Premium Content

Throw predictability to the wind. There was no way of calling shots as the 14s and 15s divisions reached their pinnacles Thursday at the USAV GJNC in Indy. The unpredictable and unbelievable conclusions to those divisions was something remarkable to witness. The lone at-large team in 15 Open in Alamo 15 Premier caught a wave and didn’t stop riding it until the championship trophy and gold medal were in hand. It was one of the more memorable performances in a very long time, as Alamo knocked off top-seeded Arizona Storm 15 Thunder in the final. In 14 Open, Mintonette Sports m.41 dug the deepest and wasn’t going to be denied the top spot on the podium. The Ohio club capped its storybook day by downing Flyers 14 Anthony in the championship match. We’ll have separate articles on both winners, as well as recaps on other division winners in the next day or two. For now, we present our final Show Stoppers from the two divisions featuring the players who stood out the most on Day 4. Kylie Parker, OH, SG Elite 14 Rosh – Parker helped anchor an unbelievable run to the 14 Open semis. Her fierce attacking, stringent defense and accurate passing were all on display during the team’s final-day effort. Aberdeen Callaway, OH, SG Elite 14 Rosh – Also a six-rotation outside, Callaway was a key piece in the offensive puzzle. She’s a smart attacker who doesn’t do too much and can use tip and tools as part of her arsenal. Kathleen Hollingsworth, MB, SG Elite 14 Rosh – Hollingsworth isn’t a flashy middle and that’s fine. She doesn’t need to be to be effective. She has a good scoring knack and a tendancy to deliver timely blocks. Layla Austin, OH, Madfrog 14 Green – Austin has a lively arm and can bring real heat with her swings. She puts tons of pressure on defenses to make plays and slow her down. Paisley Pavliska, OH, Alamo 14 Premier – One of Alamo’s most consistent point scorers, Pavliska has a variety of shots she uses to keep the defense off guard. Rayna Christianson, S/RS, Northern Lights 14-1 – Christianson has tremendous upside and potential in her 6-2 frame. She has a strong, consistent delivery as a setter. And with her height, she can easily go over blockers and is a scoring threat all across the front row. Karys Campos, L, Actyve 14 Black – Campos was on fire defensively when we caught her. She was diming every attack and serve coming her way, not to mention she was covering tips and touches with ease too. Addison Haberthy, S, Circle City 14 Purple – Haberthy does a solid job at the setting position. She has nice hands, sets a clean ball and doesn’t miss her window very often. Skylar Jackson, OH, Flyers 14 Anthony – A six-rotation mainstay in the lineup, Jackson is a key contributor toward Flyers’ success. She’s active in the back row and is a reliable scorer in the front. Keoni Williams, MB, Flyers 14 Anthony – You’ll be hearing Williams’ name for years to come. At 6-3, she’s a serious presence in the middle. At this age group, she’s virtually impossible to stop when the set is there and she’s able to get extended. Hannah Lee, MB, Flyers 14 Anthony – Lee is a high-octane middle who never lets up. She runs an effective slide and possesses a strong arm that generate plenty of pop. Layla Hoying, OH, Mintonette m.41 – An all-around contributor, Hoying did her part as Mintonette brought home the 14 Open gold medal. She’s a strong attacker with a nice arm who is adept at finding gaps and seams. Sara Snowbarger, OH, Mintonette m.41 – Snowbarger gives Mintonette one of the most formidable 1-2 punches on the left in the division. She has a nice extension and does well tooling blockers. Emma Cugino, L, Mintonette m.41 – Cugino was off the charts