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Tournament season is winding down but isn’t over yet. Lucky for us, because one of the premier events has yet to be played. That’ll change this coming Friday and Saturday as 32 teams from nine states participate in the National Division of the Nike TOC Southwest tournament in the greater Phoenix area. The two-day extravaganza also features a 24-team Premier Division and a 12-school Elite Division. All matches take place at Bell Bank Park in Mesa. The National field features a couple of top-ranked schools in No. 4 Mira Costa CA and No. 5 Cornerstone Christian TX. While they are the favorites the field is certainly strong enough that neither is guaranteed of anything. Plenty teams are good enough to upstage the top two seeds and walk away with the championship. Below we run through the top contenders and players to watch as we get ready for an exciting and entertaining weekend. vballrecruiter.com Nationally-Ranked Teams No. 4 Mira Costa CA No. 5 Cornerstone Christian TX No. 17 Marymount CA No. 29 Corona del Sol AZ No. 44 Mater Dei CA No. 47 Millennium AZ No. 50 Hamilton AZ *** Teams By State Alaska (1) – South Anchorage Arizona (12) – Queen Creek; Arcadia; Xavier Prep; Sunnyslope; Desert Vista; Corona del Sol; Sunrise Mountain; Hamilton; Notre Dame Prep; Millennium; Salpointe Catholic; Horizon California (9) – Mira Costa; Ontario Christian; Mater Dei; Los Alamitos; Marymount; Bishop’s; Santa Fe Christian; Notre Dame Belmont; Vista Murrieta Idaho (1) – Eagle Kentucky (2) – Dunbar; Sacred Heart Academy Nevada (3) – Shadow Ridge; Faith Lutheran; Bishop Gorman Texas (1) – Cornerstone Christian Utah (1) – Timpview Washington (2) – Emerald Ridge; Mead *** TEAM SPOTLIGHTS A look at the top eight seeds (in order): Cornerstone Christian TX – A case can be made for the Warriors playing the toughest schedule in the nation. The Volleypalooza champions also finished runner up at the Nike TOC Southeast tournament, losing in the final to Westminster Christian FL. Up next is the trip to Arizona to test their talent against a slate of West Coast schools. The offense is built around senior Nayeli Gonzalez and sophomore Megan Fitch. Junior Grace Carroll and sophomore Macey Hughes are right side options while senior Rylee Busse is another choice on the left. The Warriors can run a 5-1 with senior Taylor Anderson or utilize a 6-2 with Anderson and sophomore Kaia Thiele. The backrow is taken care of by senior libero Alyssa Manitzas. Mira Costa CA – The Ann Kang Invitational champs haven’t played a tournament since winning in Hawai’i. The Mustangs picked up a key league victory over Redondo Union on Tuesday, winning in five sets. The team is led by junior S/RS Charlie Fuerbringer. Another key component is senior outside Drew Wright. Senior S/RS Tanon Rosenthal and junior Chloe Hynes also will get in on the attack. At libero it’s sophomore Taylor Deckert. Mater Dei CA – Mater Dei finished ninth at the Durango Fall Classic and should factor into the mix here. Junior outsides Isabel Clark and Babi Gubbins see the majority of the sets. Other contributors on offense include junior right side Cymarah Gordon, senior middle Liz Hertzog and freshman right side Layli Ostovar. Defensively, it’s junior Malyssa Cawa suiting up at libero. Marymount CA – The Sailors have played in two tournaments so far, finishing runner up at both Dave Mohs and the Durango Fall Classic. Is another finals appearance on tap here? Leading the charge is senior stud and outside hitter Torrey Stafford. Other options for senior setter Lauren Brooker includes junior outside Kate Martin and freshman right side Samantha Destler. Senior Alexa Trapani holds down the back row playing libero. Corona del Sol AZ – The Aztecs are having a strong year, having only lost once so far. The only team to defeat Corona del Sol is Sunnyslope, a team the Aztecs have also defeated. Senior right side Kierstyn Barton is the big arm defenses need to be most concerned about. She’s backed by senior middle Ella Lomigora and sophomore outside Alyssa Aguayo. Junior Julia Owens directs the offense. Hamilton AZ – The Huskies have a strong mix of upper and underclassmen contributing. Senior outside Neomi Beach is the kill leader. Behind her is freshman outside Mikayla Haner, freshman pin hitter Nia Curry and sophomore middle Ava Anderson. At the setting position is senior Melia Barlow and at libero is senior Lauren Mullings. Millennium AZ – The Tigers started the week