Congrats to all! Corrections? Questions? Additions? Email christi@vballrecruiter.com or DM on Social Media @vballphil 2024 2025 TRANSFERS BEACH 2025 ARIZONA: Ella Neubauer (Dakine Beach) BOY’S 2024 STEVENS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY: S Quinn Bozarth (630 Volleyball) 2025 OHIO STATE: S Christian Teresi (Adversity)
The Northern Lights qualifier takes on a slightly new look this season. While the 17s age group was added a couple of seasons ago to go with the 18s, this year features the 15s age group bundled in for the first time. That provides the younger age group an early chance to qualify, which is a big change from years past. Below, we look at the 15, 17 and 18 Open divisions and offer our predictions, as well as nationally-ranked teams competing, 4 and 5-star players in the field and a brief outlook. NORTHERN LIGHTS 18s Number of Teams: 27 Number of Bids: 3 Previously-Qualified Teams (2): KC Power 18 Black; Premier Nebraska 18 Gold vballrecruiter.com Nationally-Ranked Clubs (8): 10. KC Power 18 Black 14. Pohaku 18-1 16. Premier Nebraska 18 Gold 19. A5 18 Marc 35. MKE Sting 18 Gold 37. FC Elite 18 Elite 42. VCNebraska 18 Elite 44. Drive Nation 18 Red vballrecruiter.com 5-star Players to Watch: Lauren Medeck OH Premier Nebraska 18 Gold (South Dakota) Faith Frame L/DS Premier Nebraska 18 Gold (Cincinnati) Hannah Benjamin OH A5 18 Marc (Kentucky) vballrecruiter.com 4-star Players to Watch: Malayah Long S VCNebraska 18 Elite (Marquette) Paisley Douglas L/DS VCNebraska 18 Elite (USC) Mia Tvrdy MB Premier Nebraska 18 Gold (Oregon) Janelle Green S KC Power 18 Black (Cincinnati) Claire Luoma L/DS MKE Sting 18 Gold (Clemson) Anna Bjork MB MKE Sting 18 Gold (Notre Dame) Lilly Wagner S MKE Sting 18 Gold (Maryland) Ella Demetrician OH FC Elite 18 Elite (Michigan) Carly Gilk RS MN Select 18-1 (2025, Minnesota) Outlook: Like Florida Fest that is also happening this weekend, Northern Lights is also the first weekend that trickle down could play a role in qualifying with KC Power and Premier Nebraska already owning bids. Both qualified at the KC MLK two weekends ago. They start off as the top two seeds and there’s a strong likelihood they will help create some level of trickle down, which could extend out to fifth place. It makes for a good opportunity for the remaining teams. It’s just a matter of which ones are going to take advantage? MKE Sting and FC Elite were both at Windy City, taking seventh and 11th respectively. MN Select, Pohaku, VCNebraska, A5 and Kairos were all together at the KC MLK event, along with KC Power and Premier. That makes for familiarity among many of the participants. Teams are ultimately fighting to make the four-team gold pool. That’s where KC Power and Premier Nebraska come into play. Should both make the gold pool, the other two teams would qualify. That would leave the final bid to go to the winner of the four-team silver pool. If only one of the two between KC Power and Premier Nebraska make the gold pool, the remaining three teams will earn bids before playing a match on Sunday. Prediction: We like KC Power to come out with its second qualifier victory of the season. As for the teams earning bids, those picks are MN Select, Pohaku and MKE Sting. **** NORTHERN LIGHTS 17s Number of Teams: 36 Number of Bids: 3 Previously-Qualified Teams: n/a vballrecruiter.com Nationally-Ranked Clubs (17): 3. 1st Alliance 17 Gold 4. Hou Skyline 17 Royal 6. MKE Sting 17 Gold 7. Mich Elite 17 Mizuno 8. Surfside 17 Legends 9. Nebraska One 17 Synergy 12. ID Crush 17 Bower 14. HJV 17 Elite 17. Dynasty 17 Black 19. Northern Lights 17-1 23. GP 17 Rox 29. Drive Nation 17 Red 31. OT 17 O Felix 37. VCNebraska 17 Elite 40. NKYVC 17-1 Tsunami 43. KC Power 17 Black 48. Rockwood Thunder 17 Elite vballrecruiter.com 5-star Players to Watch: Addy Horner S/RS 1st Alliance 17 Gold (Wisconsin) Abby Vander Wal OH 1st Alliance 17 Gold (Texas) Natalie Wardlow MB Nebraska One 17 Synergy (Wisconsin) Amina N’Diaye OH OT 17 O Felix (Miami) Bailey Warren OH Hou Skyline 17 Royal (Wake Forest) Kassidy O’Brien S Hou Skyline 17 Royal (Kentucky) Bayleigh Minor MB Hou Skyline 17 Royal Kaci Demaria OH Surfside 17 Legends Jordan Taylor MB HJV 17 Elite (Minnesota) Madison Quest OH MKE Sting 17 Gold (Wisconsin) Reese Messer S Dynasty 17 Black (USC) Abigail Mullen RS Dynasty 17 Black (USC) vballrecruiter.com 4-star Players to Watch: Gabriella Pitcel MB MKE Sting 17 Gold (Illinois) Olivia Durst L/DS MKE Sting 17 Gold (Michigan State) Emma Koceja OH MKE Sting 17 Gold Keri Leimbach L/DS Nebraska One 17 Synergy (Nebraska) Elena Maynulet OH GP 17 Rox (Columbia) KK Green S/RS GP 17 Rox (Holy Cross) Tenesyn Frye S ID Crush 17 Bower (Houston) Ava Tilden OH NKYVC 17-1 Tsunami (Xavier) Riley McCloskey OH/RS NKYVC 17-1 Tsunami (Memphis) Rebekah Pfefferkorn RS Hou Skyline 17 Royal (Florida International) Taylor Porter OH Hou Skyline 17 Royal (Vaderbilt) Morgan Madison L/DS Hou Skyline 17 Royal (Baylor) Sydney Bryant OH HJV 17 Elite (Vanderbilt) Aaliyah Smith OH HJV 17 Elite (Rice) Mesaiya Bettis OH Northern Lights 17-1 (Iowa State) Hannah Beauford S Drive Nation 17 Red (Cal) Reese Jackson MB Drive Nation 17 Red Izzy Busignani OH Mich Elite 17 Mizuno (Cincinnati) Kalyssa Blackshear MB Surfside 17 Legends (Louisville) Malorie Boesiger S Nebraska One 17 Synergy (2027) Outlook: This could turn out being the toughest qualifier of the season. It’s a large field with 36 teams and not only is there no trickle down in play, almost half the field is ranked in our Top 50 rankings. To say the field is loaded is a gross understatement. That only three teams can earn bids here is going to make for plenty of unsatisfied teams who thought they could get the job done and punch an early bid. 1st Alliance, Nebraska One and Hou Skyline are powerhouse teams. Surfside, HJV and MKE Sting are other big-time players. Mich Elite, GP and Idaho Crush are also major factors. Then there’s Dynasty, which is offering a new look this season and could easily play a role when it’s all said and done.
