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Before getting to how the final day of the Triple Crown NIT unfolded, know that we have plenty more coverage coming in the days ahead. Beyond our Gold Medal Rundown below covering Monday’s action from the 12-18s division, we’ll have our Day 3 Show Stoppers, plus our All Red Hat Teams and a post-tournament write up sharing thoughts and perspective from the three days in Kansas City. 18s With the quarterfinals set, the final day of the 18s carried its share of storylines. There was eventual champion Coast 18-1 – which defeated top-ranked TAV 18 Black in three sets, 24-26, 25-23, 17-15, in the championship match – and its recent victory earlier this month at the Ohio Valley 18s qualifier in Columbus, where the So Cal club went 9-0. There was TAV, our No. 1 team in the country and winner of the Lone Star Classic, looking to solidify its reputation as the best. Club V 18 Ren Reed was coming off qualifying last weekend at the Salt Lake Showdown and was only playing in its second major tournament of the season. Tri-State Elite 18 Blue captured the Central Zone Invitational title the same weekend Coast triumphed in Ohio. KC Power 18 Black already had two qualifier victories under its belt, finishing on top at the KC MLK Tournament and Northern Lights. Two more qualifier champions were in the mix in 1st Alliance 18 Gold (Windy City) and Triangle 18 Black (Florida Fest). Then there was Madfrog 18 Green, which was another Open qualified team. No matter which club left victorious, there was a tale behind it. As for Coast, the San Diego based club was not looking like championship material on Day 1. Opening competition in Power Pool A, Coast lost to both Triangle and KC Power while picking up a victory over 1st Alliance, which was the team Vballrecruiter.com predicted to win 18s. However, Coast turned it on for Day 2 and 3. It included sweeping 1st Alliance to start Monday’s quarterfinal action. Coast then swept Tri-State Elite in the semis before rallying past TAV in the final. It was TAV’s only loss on the weekend. Club V and Tri-State finished tied for third, while KC Power and Madfrog tied for fifth. 1st alliance and Triangle wound up tied for seventh. It was a great showing for Triangle considering the North Carolina club lost junior right side Ryan Hunter, a 5-star Nebraska commit, to injury on Day 1. The final results were also pretty good for us in regards to our national rankings. TAV (No. 1), 1st Alliance (2), Triangle (3), Madfrog (4), KC Power (5) and Coast (10) all entered ranked in the Top 10. Tri-State (23) and Club V (25) showed they deserved to climb the rankings in our next update. *** 17s The list of top contenders in the 17s divisions was impressive, starting with teams like Hou Skyline 17 Royal, MKE Sting 17 Gold and ID Crush 17 Bower. All three earned Open bids last month at the Northern Lights Qualifier. There were also teams like Arizona Storm 17 Thunder, last year’s 16 Open champ, and 1st Alliance 17 Gold, the 16 Open runner up. Adidas KiVA 17 Red was coming off its victory at Central Zone earlier this month, where it defeated Legacy 17-1 Adidas in the final. Then there was clubs like Mich Elite 17 Mizuno, Skyline 17 Royal, Tribe 17 Elite Cardinal and Nebraska One 17 Synergy which could beat anyone they step on the court with. However, when the quarterfinals commenced Monday morning, our top-ranked team in Hou Skyline and the winner of Northern Lights was absent. That’s because Legacy surprised Hou Skyline in the Round of 16 to close play Sunday evening. The unexpected team still in contention was Madfrog 17 Green. The North Texas Region club didn’t have the showing it would’ve liked last weekend at the Tour of Texas stop in Houston, but showed it can beat anyone at anytime here. Madfrog outlasted Skyline 17 Royal in three thrilling sets in the Round of 16 and then kept it going when it eliminated Mich Elite in the quarters Monday morning. While 1st Alliance fought off KiVA in three sets in another quarterfinal, MKE Sting handled Storm in straight sets and Legacy did the same to Tribe. 1st Alliance then swept Madfrog in one semi as MKE Sting took down Legacy in straight sets. It set up a showdown between our No. 3 (MKE Sting) and No. 4 (1st Alliance) teams from our Top 50 in the 17s final. Both teams were at Northern Lights together, but didn’t face off there. Both were at Central Zone a season ago, but 1st Alliance didn’t return this season so Monday marked the first time the two clubs squared off in 2024. After two lopsided sets, MKE Sting earned the upper-hand with the three-game victory, 17-25, 25-12, 16-14. Much like Coast in the 18s, MKE Sting didn’t have the best start to the weekend. Sting was upended by both Skyline and Arizona Storm on Day 1. However, after eliminating TAV 17 Black Jon to end Day 2, Sting kept the momentum rolling by earning payback against Storm in the quarters. Storm tied with KiVA for fifth, while Mich Elite and Tribe tied for seventh. Like the 18s, our 17s rankings held up well. Arizona Storm (No. 2), MKE Sting (3), 1st Alliance (4), KiVA (6) and Mich Elite (7) all entered ranked in the Top 10. Tribe, meanwhile, opened the year at No. 1 before dropping to No. 16 in our latest update. Legacy sits at No. 13, while Madfrog, after its less-than-strong showing at the last Tour stop, dropped to No. 27. *** 16s It was not the start Legacy 16-1 Adidas was expecting but it was the ending the Michigan club was aiming for. After losing its opening match of the weekend to Wave 16 Scott, Legacy put the loss in the rearview mirror and forged full speed