having lost just once, to Sunnyslope in tournament action. The main offensive threat is senior outside Eryn Jones. Junior outside Anne Brauckmiller is another player defenses need to key on. The Tigers run a 6-2 with senior Ava Krienitz and junior Allison Wilson splitting the setting duties. Horizon AZ – The Huskies can be a dangerous foe for anybody. Senior outside Kendal Murphy is a big-time player and the team’s kill leader. Also watch for senior outside Sarah Wadsworth and senior middle GG Greenlee to be targets of sophomore setter Avery Ashcraft. *** MORE PLAYERS TO WATCH Kaia Pixler SO S Sunnyslope AZ Mikayla Shepston JR OH Sunnyslope AZ Georgi Stein SO OH Sunnyslope AZ Taliah Lee SR OH Timpview UT Silina Damuni SR S Timpview UT Tiana Mariner SO L Timpview UT Madison Crnjac FR OH Queen Creek AZ Blaykli Bobik JR OH Queen Creek AZ Izzy Mahaffey SO L Queen Creek AZ Alexis Luszeck SR MB Shadow Ridge NV Aivry Makaiwi SR L Shadow Ridge NV Bianca Richardson JR OH Faith Lutheran NV Tatum Longnecker SR S Arcadia AZ Zoe Leonard JR OH Arcadia AZ Elon Milroy JR RS Los Alamitos CA Ashley Repetti SO OH Los Alamitos CA Taylor Hofland SR MB Los Alamitos CA Finley Workman JR OH Xavier Prep AZ Elle McCreery SO MB Xavier Prep AZ Vivian Hickman FR OH Xavier Prep AZ Blythe Manson SR OH Emerald Ridge WA Grace Wesenberg JR OH Emerald Ridge WA Sydney Bold SR L Bishop’s CA Ayanna Watson FR OH

The Asics Challenge hosted by Mother McAuley of Chicago takes place Friday and Saturday at the host school plus two more sites. It features 24 teams spread across eight pools of three. The pool winners from Day 1 meet in an eight-team gold bracket on Day 2. vballrecruiter.com will be on hand providing coverage of the event. Below, we give a rundown of teams and players to watch for. vballrecruiter.com Nationally-Ranked Teams No. 15 Mother McAuley IL No. 20 Assumption KY No. 21 Huntley IL *** TEAM SPOTLIGHTS Taking a look at the top eight seeds in the field (in order): Mother McAuley IL – The Macs, who captured the LIVT championship at the beginning of the month, suffered their first loss in a setback against Marist last week. Junior outside Ellie White is the heartbeat of the team, leading the way with 240 kills and hitting .403. She’s backed by sophomore outside Sydney Buchanan and junior middle Ellery Rees. McAuley runs a 6-2 with senior setters Tess Hayes and Olivia Klapp and is anchored on defense by senior libero Gigi Navarrete. Assumption KY – The Rockets are preparing for their final tournament of the regular season. Before that though, Assumption is set to face Mother McAuley on Thursday in a lone-standing match. Assumption finished runner-up to the Macs at the LIVT and came in sixth at the Durango Fall Classic. The team relies a lot on junior outside Charlotte Moriarty, the team’s kill leader. Senior setter Whitney Woodrow is at her best when she can also get senior middle Gabrielle Gerry and sophomore middle Bailey Blair heavily involved as well. Defensively, the Rockets have a good one at libero in sophomore Kristen Simon. Notre Dame Academy KY – The Pandas were bounced from contention at the LIVT with a loss to Mount Notre Dame OH in the quarterfinals. Now, they’ll take their shot at the Asics Challenge. Senior Sydney Nolan is the big weapon on the outside that defenses must prepare for. Behind her is a pair of sophomore swingers in Riley McCloskey and Ava Tilden. The Pandas also run a 6-2 with senior Lauren Ott and freshman Lizzy Larkins. The team is also strong at libero with senior Kamden Schrand. Skutt Catholic NE – The Skyhawks are about to log more travel miles. They have already attended the Nike TOC Southeast event in Tampa and now head to Chicago to see if they can come out on top there. Before playing Friday and Saturday though, Skutt takes on No. 30 Benet Academy in a stand-alone contest. Senior outside Morgan Burke is the go-to arm while senior Anna Weberg helps steady the backrow defense. Divine Savior Holy Angels WI – This is DSHA’s first time playing competition outside of the state of Wisconsin. DSHA has fared well against some of the best in its state, splitting matches with both Oconomowoc and Appleton North. Among players to keep an eye on is 4-star recruit and sophomore outside Madison Quest. Junior outside Sophia Wendlick is another, as Quest and Wendlick lead the team in kills respectively. Marist IL – After beating Mother McAuley last week, the Redhawks could be on an upswing and ready to make noise this weekend. Senior middle