We’ve been off to a flying start with our predictions for the 18s. The hot start continued last week by picking TAV 18 Black to win the Lone Star Classic, as well as calling Hou Skyline 18 Royal to qualify as well. The only miss came with Madfrog 18 Green. Instead, it was OT 18 Roberto taking home one of the three bids. OT actually beat Madfrog on Day 2 and created a three-way tie at 2-1. Madfrog ended third in the pool and failed to advance. It was Madfrog’s only loss on the weekend. Madfrog is back in action at this weekend’s Florida Fest. Below, you can find our predictions for this weekend, as well as nationally-ranked teams, 4 and 5-star players in the field and a brief outlook. FLORIDA FEST 18s Number of Teams: 28Number of Bids: 3Previously-Qualified Teams (2): Rockwood Thunder 18 Elite; OT 18 O Robertovballrecruiter.com Nationally-Ranked Clubs (9): vballrecruiter.com 5-star Players to Watch: vballrecruiter.com 4-star Players to Watch: Outlook: With 28 teams, this is the biggest field to date for 18 Open. It’s also the first weekend we have the possibility of trickle down in play as there are two qualified teams in Rockwood Thunder and OT Roberto. Rockwood Thunder qualified by taking second at the KC MLK two weeks ago, while OT grabbed second place last weekend at Lone Star. Leading the pack this weekend is Triangle, which is playing in its first qualifier of the season and is among the top contenders. Another team to watch out for is Metro, which tied for fifth at Windy City and is fully capable of earning a bid this weekend. Then there is Madfrog, which is also a real contender to qualify. Prediction: The call is Madfrog beating Triangle in the final, as both pick up bids. With OT and Rockwood in the mix, we expect trickle down to play a part, with Tribe taking advantage and earning the final bid.
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: Rayna Christianson. *** Even as Rayna Christianson was playing AAU basketball, she seemed destined for volleyball. After all, she comes from a family with deep ties to the sport. “I have a huge volleyball family,” she said. “My mom played in high school. My aunt played at the University of Minnesota and my cousin went to the Naval Academy and played there. It’s pretty much how I got into volleyball.” As Christianson headed to Northern Lights to play club volleyball for her 12s season, she began to take the sport more seriously and began to find her passion. She was playing basketball as well but found it difficult to balance the two sports so she decided to focus on volleyball only. “It was easy to pick the sport,” she said. “It’s just that I had so many relationships in basketball so it was hard telling everyone I wasn’t going to play anymore, but it was easy to pick between them.” Christianson, a 5-star recruit from the Class of 2026, has had a somewhat different journey to this point. While she’s been a setter/right side in club for Northern Lights, she’s played multiple positions during her high school career at Lakeville North. She made the junior varsity team as a seventh-grader and spent that fall as a setter/right side. She’s been on varsity the past three seasons, including spending her eighth and ninth-grade campaigns playing out of the middle before setting this year as a sophomore. “I really liked it,” Christianson said of playing in the middle. “We had a talented setter both years and that was very helpful too. There wasn’t many middles in our program so I just said put me where you need me. It was an opportunity to be on varsity.” It’s been a busy month or so for Christianson. Before the Christmas break she traveled to participate in The Red Hat Games in Dallas. “I thought it was really fun,” she said. “It was good competition. I loved the whole thing. It was super fun. It was well organized and I liked how there was a lot of playing and getting to meet new people. That was cool. I really liked it.” Shortly after, her Northern Lights 16s team – along with the 2s group – left on Christmas day and headed to Europe, where they spent 13 days before returning on Jan. 6. Since then, Christianson and company have been gearing up for the club season. “I’m super excited for this year,” Christianson said. “I love my team. We are all so supportive and all have good relationships. We’re all talented and are excited to see where this year takes us.” As our featured Player of the Week sponsored by Dick’s Sporting Goods, we recently spoke with Christianson about volleyball and more. Who is a role model or someone you look up to? Christianson: I’d say my cousin, Macy. She’s the one who got me into volleyball, along with my mom and my aunt. She’s one of the most determined people I know. She went to the Naval Academy and played there collegiately. Her going there was such an amazing experience. She’s going to be serving in Japan for three years now. If you could choose to do anything for a day, what would you do and why? Christianson: I think I would want to hang out with my friends and go shopping or go to the movies just to get quality time with them. Other than volleyball, what skill would you most like to learn and why? Christianson: I would say being well-rounded in every school subject, like English and math. I think it would be being super smart. Do you have any volleyball superstitions or rituals and if so what? Christianson: For high school season I wore braids in my hair on top of my head and in a pony tail for every high school game. There’s not really a reason other than I thought I played better with them and it felt better. Aside from basic necessities, what is one thing you could not go a day without? Christianson: I eat cereal every morning. It’s the same cereal – Chocolate Chex. I eat it before school and before volleyball. What is one thing that instantly makes your day better or makes you smile? Christianson: It’s probably my dog because she is never a sad dog. She’s always excited so it’s never hard to be around her. Her name is Harley. She’s a Cavalier King Charles and Poodle mix. She’s a Cavapoo. What’s one of your favorite ways to have fun? Christianson: I’d say volleyball is the way I like to have fun the most because it’s being with my teammates and I love the game so much. I love spending the time with other people like my coaches and teammates. It’s my favorite. Outside of volleyball what are you most passionate about and why? Christianson: I just like to pride myself on being a kind person to my friends and family and people in general. I like to keep a positive attitude because it lightens everyone’s mood. What is one thing that may surprise people about you? Christianson: I’m a super competitive player when it comes to volleyball or really anything. I can get very serious when it comes to competing toward anything. If you could live anywhere you wanted, where would it be and why? Christianson: I would probably say a beach place like the Bahamas because I like the warm weather and I like the ocean. It would probably be the Bahamas because we went there a couple years ago for spring break. What’s your favorite food or foods? Christianson: I