good as Mintonette chased gold on Day 4. She was picking up cross court shots at left back with her eyes closed. Mallory Matheny, S, Mintonette m.41 – Matheny is in command of the offense. She has a nice touch and can be tough to read when in system. It allows her to get all her hitters involved and get them good looks as well. Ella Grimes, L, Elevation 14 Molly – Grimes was a defensive stalwart in anchoring the back row. She was consistently on point in serve receive and made scrappy plays to keep rallies going. Makenna Kirlin, S, Elevation 14 Molly – Kirlin is steady and has a great demeanor for a setter. She has a soft touch and puts up a very hittable ball with consistent location. Danielle Whitmire, S/RS, TAV 14 Black – A two-way contributor, Whitmire flashed her future potential as a star. She’s a terrific setter with a great touch and strong accuracy. With her height, she’s also a capable scorer and helps spread out the attack being a threat on the right side. Mandy Lawson, L, Rockwood Thunder 15 Elite – Lawson was doing a solid job defending and providing her team defensive support. She was passing well out of serve receive too. Erika Sayer, MB, Co Jrs 15 Shannon – Defenses have to pay attention and mark Sayer – a three-star star recruit. She’s a wonderful offensive option who can run the slide effectively and deliver big kills with her powerful arm. Alyssa Aguayo, OH, Aspire 15 Premier – A lanky outside, Aguayo is a three-star recruit who carries a big load on offense. She has a great arm and hits with plenty of pace. BreAnna McMillan, S/RS, Triangle 15 Black – McMillan is a dangerous attacker. She can get up and absolutely unleash with authority. Emma Koceja, OH, MKE Sting 15 Gold – A three-star recruit, Koceja is a six-rotation outside who Sting relies on to provide an offensive punch. She’s capable of hammering impressive kills when she catches

How did we already arrive at the gold bracket? Time flies when you’re volleyballing it up with the best the country has to offer. Trust us, it was coming from everywhere on Day 3 of the 14s and 15s of the USAV GJNC in Indy. There’s plenty to tell and share. But we aren’t quite there yet. Keep scrolling downward for that info. First, we would be remiss not to share our Day 3 Show Stoppers highlighting the players who were impossible to ignore during Wednesday’s action. Riley Malloy, OH, Austin Skyline 14 Royal – Malloy is a name you’ll be hearing plenty about in the coming years. She’s 6-3 with unbelievable potential. She’s only going to continue to add power and strength. She’s already hitting over blocks with ease and scoring on sharp angles. Lexi Shondell, S, Boiler Jrs 14 Gold – Boiler Jrs’ hopes of doubling-up on gold medals ended in challenge play, but Shondell was her usual calming, steadying presence. She has one of the smoothest deliveries in the division and one of the best commands of her offense. Cali Foster, OH, Boiler Jrs 14 Gold – Boiler Jrs lost for only the fourth time this season since Foster returned from her earlier injury. She’s a six-rotation, five-tool talent who impacts the game in every facet. Sydney Geselbracht, MB, Elevation 14 Molly – Defenses need to be on guard when Elevation is in system and Geselbracht is up front. She’s a major scoring threat with her arm and ability to find the gaps in the defense. Makenna Kirlin, S, Elevation 14 Molly – The offense is in good hands with Kirlin at the helm. She’s smooth and consistent. She goes behind her well with accuracy and rarely misses her mark. Kennedy Crayton, OH, Flyers 14 Anthony – The attack can come from just about everywhere when it comes to Flyers, including Crayton. She gets up well and whips it down with ease. Taylor