinal Elle Mottola WPVC 16 Armour Black Vivian Hickman AZ Sky 16G *** LIBEROS/DSs Emma Cugino Mintonette Sports m.61 Aylani Correa GP 16 Rox Kalli Lipo Arizona Storm 16 Thunder Kiley Brooks Skyline 16 Royal Marianne Garcia AZ Sky 16G Gemma Hopkins HJV 16 Elite

Read More »

Sunshine Classic: 17 Open All Red Hat Team

March 7, 2024

It was an incredible three days of competition this past weekend at the Sunshine Classic. The first bids went out in 16 Open, while 17 Open picked up its qualifying after the opening round at Northern Lights back in January. You can read about how it played out here. Below, we introduce our 17 Open All Red Hat Team. It’s our version of an all-tournament team. The selections were picked from the 12 teams which made the gold pools and based on their performances over the course of three days. 17s ALL RED HAT TEAM PIN HITTERS Teraya Sigler Arizona Storm 17 Thunder Devyn Wiest Arizona Storm 17 Thunder Raegan Richardson AZ Sky 17G Georgi Stein AZ Sky 17G Addison France AZ Sky 17G Sophia Thornburg Skyline 17 Royal Bella Ocampo Skyline 17 Royal Naya Salfiti Skyline 17 Royal Alex Richter TAV 17 Black Marie Laurio Legacy 17-1 Adidas Hannah Hankerson OT 17 Aaron Maggie Dostic OT 17 Aaron Ava Wysocki Sky High Adidas 17 Elite Kelly Kinney Tribe 17 Elite Cardinal Victoria Hill GP 17 Rox Gabi Martinez HJV 17 Elite Layli Ostovar Mizuno Long Beach 17 Rockstar Brianna Brewer Mizuno Long Beach 17 Rockstar *** MIDDLE BLOCKERS Kenna Cogill Arizona Storm 17 Thunder Makena Rumple Arizona Storm 17 Thunder Zoe Gillen-Malveaux Skyline 17 Royal Olivia Wayne TAV 17 Black Shelby Burris TAV 17 Black Olivia Grenadier Legacy 17-1 Adidas Connore Siler-Nixon OT 17 Aaron Sydney Davis GP 17 Rox Jordan Taylor HJV 17 Elite *** SETTERS Sarah Pfiffner TAV 17 Black Campbell Flynn Legacy 17-1 Adidas Izzy Mogridge OT 17 Aaron Emelyn Stettin Sky High Adidas 17 Elite Charlotte Glass Tribe 17 Elite Cardinal KK Green GP 17 Rox *** LIBEROS/DSs Izzy Mahaffey Arizona Storm 17 Thunder Lilliana LaFlesch AZ Sky 17G Maddie Smotherman Skyline 17 Royal Sarah Mendoza TAV 17 Black Devin Dzienny Legacy 17-1 Adidas Lily Hayes OT 17 Aaron Zoey Matias Tribe 17 Elite Cardinal Sydney Black HJV 17 Elite

Read More »