The 17s age group took to the courts this past weekend for the SCVA Event 1. The top division featured nationally-ranked clubs in No. 8 Surfside 17 Legends, No. 25 Coast 17 Rodrigo, No. 28 Wave 17 Juliana, No. 30 Mizuno Long Beach 17 Rockstar and No. 44 Forza1 North 17 One. True to form, Surfside powered through the weekend and finished first with a 6-0 mark. Surfside swept Wave – which was coming off its appearance last weekend at the Tour of Texas – in the final. Long Beach went 5-1, with its only loss coming to Surfside in pool play, to finish third. vballrecruiter.com spent Day 2 witnessing the competition and below we highlight the players who caught our attention the most with our Show Stoppers. SHOW STOPPERS Olivia Foye L/DS Surfside 17 Legends: Part of Surfside’s dominance included Foye handling the defensive side. She’s a skillful passer and defender who reads and reacts well and frustrates opponents with her ability to scoop up would-be kills. Kaci Demaria OH Surfside 17 Legends: Demaria is a disruptive force on the outside. Her size and power makes her difficult to slow down, especially when she’s able to fully extend and not hold back. Kalyssa Blackshear MB Surfside 17 Legends: Blackshear length in the middle was another bright spot for Surfside. She can make space disappear in a hurry as she turns back attackers. She’s also a must-cover on offense as she can hit from high up and create tough to cover angles. Addy Benefield RS Surfside 17 Legends: A new addition to the roster, Benefield adds athleticism and an improved scoring punch on the right side. She’s a quick jumper with a fast arm who can send balls straight down. Olivia Durr MB Wave 17 Juliana: Defenses needed to be aware of Durr when she checked in. She provided a sound scoring boost to the attack with her variety of ways to earn points for her side. Alexis Richards S Wave 17 Juliana: Richards was a fun setter to watch dish the rock. She does well getting to the ball and delivering accurate sets and connecting with all her hitters. Quinn Loper OH Wave 17 Juliana: Loper presents problems for opponents when she has it going. She can hit over or through blocks with the way she extends and connects. Layli Ostovar OH Mizuno Long Beach 17 Rockstar: Ostovar – a Class of 2026 recruit – can bring it on the attack. She has a lively arm and she was ripping loud kills straight down to end rallies. Brianna Brewer OH Mizuno Long Beach 17 Rockstar: Brewer is a newcomer to the lineup this season and she helps deepen the attack for Beach. She can hit front and back row and she also can rise up. Brooklyn Drumwright OH A4 17 Tyler: Drumwright has the biggest arm among the A4 attackers. She carries her share of the offense and gets set plenty because of it. *** Reese Weinert MB A4 17 Tyler: Weinert did well making herself available and scoring when called upon. She showed she could find multiple ways to score from well-placed tips to swinging to the open space. Ava Poinsett OH Coast 17 Rodrigo: Another outside who was an integral part of the offense was Poinsett. She’s a physical hitter with a strong arm who can tool blocks or power right through them. Savannah Simpson MB Coast 17 Rodrigo: Simpson is a lanky middle with the ability to get out and run the slide. Coast likes to get her the ball when in system to keep defenses honest. Lauren Farris OH Tstreet 17 Predney: Farris has a solid arm and was swinging equally well on the left or right. Sarah Shaw MB Sports Academy 17-1: Shaw is part of a tough 1-2 punch in the middle. She’s long and makes an impact on both sides of the ball. She has a loose arm and can deliver on a consistent basis. Manaia Ogbechie MB Sports Academy 17-1: Ogbechie is problematic in the middle. She’s a physical presence with both her blocking and attacking. She can fly and hammer balls down in impressive fashion. Maya Banks RS Forza1 North 17 One: Banks is an athletic right side with a springy jump and fast arm. She comes at defenders in a hurry and proved tough to slow down. Keonaahi’ilani Solaita OH Forza1 North 17 One: Solaita is a bit undersized but packs a serious punch. She’s fearless and stays aggressive. It leads to big-time kills that fires up her teammates. Hannah Brady L/DS Sunshine 17 Pacific: Brady was among the better defenders taking care of the back row. She’s solid in both serve receive and defending and making ups. Miley Thunstrom OH Forza1 17 One: Thunstrom is a lanky outside who can extend and rip balls on the left. *** Olivia Ip RS City 17 Gold: Ip is a solid right side attacker who defenses need to keep in mind. When in system City will utilize her and get her involved as much as possible. Ashby Zubchevich OH City 17 Gold: Zubchevich showed up as one of the top outsides. She is the featured part of the attack and for good reason. She was unloaded time and time again and scoring from sideline to sideline.
The SCVA 15s continued its regional competition this past Saturday with its Event 1. The top division featured nationally-ranked clubs in No. 4 Tstreet 15 Naseri, No. 5 Mizuno Long Beach 15 Rockstar, No. 8 Wave 15 Brennan, No. 9 Forza1 15 One, No. 12 Forza1 North 15 One and No. 36 City 15 Gold. Tstreet came out ahead over the two days, posting a 6-0 record after downing Wave in the final. Wave was coming off its appearance last weekend at the Tour of Texas. vballrecruiter.com spent Day 1 catching all the action and we highlight the standout players below with our Show Stoppers. SHOW STOPPERS Megan Hodges MB Tstreet 15 Naseri: Hodges, a Class of 2028 recruit playing up, helps make up one of the strongest middle duos in the country. Beyond bringing size to the front row, Hodges has the ability to crush balls straight down by going right over blocks. Emma Kingston MB Tstreet 15 Naseri: Kingston forms the other half of the middle duo that gives Tstreet a huge advantage at the position. She’s a physical attacker and blocker who can also hammer balls down when the opportunity presents itself. Ella Olson OH Tstreet 15 Naseri: Olson is a high-level beach player and it shows with her indoor game. She’s a sound passer, smart attacker and knows when to let off and keep rallies going or when to swing away and let loose. Sophia Wu L/DS Wave 15 Brennan: Wu did a solid job patrolling the back row. She was passing consistently and helping keep Wave in rallies by making digs. Olivia Greenwood RS Wave 15 Brennan: Greenwood is a lefty who opens up the attack with her scoring ability from the right side. She’s a legit threat who defenses need to track or else they’ll pay the price. Emery Gonzales S Wave 15 Brennan: Gonzales does well distributing the ball and mixing up her sets. She has a nice touch and locates well. Makenna Barnes OH Mizuno Long Beach 15 Rockstar: Barnes is a new addition to the roster this season and adds height to the front row. She gives Beach a boost offensively with her strong arm that can deliver big kills. Hanna McGinest OH Mizuno Long Beach 15 Rockstar: McGinest can liven up the attack in a hurry. She can get up and unload quickly and with it bounce balls off the floor with ease. Lucky Fasavalu S/RS Mizuno Long Beach 15 Rockstar: Fasavalu is another new addition to the Beach lineup and she not only brings her skillset but adds lots of versatility. She can be part of a 6-2 and hit across the front row. Or she can set across the back or just hit on the right. Whatever she’s in there doing, she does it well. Ryah Brock OH Forza1 North 15 One: The centerpiece of Forza North’s offense, Brock is a threat front and back row. She jumps and swings well and can unleash impressive kills that hype up her teammates. *** Kaleia Zeits L/DS Forza1 North 15 One: Zeits, a Class of 2028 recruit, brought a lot of energy to the defensive side. She did well picking off swings coming her way and extending rallies. Marley Robinson S/RS Forza1 North 15 One: Robinson plays a key role with her setting and hitting. She’s also another high-energy player who brings a lot of passion to the court. Piper Chylinski S/RS City 15 Gold: Chylinsky is also a two-way contributor and an integral part of City’s plan. Her size is a big advantage and allows her to hit over smaller blocks across the front row. She’s also consistent in her setting role and putting up a nice ball. Vani Tatoulian MB City 15 Gold: Tatoulian was making her presence known in the middle. She was making an impact on both sides with her blocking and hitting and brought a lot of fire to the court. Allyn Hilt OH SCVC 15 Roxy: Hilt was among the standout outsides. She has a strong arm and was taking aggressive swings and pressuring defenses. Lerin Rosenthal S SCVC 15 Roxy: Rosenthal showed strong court leadership as an energetic setter. She has a smooth release and is rarely off the mark with her hitters. Evelyn Pool MB Forza1 15 One: Pool adds a different dynamic when she’s front row because of the way she can impact rallies on both sides. She’s a terminal attacker who can end points as well as get in the way and stop attackers with her blocking. Janiah Burrage RS Forza1 15 One: Burrage is a Class of 2028 recruit playing up. She’s an electric attacker who glides through the air and smacks balls from corner to corner with her lively arm. Aliana Breitling OH Vegas Aces 15 UA: As a team it was a tough weekend for Vegas Aces. But Breitling shined with her punch on the outside. She was the team’s most consistent scoring threat and shoulder her fair share of the load offensively. Abigail Smith OH OCVC 15-1: Smith is a bit undersized on the outside but she is fearless. She doesn’t back down and was relentless in coming at and challenging blockers.