Clarke, RS, Flyers 14 Anthony – Clarke is similar to Crayton, only a lefty and attacking on the right side. She’s an easy jumper with a whippy swing to menace defenders with. Mya Capistrano, L, Forza1 North 14 UA – Capistrano was holding down the back row with authority. Her passing and defending were sharp and she was stepping in front of taking balls overhead with confidence. Westley Matavao, OH, Forza1 North 14 UA – A seventh-grader playing up, Matavao has a bright future in front of her. She’s a physical hitter who brings power to the lineup and is capable of overwhelming blockers and defenders. Addyson Bianchini, S/RS, NKYVC 14-1 Tsunami – A two-way contributor for NKYVC, Bianchini plays a vital role setting and hitting. She’s able to locate consistently when setting. She also has a knack for scoring to help balance out the offense. Kirsten Kemper, S, NKYVC 14-1 Tsunami – Kemper can set and hit too, though she was mainly used as a back row setter on Day 3. She has good hands and a consistent deliver. Shayne Zammiello, L, Alamo 14 Premier – Zammiello was showing her defensive skills. She was defending and covering well, keeping Alamo in rallies. Kinsley Young, MB, TAV 14 Black – Young is a physical presence. She has a big arm and was pounding winners and proving hard to dig. Finley Krystkowiak, OH, Wave 14 Brennan – A 6-2 outside, Krystkowiak has a great arm and can punish defenses over and over. She goes over the block and hits with plenty of pace. Alicia Beers, MB, MKE Sting 14 Gold – Beers commands a defense’s attention. When she gets out on the slide she was virtually impossible to stop as Sting went to her over and over. Dawn Moore, RS, Madfrog 14 Green – A wirey, springy right side, Moore is just one piece of the attack that makes Madfrog so dangerous. She can get up and put it down on a regular basis. Mary Schirpik, L, AJV 15 Adidas – A three-star recruit, Schirpik’s passing was on point. She was also picking off cross court shots without much effort and putting the ball on target. Morgan Madison, L, Hou Skyline 15 Royal – Madison – a four-star recruit – is a smooth back row defender. She is nails and hardly ever misses her mark. Elena Fisher, OH, Absolute Black 15 – You can see Fisher’s beach skills on display with her attacking. A three-star recruit, has a wide variety of shots in her bag and carries a significant load on offense. Sarah Mendoza, L, Drive Nation 15 Red – A four-star recruit, Mendoza is a back row anchor for Drive Nation. She doesn’t rattle easy and is strong out of serve receive. Lauren Lopez, OH, Dynasty 15 Black – Lopez – a three-star recruit – is a difficult attacker to time up and block. She gets up quickly and punishes blocks that set up late. Hadley Porter, L, Dynasty 15 Black – Porter – also a three-star recruit – is a scrappy defender. She makes lots of hustle plays and is steady out of serve receive. Natalie Wardlow, MB, Nebraska One 15 Synergy – The 6-4 Wardlow impacts both sides of the ball. A four-star recruit, she’s a tough cover offensively with her height. Defensively, she gets her hands on plenty of shots coming her way. Sydnee Peterson, OH, TAV 15 Black – Peterson – a four-star recruit – jumps well. She swings hard and she comes with it over and over putting tons of pressure on defenses to make plays. Taryn Morris, MB, TAV 15 Black – Defenses cannot take their attention off of Morris. She’s a huge threat when TAV is in system with her arm. She can also deliver her fair share of blocks to score points that way. Mae Kordas, OH, Wave 15 Scott – Kordas is the go-to hitter in the lineup. She’s 6-2, which makes her a difficult cover no matter the opponent. She’s capable of unleashing