Ufuoma Omene and sophomore outside Bella Bullington are two to keep watch for. Huntley IL – If the Red Raiders can get past Prairie Ridge on Thursday they’ll enter the weekend undefeated. That perfect mark is certainly going to be tested though in such a strong field. Senior outside Ally Panzloff and junior outside Morgan Jones are key offensive pieces for senior setter Maggie Duyos. Metairie Park LA – Unfortunately, we don’t have any pertinent information on the Cajuns but will gain from seeing then in action this coming weekend. *** MORE PLAYERS TO WATCH Sylvie Zgonc SR OH Hamilton WI Alex Kreutzmann SR S Hamilton WI Eva Finnessy SO OH Hamilton WI Gabbie Anderson SO S Crystal Lake Central IL Mykaela Wallen SO OH Crystal Lake Central IL Grace Grocholski SR OH Kettle Moraine WI Briana Binagi JR OH Kettle Moraine WI Jordan Heatherly SR S/RS Montini Catholic IL Sienna Skarda SO MB/RS Montini Catholic IL Izzie Evenson SO OH Montini Catholic IL Emily Lavin SR OH Brookfield Central WI Emma Koceja SO OH Brookfield Central WI Elle Kelleher SR OH Wahlert Catholic IO Ellie Blotnik SO OH Joliet Catholic IL Olivia Chovanec SO OH Joliet Catholic IL Jessica Horn JR S Joliet Catholic IL Emily Clausen SR OH Catholic Memorial WI Emma Barton SR MB Downers Grove North IL Lauren Salata JR OH Nazareth Academy IL Kitty Sandt SR S/RS Nazareth Academy IL

Last week we checked in on our 5-star recruits from the Class of 2023 and how they were faring so far during their respective high school campaigns. This week, we move onto the Class of 2024 to see how those 5-star recruits have been doing to date. Find out below. Zoey Burgess JR OH/MB Lone Peak UT – Burgess entered the week leading the Knights in kills with 174 and is second in hitting percentage at .341. She’s averaging 3.4 kills per set while also leading the roster in blocks with 39. Morgan Gaerte JR OH Angola IN – The 6-4 outside is having a big season so far. First, the Hornets began the week 22-0 and are among the top contenders in Class 3A. Gaerte – who is committed to Notre Dame – is averaging 5.1 kills per set and leads the way with a total of 278. She’s hitting .414. She’s also second in digs with 104. Lola Schumacher JR L Brebeuf Jesuit IN – The recent Wisconsin commit has helped the Braves rise to No. 25 in our national Top 50 rankings. In 46 sets of action she’s recorded 223 digs, averaging 4.8 per frame. Faith Frame JR L Gretna NE – The Dragons started the week undefeated in district play. The defensive stalwart in Frame – who is committed to Cincinnati – has registered 274 digs, averaging 14.4 per match. Ava Utterback JR OH Plainfield IN – The Louisville commit has missed time this season and has played in roughly half of the Quakers’ sets. She has 90 kills, averaging 2.9 per set. Izzy Starck JR S/RS Rampart CO – Starck – a Penn State commit – is turning in an impressive season to date. She leads the Rams in assists with 167. She’s also first in digs with 80 and second in kills at 105, averaging 3.3 per set, while hitting .419. Olivia Mauch JR L Bennington NE – A top-ranked libero committed to Nebraska, Mauch is putting up head-scratching numbers for the Badgers. She’s totaled 394 digs to date, averaging an incredible 23.2 per match and 9.0 per set. She’s also the team’s leader in aces with 28. Skyler Pierce JR OH Olathe Northwest KS – Another Nebraska commit, Pierce and her Ravens teammates are off to a 9-0 mark in district play while sporting an overall record of 12-4. Not surprisingly, Pierce has been a force and leads the team with 136 kills. She’s averaging 5.7 per set and is hitting .350. She’s also second in aces (12) and digs (78). Lauren Harden JR OH Hamilton Southeastern IN – The Royals checked in at No. 12 in our updated Top 50 national rankings this week and Harden has been part of that success. She’s second on the roster in kills with 179, averaging 3.2 per set. She’s also third in blocks with 41. Allie Shondell JR S McCutcheon IN – The Mavericks are up to No. 3 in our latest national rankings, with Shondell guiding the attack. The Purdue commit is averaging 10.4 dimes per set and has dished out a total of 543 assists. Charlie Fuerbringer JR S/RS Mira Costa CA – Fuerbringer – a Wisconsin commit – brings versatility to the Mustangs lineup giving her team the ability to run a 6-2 or a 5-1 with her. She’s been primarily a setter but in limited time as an attacker has but down 45 kills on 87 swings, hitting .448. Ayden Ames JR OH Prosper TX – Committed to Nebraska as a middle