Congrats to all! Corrections? Questions? Additions? Email christi@vballrecruiter.com or DM on Social Media @vballphil 2024 2025 TRANSFERS BOY’S 2024
It was a great beginning to the year on the prediction front. Last weekend, we predicted five of the six eventual bid winners. We picked 1st Alliance 18 Gold to take first place at Windy City, which the club did by beating City 18 Gold. We also predicted Vision 18 Gold taking third place and qualifying in Chicago, which also happened. As for the Kansas City MLK 18s, we picked Rockwood Thunder 18 Elite to top KC Power 18 Black in the final, but it played out in reverse with KC Power beating Rockwood Thunder. We also called Premier Nebraska 18 Gold finishing third and qualifying. That brings us to this weekend’s qualifier – the Lone Star Classic 18s. As expected, it’s heavy on the Texas teams and that always makes for fierce competition and intense action. We’ll see how we do with our picks this weekend, which you can find below, as well as nationally-ranked teams competing, 4 and 5-star recruits in the field and a short breakdown of the field. LONE STAR CLASSIC 18s Number of Teams: 16 Number of Bids: 3 Previously-Qualified Teams: n/a vballrecruiter.com Nationally-Ranked Clubs (9): vballrecruiter.com 5-star Players to Know: vballrecruiter.com 4-star Players to Know: Outlook: The two fields for last weekend’s 18s qualifiers were both 22 teams. At 16, this weekend’s field is smaller and just has enough teams to award three bids. With no teams qualified, the path to getting one of them is straight forward as clubs must finish in the top three to earn theirs. Teams will be fighting to make the four-team gold bracket on Sunday, with the top three teams from that final group qualifying. The event is Texas-heavy on teams and that favors clubs like TAV, Hou Skyline, Skyline, Madfrog and HJV to bring home the bids. However, MAVS KC finished fourth last week in Kansas City and should factor in. Coast and OT are two more out-of-state clubs to watch for as both could get into the top three as well. Prediction: We’re not getting radical here and are playing it safe by picking TAV to take home the gold by beating Madfrog in the final. Hou Skyline tops Coast for the third and the final bid.
When it comes to the 14s age division, many of the top teams are all capable of taking turns beating one another. It makes coming up with the initial rankings challenging, but you have to start somewhere. We begin with our 14s Club Top 30 National Rankings knowing and fully expecting there to be massive shifts with our next update as teams get more and more into their seasons. We’ll expand the Top 30 to a Top 50 after Triple Crown, where many of the top clubs around the country will converge in a month. For now, you can view the full rankings below. 14s CLUB TOP 30 NATIONAL RANKINGS 1. HPSTL 14 Royal MO 2. Madfrog 14 Green TX 3. TAV 14 Black TX 4. OT 14 T FL 5. MAVS KC 14-1 KS 6. NKYVC 14-1 Tsunami KY 7. Tribe 14 Elite Cardinal FL 8. Dynasty 14 Black KS 9. A5 14 Helen GA 10. Hou Skyline 14 Royal TX *** 11. AVC Cle 14 Red OH 12. SG Elite 14 Rosh CA 13. Elevation 14 Molly OH 14. Mintonette Sports m.41 OH 15. Legacy 14-1 Adidas MI 16. Wave 14 Tammy CA 17. Circle City 14 Purple IN 18. Absolute 14 Black CA 19. Skyline 14 Royal TX 20. Coast 14 Luis CA *** 21. Munciana 14 Chipmunks IN 22. Alamo 14 Premier TX 23. Mizuno Long Beach 14 Rockstar CA 24. Premier Nebraska 14 Gold NE 25. Adidas KiVA 14 Red KY 26. MKE Sting 14 Gold WI 27. Lions 14-1 IL 28. Tstreet 14 Tara CA 29. HJV 14 Elite TX 30. CJV 14 Mizuno NC
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: Carson Caraway. *** Carson Caraway had no background in sports when her friend came to her nearly six years ago and asked if she wanted to play volleyball. Thinking it would be something fun to do, Caraway said yes. Fast forward to now, and the 6-2, 4-star outside is an up-and-comer in the Class of 2027. “I was never really a big sports person,” Caraway said. “I was not athletic. That I started volleyball was a shocker to my parents.” Caraway is coming off a varsity season at Jackson Academy in which she lifted the Raiders to their fifth consecutive MAIS Division 1 state championship. The freshman racked up a team-leading 481 kills, averaging 3.6 per set and ending up with the fourth-most winners in the state of Mississippi. She also led the way in aces with 115 and was third in digs with 291. “This year was insane, it was so crazy,” Caraway said. “Just being on varsity there is some sort of pressure. All my teammates, all the seniors, they are super supportive. Playing with older girls on that sort of level, I’ve never experienced that type of pressure and atmosphere. It was so fun. It was such a great experience.” It was a giant leap forward from her contributions and role last year as an eighth-grader on varsity when she finished fifth in kills with 92. She nearly had half that total in her two best matches this past fall, one of which featured a season-best 24 kills in a victory over Lamar in mid-September. “It was definitely my confidence in myself,” Caraway said about the biggest difference from last season to this one. “As an eighth-grader I was really timid and really shy. I tried to make an impact on the team but I was scared being with girls older than me. The experience of last year, having went through it already, the girls are all so nice it was a lot easier to be confident and help my team.” The club season started to pick up for Caraway this past weekend. Her and her Infinity VBA 15 Open teammates participated in their first tournament of the season when they traveled to the Blastoff in New Orleans. There, they went 7-2 and finished tied for third. “I’m so excited to play with my team,” Caraway said. “I can tell from our first couple of practices that they all want to play and all want to win. I think we are going to be a lot more competitive. I’m so excited.” In between high school and club, Caraway was among those who participated in the first-ever The Red Hat Games last month in Dallas. She said it was something she’s never experienced before. “The event was absolutely insane,” she said. “Being surrounded by all those girls who were so good. There was not one girl there who couldn’t play volleyball. They were all so nice and there was incredible talent. Being in the gym with them was such a great opportunity.” Among Caraway’s future goals are to one season earn the Gatorade State Player of the Year and continue on playing at the Division 1 level in college. Another aim for her is to help put Mississippi volleyball on the map. “I know compared to Texas and California, it isn’t out there like that yet,” she said. “I would love to find a way to help Mississippi’s level become higher. That would be amazing.” As our featured Player of the Week sponsored by Dick’s Sporting Goods, we recently spoke with Caraway about volleyball and more. Who is a role model or someone you look up to? Caraway: I would have to say my high school coach, Melissa Denson. She pushes me to become the best athlete and person I can be. She always tells us to be a good person. Don’t just settle. Be a good person and push to do your best. If you could choose to do anything for a day, what would you do and why? Caraway: If I had a choice, I would probably go sky diving. I would go sky diving because I’ve