Sunshine Classic: Day 3 Show Stoppers

March 6, 2024

The Sunshine Classic wrapped up with plenty of drama and unexpected results. With the gold pools playing out and remaining teams in the hunt competing for Open bids, the final day produced big-time efforts and performances. Below, we highlight those players who stood out to us the most with our Day 3 Show Stoppers. DAY 3 SHOW STOPPERS Teraya Sigler OH Arizona Storm 17 Thunder: Sigler – a 5-star Nebraska commit – anchored Storm’s run to the 17 Open championship. She’s a do-it-all type, high-IQ outside who is solid out of serve receive and can hurt opponents with a wide array of shot selections. Makena Rumple MB Arizona Storm 17 Thunder: A 3-star Iowa commit, Rumple was very effective in the middle. She scored at a high rate when called upon and delivered timely blocks to aid in Storm’s dominant day. Georgi Stein OH AZ Sky 17 Gold: Stein – a 3-star Northern Arizona commit – was a key piece as Sky worked its way to a second-place finish and one of the three bids. The six-rotation contributor takes her share of swings on the outside and knows how to beat opponents in different ways. Addison France RS AZ Sky 17 Gold: A 3-star recruit, France is a physical right side. She can drop the hammer at times and power down kills with authority. Zoe Gillen-Malveaux MB Skyline 17 Royal: A 5-star Duke commit, Gillen-Malveaux is a dynamic middle who is a handful offensively. She runs an effective slide attack and with the way she can get up and extends, it’s very tough to slow down. Maddy Smotherman L/DS Skyline 17 Royal: Smotherman – a 3-star recruit – was solid in the back row and showed up well on that side of the ball. She did well extending rallies and making hustle plays. Alex Richter OH TAV 17 Black: A 4-star Georgia commit, Richter played at a high level and scored at a high clip. She’s long and can hit at high contact points which helps create sharp angles for defenders to cover. Campbell Flynn S Legacy 17-1 Adidas: Flynn – a 5-star Nebraska commit – helped Legacy position itself to qualify on the final day but came up short of making the semis. There’s plenty of superlatives one can use to describe her. Effortless and smooth are among them, as she shows total command of the offense. Marie Laurio OH Legacy 17-1 Adidas: A 3-star Syracuse commit, Laurio is a wirey outside with a lively arm. She can unleash at times and rip impressive winners. Izzy Mogridge S OT 17 Aaron: A 4-star Oregon commit, Mogridge is a fun setter to watch get after it. She’s quick and does well getting her feet to the ball. She also connects well with all of her hitters. *** Charlotte Glass S Tribe 17 Elite Cardinal: Glass – a 5-star Duke commit – is another setter who is in complete control of the offense. She locates consistently and puts her hitters in favorable matchups. Kelly Kinney OH Tribe 17 Elite Cardinal: A 5-star Minnesota commit, Kinney can get up and crush it. She has a big-time arm and is a featured part of Tribe’s attack. Jordan Taylor MB HJV 17 Elite: Another 5-star Minnesota commit, Taylor is so long in the middle and takes up a ton of space. She can close the gap on the block in a hurry, as well as hit over blockers on the regular. Layla Hoying OH Mintonette Sports m.61: Hoying – a 4-star recruit – is part of a strong 1-2 punch on the outside for Mintonette. She has a powerful arm but can keep defenses guessing with her ability to deliver a well-timed off-speed shot. Sara Snowbarger OH Mintonette Sports m.61: Another 4-star recruit, Snowbarger completes the outside duo that helped Mintonette to the 16 Open title. She’s a lanky hitter who extends and can hit straight down when the opportunity is right. Alia Schoonover MB Mintonette Sports m.61: Schoonover – a 3-star recruit – is a play-maker in the middle. She’s quick and knows how to finish and always seems to come up with a clutch play at a key moment. Emma Cugino L/DS Mintonette Sports m.61: A 5-star recruit, Cugino is a lights-out defender. She has the ability to change the course of a set or match with the way she can make saves or keep her team in a point. Catherine Palmi OH GP 16 Rox: Palmi – a 3-star recruit – helped hold it down as GP took home a surprise bid after finishing runner-up to Mintonette. She has a booming arm and hits a heavy, heavy ball that eats defenders up. Aylani Correra L/DS GP 16 Rox: Correra played a key role in GP’s success. She’s quick, scrappy defender who shows a lot of hustle and desire to keep the ball alive. Brooke Harwood MB Arizona Storm 16 Thunder: Harwood – a 5-star recruit – is virtually unstoppable on the slide attack. When in system, it is a high-percentage play that Storm turns to time and time again. *** Madisyn Crnjac OH Arizona Storm 16 Thunder: Crnjac – a 3-star recruit – is a six-rotation outside with a knack for scoring. She has a strong arm and isn’t afraid to challenge the block in front of her. Kalli Lipo L/DS Arizona Storm 16 Thunder: A 3-star recruit, Lipo brings a defensive edge to the lineup. She covers really well and shows nice reactions in the back row. Alexis Anderson RS Skyline 16 Royal: Anderson was an unsung hero at times. Skyline its share of options but it was Anderson making timely contributions on both sides of the ball with her attacking and blocking. Taylor Clarke RS Skyline 16 Royal: A 4-star recruit, Clarke is a menace on the right side. Skyline likes to feed her the ball and with the way she explodes and lets it go, she’s a reliable option. Riley Bethea MB A5 16-1 Gabe: Bethea –