blocker, Ames plays on the left for the Eagles. She’s the kill leader, racking up 266 kills entering the week. She’s averaging 3.8 per set and is hitting .347. In addition, Ames is the current block leader with 47. Jaela Auguste JR MB Grand Oaks TX – August – a Florida commit – has been difficult to slow down this year on the attack. She’s hitting a whopping .534 out of the middle and is third overall in kills with 197. She’s also been a menace with her blocking, putting up 101 stuffs entering the week. That’s good for an average of 1.3 per set. She has 40 more blocks than next closet teammate. Alex Acevedo JR OH Skyview ID – Acevedo – who is committed to Oregon – hasn’t been able to swing full-time this season but she’s been very effective when she’s been able to hit across the front row. She’s still recorded 139 kills, an average of 4.2 per set, and is hitting .377. Avery Jackson JR OH The Hockaday School TX – Another 5-star recruit who hasn’t been able to hit full-time, the Stanford beach commit has still found ways to contribute in a major way while on the court. Jackson leads the team in digs with 321, averaging 4.8 per set. She entered the week with 104 kills. Babi Gubbins JR OH Mater Dei CA – The Monarchs have been up-and-down this season and Gubbins has played in all but six sets this season. She’s second on the team in kills with 143. She’s averaging 2.5 per set. She’s also the team’s ace leader with 18. Hannah Benjamin JR OH Fideles Christian GA – Benjamin – a Kentucky commit – is having a huge year to date. She’s amassed 258 kills, averaging 6.3 per set. On top of that, she’s hitting a remarkable .485. She’s also served a team-leading 42 aces and is second overall in digs, only five off of first. Alex Bower JR S Skyview ID – The BYU commit has her hands all over the Hawks’ attack. The junior setter has racked up 297 assists in 34 sets, averaging 8.7 per. She’s also been tough from the service line with a team-high 22 aces. Carlie Cisneros JR OH Liberty North MO – Cisneros – an Arizona commit – is leading the Eagles in kills with 208. She’s averaging 4.7 per set and is hitting .321. She’s also second in digs

As the calendar turns to October late this week we begin approaching the final weeks of the high school season. The state tournaments are what’s going to strong shape the national rankings once those begin but until then we continue on with our weekly release. Top-ranked Cathedral Catholic CA held onto its spot as the Dons remain undefeated. However, Mother McAuley IL suffered its first loss of the season – falling to Marist IL – last week ahead of taking on Assumption KY on Thursday before hosting the Asics Challenge this weekend. Also on top is the Nike TOC Southwest event in Phoenix. We’ll have previews on both. With Mother McAuley falling out of the Top 10 it opened a spot for Oconomowoc WI to join in its place. Additionally, four more schools make their Top 50 debuts. vballrecruiter.com TOP 50 1. Cathedral Catholic CA (1 – last week’s ranking) 2. Westminster Christian FL (3) 3. McCutcheon IN (4) 4. Mira Costa CA (5) 5. Cornerstone Christian TX (6) 6. Marian MI (7) 7. Prestonwood Christian TX (8) 8. St. James Academy KS (9) 9. Santa Fe FL (10) 10. Oconomowoc WI (11) *** 11. Highland Park TX (12) 12. Hamilton Southeastern IN (13) 13. Sierra Canyon CA (14) 14. Washburn Rural KS (15) 15. Mother McAuley IL (2) 16. Cypress Ranch TX (17) 17. Marymount CA (18) 18. Fayetteville AR (20) 19. Aquinas KS (19) 20. Assumption KY (21) *** 21. Huntley IL (n/r) 22. ‘Iolani HI (25) 23. Lincoln Southwest NE (16) 24. Liberty MO (34) 25. Brebeuf Jesuit IN (24) 26. Mercy McAuley OH (23) 27. Ursuline Academy OH (28) 28. Yorktown IN (29) 29. Corona del Sol AZ (32) 30. Benet Academy IL (n/r) *** 31. Magnificat OH (40) 32. Papillion-LaVista South NE (30) 33. Punahou HI (31) 34. Torrey Pines CA (33) 35. Dike-New Hartford IO (27) 36. Mercy MI (37) 37. St. Ursula Academy OH (35) 38. Skyline MI (41) 39. St. Francis/Mountain View CA (42) 40. North Gwinnett GA (n/r) *** 41. Palos Verdes CA (47) 42. Barrington IL (26) 43. Redondo Union CA (36) 44. Mater Dei CA (38) 45. Mountain View UT (45) 46. Plano West TX (45) 47. Millennium AZ (46) 48. Rock Bridge MO (48) 49. Archbishop Mitty CA (49) 50. Hamilton AZ (n/r) Out: Pickens SC; Mount Notre Dame OH; Northfield MN; Wayzata MNIn: North Gwinnett GA; Benet Academy IL; Huntley IL; Hamilton AZ HONORABLE MENTION Xavier IO Lyons IL Marist IL Mount Notre Dame OH Wayzata MN Pickens SC Lake Catholic OH