never done something like that and I always wonder what it would be like. Other than volleyball, what skill would you most like to learn and why? Caraway: I have always wanted to learn to play tennis. I have no idea how to play. I ask friends about teaching me how to play. I think it would be a great skill to learn. Do you have any volleyball superstitions or rituals and if so what? Caraway: For my high school team, we actually brush our teeth before games because we are convinced that it helps us do better. Aside from basic necessities, what is one thing you could not go a day without? Caraway: I would have to say my phone. I hate to say it, but I probably couldn’t live without it even if I wanted to. What is one thing that instantly makes your day better or makes you smile? Caraway: It’s my friends who I get to see every day. I love going to school because of them. It makes it a lot more enjoyable for me and it puts a smile on my face. What’s one of your favorite ways to have fun? Caraway: I love going out to eat with my friends. I love food and my friends. It’s the perfect combination. Outside of volleyball what are you most passionate about and why? Caraway: I would say my friends and family. They mean the most to me in my life. They have a really huge impact on me. What is one thing that may surprise people
Congrats to all! Corrections? Questions? Additions? Email christi@vballrecruiter.com or DM on Social Media @vballphil 2024 2025 TRANSFERS BEACH 2025 ARIZONA: Ella Neubauer (Dakine Beach) BOY’S 2024 STEVENS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY: S Quinn Bozarth (630 Volleyball) 2025 OHIO STATE: S Christian Teresi (Adversity)
The Northern Lights qualifier takes on a slightly new look this season. While the 17s age group was added a couple of seasons ago to go with the 18s, this year features the 15s age group bundled in for the first time. That provides the younger age group an early chance to qualify, which is a big change from years past. Below, we look at the 15, 17 and 18 Open divisions and offer our predictions, as well as nationally-ranked teams competing, 4 and 5-star players in the field and a brief outlook. NORTHERN LIGHTS 18s Number of Teams: 27 Number of Bids: 3 Previously-Qualified Teams (2): KC Power 18 Black; Premier Nebraska 18 Gold vballrecruiter.com Nationally-Ranked Clubs (8): 10. KC Power 18 Black 14. Pohaku 18-1 16. Premier Nebraska 18 Gold 19. A5 18 Marc 35. MKE Sting 18 Gold 37. FC Elite 18 Elite 42. VCNebraska 18 Elite 44. Drive Nation 18 Red vballrecruiter.com 5-star Players to Watch: Lauren Medeck OH Premier Nebraska 18 Gold (South Dakota) Faith Frame L/DS Premier Nebraska 18 Gold (Cincinnati) Hannah Benjamin OH A5 18 Marc (Kentucky) vballrecruiter.com 4-star Players to Watch: Malayah Long S VCNebraska 18 Elite (Marquette) Paisley Douglas L/DS VCNebraska 18 Elite (USC) Mia Tvrdy MB Premier Nebraska 18 Gold (Oregon) Janelle Green S KC Power 18 Black (Cincinnati) Claire Luoma L/DS MKE Sting 18 Gold (Clemson) Anna Bjork MB MKE Sting 18 Gold (Notre Dame) Lilly Wagner S MKE Sting 18 Gold (Maryland) Ella Demetrician OH FC Elite 18 Elite (Michigan) Carly Gilk RS MN Select 18-1 (2025, Minnesota) Outlook: Like Florida Fest that is also happening this weekend, Northern Lights is also the first weekend that trickle down could play a role in qualifying with KC Power and Premier Nebraska already owning bids. Both qualified at the KC MLK two weekends ago. They start off as the top two seeds and there’s a strong likelihood they will help create some level of trickle down, which could extend out to fifth place. It makes for a good opportunity for the remaining teams. It’s just a matter of which ones are going to take advantage? MKE Sting and FC Elite were both at Windy City, taking seventh and 11th respectively. MN Select, Pohaku, VCNebraska, A5 and Kairos were all together at the KC MLK event, along with KC Power and Premier. That makes for familiarity among many of the participants. Teams are ultimately fighting to make the four-team gold pool. That’s where KC Power and Premier Nebraska come into play. Should both make the gold pool, the other two teams would qualify. That would leave the final bid to go to the winner of the four-team silver pool. If only one of the two between KC Power and Premier Nebraska make the gold pool, the remaining three teams will earn bids before playing a match on Sunday. Prediction: We like KC Power to come out with its second qualifier victory of the season. As for the teams earning bids, those picks are MN Select, Pohaku and MKE Sting. **** NORTHERN LIGHTS 17s Number of Teams: 36 Number of Bids: 3 Previously-Qualified Teams: n/a vballrecruiter.com Nationally-Ranked Clubs (17): 3. 1st Alliance 17 Gold 4. Hou Skyline 17 Royal 6. MKE Sting 17 Gold 7. Mich Elite 17 Mizuno 8. Surfside 17 Legends 9. Nebraska One 17 Synergy 12. ID Crush 17 Bower 14. HJV 17 Elite 17. Dynasty 17 Black 19. Northern Lights 17-1 23. GP 17 Rox 29. Drive Nation 17 Red 31. OT 17 O Felix 37. VCNebraska 17 Elite 40. NKYVC 17-1 Tsunami 43. KC Power 17 Black 48. Rockwood Thunder 17 Elite vballrecruiter.com 5-star Players to Watch: Addy Horner S/RS 1st Alliance 17 Gold (Wisconsin) Abby Vander Wal OH 1st Alliance 17 Gold (Texas) Natalie Wardlow MB Nebraska One 17 Synergy (Wisconsin) Amina N’Diaye OH OT 17 O Felix (Miami) Bailey Warren OH Hou Skyline 17 Royal (Wake Forest) Kassidy O’Brien S Hou Skyline 17 Royal (Kentucky) Bayleigh Minor MB Hou Skyline 17 Royal Kaci Demaria OH Surfside 17 Legends Jordan Taylor MB HJV 17 Elite (Minnesota) Madison Quest OH MKE Sting 17 Gold (Wisconsin) Reese Messer S Dynasty 17 Black (USC) Abigail Mullen RS Dynasty 17 Black (USC) vballrecruiter.com 4-star Players to Watch: Gabriella Pitcel MB MKE Sting 17 Gold (Illinois) Olivia Durst L/DS MKE Sting 17 Gold (Michigan State) Emma Koceja OH MKE Sting 17 Gold Keri Leimbach L/DS Nebraska One 17 Synergy (Nebraska) Elena Maynulet OH GP 17 Rox (Columbia) KK Green S/RS GP 17 Rox (Holy Cross) Tenesyn Frye S ID Crush 17 Bower (Houston) Ava Tilden OH NKYVC 17-1 Tsunami (Xavier) Riley McCloskey OH/RS NKYVC 17-1 Tsunami (Memphis) Rebekah Pfefferkorn RS Hou Skyline 17 Royal (Florida International) Taylor Porter OH Hou Skyline 17 Royal (Vaderbilt) Morgan Madison L/DS Hou Skyline 17 Royal (Baylor) Sydney Bryant OH HJV 17 Elite (Vanderbilt) Aaliyah Smith OH HJV 17 Elite (Rice) Mesaiya Bettis OH Northern Lights 17-1 (Iowa State) Hannah Beauford S Drive Nation 17 Red (Cal) Reese Jackson MB Drive Nation 17 Red Izzy Busignani OH Mich Elite 17 Mizuno (Cincinnati) Kalyssa Blackshear MB Surfside 17 Legends (Louisville) Malorie Boesiger S Nebraska One 17 Synergy (2027) Outlook: This could turn out being the toughest qualifier of the season. It’s a large field with 36 teams and not only is there no trickle down in play, almost half the field is ranked in our Top 50 rankings. To say the field is loaded is a gross understatement. That only three teams can earn bids here is going to make for plenty of unsatisfied teams who thought they could get the job done and punch an early bid. 1st Alliance, Nebraska One and Hou Skyline are powerhouse teams. Surfside, HJV and MKE Sting are other big-time players. Mich Elite, GP and Idaho Crush are also major factors. Then there’s Dynasty, which is offering a new look this season and could easily play a role when it’s all said and done.