For teams in power pools on Day 1, the results didn’t matter from the perspective that whether a team went 3-0 or 0-3 both stood on equal ground to begin Day 2. In all, 64 teams began Sunday with the same chance of bringing home the trophy. It ended with only eight standing. That type of narrowing of the field comes with intense drama and the Vballrecruiter.com team spent the day covering the 12-18s division. Below, we highlight 27 players who stood out the most to us. On a quick note, we didn’t duplicate any Show Stoppers from Day 1. DAY 2 SHOW STOPPERS (Part 4) Olivia Kitur OH Madfrog 14 Green: Kitur can produced thundering kills. She has a really strong arm and can power through or around blocks in style. Annabelle Ross MB Arizona Storm 14 Thunder: Ross was a real threat on offense. She did well making herself available and coming through when called upon. She extends well and hits with plenty of pace. Kara Schubert MB Sky High Adidas 14 Elite: Schubert was asserting herself in the middle. She’s lanky and can go over smaller blockers when her number is called. Julia Masselink OH Kairos 14 Alpha: It’s impressive that Masselink is part of the Class of 2029. She can really load up and unwind with force. She has a really quick arm and lets it fly. Penelope Reisman S Tri-State Elite 15 Blue: Part of the Class of 2028, Reisman has nice size and does well spotting her sets. She is one to follow as she continues growing and developing. Lucy Moriarty L/DS HPSTL 15 Royal: Moriarty is a scrappy defender who can fly around the court. She’s quick and makes her share of hustle play. Ali Strange L/DS Elevation 15 Tony: Strange plays with such finesse. She stays calm under pressure. She is able to utilize her one arm digs really well allowing her to cover more court, making more digs, saving more plays. Reagan Wallraff OH Premier Nebraska 15 Gold: Wallraff plays a bit of a hybrid role. She lines up on the outside and passes out of serve receive, but can also block out of the middle at times. She’s a quick attacker who can get up and smack winners at the 12-foot line. Caroline Ward RS Boiler Jrs 16 Gold: Part of the Class of 2027, Ward is the type of player top colleges dream about. She gets way up and can press over on the block. She’s also an offensive force with a big-time arm. Milly McGee S SCVC 16 Roxy: McGee was directing the formidable attack that SCVC offers. She has a consistent release and locates well, as was as moving the ball around and getting all her hitters going. *** Elena Hoecke MB MN Select 16-1: Hoecke is a powerful middle who impacts play on both sides of the ball. She puts up a strong block. She’s also a legit scoring threat who MN Select will go to as much as they can. Kristen Simon L/DS Adidas KiVA 17 Red: Simon absolutely owns the back row. From passing in a two-person serve receive to running down balls and never giving up, she makes play time and time again. Nikki Tawil S Sunshine 17-1: Tawil has great hands and has great court awareness. She also covers her hitters very well and runs various play for her team. Mikaela Brennan OH Tstreet 17-1: Brennan can adjust to any set given to her and still creates chances to score when hitting. She also had a great platform on serve receive. Maveti Faumuina OH/MB Mizuno Long Beach 12 Rockstar: Faumuina was very athletic around the net moving sideline to sideline well and also transitioning and hitting tight sets. Raya Paul L/DS Munciana 12 Peppers: Paul is a leader for her squad. She is quite savvy with head-smarts, which will be fun to see continue to develop. Sophia Zhu/Zoe Newton S Madfrog 11 Green: Zhu and Newton share the setting job for this young squad. Both girls do a great job dishing their hitters. Kamryn Carlson L MAVS KC 12-1: Curry is a fluid libero who moves around the court with ease. She anchors the back row well. Kyndall Cochran OH MAVS KC 12-1: Cochran has tremendous potential. She has a great arm that can already generate heat and pressure opponents. Evelynn Steele S MN Select 12-1: Steele possesses nice, consistent hands and location. It makes her sets super hittable. *** Makenna Johnson S A5 12-1: Johnson has a good touch and puts the ball in a consistent window for her hitters. Kendall Hubbard S/RS Elevation 15 Tony: Hubbard is a well-rounded player. She reads the court well and makes use of her hitter’s strengths. Devon Leaf S Actyve 18 Black: Leaf for an undersized setter Leaf makes her presence on the court known. She has quick feet to the ball and utilizers her top hitters well. Annie Fulton RS/OH Madfrog 16 Black: Fulton is undersized for the right side but makes up for it with her high vertical and aggressive arm swing. She has amazing energy on the court and makes the team better. Mia Crowley OH TAV Houston 16 Adidas: Crowley being right-handed can get her shoulders around the ball really well and swing down the line. She brings a lot of energy on the court. Maddie Smotherman L/DS Skyline 17 Royal: Smotherman has a great touch on the ball and moves around the court well. She can read plays and is super encouraging to her teammates. Sydney Mayfield RS Paramount VBC Nick 17: Mayfield is a lightening quick player. She brings a lot of fire to her team. She gets on top of the ball well when she’s attacking.  