Heritage CO Trinity Catholic FL Blue Valley Northwest KS Northfield MN Horizon AZ Blue Valley North KS Lincoln-Way East IL Vista Murrieta CA Harvard-Westlake CA Perry AZ Queen Creek AZ Calvary Christin FL Blue Valley KS St. Joseph’s Academy MO Ankeny IO Iowa City Liberty IO Tompkins TX Keller TX The Woodlands TX Bridgeland TX Barbers Hill TX Rockwall TX Walton GA Knoxville Christian TN Dorman SC Mercy KY Sequoyah GA Alpharetta GA Pope GA Champlin Park MN Lakeville North MN Brookfield Central WI Olentangy Liberty OH Ardrey Kell NC Millbrook NC Cardinal Newman SC McGill-Toolen AL Brandon MS Moanalua HI Ponte Vedra FL Plant FL Venice FL Marvin Ridge NC St. Henry KY Tampa Prep FL Skutt Catholic NE Buford GA O’Connor AZ Appleton North WI Divine Savior Holy Angels WI Eureka MO Chaparral CO Lincoln East NE Kamehameha HI Cleveland TN Timpview UT

Bouncing from tournament to tournament one weekend to the next is how the high school season starts to fly by. We are almost through September. We are starting to hone in on the top teams in the country, though our National Top 50 Rankings are sure to keep having its share of movement throughout the next month. Some of the top teams in the country feature 5-star recruits from the Class of 2023. Conversely, some of the 5-star recruits play for teams that have faced their share of challenges to begin the year. Below, we check in on our 5-star senior recruits and how they’ve been faring so far. Ramsey Gary SR L Pendleton Heights IN – The Indiana commit is not surprisingly leading her squad in digs. She’s collected 254 as of press time and is averaging 4.0 per set. Gary also has the most aces on the team with 38 to date and has chipped in with 42 assists. Grace Heaney SR RS Elkhorn South NE – Elkhorn South has started the season 13-2 behind the play of Heaney. The only two losses have come against nationally-ranked schools in Lincoln East and Papillion-LaVista South. The Purdue commit has delivered a team-high 183 kills, averaging 4.6 per set, while hitting .333. She also has a team-leading 22 blocks. Sydney Schnichels SR RS Wilmar MN – There’s no denying Schnichels has been carrying a big load for the Cardinals. She’s taken almost 200 more swings then the next closest attacker. She has produced a team-high 210 kills while hitting .313. Laney Choboy SR OH Leesville Road NC – One of the top libero prospects in the country, Choboy is committed to Minnesota but is playing on the outside for the Pride. She’s leading the way offensively with 111 kills and is hitting .226. She’s also second in digs averaging 4.0 per set. Saige Damrow SR OH Howards Grove WI – Like Choboy, Damrow is another top-ranked libero hitting in high school. The Wisconsin commit has helped the Tigers go 23-4 so far, including two losses to nationally-ranked Oconomowoc. Damrow has put down 185 kills and is hitting .366 despite missing nearly half the year. She’s also second in aces and third in total digs, though she’s first in average at 5.0 per set. Ashley Mullen SR S Liberty MO – The UCLA commit has guided the Blue Jays to a 19-1 start and a No. 34 ranking in our national Top 50. The only loss came against No. 19 Aquinas. Mullen has dished out 529 assists so far, averaging 9.6 per set. She’s also second in aces with 36. Eloise Brandewie SR MB Bishop Hartley – With Brandewie leading the charge, the Hawks entered the week a perfect 14-0. In 33 sets of action she’s nailed 136 kills and is hitting a ridiculous .548. The Ohio State commit is also the block leader with 34. Ella Swindle SR S Rock Bridge MO – The Texas commit has her hands all over the Bruins’ 11-1 mark. She’s averaging 7.6 assists per set and has totaled 251 to date. She’s also second in blocks with 34 and is the team’s second leading scorer as well with 67 kills. Bergen Reilly SR OH O’Gorman SD – One of the nation’s top setting prospects who is committed to Nebraska, Reilly is hitting for the Knights. She’s come up with a team-high 85 kills and is averaging 5.3 per set. Jurnee Robinson SR OH Mauldin SC – The LSU commit is having a monster season. That should shock no one. The Mavericks are 20-5 with Robinson giving them 296 kills and hitting .408. Blaire Bayless SR OH Plano West TX – The Pitt commit and her Wolves teammates have been on a roll lately as they are currently enjoying an 18-match winning streak as of this writing. It includes avenging one of their losses to Lovejoy as Plano West made its Top 50 debut this week at No. 45. Bayless leads the way with 295 kills and