We’ve been off to a flying start with our predictions for the 18s. The hot start continued last week by picking TAV 18 Black to win the Lone Star Classic, as well as calling Hou Skyline 18 Royal to qualify as well. The only miss came with Madfrog 18 Green. Instead, it was OT 18 Roberto taking home one of the three bids. OT actually beat Madfrog on Day 2 and created a three-way tie at 2-1. Madfrog ended third in the pool and failed to advance. It was Madfrog’s only loss on the weekend. Madfrog is back in action at this weekend’s Florida Fest. Below, you can find our predictions for this weekend, as well as nationally-ranked teams, 4 and 5-star players in the field and a brief outlook. FLORIDA FEST 18s Number of Teams: 28Number of Bids: 3Previously-Qualified Teams (2): Rockwood Thunder 18 Elite; OT 18 O Robertovballrecruiter.com Nationally-Ranked Clubs (9): vballrecruiter.com 5-star Players to Watch: vballrecruiter.com 4-star Players to Watch: Outlook: With 28 teams, this is the biggest field to date for 18 Open. It’s also the first weekend we have the possibility of trickle down in play as there are two qualified teams in Rockwood Thunder and OT Roberto. Rockwood Thunder qualified by taking second at the KC MLK two weeks ago, while OT grabbed second place last weekend at Lone Star. Leading the pack this weekend is Triangle, which is playing in its first qualifier of the season and is among the top contenders. Another team to watch out for is Metro, which tied for fifth at Windy City and is fully capable of earning a bid this weekend. Then there is Madfrog, which is also a real contender to qualify. Prediction: The call is Madfrog beating Triangle in the final, as both pick up bids. With OT and Rockwood in the mix, we expect trickle down to play a part, with Tribe taking advantage and earning the final bid.
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: Rayna Christianson. *** Even as Rayna Christianson was playing AAU basketball, she seemed destined for volleyball. After all, she comes from a family with deep ties to the sport. “I have a huge volleyball family,” she said. “My mom played in high school. My aunt played at the University of Minnesota and my cousin went to the Naval Academy and played there. It’s pretty much how I got into volleyball.” As Christianson headed to Northern Lights to play club volleyball for her 12s season, she began to take the sport more seriously and began to find her passion. She was playing basketball as well but found it difficult to balance the two sports so she decided to focus on volleyball only. “It was easy to pick the sport,” she said. “It’s just that I had so many relationships in basketball so it was hard telling everyone I wasn’t going to play anymore, but it was easy to pick between them.” Christianson, a 5-star recruit from the Class of 2026, has had a somewhat different journey to this point. While she’s been a setter/right side in club for Northern Lights, she’s played multiple positions during her high school career at Lakeville North. She made the junior varsity team as a seventh-grader and spent that fall as a setter/right side. She’s been on varsity the past three seasons, including spending her eighth and ninth-grade campaigns playing out of the middle before setting this year as a sophomore. “I really liked it,” Christianson said of playing in the middle. “We had a talented setter both years and that was very helpful too. There wasn’t many middles in our program so I just said put me where you need me. It was an opportunity to be on varsity.” It’s been a busy month or so for Christianson. Before the Christmas break she traveled to participate in The Red Hat Games in Dallas. “I thought it was really fun,” she said. “It was good competition. I loved the whole thing. It was super fun. It was well organized and I liked how there was a lot of playing and getting to meet new people. That was cool. I really liked it.” Shortly after, her Northern Lights 16s team – along with the 2s group – left on Christmas day and headed to Europe, where they spent 13 days before returning on Jan. 6. Since then, Christianson and company have been gearing up for the club season. “I’m super excited for this year,” Christianson said. “I love my team. We are all so supportive and all have good relationships. We’re all talented and are excited to see where this year takes us.” As our featured Player of the Week sponsored by Dick’s Sporting Goods, we recently spoke with Christianson about volleyball and more. Who is a role model or someone you look up to? Christianson: I’d say my cousin, Macy. She’s the one who got me into volleyball, along with my mom and my aunt. She’s one of the most determined people I know. She went to the Naval Academy and played there collegiately. Her going there was such an amazing experience. She’s going to be serving in Japan for three years now. If you could choose to do anything for a day, what would you do and why? Christianson: I think I would want to hang out with my friends and go shopping or go to the movies just to get quality time with them. Other than volleyball, what skill would you most like to learn and why? Christianson: I would say being well-rounded in every school subject, like English and math. I think it would be being super smart. Do you have any volleyball superstitions or rituals and if so what? Christianson: For high school season I wore braids in my hair on top of my head and in a pony tail for every high school game. There’s not really a reason other than I thought I played better with them and it felt better. Aside from basic necessities, what is one thing you could not go a day without? Christianson: I eat cereal every morning. It’s the same cereal – Chocolate Chex. I eat it before school and before volleyball. What is one thing that instantly makes your day better or makes you smile? Christianson: It’s probably my dog because she is never a sad dog. She’s always excited so it’s never hard to be around her. Her name is Harley. She’s a Cavalier King Charles and Poodle mix. She’s a Cavapoo. What’s one of your favorite ways to have fun? Christianson: I’d say volleyball is the way I like to have fun the most because it’s being with my teammates and I love the game so much. I love spending the time with other people like my coaches and teammates. It’s my favorite. Outside of volleyball what are you most passionate about and why? Christianson: I just like to pride myself on being a kind person to my friends and family and people in general. I like to keep a positive attitude because it lightens everyone’s mood. What is one thing that may surprise people about you? Christianson: I’m a super competitive player when it comes to volleyball or really anything. I can get very serious when it comes to competing toward anything. If you could live anywhere you wanted, where would it be and why? Christianson: I would probably say a beach place like the Bahamas because I like the warm weather and I like the ocean. It would probably be the Bahamas because we went there a couple years ago for spring break. What’s your favorite food or foods? Christianson: I