The desperation and intensity ramped up on Day 2 of the 14 and 15s divisions at the USAV GJNC in Indy. With the first round of pool play coming to an end, there were teams scrambling to stay in contention for the podium. With 24 of the 36 teams advancing to the second round of pool play, it of course meant 12 teams were cast aside and their hopes of a medal ended. We’ll cover the day’s events if you keep scrolling down. However, as usual, we begin with our Day 2 Show Stoppers highlighting the players who shined the brightest. Margaret Czajka, MB, MKE Sting 14 Gold – Czajka brings a real offensive presence when she checks in. She has a great arm and is adept at finding and exploiting the gaps when she attacks. Abby Zimmerman, RS, SCVC 14 Roxy – Zimmerman was showing what she can bring to front row. She’s long with a nice arm and was ripping balls down the line. Sydney Lund, S, Austin Skyline 14 Royal – Showing off her hands, Lund sets a clean ball consistently and was locating well. Londyn Stone, OH, AVC Cle Rox 14 Red – A bit undersized, it doesn’t matter when Stone goes up for a kill. She takes aggressive swings and showed her ability to tool blocks, as well as pass and defend in the back row. Sydney Borowy, OH, AVC Cle Rox 14 Red – With nice extension and a high point of contact, Borowy can let it fly when she gets a hold of one. Willow Weninger, RS, Pohaku 14-1 – Weninger is a big plus for the offense. She’s a name to know as she flashed plenty of upside. She has a booming arm and was crushing winners. Halle Thompson, OH, Hou Skyline 14 Royal – What a talent Thompson is. She glides in the air with a smooth swing. She’s a threat front and back row. Layla Hoying, OH, Mintonette m.41 – Mintonette’s outside duo is one of the best in the age group. Hoying is an all-around contributor with a really good arm and the smarts to blow up bigger blocks. Sara Snowbarger, OH, Mintonette m.41 – Another all-around contributor for Mintonette, Snowbarger is also tough to slow on the attack with her scoring prowess. Mallory Matheny, S, Mintonette m.41 – Matheny has a great release and does a swell job running the offense. She’s strong going behind her with accuracy and touch. Lauren Scheiden, L, Drive Nation 14 Red – Scheiden gave Drive Nation a defensive edge. She was defending and covering the court well, making plays to keep rallies alive. Elena Ruble, S, HPSTL 14 Royal – Ruble is quick and does well getting to the ball. She can jump set and does well dishing to her various hitters. Layla Austin, OH, Madfrog 14 Green – It’s going to be fun watching Austin move up age groups. She has tremendous potential. She has a great arm that can already generate heat and pressure opponents. Summer Hodge, L, Madfrog 14 Green – Hodge is a smooth passer. She was on point in serve receive when challenged. Abigail Vander Wal, OH, 1st Alliance 15 Gold – Vander Wal – a five-star recruit – is the go-to outside who carries a big offensive load. She can go over, around or through blocks and is someone opponents have to plan their defense around. Taylor Cook, S, Skyline 15 Royal – Cook moves well and can get her feet to the ball and set normal where other setters would struggle. A three-star recruit, she goes behind her well too and has a good connection with her middles. Camille Middleton, MB, Skyline 15 Royal – Middleton gets off the ground in a hurry. She’s difficult to time blocking and thus is able to score before the block is formed. Logan Parks, S/RS, MAVS KC 15-1 – A five-star recruit, Parks is a marvel to watch. She’s a solid setter with really good hands and location. As a hitter, she skies and pounds and gives defenses all they can handle. Bailey Warren, OH, Hou Skyline 15 Royal – Another