Elimination day at Triple Crown narrows the field down from 64 and leaves eight hopefuls still in contention for the tournament title. With teams sensing what is at stake, the competition ramps up as teams refuse to go down without a fight. The Vballrecruiter.com team spent the day covering the 12-18s division and below we highlight 27 players who stood out the most to us. On a quick note, we didn’t duplicate any Show Stoppers from Day 1. DAY 2 SHOW STOPPERS (Part 3) Addison Musgrove S/RS Hou Skyline 14 Royal: Musgrove brings versatility to the lineup. She can also hit on the right side, though when we saw she was running a 5-1 and controlling the flow. Chloe Seals MB PVA 14 Elite: Seals is a wirey middle with a quick arm. She can let it go in an instant and was delivering for her side. Abby Moffett S/RS Tstreet 14 Tara: Moffett is a fun player to watch get after it. She’s a solid setter who dishes with ease. She’s also a heady attacker with a nice swing and contributes on the regular to the attack. Sasha Cromer S KC Power 15-1 Black: Cromer does well guiding the attack. She has a good touch on the ball and does well getting all her hitters involved. Allie Hudgins OH Austin Skyline 15 Royal: Hudgins has tremendous upside and brings a different dynamic to any lineup with her size. She not only has a strong arm, she can extend high and hit over the top of blocks. Peyton Heatherly S 1st Alliance 15 Gold: Heatherly brings a lot of energy and passion to the position. Not to mention above-average skill. She has a smooth, clean release and is rarely off target. Hanna McGinest OH Mizuno Long Beach 15 Rockstar: McGinest can deliver the did-you-see-that type of kills at times. She’s a high flier with a big arm and it leads to balls going straight down. Isabella Umpierre RS WPVC 16 Armour Black: Umpierre is a featured part of the attack and WPVC looks to get her the ball as often as possible. She has a strong arm and can beat defenses in a variety of ways. Colbie McKenna OH East Coast Power 16 Empire: McKenna has a lively arm and can unleash when the chance opens up. ECP runs plays to get her different looks and keep defenses guessing. Elle Vandeweghe MB Mizuno Long Beach 16 Rockstar: Vandeweghe’s upside is huge. She’s a big presence in the front row. She puts up a giant block. She can also hit over shorter blockers and put balls down. *** Julianna Hernandez L/DS TAV 16 Black: Hernandez was making key digs and extending rallies. She was picking off shots coming her way and doing well putting passes on targets. Anna Blamires RS Co Jrs 17 Kevin: An athletic right side with a quick jump and lightning fast arm, Blamires lights it up at times. She can send balls to the ground in a hurry. Sakura Codling L/DS Tri-State Elite 17 Blue: Codling is a tenacious defender who brings lots of intensity and fire to the court. She is a spot-on passer out of serve receive and can make wow saves at times. Kenna Cogill MB Arizona Storm 17 Thunder: Cogill is a difference-making middle. She influences play on both sides of the ball with her length and reach. She can stuff swings down for points as well as get out on the slide and rip it. Jenna Barnes OH A5 12-1: Barnes, a go-to on the left, carries a large offensive load. She has a good arm and a strong knack for scoring to help pace the offense. Aubrey Tennell S/RS Madfrog 12 Green: Tennell is two-way player and valuable with her ability to set and hit. She possesses a good touch and carries a nice arm. Karla Medina L Tstreet 13-PJ: Medina was passing dimes out of serve receive. She was also hustling all over the court chasing balls and extending plays. Liberty Badorek MB Tstreet 13-PJ: Badorek is a dynamic middle blocker who has a whip of an arm combined with incredible athleticism. Milan Tallman MB A5 13-1 Karen: Tallman was owning the middle defensively. It also doesn’t hurt that she has a big arm and can crush balls. Delaney Holder S Miz LB 13 Rockstar: Holder does a great job of getting her feet to the ball and distributes it around with ease. *** Brooklyn Hess S ID Crush 13 Bower: Hess has good vision, sees the court well and connects with her hitters. Nia Livings MB TAV 13 Black: Livings has lots of upside to her. She sees the court well and is a wall defensively. Collins Alonzo L Madfrog 13 Green: Alonzo is a high-energy libero with strong command of the back row. She also was solid out of serve receive and making hustle plays. Sierra Aswad S Coast 13-1: Aswad is a super smooth disher with great hands and spot-on location. She already shows great command and leadership. Neveah Tien S Club V 16 Ren Matt: Tien’s sets have been so consistent that her hitters have been putting the ball down almost every play. Abbey Knight OH SPVB 16 Elite: Knight has a heavy arm swing and comes in firing when attacking. She has great lateral movement along the net. She has a strong serve that forces teams into out of system plays. Addy Stone S TPV 18 Maverick: Stone brought the heat. She has smooth hands that leads her team to victories. She is a leader on the court and rallies her team together after each play.