The 17s age group took to the courts this past weekend for the SCVA Event 1. The top division featured nationally-ranked clubs in No. 8 Surfside 17 Legends, No. 25 Coast 17 Rodrigo, No. 28 Wave 17 Juliana, No. 30 Mizuno Long Beach 17 Rockstar and No. 44 Forza1 North 17 One. True to form, Surfside powered through the weekend and finished first with a 6-0 mark. Surfside swept Wave – which was coming off its appearance last weekend at the Tour of Texas – in the final. Long Beach went 5-1, with its only loss coming to Surfside in pool play, to finish third. vballrecruiter.com spent Day 2 witnessing the competition and below we highlight the players who caught our attention the most with our Show Stoppers. SHOW STOPPERS Olivia Foye L/DS Surfside 17 Legends: Part of Surfside’s dominance included Foye handling the defensive side. She’s a skillful passer and defender who reads and reacts well and frustrates opponents with her ability to scoop up would-be kills. Kaci Demaria OH Surfside 17 Legends: Demaria is a disruptive force on the outside. Her size and power makes her difficult to slow down, especially when she’s able to fully extend and not hold back. Kalyssa Blackshear MB Surfside 17 Legends: Blackshear length in the middle was another bright spot for Surfside. She can make space disappear in a hurry as she turns back attackers. She’s also a must-cover on offense as she can hit from high up and create tough to cover angles. Addy Benefield RS Surfside 17 Legends: A new addition to the roster, Benefield adds athleticism and an improved scoring punch on the right side. She’s a quick jumper with a fast arm who can send balls straight down. Olivia Durr MB Wave 17 Juliana: Defenses needed to be aware of Durr when she checked in. She provided a sound scoring boost to the attack with her variety of ways to earn points for her side. Alexis Richards S Wave 17 Juliana: Richards was a fun setter to watch dish the rock. She does well getting to the ball and delivering accurate sets and connecting with all her hitters. Quinn Loper OH Wave 17 Juliana: Loper presents problems for opponents when she has it going. She can hit over or through blocks with the way she extends and connects. Layli Ostovar OH Mizuno Long Beach 17 Rockstar: Ostovar – a Class of 2026 recruit – can bring it on the attack. She has a lively arm and she was ripping loud kills straight down to end rallies. Brianna Brewer OH Mizuno Long Beach 17 Rockstar: Brewer is a newcomer to the lineup this season and she helps deepen the attack for Beach. She can hit front and back row and she also can rise up. Brooklyn Drumwright OH A4 17 Tyler: Drumwright has the biggest arm among the A4 attackers. She carries her share of the offense and gets set plenty because of it. *** Reese Weinert MB A4 17 Tyler: Weinert did well making herself available and scoring when called upon. She showed she could find multiple ways to score from well-placed tips to swinging to the open space. Ava Poinsett OH Coast 17 Rodrigo: Another outside who was an integral part of the offense was Poinsett. She’s a physical hitter with a strong arm who can tool blocks or power right through them. Savannah Simpson MB Coast 17 Rodrigo: Simpson is a lanky middle with the ability to get out and run the slide. Coast likes to get her the ball when in system to keep defenses honest. Lauren Farris OH Tstreet 17 Predney: Farris has a solid arm and was swinging equally well on the left or right. Sarah Shaw MB Sports Academy 17-1: Shaw is part of a tough 1-2 punch in the middle. She’s long and makes an impact on both sides of the ball. She has a loose arm and can deliver on a consistent basis. Manaia Ogbechie MB Sports Academy 17-1: Ogbechie is problematic in the middle. She’s a physical presence with both her blocking and attacking. She can fly and hammer balls down in impressive fashion. Maya Banks RS Forza1 North 17 One: Banks is an athletic right side with a springy jump and fast arm. She comes at defenders in a hurry and proved tough to slow down. Keonaahi’ilani Solaita OH Forza1 North 17 One: Solaita is a bit undersized but packs a serious punch. She’s fearless and stays aggressive. It leads to big-time kills that fires up her teammates. Hannah Brady L/DS Sunshine 17 Pacific: Brady was among the better defenders taking care of the back row. She’s solid in both serve receive and defending and making ups. Miley Thunstrom OH Forza1 17 One: Thunstrom is a lanky outside who can extend and rip balls on the left. *** Olivia Ip RS City 17 Gold: Ip is a solid right side attacker who defenses need to keep in mind. When in system City will utilize her and get her involved as much as possible. Ashby Zubchevich OH City 17 Gold: Zubchevich showed up as one of the top outsides. She is the featured part of the attack and for good reason. She was unloaded time and time again and scoring from sideline to sideline.
The SCVA 15s continued its regional competition this past Saturday with its Event 1. The top division featured nationally-ranked clubs in No. 4 Tstreet 15 Naseri, No. 5 Mizuno Long Beach 15 Rockstar, No. 8 Wave 15 Brennan, No. 9 Forza1 15 One, No. 12 Forza1 North 15 One and No. 36 City 15 Gold. Tstreet came out ahead over the two days, posting a 6-0 record after downing Wave in the final. Wave was coming off its appearance last weekend at the Tour of Texas. vballrecruiter.com spent Day 1 catching all the action and we highlight the standout players below with our Show Stoppers. SHOW STOPPERS Megan Hodges MB Tstreet 15 Naseri: Hodges, a Class of 2028 recruit playing up, helps make up one of the strongest middle duos in the country. Beyond bringing size to the front row, Hodges has the ability to crush balls straight down by going right over blocks. Emma Kingston MB Tstreet 15 Naseri: Kingston forms the other half of the middle duo that gives Tstreet a huge advantage at the position. She’s a physical attacker and blocker who can also hammer balls down when the opportunity presents itself. Ella Olson OH Tstreet 15 Naseri: Olson is a high-level beach player and it shows with her indoor game. She’s a sound passer, smart attacker and knows when to let off and keep rallies going or when to swing away and let loose. Sophia Wu L/DS Wave 15 Brennan: Wu did a solid job patrolling the back row. She was passing consistently and helping keep Wave in rallies by making digs. Olivia Greenwood RS Wave 15 Brennan: Greenwood is a lefty who opens up the attack with her scoring ability from the right side. She’s a legit threat who defenses need to track or else they’ll pay the price. Emery Gonzales S Wave 15 Brennan: Gonzales does well distributing the ball and mixing up her sets. She has a nice touch and locates well. Makenna Barnes OH Mizuno Long Beach 15 Rockstar: Barnes is a new addition to the roster this season and adds height to the front row. She gives Beach a boost offensively with her strong arm that can deliver big kills. Hanna McGinest OH Mizuno Long Beach 15 Rockstar: McGinest can liven up the attack in a hurry. She can get up and unload quickly and with it bounce balls off the floor with ease. Lucky Fasavalu S/RS Mizuno Long Beach 15 Rockstar: Fasavalu is another new addition to the Beach lineup and she not only brings her skillset but adds lots of versatility. She can be part of a 6-2 and hit across the front row. Or she can set across the back or just hit on the right. Whatever she’s in there doing, she does it well. Ryah Brock OH Forza1 North 15 One: The centerpiece of Forza North’s offense, Brock is a threat front and back row. She jumps and swings well and can unleash impressive kills that hype up her teammates. *** Kaleia Zeits L/DS Forza1 North 15 One: Zeits, a Class of 2028 recruit, brought a lot of energy to the defensive side. She did well picking off swings coming her way and extending rallies. Marley Robinson S/RS Forza1 North 15 One: Robinson plays a key role with her setting and hitting. She’s also another high-energy player who brings a lot of passion to the court. Piper Chylinski S/RS City 15 Gold: Chylinsky is also a two-way contributor and an integral part of City’s plan. Her size is a big advantage and allows her to hit over smaller blocks across the front row. She’s also consistent in her setting role and putting up a nice ball. Vani Tatoulian MB City 15 Gold: Tatoulian was making her presence known in the middle. She was making an impact on both sides with her blocking and hitting and brought a lot of fire to the court. Allyn Hilt OH SCVC 15 Roxy: Hilt was among the standout outsides. She has a strong arm and was taking aggressive swings and pressuring defenses. Lerin Rosenthal S SCVC 15 Roxy: Rosenthal showed strong court leadership as an energetic setter. She has a smooth release and is rarely off the mark with her hitters. Evelyn Pool MB Forza1 15 One: Pool adds a different dynamic when she’s front row because of the way she can impact rallies on both sides. She’s a terminal attacker who can end points as well as get in the way and stop attackers with her blocking. Janiah Burrage RS Forza1 15 One: Burrage is a Class of 2028 recruit playing up. She’s an electric attacker who glides through the air and smacks balls from corner to corner with her lively arm. Aliana Breitling OH Vegas Aces 15 UA: As a team it was a tough weekend for Vegas Aces. But Breitling shined with her punch on the outside. She was the team’s most consistent scoring threat and shoulder her fair share of the load offensively. Abigail Smith OH OCVC 15-1: Smith is a bit undersized on the outside but she is fearless. She doesn’t back down and was relentless in coming at and challenging blockers.