five-star recruit, Warren is a human pogo stick. She elevates well and has a good arm. That combo makes her a scoring machine. Julia Grace, L, NKYVC 15-1 Tsunami – Grace – a three-star recruit – is a high-energy libero with strong command of the back row. She also was solid out of serve receive and making hustle plays. Teraya Sigler, OH, Arizona Storm 15 Thunder – Sigler was displaying what she can do all over the court. A five-star recruit, she’s a physical hitter who can overpower opponents. She’s also a strong passer and defender. Izzy Mahaffey, L, Arizona Storm 15 Thunder – Mahaffey – a three-star recruit – is an anchor in the back row. She’s rarely off her mark when challenged in serve receive, and she’s strong picking up tips and touches. Kirra Musgrove, S/RS, HJV 15 Elite – A four-star recruit, Musgrove is a key two-way player. She does well directing the offense back row with a nice, consistent release. She’s also a solid attacker who helps spread out the offense. Campbell Flynn, S, Legacy 15-1 Adidas – Flynn – a four-star recruit – had one of the top plays of the day. She set a ball from the deep zone 1 corner all the way to outside clean and on point. There are older setters who couldn’t make that set and she made it look easy. Logan Bell, OH, Circle City 15 Purple – A three-star recruit, Bell explodes up on the attack. Her quick jump and swing make her a tough one to stop consistently. Isabelle Brown, S, Circle City 15 Purple – Brown – another three-star recruit – does well getting her hitters good looks. She’s a scrappy setter too who can make nice defensive plays. Avery Freeman, L, Circle City 15 Purple – Freeman is steady and consistent

Number of Teams: 36 vballrecruiter.com National Rankings: 1. 1st Alliance 17 Gold 2. Circle City 17 Purple 3. A5 Mizuno 17 Jing 4. Coast 17-1 5. Drive Nation 17 Red 6. Wave 17 Juliana 7. Hou Skyline 17 Royal 8. Club V 17 Ren Reed 9. TAV 17 Black 10. Legacy 17-1 Adidas 11. Premier Nebraska 17 Gold 12. AZ Rev 17 Premier 13. MN Select 17-1 14. MAVS KC 17-1 15. Dynasty 17 Black 16. HJV 17 Elite 17. OT 17 John 18. Skyline 17 Royal 19. Alamo 17 Premier 20. Sunshine 17 LA 21. Madfrog 17 Green 22. KC Power 17-1 23. Mintonette m.71 24. UPVBC 17 Open 25. Metro 17 Travel 26. Tstreet 17 Naseri 27. AJV 17 Adidas 28. ID Crush 17 Bower 29. CHAVC 17 Black 30. Top Select 17 Elite 31. CUVC 17 Premier 32. Mich Elite 17 Mizuno 33. Rockwood Thunder 17 Elite 34. SynergyForce 17 Jeff 39. Club V 17 Ren Matthew 42. Absolute Black 17-1 vballrecruiter.com 5-star recruits (22): Calissa Minatee, MB, Dynasty 17 Black (Minnesota) Grace Heaney, RS, Premier Nebraska 17 Gold (Purdue) Sydney Schnichels, RS, MN Select 17-1 (Minnesota) Leah Ford, MB, Drive Nation 17 Red (USC) Reese Robins, MB, Drive Nation 17 Red (Louisville) Ashley Mullen, S, Dynasty 17 Black (UCLA) Eloise Brandewie, MB, Mintonette m.71 (Ohio State) Ella Swindle, S, KC Power 17-1 (Texas) Jurnee Robinson, OH, A5 Mizuno 17 Jing (LSU) Blaire Bayless, OH, Madfrog 17 Green (Pitt) Olivia Babcock, RS, Sunshine 17 LA (Pitt) Torrey Stafford, OH, Sunshine 17 LA (Pitt) Jordyn Harvey, OH, Club V 17 Ren Reed Harper Murray, OH, Legacy 17-1 Adidas (Nebraska) Julia Blyashov, OH, Wave 17 Juliana (Stanford) Chloe Chicoine, OH, Circle City 17 Purple (Purdue) Olivia Mauch, L, Premier Nebraska 17 Gold (2024) Alex Acevedo, OH, ID Crush 17 Bower (2024) Stella Swenson, S, MN Select 17-1 (2024) Alex Bower, S, ID Crush 17 Bower (2024) Cy Rae Campbell, MB, Dynasty 17 Black (2024) Taylor Harvey, MB, Club V 17 Ren Reed (2025) vballrecruiter.com 4-star recruits (39): Noemie Glover, RS, Coast 17-1 (Oregon) Lois Hansen, S/RS, Tstreet 17 Naseri (UCSB) Eva Travis, OH, Tstreet 17 Naseri (UCSB) Milan