While certain age groups alternated on the first day of Triple Crown, it’s an everything-goes atmosphere on Day 2 as those same age groups are playing at the same time. That, added to the fact teams are trying to stay in the hunt for the tournament title, creates a whirlwind environment of nonstop action and entertainment. The Vballrecruiter.com team spent the day covering the 12-18s division and below we highlight 27 players who stood out the most to us. On a quick note, we didn’t duplicate any Show Stoppers from Day 1. DAY 2 SHOW STOPPERS (Part 2) Jamie Carnes MB CJV 14 Mizuno: Carnes’ contributions in the middle go a long way in helping out her team. She offers a reliable scorer who can beat defenses with well-placed shots. Zoe Kearney MB SAS 14 Kevin: Kearney brings height to the front row and makes an impact on both sides. She hits from high up and it makes her tough to slow down. Olivia Permenter OH TAV 14 Black: Permenter’s length is a problem for opponents. She can extend up and hit down over blocks or go right at them and hit off of them. Samantha Shultz L/DS MAVS KC 14-1: Shultz is a steady defender who plays under control and does well covering and keeping her team in the point. Saaliyah Brown MB Forza1 North 15 One: Brown is a prospect and someone to keep an eye on. She has raw talent and flashes the type of potential she has when she soars and lets one go. Tinsley Welker-Brown S Hou Skyline 15 Royal: Welker-Brown is another fun setter to watch run the offense. She has a strong presence on the court and helps instill the tone for the rest of the team to follow. She too dishes with consistent accuracy. Shaye Witherspoon OH Rockwood Thunder 15 Elite: A next-level talent, Witherspoon is built for the collegiate game. She’s a strong outside with a big outside and can overwhelm opponents. Lynney Tarnow MB 1st Alliance 16 Gold: A massive presence in the middle, Tarnow changes the whole dynamic of the match when she checks in. She puts up a wall of a block and can turn around and smack winners with authority. Ayanna Watson OH Vegas Aces 16 UA: A high-flying, hard-swinging outside, Watson’s next-level potential is limitless. She has no issues soaring and swinging over blocks as she crushes winners to the deep corner. Christa WilburnRS Austin Skyline 16 Royal: With a lethal 1-2 punch on the outside combined with Wilburn on the right, the Austin Skyline pin attack rivals any in its age group. She has a whippy arm and can rocket shots. She’s also adept at tooling blocks. *** Naya Salfiti RS Skyline 17 Royal: Salfiti has a big presence on the court and puts up a massive block. She reads the gutter very well. She has a heavy arm when attacking and can work around the block. Sydney Davis MB GP 17 Rox: Davis is a springy middle who can elevate and get after it. Her quickness and speed cause timing problems for blockers. Laney Hennessee OH AP 17 Adidas: Hennessee is an under-the-radar type of player. Though she’s just slightly undersized she can crush it when she gets a hold of it. She is both relentless and fearless. Olivia Karvelis L Coast 13-1: Karvelis helps hold down serve receive with her consistent and sharp passing. She also does well making tough digs and keeping her team in points. Brynli Burgess L Skyline 13 Royal: Burgess was an anchor in the back row. She’s a steadying presence who doesn’t rattle. She was on point in serve receive, rarely missing her target. Lana Bakrac RS Rockwood Thunder 13 Elite: Bakrac is a lefty right side who gets after it when attacking on either pin. Nora Butler MB Rockwood Thunder 13 Elite: Butler makes an impact across the front row. She has a quick arm and adds an offensive dimension to the attack. Anna Lock MB Legacy 13-1 Adidas: Lock has the capability to impact both sides of the ball with her scoring and blocking abilities. Skye Lincoln OH Excel 13 Red: Lincoln takes aggressive swings and showed her ability to tool blocks with ease. Emani Clifton RS Dynasty 13 Black: Clifton, a lefty attacker, was a reliable scoring option on the right side. She packs a punch when she connects. *** Eugenia Lopez S BORINQUEN COQUI 13-1F: Lopez has a good touch and gets the ball to the same spot constantly, whether she is setting conventionally or running and bump setting. Rylan Miller – L/DS OT J 16 Will: Miller is light and speedy on her feet during defense. She has a solid platform on serve receive. She covers the line digs really well. Ai-Vy Ho S Excel 16 National Red: Ho has a high level of court awareness and sets at a high level. She also moves well on the court. Cali Reece L/DS TAV Houston 16 Adidas: Reece has a lot of control over the trajectory of her digs, putting her team in great position to make plays. She is able to create many angles with her platform creating more opportunities. Quinn Hickman RS Houston Skyline 16 Black: Hickman puts up a solid size block. She makes some big times plays stopping the other teams outside hitters. Jocelyn Bachli RS Drive Nation 14 Red: Bachli is a team player and brings positive energy to the court. She puts up a good size block on the right side. Kailey Phillips L/DS Wave 15 Taylor: Phillips has a fast reaction time on defense. She steps in to create great out of system balls for the outside.

After an incredible opening day at Triple Crown where teams fought it out in pool play, the format switched to elimination format on Day 2. With the safety net of losing removed, the sense of urgency was elevated and the competition followed suit. The Vballrecruiter.com team spent the day covering the 12-18s division and below we highlight 27 players who stood out the most to us. On a quick note, we didn’t duplicate any Show Stoppers from Day 1. DAY 1 SHOW STOPPERS (Part 1) Molly McGovern RS Dynasty 14 Black: McGovern was a factor on the right side with both her blocking and attacking. She has nice length and that allows her to get touches at the net as well as deliver on offense. Kayleigh Rogers OH Adidas KiVA 14 Red: Rogers was taking aggressive swings and challenging the block as she was providing reliable offense on the outside. Gabrielle Hatlevig OH Iowa Premier 14-1: Hatlevig is a bit undersized, but she’s wirey with a fast swing. She was coming hard on the attack and taking big swings. Kendall Omoruyi MB Arizona Storm 15 Thunder: Omoruyi is the equivalent to a cheat code. Her size and length give her side a massive advantage. She puts up a huge block and scores plenty of points on that side of the net. She’s also a legit weapon in the middle who can torment defenses. Allie Breitling OH Vegas Aces 15 UA: Breitling has great power behind her swings. She sees the blocks well which allows her to find sharp angles on the court. She covers well and gets back outside quick to give herself a full approach. Rylee Jewell L/DS NKYVC 15-1 Tsunami: Jewell can read the court so well and seems