Read More »

Vballrecruiter Player of the Week: Lowe Long

March 5, 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: Lowe Long. *** In a roundabout way, Lowe Long danced her way into volleyball. Growing up, our latest Player of the Week performed ballet before getting into competitive dancing. Those competitions took Long – a 3-star recruit from the Class of 2028 – on the road, where she sometimes ended up performing in the same venues that happened to be hosting volleyball tournaments. “We would be on breaks and would just be walking around,” Long said. “We would watch volleyball sometimes. My mom asked me one time if it ever interested me. I have four generations of volleyball in my family. My great grandpa, my aunts, my cousins and brother all played. There’s a history in my family. Watching it, it seemed interesting.” After years of dancing, Long decided to move on. She joined Tri-State Elite for her 11s season. At that time, she was one of the tallest on the team so she naturally started off as a middle blocker. She eventually switched to being a pin. She is currently an outside hitter on Tri-State Elite 14 Blue. One element of volleyball that drew her to the sport was the team atmosphere. She loved watching how excited everyone seemed to be and all the celebrating. “It sounds cheesy, but it’s in my blood,” she said. “It seemed like something I should be doing. It interested me a lot.” Moving on from dance to volleyball was an easy decision for Long. During Covid, she was forced to do Zoom calls and practice dancing in her kitchen. “It wasn’t working for me,” she said. “I wasn’t looking forward to the Zoom calls or driving to dance anymore. I said goodbye to it and never thought about it again. Plus, having to do all the makeup and my hair, it was all getting on my nerves, so it was like ‘Okay, we are done.’” To date, Tri-State Elite 14 Blue has had two Mideast Power League weekends, as well as competing at both Central Zone and Triple Crown. The team finished ninth at the former and 51st at the latter. It was the first time Long had competed at the prestigious Triple Crown event. “I heard many things about it,” she said. “It was so cool. There were a lot of college coaches and you are there turning around and seeing them watching. I also saw friends I made at The Red Hat Games and got to watch them play. It was also fun to see teams from other states I haven’t seen before.” The season continues on this coming weekend for Tri-State Elite 14 Blue with Bluegrass in Louisville. As for life outside of volleyball, living in Ohio one extracurricular activity that seems unlikely to get involved in is surfing. However, her parents used to live in California and her dad would surf with his friends in Los Angeles. Long said it seemed like a fun thing to learn so on family vacations it was something her and her twin brother tried. “We caught onto it very quickly,” she said. “It’s something I can do in another state that I can’t do in Ohio. When we travel to California and Florida we go surfing. It’s very fun for my brother and I.” As our featured Player of the Week sponsored by Dick’s Sporting Goods, we recently spoke with Long about volleyball and more. Who is a role model or someone you look up to? Long: I look up to my parents because they set a great example. They teach me all I need to know about life and help me through anything I need help with. My grandparents are also big role models. They have a lot of experiences and they help me so much too. They are very supportive of my choices I make in life. If you could choose to do anything for a day, what would you do and why? Long: I would probably want to go to Hawaii and go to see all the beaches. I would love to go see the mountains and all the different plants. I would love seeing all the cool places that we don’t have in Ohio. Other than volleyball, what skill would you most like to learn and why? Long: I would want to get good at cooking because it’s something you can share your love for someone else is by cooking a nice meal. Or learning how to bake pastries and stuff like that. It seems fun. Do you have any volleyball superstitions or rituals and if so what? Long: When I’m up at the net, I either have a Kendra Scott necklace or a necklace with an L and it has to be in the center and even on both sides. My jersey needs to fit right and I tighten my ponytail. I always have these two tiny pieces of hair that have to be in the front of my ear and I touch my earrings. All when I’m up at the net. Aside from basic necessities, what is one thing you could not go a day without? Long: It’s my family because they are my emotional, mental and physical support and back up when you need them. They help me get through the day. What is one thing that instantly makes your day better or makes you smile? Long: Getting to see my friends at school and talking with everyone and catching up with everyone what they did last night or talking about stuff we want to do in the future. What’s one of your favorite ways to have fun? Long: I love spending time with my friends and going to the park or just hanging out with them at