Rex, S, Metro 17 Travel (UCSB) Laurece Abraham, MB, Legacy 17-1 Adidas (Yale) Ceci Gooch, OH, Drive Nation 17 Red (Michigan) Auburn Tomkinson, RS, Wave 17 Juliana (Texas) Gigi Navarrete, L, 1st Alliance 17 Gold (Northwestern) Sarah Vellucci, L, Legacy 17-1 Adidas (Long Beach State) Alyssa Manitzas, L, Alamo 17 Premier (Notre Dame) Arya Jue, L, A5 Mizuno 17 Jing (Yale) Jordyn Dailey, MB, CHAVC 17 Black (Kentucky) Eva Rohrbach, MB, Wave 17 Juliana (Maryland) Brielle Kemavor, MB, Metro 17 Travel (BYU) Hannah Pfiffner, MB, TAV 17 Black (Oklahoma) Taylor Anderson, S, Alamo 17 Premier (Purdue) Juliette Myrick, S, Rockwood Thunder 17 Elite (Army) Audrey Clark, S, TAV 17 Black (Creighton) Lily Nicholson, S, Drive Nation 17 Red (TCU) Kennedy Wagner, OH, 1st Alliance 17 Gold (Ole Miss) Ava Sarafa, S, Mich Elite 17 Mizuno (Kentucky) Erin Kline, S, Legacy 17-1 Adidas (Miss State) Callie Kieffer, S, Drive Nation 17 Red (Alabama) Harley Kreck, S, Skyline 17 Royal (Baylor) Sydney Breon, OH, TAV 17 Black (UCLA) Becca Kelley, OH, Skyline 17 Royal (Oregon) Cindy Tchouangwa, OH, HJV 17 Elite (Rice) Nayeli Gonzalez, OH, Alamo 17 Premier (Iowa State) Alanna Bankston, OH, Premier Nebraska 17 Gold (Louisville) Destiny Ndam-Simpson, OH, Premier Nebraska 17 Gold (Creighton) Bianna Muoneke, OH, HJV 17 Elite (Texas AM) Halle Schroder, OH, Drive Nation 17 Red (Boston College) Claire Little, OH, Coast 17-1 (BYU) Kendal Murphy, OH, AZ Rev 17 Premier (Baylor) Levani Key-Powell, OH, Club V 17 Ren Reed (2024) Olivia Swenson, OH, MN Select 17-1 (2024) Macy Hinshaw, S, Circle City 17 Purple (2024) Evan Hendrix, OH, AZ Rev 17 Premier (2024) Kaia Caffee, MB, MN Select 17-1 (2024) Outlook: This division is set up to perhaps be the most entertaining and unpredictable one in Indy. For starters, there is no clear-cut favorite but rather a group of teams that could walk away with the gold medal. 1st Alliance 17 Gold, Circle City 17 Purple, A5 Mizuno 17 Jing, Coast 17-1, Wave 17 Juliana, Drive Nation 17 Red, Hou Skyline 17 Royal, Club V 17 Ren Reed, Legacy 17-1 Adidas and Premier Nebraska 17 Gold are all squads where a case could be made for them winning it all. That’s really incredible. Add to that the number of teams in the field that are capable of producing upsets over those top teams and the excitement is real. Sunshine 17 LA took second at the JVA West Coast Cup, topping Coast and Drive Nation before falling to Wave. We’ve seen a team like SynergyForce 17 Jeff upset Club V in Reno. KC Power 17-1 upset TAV 17 Black at Lone Star. 1st Alliance starts off as the No. 1 seed. The rest of the top six looks like No. 2 Circle City, No. 3 Drive Nation, No. 4 Club V 17, No. 5 Legacy 17-1 and No. 6 A5. Coast is the No. 2 team in Pool 6, the No. 7 seed. Wave is the No. 2 team in Pool 5, the No. 8 seed. Two of the toughest pools appear to be Pool 1 and Pool 4. In Pool 1 with 1st Alliance are Dynasty 17 Black and OT 17 John. In Pool 4 with Club V is Premier Nebraska and Sunshine, as well as AZ Rev 17 Premier. Pool 6 is right there as well, with A5, Coast and Hou Skyline. Once the dust settles on the first round of pool play, the three-team pools are going to be ridiculous. Not to mention the challenge matches to reach the top eight. About the only thing we can know for sure is there is no way this division can disappoint. Prediction: Picking the winner is like winning this division, there’s going to be an element of luck involved. The choice is Circle City standing on top after downing Premier Nebraska in the final. Wave and