to always be in the right spots on defense, she has great control over her serve receive and is very consistent when passing. Nadiya Shelby RS Hou Skyline 16 Royal: Shelby is a physical marvel with the way she explodes and unloads. She skies way up and can hammer balls straight down in entertaining fashion. Kylie Buttars OH Club V 16 Ren Reed: Buttars is a physical outside with a powerful arm. She was also passing solidly out of serve receive as she held it down in her six-rotation role. Ella Andrews MB Legacy 16-1 Adidas: Andrews is a menace in the middle. She’s a space filler with her long block and ability to get touches and slow down attack. She also hits from a high angle and goes over blocks consistently. Alana Whitfield OH Illini Elite 16 Cardinal: Whitfield was a big part of why Illini Elite upset NKYVC. She came up with timely kills down the stretch to close out the victory. *** Brooklyn Hardy MB ID Crush 17 Bower: Hardy’s stock keeps rising. She moves extremely well and her quickness is a big asset. She explodes off the ground and has a quick swing to match, making life brutal on defenses. Tia Traudt OH VCNebraska 17 Elite: Traudt is a six-rotation contributor. She has a strong arm and knows how to burn defenses on a variety of ways. Charlotte Glass S Tribe 17 Elite Cardinal: Glass is a smooth-dishing setter who knows how to mix up her sets and get her hitters involved. Brookelyn Hatton L/DS MAVS KC 17-1: Hatton brings a defensive edge with her ability to cover a lot of space and pass accurately. Cadence Talaga OH Miz LB 14 Rockstar: Talaga is an all-around contributor for Mizuno, Talaga is also tough to slow on the attack with her scoring prowess. Riley Stringer S Miz LB 14 Rockstar: Stringer did well running the offense and moving the ball around. She was connecting with all her hitters and putting the ball in nice spots. Jade Smith S Arizona Storm 14 Thunder: Smith was dishing well in running the offense. She showed a nice touch and consistent release. Kiara Brown MB ARVC 14N1 Adidas: Brown is a huge wall in the middle blocking position and she moves well laterally too. Shelbi Mead S HPSTL 14 Royal: Mead was dishing well and putting up a nice ball for her hitters. She elevates her team with the ability to guide an offense. Arianys Salgado-Colon L/DS BORINQUEN COQUI 14-1F: Salgado-Colon’s consistency and fire was present in her play. Her no fear attitude in defense was fun to watch. *** Lila Liimatta OH Aspire 14 Premier: Lilmatta is a lanky outside with plenty of potential. She can extend and score well now and was carrying the offense at times. Shaun Waller MB TPV 14-Zulu: Waller is long and lanky and has lots of upside as she moves up the rank. She was already showing she’s a legit scoring option for her squad when in system and she does impact the play at the net. Taylor Johnson OH Dallas Skyline 14 Royal: Johnson hits a heavy ball and can power through blocks along with off speed shots to keep defenses guessing. Ava Hermelee RS/OH Sunshine 18 Westside: Hermelee gets off the net quickly and is able to see the court well when attacking. She tracked the ball along the net really well. Maddie Kraft L/DS Northern Lights 16-1: Kraft has great control over her digs and demonstrates great sportsmanship on the court. Keely DePauw DS Fieldhouse 15 Ikaika: DePauw has a great touch on the ball and on serve receive she has a solid platform. You can tell there is a lot of confidence behind each pass. The other team is steering clear of her. Cora Seabold S Sunshine 15 Pacific: Seabold has great communication with her hitters. She has great setting accuracy.

There is no time for rest when it comes to the first day of the Triple Crown NIT. With the best teams in the country across the net from each other, the atmosphere is bubbling with big-time competition and energy. The Vballrecruiter.com team spread out across the 12-18s to tackle as much as we could get to. Below, you can find 28 standout athletes who made us take notice the most with Part 4 of our Day 1 Show Stoppers. Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 DAY 1 SHOW STOPPERS (Part 4) Zoe Anderson L/DS AZ Sky 14G: Anderson was getting after it on the defensive side. She made plays to extend rallies and was passing on target. Kelsey Green S Elevation 14 Molly: Green is a smooth disher with a very nice touch. She sets a clean ball and knows how to run the attack. Kennedy Wilkinson L/DS Wave 14 Tammy: Wilkinson was another defender who stood out with her ability to keep balls alive and rarely miss her target. Che Tachibana S SAS 14-1: Tachibana is a heady setter who does well to help her team beyond setting. Presley Kreter MB PVA 15 Elite: Kreter was making her presence known in the middle. She’s strong and holds her block well. Clara Christ L/DS Northern Lights 15-1: Christ is a crisp passer and covers a lot of ground in keeping the play going. Chloe Taylor S/RS Forza1 North 15 One: Taylor’s size and versatility is what makes her so valuable to the lineup. She’s an efficient attacker who can vary her shots. She’s also a sound setter with a nice touch. Vivian Hickman S AZ Sky 16G: Guiding the offense in a 5-1, Hickman is a steady, under control setter who spreads the ball around and locates with consistency. Avery Poulton OH Club V 16 Ren Matt: Poulton is an up-and-coming prospect with her length and way she can get up and let loose. She was extending well and hitting with lots of pace. Genevieve Harris S Academy 16 Diamond: Harris knows what she’s doing out there. She has an easy delivery and can make tough sets even when out of position. *** Isabella Ruether OH MKE Sting 16 Gold: Ruether is having a breakout season. She has a lively arm and is a real factor on the outside. Kelly Kinney OH Tribe 17 Elite Cardinal: Kinney was making her mark. She can get up and really get after it and connect. Mackenzie Collins MB Hou Skyline 17 Royal: Collins is slightly undersized in the middle, but she makes up for it with the way she gets in the air. She explodes up and can unleash before defenses can fully react. Hannah Leftridge L/DS HPSTL 17 Royal: An outside the past few seasons, Leftridge is holding down the defensive side this year. She’s a sharp, consistent passer with strong ball control. Maia Raleigh S Madfrog 15 Black: Raleigh is someone who is making hustle plays when nobody else is. She has smooth hands and is super agile. She has great determination to make her team succeed. Aubrey Blake L/DS Elevation 17-1 Peak: Blake is a consistent passer on serve receive. She has extreme hustle and leaves everything on the court. Candela Ruano Fiuza S Elevation 17-1 Peak: Ruano Fiuzo moves well on the court and can anticipate the passes well so that she can optimize the set. She also makes sure to give all of her hitters a chance to score points Ailanni Sellers S OTJ 15 J Will: Sellers has a