is averaging 4.2 per set. She also has an incredible 93 aces. Olivia Babcock SR OH Sierra Canyon CA – The Trailblazers are having an amazing season to date on the strength of Babcock’s play. The Pitt commit has sent down 328 kills and is averaging 4.6 per set. She also has a team-high 45 aces and is second in blocks with 58. Caroline Jurevicius SR OH Notre Dame Cathedral OH – At 8-5, it’s been a challenging start to the season for the Lions, who entered their Sept. 22 contest against Lake Catholic having lost three consecutive matches in five games. The powerful arm of Jurevicius – a Nebraska commit – has tallied 200 kills as she’s hitting .323 and averaging 4.3 per set. Torrey Stafford SR OH Marymount CA – The Sailors have found recent tournament success, finishing runner-up at Dave Mohs and the Durango Fall Classic. Stafford – another Pitt commit – is out in front with 132 kills, averaging 4.1 per set and hitting .281. Kyndal Stowers SR OH Guyer TX – The Baylor commit just recently made her debut. She’s appeared in four of her team’s 67 sets. She has come up with 17 kills, averaging 4.3 per set, which tied for top honors. Jordyn Harvey SR OH Bountiful UT – The Stanford commit and company entered the week unbeaten at 13-0. Harvey is having a great senior year so far with 166 kills. She’s averaging 4.9 per set and is hitting .390. Harper Murray SR OH Skyline MI – At 20-3, Skyline has shown itself to be one of the top schools in Michigan behind the play of the Nebraska commit in Murray. She has more than half the team’s total kills with 340. She’s hitting a mind-blowing .434 so far and is averaging an insane 6.1 kills per set. Chloe Chicoine SR OH McCutcheon IN – The only blemish on the schedule so far remains an August loss to Yorktown.

With Cathedral Catholic CA taking home the Durango Fall Classic championship and Mother McAuley IL continuing its undefeated run as well, there was no changes with the top two spots in this week’s updated Top 50 National HS Rankings. St. James Academy KS, however, suffered its first setback of the season and dropped some as a result. Both Assumption KY and Sierra Canyon CA also dropped out of the Top 10 with losses at Durango this week, though Sierra Canyon did defeat Assumption head-to-head in Las Vegas. In all, five teams dropped out of the Top 50 altogether, making room for five new additions. You can check it out below. vballrecruiter.com TOP 50 1. Cathedral Catholic CA (1 – last week’s ranking) 2. Mother McAuley IL (2) 3. Westminster Christian FL (4) 4. McCutcheon IN (5) 5. Mira Costa CA (6) 6. Cornerstone Christian TX (8) 7. Marian MI (9) 8. Prestonwood Christian TX (11) 9. St. James Academy KS (3) 10. Santa Fe FL (13) *** 11. Oconomowoc WI (14) 12. Highland Park TX (15) 13. Hamilton Southeastern IN (17) 14. Sierra Canyon CA (10) 15. Washburn Rural KS (18) 16. Lincoln Southwest NE (n/r) 17. Cypress Ranch TX (22) 18. Marymount CA (16) 19. Aquinas KS (25) 20. Fayetteville AR (38) *** 21. Assumption KY (7) 22. Northfield (MN) 23. Mercy McAuley (12) 24. Brebeuf Jesuit IN (30) 25. ‘Iolani HI (34) 26. Barrington IL (31) 27. Dike-New Hartford IO (32 28. Ursuline Academy OH (19) 29. Yorktown IN (33) 30. Papillion-LaVista South NE (26) *** 31. Punahou HI (23) 32. Corona del Sol AZ (35) 33. Torrey Pines CA (27) 34. Liberty MO (n/r) 35. St. Ursula Academy OH (36) 36. Redondo Union CA (29) 37. Mercy MI (40) 38. Mater Dei CA (37) 39. Wayzata MN (42) 40. Magnificat OH (46) *** 41. Skyline MI (20) 42. St. Francis/Mountain View CA (48) 43. Mountain View UT (45) 44. Mount Notre Dame OH (43) 45. Plano West TX (n/r) 46. Millennium AZ (n/r) 47. Palos Verdes CA (49) 48. Rock Bridge MO (n/r) 49. Archbishop Mitty CA (n/r) 50. Pickens SC (47) Out: Lincoln East NE; Kamehameha HI; Chaparral CO; Cleveland TN; Timpview UT In: Lincoln Southwest NE; Liberty MO; Plano West TX; Millennium AZ; Archbishop Mitty CA *** HONORABLE MENTION Lake Catholic (OH) Heritage (CO) Trinity Catholic (FL) Blue Valley Northwest (KS) Hamilton (AZ) Horizon (AZ) Blue Valley North (KS) Lincoln-Way East (IL) Vista Murrieta (CA) Harvard-Westlake (CA) Perry (AZ) Queen Creek (AZ) Calvary Christin (FL) Blue Valley (KS) Rock Bridge (MO) St. Joseph’s Academy (MO) Huntley (IL) Ankeny (IO) Iowa City Liberty (IO) Tompkins (TX) Keller (TX) The Woodlands (TX) Bridgeland (TX) Barbers Hill (TX) Rockwall (TX) Walton (GA) Knoxville Christian (TN) Dorman (SC) Mercy (KY) Sequoyah (GA) Alpharetta (GA) Pope (GA) Champlin Park (MN) Lakeville North (MN) Brookfield Central (WI) Olentangy Liberty (OH) Ardrey Kell (NC) Millbrook (NC) Cardinal Newman (SC) McGill-Toolen (AL) Brandon (MS) Moanalua (HI) Ponte Vedra (FL) Plant (FL) Venice (FL) Marvin Ridge (NC) St. Henry (KY) Tampa Prep (FL) Skutt Catholic (NE) Buford (GA) O’Connor (AZ) Appleton North (WI) Divine Savior Holy Angels (WI) Eureka (MO) Chaparral (CO) Lincoln East (NE) Kamehameha (HI) Cleveland (TN) Timpview (UT)