Congrats to all! Corrections? Questions? Additions? Email christi@vballrecruiter.com or DM on Social Media @vballphil 2024 2025 TRANSFERS BOY’S 2024
It was a great beginning to the year on the prediction front. Last weekend, we predicted five of the six eventual bid winners. We picked 1st Alliance 18 Gold to take first place at Windy City, which the club did by beating City 18 Gold. We also predicted Vision 18 Gold taking third place and qualifying in Chicago, which also happened. As for the Kansas City MLK 18s, we picked Rockwood Thunder 18 Elite to top KC Power 18 Black in the final, but it played out in reverse with KC Power beating Rockwood Thunder. We also called Premier Nebraska 18 Gold finishing third and qualifying. That brings us to this weekend’s qualifier – the Lone Star Classic 18s. As expected, it’s heavy on the Texas teams and that always makes for fierce competition and intense action. We’ll see how we do with our picks this weekend, which you can find below, as well as nationally-ranked teams competing, 4 and 5-star recruits in the field and a short breakdown of the field. LONE STAR CLASSIC 18s Number of Teams: 16 Number of Bids: 3 Previously-Qualified Teams: n/a vballrecruiter.com Nationally-Ranked Clubs (9): vballrecruiter.com 5-star Players to Know: vballrecruiter.com 4-star Players to Know: Outlook: The two fields for last weekend’s 18s qualifiers were both 22 teams. At 16, this weekend’s field is smaller and just has enough teams to award three bids. With no teams qualified, the path to getting one of them is straight forward as clubs must finish in the top three to earn theirs. Teams will be fighting to make the four-team gold bracket on Sunday, with the top three teams from that final group qualifying. The event is Texas-heavy on teams and that favors clubs like TAV, Hou Skyline, Skyline, Madfrog and HJV to bring home the bids. However, MAVS KC finished fourth last week in Kansas City and should factor in. Coast and OT are two more out-of-state clubs to watch for as both could get into the top three as well. Prediction: We’re not getting radical here and are playing it safe by picking TAV to take home the gold by beating Madfrog in the final. Hou Skyline tops Coast for the third and the final bid.
When it comes to the 14s age division, many of the top teams are all capable of taking turns beating one another. It makes coming up with the initial rankings challenging, but you have to start somewhere. We begin with our 14s Club Top 30 National Rankings knowing and fully expecting there to be massive shifts with our next update as teams get more and more into their seasons. We’ll expand the Top 30 to a Top 50 after Triple Crown, where many of the top clubs around the country will converge in a month. For now, you can view the full rankings below. 14s CLUB TOP 30 NATIONAL RANKINGS 1. HPSTL 14 Royal MO 2. Madfrog 14 Green TX 3. TAV 14 Black TX 4. OT 14 T FL 5. MAVS KC 14-1 KS 6. NKYVC 14-1 Tsunami KY 7. Tribe 14 Elite Cardinal FL 8. Dynasty 14 Black KS 9. A5 14 Helen GA 10. Hou Skyline 14 Royal TX *** 11. AVC Cle 14 Red OH 12. SG Elite 14 Rosh CA 13. Elevation 14 Molly OH 14. Mintonette Sports m.41 OH 15. Legacy 14-1 Adidas MI 16. Wave 14 Tammy CA 17. Circle City 14 Purple IN 18. Absolute 14 Black CA 19. Skyline 14 Royal TX 20. Coast 14 Luis CA *** 21. Munciana 14 Chipmunks IN 22. Alamo 14 Premier TX 23. Mizuno Long Beach 14 Rockstar CA 24. Premier Nebraska 14 Gold NE 25. Adidas KiVA 14 Red KY 26. MKE Sting 14 Gold WI 27. Lions 14-1 IL 28. Tstreet 14 Tara CA 29. HJV 14 Elite TX 30. CJV 14 Mizuno NC
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: Carson Caraway. *** Carson Caraway had no background in sports when her friend came to her nearly six years ago and asked if she wanted to play volleyball. Thinking it would be something fun to do, Caraway said yes. Fast forward to now, and the 6-2, 4-star outside is an up-and-comer in the Class of 2027. “I was never really a big sports person,” Caraway said. “I was not athletic. That I started volleyball was a shocker to my parents.” Caraway is coming off a varsity season at Jackson Academy in which she lifted the Raiders to their fifth consecutive MAIS Division 1 state championship. The freshman racked up a team-leading 481 kills, averaging 3.6 per set and ending up with the fourth-most winners in the state of Mississippi. She also led the way in aces with 115 and was third in digs with 291. “This year was insane, it was so crazy,” Caraway said. “Just being on varsity there is some sort of pressure. All my teammates, all the seniors, they are super supportive. Playing with older girls on that sort of level, I’ve never experienced that type of pressure and atmosphere. It was so fun. It was such a great experience.” It was a giant leap forward from her contributions and role last year as an eighth-grader on varsity when she finished fifth in kills with 92. She nearly had half that total in her two best matches this past fall, one of which featured a season-best 24 kills in a victory over Lamar in mid-September. “It was definitely my confidence in myself,” Caraway said about the biggest difference from last season to this one. “As an eighth-grader I was really timid and really shy. I tried to make an impact on the team but I was scared being with girls older than me. The experience of last year, having went through it already, the girls are all so nice it was a lot easier to be confident and help my team.” The club season started to pick up for Caraway this past weekend. Her and her Infinity VBA 15 Open teammates participated in their first tournament of the season when they traveled to the Blastoff in New Orleans. There, they went 7-2 and finished tied for third. “I’m so excited to play with my team,” Caraway said. “I can tell from our first couple of practices that they all want to play and all want to win. I think we are going to be a lot more competitive. I’m so excited.” In between high school and club, Caraway was among those who participated in the first-ever The Red Hat Games last month in Dallas. She said it was something she’s never experienced before. “The event was absolutely insane,” she said. “Being surrounded by all those girls who were so good. There was not one girl there who couldn’t play volleyball. They were all so nice and there was incredible talent. Being in the gym with them was such a great opportunity.” Among Caraway’s future goals are to one season earn the Gatorade State Player of the Year and continue on playing at the Division 1 level in college. Another aim for her is to help put Mississippi volleyball on the map. “I know compared to Texas and California, it isn’t out there like that yet,” she said. “I would love to find a way to help Mississippi’s level become higher. That would be amazing.” As our featured Player of the Week sponsored by Dick’s Sporting Goods, we recently spoke with Caraway about volleyball and more. Who is a role model or someone you look up to? Caraway: I would have to say my high school coach, Melissa Denson. She pushes me to become the best athlete and person I can be. She always tells us to be a good person. Don’t just settle. Be a good person and push to do your best. If you could choose to do anything for a day, what would you do and why? Caraway: If I had a choice, I would probably go sky diving. I would go sky diving because I’ve never done something like that and I always wonder what it would be like. Other than volleyball, what skill would you most like to learn and why? Caraway: I have always wanted to learn to play tennis. I have no idea how to play. I ask friends about teaching me how to play. I think it would be a great skill to learn. Do you have any volleyball superstitions or rituals and if so what? Caraway: For my high school team, we actually brush our teeth before games because we are convinced that it helps us do better. Aside from basic necessities, what is one thing you could not go a day without? Caraway: I would have to say my phone. I hate to say it, but I probably couldn’t live without it even if I wanted to. What is one thing that instantly makes your day better or makes you smile? Caraway: It’s my friends who I get to see every day. I love going to school because of them. It makes it a lot more enjoyable for me and it puts a smile on my face. What’s one of your favorite ways to have fun? Caraway: I love going out to eat with my friends. I love food and my friends. It’s the perfect combination. Outside of volleyball what are you most passionate about and why? Caraway: I would say my friends and family. They mean the most to me in my life. They have a really huge impact on me. What is one thing that may surprise people