quick release on her sets. She puts up a good block. She is a smart player and looks for the open spots on the court to dump. Jaden Friar S Madfrog 12 Green: Friar distributes the ball around with ease consistently. Leighton Butters S Arizona Storm 12 Thunder: Butters is a 5-1 setter who has a consistent release point and spreads the ball around to all of her hitters. She is also scrappy on defense. *** Amicah Coleman MB Madfrog 11 Green: Coleman did a great job moving laterally on the net, both defensively and offensively. Kaelyn Easton S Legacy 13-1 Adidas: Easton has a strong hands and can run a nice tempo. She has the ability to push the ball to the outside from far off when out of system. Lexi Coleman OH Legacy 13-1 Adidas: Coleman is a physical hitter who’s more than capable of putting down balls and carrying the load offensively anywhere on the court. Macurdy Harden OH A5 13 Karen: A steady six-rotation player, Harden knows how to score against big blockers. She’s good at taking what the block and defenses are giving her. Emilie LaSala OH Coast 14 Luis: LaSala can leap, has a smooth swing, and add in a no fear mentality on the outside. She’s a ton of fun to watch offensively. Anabella Isabel Valentin-Miranda S/RS Borinquen Coquí 14-1F: Valentin-Miranda is another dual threat on the court. From the back row she quarterbacks her squad well. From the front row she brings a fire offensively. Jaelyn Jordan S MAVS KC 14-1: Jordan is a 5-1 athletic setter who has no fear dishing from anywhere on the court. Payton Woodruff S Legacy 14-1 Adidas: Woodruff is a 5-1 setter whose hands are soft and she hits her spots with great consistency.

There is nothing quite like the opening day of the Triple Crown NIT. Teams are eager to test themselves against the best and see where they stack up. With the top teams in the country going toe-to-toe there was plenty to get to and we did our very best covering as much as we could get to on Day 1. The Vballrecruiter.com team spent time watching action from the 12-18s divisions on Saturday and we highlight 28 players who caught our eye the most with Part 3 of our Day 1 Show Stoppers. Part 1 Part 2 DAY 1 SHOW STOPPERS (Part 3) Lilianah Jackson MB Dynasty 14 Black: A couple of things stood out about Jackson. She is very quick and gets off the ground in a hurry. Once in the air she knows what to do with the ball, as she was an effective scorer. Mckenzie Andrews MB Legacy 14-1 Adidas: Andrews’ length is a big plus in the middle for Legacy. She changes the dynamic of the front row, as she takes up a lot of space with her block. She can also reach high and hit sharp-angled attacks that defenses aren’t ready for. Grace Bengfort OH MAVS KC 14-1: Bengfort is a handful to contain. She has a fast arm and can really connect and unload. Janiah Burrage RS Forza1 15 One: Part of the Class of 2028, Burrage is an athletic hitter with a big jump and strong arm. She can go over the top of blocks consistently. Alli Bornschlegl OH VCNebraska 15 Elite: Bornschlegl is the go-to on the left side. She swings very well and was taking aggressive cuts and challenging the blocks. Kennedy Whyte OH Absolute 15 Black: One thing about Whyte is she hits a heavy ball. She has a massive arm and when she loads up and lets loose you can feel it. Isabel Incinelli OH WPVC 15 Armour Black: Incinelli spent last club and high school season patrolling the middle but was playing on the left when we caught her. She’s super long and can really extend and get on top of the ball. Reese Stringer S Mizuno 16 Beach Rockstar: Stringer puts her team in the best positions possible. She is a resilient player. She also gets her feet to the ball and hustles for every play. Ella Florez S Pohaku 16-1: Florez is a high IQ setter who runs a smooth offense. She can take off balls and still make the most of them, allowing her hitters to still get quality swings. Westley Matavao OH Forza1 North 16 One: Matavao is a physical outside who brings the power to the attack. She can simply crush balls at times. *** Kalyssa Blackshear MB Surfside 17 Legends: Blackshear’s length in the middle can be a real problem. She can extend way up and when she does she’s capable of sending balls down at the 10-foot line. Erika Sayer MB Co Jrs 17 Kevin: Opponents are not happy to see Sayer in the front row because she can impact a play on both sides of the ball. She can deliver resounding blocks as well as bash winners from sideline to sideline. Keri Leimbach L/DS Nebraska One 17 Synergy: Leimbach brings a defensive edge to the lineup. She’s a feisty defender who can frustrate opponents with the saves she makes. Simi Kapustova MB Sports Performance 18 Elite: Kapustova does well staying ready in the middle and is super agile along the net. Soraya Dennis S Wave 16-1 Scott: Dennis has quick hands and her fast tempo to the outside is what sets her apart from most setters her size. She is extremely consistent and her coverage behind her blockers is above average. Kalli Lipo L/DS Arizona Storm 16 Thunder: Lipo was passing dimes and is exuding calm confidence on the court. She reads the court really well and makes outstanding digs. She knows when to step in for her setter to create great out of system plays. Meg Goodwin S Tulsa Power 17-1: Goodwin moves very fast on the court and utilizes her middles when she can. She has a leader’s mentality with very clean hands. Itzamar Arana-Martinez OH Borinquen Coquí 14-1F: Arana-Martinez might be undersized but don’t tell her that. She jumps incredibly well and has a whip of an arm. Carsyn Chitty L Mintonette Sports – m.41: Chitty is a steady passer in serve receive, opponents were reluctant to go at her. She was also making plays and keeping rallies alive. Ariana White MB Paramount VBC 14 Maureen: White plays with physicality and when she gets a hold of one watch out! *** Angelia Robinson MB Lions 14-1: Robinson is very springy off the ground with a nice swing. Kari Knotts OH A5 13 Karen: Knotts gets up quickly and can generate a ton of pace on her attacks from everywhere on the court. Kris Yoo L MIZ LB 13 Rockstar: Yoo was picking up everything opponents were sending her way. Scrappy is an understatement for her. Mary McDowell OH KIVA 13 Red: McDowell gets her share of swings in helping carrying the offensive load. She definitely had some moments taking nice solid swings. Peyton Smith-Johnson OH Madfrog 13 Green: Smith-Johnson has a whip for an arm. She’s an aggressive hitter who uses the block well. Abbie Powell MB Munciana 14 Chipmunks: Powell makes an impact across the front row. She has a quick arm and adds an offensive dimension to the attack. Mikaela Curry MB Aspire 14 Premier: Curry is an undersized middle who jumps incredibly well with a quick arm. Ella Zieske OH Northern Lights 14-1: Zieske jumps well and can really light it up when she gets a hold of it!