Number of Teams: 36 vballrecruiter.com National Rankings: 1. Dynasty 16 Black 2. NKYVC 16-1 Tsunami 3. A5 Mizuno 16-1 Gabe 4. Co Jrs 16 Sherri 5. Wave 16 Brennan 6. TAV 16 Black 7. 1st Alliance 16 Gold 8. OT 16 Jason 9. KC Power 16-1 12. Circle City 16 Purple 13. Metro 16 Travel 14. Triangle 16 Black 15. Mizuno Long Beach 16 Rockstar 16. Coast 16-1 17. Arizona Storm 16 Thunder 18. Premier Nebraska 16 Gold 19. Vision 16 Gold 20. AJV 16 Adidas 21. Skyline 16 Royal 22. Madfrog 16 Green 23. SG Elite 16 Rosh 24. OT 16 Roberto 25. MKE Sting 16 Gold 26. Drive Nation 16 Red 27. Top Select 16 Elite 28. Flyers 16 Dylan 29. Gainesville 16 Black 30. Rockwood Thunder 16 Elite 34. Club V 16 Ren Wayne 38. Seal Beach 16 Black 41. Norco 16 Black 42. OT 16 Will 43. Hou Skyline 16 Royal 44. OJVA 16 Gold Unranked – Alamo 16 Premier Unranked – Capitanas 16-1 vballrecruiter.com 5-star recruits (18): Izzy Starck, S/RS, Co Jrs 16 Sherri Skyler Pierce, OH, Dynasty 16 Black Charlie Fuerbringer, S/RS, Mizuno Long Beach 16 Rockstar Ayden Ames, MB, TAV 16 Black Favor Anyanwu, MB, TAV 16 Black Babi Gubbins, OH, Mizuno Long Beach 16 Rockstar Taylor Yu, S, SG Elite 16 Rosh Camille Edwards, S, TAV 16 Black Carlie Cisneros, OH, Dynasty 16 Black Jadyn Livings, OH, TAV 16 Black Suli Davis, OH, Drive Nation 16 Red (2025) Amina N’diaye, OH, OT 16 Roberto (2025) Zoe Gillen-Malveaux, MB, Drive Nation 16 Red (2025) Reese Messer, S, Dynasty 16 Black (2025) Abigail Mullen, RS, Dynasty 16 Black (2025) Jaidyn Jager, OH, Coast 16-1 (2025) Gillian Pitts, L, TAV 16 Black (2025) Macaria Spears, OH, Metro 16 Travel (2025) vballrecruiter.com 4-star recruits (20): Mia Hood, MB, A5 Mizuno 16 Gabe Logan Wiley, MB, A5 Mizuno 16 Gabe Bethanie Wu, S, TAV 16 Black Grace Carroll, S, Alamo 16 Premier Carson Eickenloff, S, Madfrog 16 Green Lillian Croshaw, MB, Madfrog 16 Green Anna Bjork, MB, MKE Sting 16 Gold Julia Hunt, MB, NKYVC 16-1 Tsunami Ryan McAleer, L, Dynasty 16 Black Ava Utterback, OH, Circle City 16 Purple Amanda Saeger, S, Wave 16 Brennan Camden Bolane, MB, Wave 16 Brennan Mikala Young, OH, TAV 16 Black Lainee Pyles, MB, Madfrog 16 Green Anna Boatner, MB, TAV 16 Black Jade Ingram, MB, Dynasty 16 Black Hannah Benjamin, OH, A5 Mizuno 16 Gabe Madeline Stucky, S, Norco 16 Black Maya Witherspoon, OH, Rockwood Thunder 16 Elite (2025) Lauren Lynch, L, SG Elite 16 Rosh (2025) Outlook: The feeling is there’s a short list of teams that can earn the gold medal. Dynasty 16 Black comes in as a strong favorite having won three national qualifiers plus Triple Crown. Dynasty has just two losses on a national stage this year – to TAV 16 Black and NKYVC 16-1 Tsunami. It’s why Dynasty garnered the top seed. TAV is on the short list of teams that could win it all. Injuries have prevented TAV from reaching its full potential but the club appears poised and on track health-wise and should be a definite factor. Yet, it appears TAV could be way under-seeded. The club is the No. 3 team in Pool 1, which is a tough pool containing Dynasty, Co Jrs 16 Sherri and TAV as the top three teams in the pool Ouch. Wave 16 Brennan has fared well all season and has the type of ball control and defense to go all the way. Wave enters as the No. 3 seed. A5 Mizuno 16 Gabe has the height and size to be a real factor. A5 begins as the No. 2 seed. NKYVC 16-1 Tsunami has finished high all season long and knows how to win tight matches. NKYVC opens as the No. 2 tam in Pool 4 behind OT 16 Jason. The teams which are somewhat x-factors are Co Jrsand Metro 16 Travel. Co Jrs didn’t fare so well at the JVA West Coast Cup but has the size and talent to be any team in the country. It is just a matter of playing consistently over four days. Metro captured first at the JVA SummerFest recently and has the size and physicality to be a problem to any opponent. Metro is the No. 5 seed. Another team to watch for that could be way