Read More »

Sunshine Classic: Gold Medal Rundown

March 5, 2024

When we look back at the Sunshine Classic at the end of qualifying season, it very likely will stand as the toughest one for the 16 and 17 Open divisions. The depth of both fields played out on Day 3 in a highly-anticipated conclusion and with it delivered its share of drama and excitement. While it didn’t come as a surprise to see nationally-ranked No. 2 Arizona Storm 17 Thunder finish on top of 17 Open and punch its bid to nationals, it most certainly was a shock to see Storm’s final opponent and another bid winner in Arizona Sky 17 Gold. AZ Sky came into the weekend ranked No. 41 in Vballrecruiter’s Top 50 rankings and did well positioning itself to make a move Monday. With upsets of No. 28 Sky High Adidas 17 Elite and No. 37 GP 17 Rox, AZ Sky moved onto the semifinals where it was matched up with No. 8 Skyline 17 Royal. While Sky’s gold-pool victories were minor upsets, sweeping Skyline and earning a bid was a major one. It left Skyline in need of beating No. 15 TAV 17 Black in the third-place match to pick up the final bid, which it did with a sweep. TAV took down both No. 10 Tribe 17 Elite Cardinal and No. 25 HJV 17 Elite in its gold pool before running into the buzz saw that was Arizona Storm in the semis. Storm, meanwhile, had no issues with any of its contests Monday. The eventual champ only saw an opponent break 20 points in one of the eight sets played. It included downing No. 9 Legacy 17 Adidas and No. 39 Mizuno Long Beach 17 Rockstar in gold-pool action. Storm finished the weekend a perfect 10-0 with its only set loss to AVA TX 17 Adidas in the opening match Saturday morning. As for Skyline, it fended off No. 23 OT 17 Aaron in Game 3, 15-13, to win its pool and advance. Skyline’s loss to Sky in the semis was the only one on the weekend for Skyline. As for 16 Open, nationally-ranked No. 2 Mintonette Sports m.61 matched Storm’s effort in 17 Open by going a perfect 10-0 and taking home the title as well as qualifying. Like Storm, Mintonette also beat a surprise finalist in No. 24 GP 16 Rox. GP was dealt a blow along the way. After sweeping No. 25 Vision 16 Gold in its first gold pool match, GP lost outside hitter Jordin Southall to injury in the third set against No. 13 WPVC 16 Armour Black. Trailing at the time, GP managed to rally and pulled it out 15-13. The other two semifinalists were No. 2 Skyline 16 Royal and No. 10 Arizona Storm 16 Thunder. While Skyline rolled through its gold pool with victories over No. 41 Tribe 16 Elite Cardinal and unranked Tribe 16 Elite Navy, Storm had a slugfest with No. 14 A5 16-1 Gabe to win its pool. A5 was leading 24-18 before a fierce Storm rally pulled it out and eventually led to a three-set victory, 26-24, 14-25, 15-11. It left Storm facing GP in one semi and Skyline and Mintonette dueling in the other. Mintonette and Skyline have plenty of history. It features Mintonette beating Skyline in the 15 Open championship at AAUs while Skyline returned the favor and downed Mintonette in the 15 Open gold medal match at the USAV GJNC. The two also met on Day 1 at Triple Crown two weeks ago, with Skyline prevailing in three. The latest chapter went Mintonette’s way, but not before a thrilling comeback. Skyline was leading 12-9 in Game 3 before Mintonette used a 6-0 run to close it out and advance. In the other semi, GP kept its hot hand going by outlasting Storm in three sets. It set up a showdown between Skyline and Storm for the final bid. However, it seemed all the drama had been tapped out by that point as Storm swept handily, 25-15, 25-14, to secure the last remaining bid and end the weekend 9-1.