There is so much fierce competition at the Triple Crown NIT that no matter what it’s impossible to get to all of it. However, the Vballrecruiter.com did our best to get to as much as the action as we could. It meant catching play from the 12-18s divisions. Below, we highlight 27 athletes who stood out the most to us with Part 2 of our Day 1 Show Stoppers. Part 1 DAY 1 SHOW STOPPERS (Part 2) Piper Coady OH Tstreet 14 Tara: Coady showcased her talents and the bright future in front of her. She’s a lanky outside who hits at high angles and stretches out defenses. Bethany Benjamin L/DS A5 14-1 Helen: Benjamin was a standout outside a season ago but has made the move to the back row this season. She’s a lights-out passer and defender who reads and reacts very well. Lucy Waleskowski S/RS NKYVC 14-1 Tsunami: Waleskowski is a dynamic player who adds versatility with her ability to set and hit. She has nice size and uses it to her advantage well when attacking. She’s also a steady setter who locates well. Sarah Floyd RS TAV 14 Black: Floyd is a real menace and a nightmare for opponents to deal with. She’s very long with a fluid swing and can unleash from all over the court. Tessa Larkin OH Arizona Storm 15 Thunder: One thing about Larkin, if there’s an opportunity to tee off she’s going to make the most of it. She has a whip for an arm and can rips balls down with ease. Cedra Talaga L/DS Mizuno Long Beach 15 Rockstar: Talaga plays with so much fire and energy that she’s a real sparkplug on defense. She flies around the court and brings a never-back-down attitude to the lineup. Marissa Jones S A5 15-1 Kelly: A next-level sensation, Jones can dazzle in ways others can’t at the setting position. Her size gives her a big advantage at the net, and her delivery is clean and smooth. Cynthia Ockerman MB Legacy 15-1 Adidas: Ockerman is a physical middle who can overpower blockers and crush balls at defenders. Presley Thompson L/DS Wave 16 Scott: Thompson is a sound defender who doesn’t rattle and is always making plays to keep her team in the point. Reese Resmer MB Boiler Jrs 16 Gold: Resmer was coming up with kill after kill. She’s an explosive hitter with a strong arm and defenders weren’t able to come up with an answer to slow her down. *** Audrey Dyas MB NKYVC 16-1 Tsunami: Dyas’ presence in the middle is a game-changer. She’s a strong attacker who can lineup and score from the left, middle or right with equal effectiveness. Emma Cugino L/DS Mintonette Sports m.61: Cugino missed Central Zone but she’s back for Triple Crown and showing why she is one of the best liberos in her class. She sees plays ahead of time and is rarely out of position. Tenesyn Frye S ID Crush 17 Bower: Frye continues to improve. It doesn’t hurt that she’s a long setter but she also shows great touch and ability to put her hitters in position to make a play. Teraya Sigler OH Arizona Storm 17 Thunder: Sigler’s all-around game is on another level. She’s also such a physical hitter who can overpower blockers by going off or through blocks. Layli Ostovar OH Mizuno Long Beach 17 Rockstar: Ostovar, part of the Class of 2026, is the go-to outside for Beach. She’s a smart attacker with a lively arm who can beat defenses in multiple ways. McKenzie Jones RS Madfrog 17 Green: Jones’ athleticism is a real weapon. She’s a springy attacker who elevates in a hurry and can get balls past blockers before they are set up. Izzy Mogridge S OT 17 Aaron: Mogridge is an energetic setter who moves very well. She does a nice job getting her feet to the ball and locating consistently. Jada Johnson OH NPJ Salem 16 National: Johnson brings infectious enthusiasm when she steps on the court. She jumps really well and is getting high over the block when hitting. Eden Tardy OH Paramount VBC 16-1: Tardy is very explosive when attacking and sees the court really well. She has a great platform on serve receive and sets up her team really well to run various plays. Petra Fritz OH/S E3 18-1: Fritz is an extremely versatile player, she can do it all. She has an aggressive arm swing, runs a versatile offense and can pass well on serve receive. *** Ella Swinn OH Vegas Aces UA 18s: Swinn has a high arm swing and finds all the open spots on the court. She anticipates the set well and moves on and off the net quickly. She is a force to be reckoned with at the net. Abby Dolle MB KIVA 12 Red: Dolle displayed good timing along the net both defensively and offensively. Londyn Cottrill OH Legacy 12-1 Adidas: Cottrill does a bit of everything for her team, including providing a big arm to be relied on plenty offensively. Mary-Christine (MC) Crutcher OH Excel 13 Red: Crutcher has a limitless ceiling. She can attack from anywhere and has a smooth swing with pace. Brylie Milo OH KC Power 13 Black: Milo is a key feature of the offense. She gets up well and takes hard, aggressive swings. She’s relentless on the attack and doesn’t let up. Nariah Johnson OH Coast 13-1: Johnson is a consistent passer out of serve receive and can track down balls on defense. She also jumps well and has a variety of shots she can throw at defenders. Sade Bello OH Houston Juniors 14 Elite: Bello is an instrumental part of the offense for her squad. She’s a physical hitter who’s more than capable of putting down balls and carrying the load offensively.