The end of a busy three-week stretch promised to test the nation’s top team in Cathedral Catholic CA as the Dons looked to ace their latest challenge in the Durango Fall Classic in Las Vegas this past weekend. The run kicked off at the beginning of September with a trip to Hawai’i which culminated with a victory over Moanlua HI to win its first tournament of the season. The following weekend the Dons were back on the mainland and headed north two hours to participate in the Dave Mohs tourney in Huntington Beach, which ended with Cathedral Catholic sweeping Marymount CA, 25-20, 25-17, for the crown. Then came Durango, the most daunting tournament of the year and one that would test the Dons’ undefeated record in ways the prior two events couldn’t. Cathedral Catholic held all the answers and after downing Marymount once more in the championship earned the Durango title after last claiming it in 2019. On top of it all, not only did the Dons push their overall mark to 24-0 but they have yet to drop a set this season. It featured knocking off Archbishop Mitty CA in qualifying play Saturday morning before dispatching Punahou HI in the quarters and ‘Iolani HI in the semifinals. “Durango is such a prestigious tournament we were going in knowing we needed to play well and not thinking about having to win,” Cathedral Catholic coach Juliana Conn said. “Coming in as the No. 1 seed we knew it would be hard and it was. We played some really good teams from Hawai’i. We played Marymount again. Even Mitty in the first round on Saturday came to play. We had a nice run of good matches we put together to win. We focused on taking care of each match because we know everyone is coming after us just like they did with Marymount last year. We are learning to come ready to play because no team is going to give us an easy win.” Cathedral Catholic was among the best teams in the country last season but the way Marymount – which captured the Durango title in 2021 – was built it didn’t matter. However, with Marymount graduating so much and Cathedral returning so many it is now the Dons who control their destiny to a national championship. The only mainstays from last year’s lineup not back were the starting setter and libero. That would be enough to derail some programs but with junior Amanda Saeger ready to take the reins of the offense and sophomore Maya Evens positioned to take over in the backrow the Dons have hardly missed a beat. The lineup is built around senior sensation and outside Julia Blyashov, a 5-star recruit committed to Stanford. She’s one of the top nine kill leaders back from a year ago. No doubt that type of familiarity and depth are going to lead to plenty of successful outings. “We’ve been playing well,” Conn said. “We have a big bench and anytime someone is having a tough time we can switch it up. People keep stepping up. It’s a big group and sometimes with that many good players it can be hard to accept smaller roles. But this group is embracing it and girls are waiting for their chance while still supporting whoever is on the court. The feedback this weekend from other coaches was great. They were telling us how engaged our bench is.” Though Marymount graduated a ton from last year’s national championship roster, one player who is back and has kept the Sailors a formidable threat is senior outside and 5-star recruit Torrey Stafford. Though Marymount has lost nonleague contests to Mira Costa CA and Redondo Union CA and a league showdown with Sierra Canyon CA so far, the Sailors have found success in recent tourneys like Dave Mohs and Durango, finishing runner up to Cathedral Catholic at both. In Vegas, Marymount overcame a team it previously defeated this season in Vista Murrieta CA in Day 2 qualifying to make the championship bracket. There, the Sailors swept Assumption KY in the quarters and previously undefeated Fayetteville AR in the semis. “They are still really good even though they lost all those seniors,” Conn said of Marymount. “I felt like they were ready to beat us because they didn’t want to lose in back-to-back weeks.”