Read More »

Commitments & Signings Week of Feb 23-29

March 5, 2024

Congrats to all! Corrections? Questions? Additions? Email christi@vballrecruiter.com or DM on Social Media @vballphil   2024 MARYLAND EASTERN SHORE: OH/OPP Kyra Bradford (East Coast VBC) NORTH ALABAMA: L Lankford Gurner (Alabama Performance) UT EL PASO: MB Hannah Crowe (Front Range) UT CHATTANOOGA: S Mallory Merz (Oviedo VBA) BAYLOR: S Emelyn Stettin (Sky High) MIAMI: MB Marla Valentin Salicrup (Borinquen Coqui) AUSTIN PEAY: OH/DS Aubrey Stitcher (Munciana) MORGAN STATE: OH/OPP Jordan Williams (Alabama Performance) FLORIDA SOUTHERN: L Taylor Zimmerman (A5) BETHUNE COOKMAN: MB/OPP Morgan Wingo (A5) PAUL QUINN: OH Carrie Weston (Austin Skyline) VERNON COLLEGE: MB Iyahna Hibbler (Austin Skyline) DAYTONA STATE: MB Mia McCurley (Austin Skyline) TEXAS A&M INTERNATIONAL: L Mia Perez (Austin Skyline) ENDICOTT COLLEGE: OPP Annie Draper (South County Juniors) ENDICOTT COLLEGE: DS/S Reagan Mitchell (PVA) ENDICOTT COLLEGE: MB/OH Angelina Fitzharris (VolleyFX) ENDICOTT COLLEGE: S Hannah Maguire (Mountain View) ENDICOTT COLLEGE: OH Ava Grace Dresback (South County Juniors) NEWBERRY COLLEGE: MB Madi Smith (Upward Stars) FOLSOM LAKE COLLEGE: OH Ginger Scheidt (Motherload VBC) FOLSOM LAKE COLLEGE: OH Erin Ayers (Olympus VBA) FOLSOM LAKE COLLEGE:MB Marlee Williams (Core VBC) ODESSA COLLEGE: OH/OPP Lauren Dale (Texas Legacy) OTTAWA UNIVERSITY: L Bre Castillo (Zona) WESTERN NEW MEXICO: S/OH Hannah Haggard (Zona) WEST GEORGIA: OH Molly Brunell (Zona) MULTNOMAH UNIVERSITY: S/DS Sophia Hernandez (Zona) NICHOLLS STATE: OH/DS Claire Reed (Cajun Elite) CLARKE UNIVERSITY: OH/OPP Kaelyn Minich (VC United) MERRIMACK COLLEGE: OH Aubrey Baker (Triple Cities) SAINT MARYS COLLEGE: MB Evelyn Hendrix (Omni Volleyball) HUSSON UNIVERSITY: OPP Kimberly Daniels (Vibe VBC) MAYVILLE STATE: S/OH McKenzie Olson ILLINOIS TECH: OPP Madison Gowan (San Antonio Juniors) LAKELAND COLLEGE: OH Rylee Esquibel (San Antonio Juniors) INDIAN RIVER STATE COLLEGE: OH Sydney Matthews (Jupiter Elite) INDIAN RIVER STATE COLLEGE: L Maya Rhamy (Dallas