The opening day of the Triple Crown NIT never disappoints! The action is intense from the opening serve and doesn’t let up until the final one. We at Vballrecruiter.com were on hand for both the morning and afternoon waves taking in as much of the competition as we could get to. Below, you can find Part 1 of our Day 1 Show Stoppers, featuring 27 standout players who caught our attention the most. DAY 1 SHOW STOPPERS (Part 1) Sarah Albers RS HPSTL 14 Royal: A force on the right side, Albers is a game-changing presence. Her size and length, especially at this age, make her difficult to slow with the way she can extend and hit over blocks. Leilani Lamar OH OT 14 Laura: Another top prospect from the Class of 2028, has a ton of potential. She’s not only long but a free-swinger who can also elevate and make blocks disappear. Maya Ogbogu OH Madfrog 14 Green: The way Ogbogu gets up in the air is not fair for opponents who have to try and stop her. She’s a legit high-flyer with a booming arm who can blast winners from corner to corner. Baylee Wilson OH Coast 14-1: A standout beach player and part of the Class of 2029, Wilson is a fun player to watch get after it. She has a lively arm and can beat defenses with both pace and off-speed shots. Carsyn Comer MB Munciana 15 Blue: Comer is so physical in the middle. She has a huge arm and adds tons of power to the attack. Lauren Forelli OH AZ Rev 15 Premier: Speaking of big arms, Forelli fits in that category. She can really let it fly at times and send the ball down in a flash. Josalyn Samuels S Kairos 15 Alpha: A member of the Class of 2028, Samuels is silky-smooth in the setting position. She has a tremendous touch and high IQ. It leads to getting her hitters favorable looks. Candice Holloway MB OT 15 Randy: Holloway is someone to keep tabs on. She has unbelievable upside with her length and ability to make impact plays at the net on both sides of the ball. Audrey Flanagan OH SCVC 16 Roxy: Flanagan’s lively arm and offensive prowess was on full display. She has a quick arm and can really extend. Those two things together lead to impressive kills. Brooke Harwood MB Arizona Storm 16 Thunder: Harwood puts up a huge block in the middle. She is a dominating force on the court, getting on top of the ball when attacking and has great court vision to put the ball down. She shows up in big ways for her team. *** Halle Thompson OH Hou Skyline 16 Royal: A high-flying outside with a whip of an arm, Thompson is next-level material. She hits shots others simply cannot and because of it puts tremendous strain on defenses. Henley Anderson OH Austin Skyline 16 Royal: Anderson is another next-level talent whose size and power make for a lethal combination. She is a legit threat whether front or back row and drills shots to the deep corner with ease. Addy Horner S/RS 1st Alliance 17 Gold: Horner’s length and versatility are big factors in what she brings to the court. She’s a solid setter with consistent location. She’s also contributor on offense as she does well finding space and gaps. Macie Potter RS Drive Nation 17 Red: Potter is an explosive attacker and has great timing on her blocks. Campbell Flynn S Legacy 17-1 Adidas: There are few players who can impact a match at the setting position like Flynn. She’s so touch to get a beat on and is consistently getting her hitters one-on-one looks. Reese Messer S Dynasty 17 Black: Messer is another game-changing setter who is in total control of the offense. Her command of the offense is unquestionable and she slings it was total ease and confident. Delainy Williams S Athena 18-1 Gold: Williams has a quick release, moves her feet well to the ball and her setter-middle connection is superb. Allie Davison S Mich Elite 16 Mizuno: Davison moves quickly and has positive energy on the court. She does a great job on defense and covers the ball well. Jillian Ferrill RS Legacy 16-2 Adidas: Ferrill puts up a strong block and follows the ball well. She shows great tenacity as well having a high arm reach. Abbi Sells RS Legacy 16-2 Adidas: Sells demonstrates exceptional agility on the court while making great digs and finding her hitters during out of system plays. She plays with a fire under her and has great communication. *** Izzie McCarthy RS Excel 12 Red: McCarthy is a good attacker with a quick arm swing, which allows her to beat blockers and defenders to their spots. Emma Harter S Munciana 12 Peppers: Harter, a 5-1 setter, possesses nice, consistent hands and location. It makes her sets super hittable. Rosalee Johnson OH Dynasty 13 Black: Johnson brings a physicality to her attacking anywhere on the court. Sahmone Wadsworth OH Arizona Storm 13 Thunder: Wadsworth is an athlete who has a quick swing and is fearless on the attack. Danaya Petkova OH Rockwood 13 Thunder: Petkova is long and she lights it up when she unleashes on the outside. Mya Lee OH KC Power 14 Black: Lee connected so well on the outside we had to stop to watch. She can crank on the pins. Jensen Kubik OH Dynasty 14 Black: Kubik is a steady six-rotation outside for squad. She covers well in the back row and attacks well up the middle.