One thing is for certain. When it comes to a 64-team field of the caliber we see at a tournament like the Durango Fall Classic in Las Vegas there are going to be top players everywhere doing their thing and leaving their mark. That’s exactly what we witnessed during our two days in the desert. Below, we highlight our tournament Show Stoppers featuring the best of the best we saw in action. We also included more standout players as well who were also really good and noteworthy with their play. SHOW STOPPERS Claire Little SR OH Vista Murrieta CA – The Broncos were the only non-No. 1 team from the Day 1 pools to make the Top 16 and Little had lots to do with her team’s success. She’s a big-time attacker who can score front and back row and always gives her team hope of winning. Nikki Quinn SR S Torrey Pines CA – Quinn – a 3-star recruit committed to Duke – is quick and does well getting to the ball and delivering clean balls to her hitters. Finley Krystkowiak FR OH Torrey Pines CA – One of the stud freshmen in the field, this 5-star recruit flashed her remarkable potential. At 6-3, Krystkowiak is able to go over blocks and bounce balls down on the regular. Katerina Lutz SR L Torrey Pines CA – Lutz – a 3-star recruit committed to UCLA – is a scrappy backrow defender. She’s a consistent passer out of serve receive and her hustle extends rallies for the Falcons. Mia Lee SR RS Mountain View UT – A 4-star recruit committed to BYU, Lee is an incredible athlete with a monster leap. Add in her big arm and she’s a massive offensive force who can take over matches. Mele Corral-Blagojevich SR OH Redondo Union CA – When Redondo is in trouble or needs a point it’s often Corral-Blagojevich who they turn to. The 4-star recruit committed to Oklahoma has a big arm and can also make her mark from the service line with her powerful jump serve. Kennedy Phelan SR S Fayetteville AR – A 5-star recruit headed to Florida State, Phelan was as fun as anyone to watch do her thing. She’s a remarkable setter who can basically make any set from anywhere. Her jump serve is also a weapon as she can go on runs a reel of points in a hurry. Brooke Rockwell SR OH Fayetteville AR – A Stanford beach commit, Rockwell is the arm that makes the Bulldogs’ offense sparkle. She has a whippy arm and can fire one down in impressive fashion or she can go off speed and catch defenses slipping. Meredith Brown SR MB Mercy KY – Brown brings stability to the front row. She’s both a sound blocker and scoring threat who can impact a rally both ways. Lauren Lynch SO L Sierra Canyon CA – There was plenty of defense being played and Lynch was a big-time factor for the Trailblazers. She’s not challenged much in serve receive because of her passing precision. She’s also a terrific defender who keeps her team in rallies. Olivia Babcock SR RS Sierra Canyon CA – Babcock – a 5-star recruit headed to Pitt – delivers as many wow moments as anyone else in the field. When she gets a hold of one, watch out. She blasts it down with authority and causes a buzz throughout the gym. Danica Rach JR OH Sierra Canyon CA – A 3-star recruit committed to Boston College, Rach is a six-rotation mainstay. She’s a solid scorer with a nice arm who helps keep the offense powering along. Maya Evens SO L Cathedral Catholic CA – Evens is a sophomore who plays like a senior. She’s unflappable in the back row and is as steady and consistent as anyone in the field. She rarely misses a play or is off with her passing. Jenna Hanes JR MB Cathedral Catholic CA – A 6-3, 4-star recruit committed to Michigan, Hanes bolsters what the Dons do on both sides of the ball. When in system, Cathedral will look to get her the ball as she can finish off points adeptly. She’s also a strong blocker who can help slow down opposing attackers.   Julia Blyashov SR OH Cathedral Catholic CA – The 5-star Stanford recruit is so difficult to lock up. Her length is a major asset and with her ability to extend and hit so high defenses don’t have much hope of blocking her and must try and dig her shots that come with plenty of pace. Amanda Saeger JR S Cathedral Catholic CA – With the weapons around her, any setter in the gym would envy Saeger – a 4-star recruit committed to DePaul – and what she has to work with. She does well incorporating all her hitters and not just relying on the big arm of Blyashov to do it all. Melie Vaioleti SR L Punahou HI – Vaioleti epitomizes what Punahou is about with its defensive scrap and intensity. It’s hard to put balls down cleanly against Punahou, with Vaioleti picking off shots left and right and forcing opponents to take five and six swings in hopes of winning the rally. Haumea Marumoto JR OH Punahou HI – Marumoto is an unheralded player who does a lot for Punahou. She has a very high IQ that shows in the way she scores in so many different ways. Torrey Stafford SR OH Marymount CA – A 5-star recruit on her way to Pitt, Stafford is must-watch entertainment with the way she gets off the ground and crushes ball. When she has it going she’s nearly unstoppable and is a unrelenting menace for defenses to deal with. Dior Charles SR MB Marymount CA – Few players in the field could impact a match with their blocking prowess like Charles. A 3-star recruit committed to Wake Forest, Charles is also the Sailors’ biggest scoring threat out of the middle as