Arsenal) COLORADO CHRISTIAN: S Mariah Potter (FC Elite) SAINT LEO UNIVERSITY: OH/OPP Hailey Jeskewitz (FC Elite) ELMIRA COLLEGE: S Erin Bracken (Niagara Frontier) FEATHER RIVER COLLEGE: OH/DS McKenna Curtis (Rise VBC) WISCONSIN LUTHERAN: L Lexi Dhein (One Wisconsin) ST. NORBERT COLLEGE: MB/OPP Paige Olson (One Wisconsin) ALMA COLLEGE: OH Madelyn Herzberger (Five:1 VBC) COLBY SAWYER COLLEGE: MB Leah Barlow (Lockdown VBC) FRANK PHILLIPS COLLEGE: S Celeste Jensen (Boliva) FRANK PHILLIPS COLLEGE:OH/S Alana Martinez (Dominican Republic) MACALESTER COLLEGE: OH Adonia Anene (San Gabriel Elite) BUFFALO STATE: MB/OPP Mia Valdes  (B&B Volleyball Club) BUFFALO STATE: S Rose Kory (Husky) KEENE STATE: OH Lucy Santoli (CT Stars) SANTE FE COLLEGE: OH Jessica McKee (Florida Gulfside) FRANKLIN COLLEGE: MB Addison Piotrowski (Florida Gulfside) CONCORDIA CHICAGO: L Micaela Barraza (Florida Gulfside) CAMERON UNIVERSITY: L Tatum Gehring (Excel) WESTMINSTER COLLEGE: OH Annika Rhodes (Springfield Shock) CARROLL UNIVERSITY: S/OPP Megan Kopocis (Club Legacy) CARROLL UNIVERSITY: OH Bronwyn Rowse (Juggernaut Volleyball) FELICAN UNIVERSITY: S Brooke Stone (Dallas Arsenal) WITTENBURG UNIVERSITY: S Addie Moore (Greater Columbus VBC) WEST ALABAMA: L Maggie Roddam (Bama Elite) WEATHERFORD COLLEGE: S Philippa Tinnert (Sweden) VENTURA COLLEGE: OH Shai Daniels (Sunshine) DE LA SALLE UNIVERSITY (PHILIPPINES): OH Olivia Alicante (Sideout Sports) JOLIET JC: MB Livija Luzaite (630 Volleyball) ROCKHURST UNIVERSITY: MB Delaney Hope (417 Juniors) BELLEVUE COLLEGE: OH Gillian Merhoff (North Pacific Juniors) SUNY GENESEO: OH Kate Barba (Long Island VBC) BLUE MOUNTAIN CHRISTIAN: S Olivia Domino (Memphis Metro) CLEVELAND CC: DS Jadyn Johnson (Precision Athletics)   2025 ARKANSAS TECH: L Karis Brinlee (Madfrog) PURDUE: S Isabelle Bardin (Metro) HARVARD: OH/OPP Bridget Egan (KIVA) SOUTHERN ILLINOIS: S Ally Hughes (Elevation) LAFAYETTE: L Kadi Pynchon (VA Elite) IUPUI: MB Amanda Stephens (Rockwood Thunder) CAL POLY SLO: OH Aveya Stone (Absolute) MORGAN STATE: OH/OPP Zayda Thomas (OTVA Tampa) NORTHERN ILLINOIS: L Isabel Junior (Nebraska Elite) MERCER: OH/OPP Charlotte Thompson (Tampa United) ARMY: OPP Janiemarie Deapen (Excel) SETON HALL: OH/DS Rowan Carr (M1) WICHITA STATE: MB Sophia Thompson (Mamba) OHIO UNIVERSITY: MB Yosola Adeleke (Houston Juniors) ST. OLAF: OH/OPP Allyson Gates (Tribe) EAST CENTRAL UNIVERSITY: OH/OPP Jayla Buford (Houston Skyline) SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA STATE: S Trevyn Smith (Club Iowa) HILLSDALE COLLEGE: OH Maddie Krappmann (Unified Volleyball) SARAH LAWRENCE: MB Olivia Richard (Lockdown VBC) BYRANT: S Madison Keem (CADO VBC)   TRANSFERS MIDLAND UNIVERSITY: TR OH Zophi Hendricks (Des Moines Area CC/Banzai VBC) SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI: TR L Sunni Shepard (Houston/Infinity VBA) MICHIGAN: TR OH Kendyl Reaugh (Alabama/Skyline) TULANE: TR OH Ashley Sturzoiu (Mississippi State/A5) LOUISVILLE: TR OH Sofia Maldonado Diaz  (Arizona/Mexico) MARSHALL: TR MB Sarah Stratton (Daytona State College/VCU/New Zealand) ILLINOIS STATE: TR MB Maggie McCrary  (Ohio University/FaR OuT) FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL: TR OH/DS Courtney O’Brien (Texas Tech/Houston Skyline) FLORIDA: GR S Erin Engel (Maryland/Tribe) CAL STATE BAKERSFIELD: TR L Kya Jones (Bakersfield College) DUQUESNE: GR OH/OPP Elizabeth Drelling (George Washington/Tstreet) SOUTHEAST MISSOURI: TR L Abbey Richman (Wofford/Team Indiana) SOUTHEAST MISSOURI: GR OPP Abby Johnson (Bradley/H2 Illinois) SOUTHEAST MISSOURI: TR S Alandry Below (Mineral Area College) DUKE: TR S Grace Penn (Boston College/Sunshine) MISSISSIPPI STATE: GR S Cecilia Harness (McNeese State/North Texas/Houston Juniors) MAYVILLE STATE: TR S Lindsey Nyhagen (Lake Region State College) UC RIVERSIDE: TR OH/MB Brianna Bowyer (Bakersfield College/Bakersfield VBC)     BEACH 2025 MISSOURI STATE: Raylee Stenzel (417 Juniors)   TRANSFERS UNC WILMINGTON: TR Avery Markham (North Alabama/Triangle) TEXAS A&M CORPUS CHRISTI: TR Ruby Kayser (Colorado State/OJVA)     BOY’S 2024 SAINT XAVIER: MB Kyle Petrusch (Sports Performance) OTTAWA UNIVERSITY ARIZONA: MB Owen Draeger (951 Elite)  

Read More »

Sunshine Classic: Day 2 Show Stoppers

March 4, 2024

It only takes one match for things to go boom! And with it, the 16 Open division on Day 2 at the Sunshine Classic took on an entirely unexpected look. The opening round Sunday saw nationally-ranked No. 41 Tribe 16 Elite Cardinal upset No. 1 Legacy 16-1 Adidas in straight sets. The recent Triple Crown champion and newly-appointed top-ranked team in the country in our Top 50 rankings finished in a three-way tie at 2-1 with Tribe and GP 16 Rox. However, Legacy lost out in the tiebreaker because of the head-to-head defeat to Tribe and wound up finishing third, behind first-place GP and second-place Tribe. Legacy had a shot at winning the pool, but needed to sweep GP in the final match but instead pulled it out in three. Joining the shock of Legacy not advancing was Tribe 16 Elite Navy going 3-0 as the No. 3 team in Pool 6. It included upending national No. 13 WPVC 16 Armour Black. STVA 16 Mizuno was another No. 1 seed in its pool to not make Monday’s gold pools. STVA went 0-3 in Pool 5, as A5 16-1 Gabe (3-0) and Triangle 16 Black (2-1) advanced. Mintonette Sports m.61, Skyline 16 Royal and Arizona Storm 16 Thunder all went 3-0 and held their seeds going into Day 3. There was drama in Pool 4 behind Storm’s performance as HJV 16 Elite, Wildfire 16 Open and OT 16 Roberto all went 1-2. HJV took second to stay in bid contention. In 17 Open, the big surprise came out of Pool 3. Nationally-ranked No. 7 Excel 17 National Red had a rough ride, going 0-3 with losses to Legacy 17-1 Adidas, Sky High Adidas 17 Elite and OT 17 Felix. The latter three clubs all tied at 2-1, with Sky High taking first and Legacy second to advance. Arizona Storm 17 Thunder, Skyline 17 Royal, HJV 17 Elite and TAV 17 Black all went 3-0 as No. 1 seeds in their pools. GP 17 Rox also took first as the No. 1 team in Pool 6, but only after finishing in a three-way tie at 2-1 with Circle City 17 Purple and Mizuno Long Beach 17 Rockstar. Long Beach, the No. 4 team, took second based on tiebreakers. AZ Sky 17 Gold and KC Power 17 Black joined Long Beach as moving on as a No. 4 team. AZ Sky went 2-1 in Pool 1 to stay alive. KC Power, the No. 4 team in Pool 4, beat Triangle 17 Black and PVA 17B. *** With teams settling in after opening-day jitters, the action kicked up a notch Sunday. There were difficult pools to navigate and with a chance to stay in contention for bids on the line, the competition was intense. Below, we highlight the players who caught our attention the most with their performances with our Day 2 Show Stoppers. DAY 2 SHOW STOPPERS Karis Carpenter L/DS STVA 16 Mizuno: STVA lost all three matches in three sets, with Carpenter providing a boost defensively. She was making digs all over the court and extending rallies. Isabella Umpierre RS WPVC 16 Armour Black: Umpierre – a 3-star recruit – is a heavy-armed right side who shoulders a fair share of the attack. She can hit through or off blocks with consistency. Jolene Oddo MB Triangle 16 Black: Oddo’s length creates all sorts of advantages on her side of the net. She can easily go over blocks and score at will at times. She can also get in the way of attackers with her reach. Nadiya Johnson RS Metro 16 Travel: Johnson – a 5-star recruit – is filled with endless potential. She gets set a ton and for good reason. She can absolutely sky and extends way up in the air to produce highlight kills. Kiley Brooks L/DS Skyline 16 Royal: A 3-star recruit, Brooks was covering the back row with reckless abandon. She brings intensity to the defensive side and was passing well out of serve receive. Lily Rolfes S Arizona Storm 16 Thunder: Rolfes does a nice job directing the attack and moving the ball around. It helps keep the defense guessing. She also does well going behind her and going against the flow. Hayden Conner MB Arizona Storm 16 Thunder: Conner – a 3-star recruit – is part of a strong middle group for Storm. She has a strong arm and can power shots down with authority. Brooke Harwood MB Arizona Storm 16 Thunder: A 5-star recruit, Harwood is more than a handful in the middle. She runs a really effective slide attack that opponents have a tough time slowing down. Eva Long S Legacy 16-1 Adidas: Long – a 4-star recruit – showed consistent location. She connects very well with both of her middles and runs a balanced offense. Jenelle Legates S Vision 16 Gold: Legates has a nice touch and release. She sets a clean ball and did well getting her feet in position. *** Isabella Sohl S HPSTL 16 Royal: Sohl is a feisty setter who did well guiding the attack and moving the ball around. Bennett Raterman MB HPSTL 16 Royal: Raterman – a 5-star recruit – is a presence in the middle on both sides of the ball. She puts up a very strong block. She is also an effective scorer who can hurt defenses in a variety of ways. Amaya Love OH HJV 16 Elite: Love is an athletic outside with lots of potential. She can extend and hit at a high contact point and is one of the featured parts of the attack. Marianne Garcia L/DS AZ Sky 16G: Garcia is a quick libero who covers lots of ground. She was solid out of serve receive and putting the ball on target. Gracison Saylors MB A5 16-1 Gabe: Saylors was making an impact in the middle. She was delivering when called upon and showed she’s a reliable scoring option. Gabby Nichols MB Triangle 17 Black: Nichols – a 4-star Penn

Read More »