under-seeded is Capitanas 16-1. The Puerto Rican club is formidable but is the No. 6 team in Pool 6. Pool 6 could be the toughest one to break, as it contains Triangle 16 Black at the top followed by Mizuno Long Beach 16 Rockstar, Vision 16 Gold, Top Select 16 Elite and Alamo 16 Premier, as well as Capitanas. There are plenty more squads that could make runs and be in contention on Day 4. OT Jason, 1st Alliance 16 Gold, Circle City 16 Purple, KC Power 16-1 and Trianglehave turned in strong seasons and it would not be a surprise to see any or all of them in the top eight. It’s part of what makes this division so intriguing is how many competitive clubs there are that can all beat each other any given outing. Prediction: The final comes down to Dynasty and TAV. TAV prevails in three sets to earn the gold medal. Wave and A5 get the bronzes.

It didn’t take long for the first jolt to hit on the opening day of the 14s and 15s divisions at USAV GJNC in Indy. Top-seeded Madfrog 14 Green was upset in opening round by Tstreet 14 Carson. Top-seeded Arizona Storm 15 Thunder nearly suffered the same fate before sneaking past AJV 15 Adidas by winning the third set, 17-15. We’ll get to those things and much more if you keep scrolling on down. Before that though, we want to introduce our Day 1 Show Stoppers featuring the players who stood out the most to us during an entertaining day of volleyball. Jaidyn Hartsfield, S/RS, Madfrog 14 Green – Hartsfield is a key cog in the lineup with her contributions setting and hitting. She delivers a clean ball and goes behind her with accuracy to keep defenses honest. Though she’s a bit undersized she’s aggressive on the attack and doesn’t intimidated. Emmerson Champagne, MB, Tstreet 14 Carson – Champagne was instrumental in Tstreet’s tournament-opening upset of top-seeded Madfrog. She was an unstoppable force and burnt Madfrog over and over with her scoring ability. She also makes great reads and can deliver one-on-one blocks. Audrey Dyas, MB, NKYVC 14-1 Tsunami – With her length, opponents better hope Dyas is not able to get on top of the ball. When she does watch out, she can put it down in a hurry with plenty of pop. Peytyn Pyle, MB, TAV Houston 14 Adidas – Pyle is lanky and can get out and run the slide effectively. She has a good arm and it makes her a difficult cover, especially against smaller blockers. Henley Anderson, OH, AP 14 Adidas – Anderson’s height is a major weapon. She easily goes over blocks for points but does a good job tipping to open spots as well. AP will get her involved in various ways, including running her on combos out of the middle. Vivian Hickman, S/RS, AZ Sky 14G – There was plenty to like about what Hickman was bringing. She’s an aggressive attacker who comes with it on the right side. Back row, she’s a capable setter with sound location and a solid release. Skylar Brady, MB, OP2 14-1 – We liked the group of middles we witnessed on Day 1, with Brady part of it. She’s another one who can run the slide well. She has a nice swing too and it makes her a threat who defenses have to respect. Sophia Davila, OH, Skyline 14 Royal – Davila was bringing it as much as anyone we saw. She has a strong, powerful arm and doesn’t hold back too often. She showed a great knack for tooling blocks as well. Brooklyn Bailey, MB, Skyline 14 Royal – Bailey gets up well and she gets up in a hurry. She showed a strong scoring touch with her ability to put balls down. She can also get in the way of attacks, touching balls coming her way from opposing hitters. Genevieve Harris, S, Academy 14 Diamond – It was a tough day overall for Academy, but Harris was a bright spot. She demonstrated a great touch and release. Her sets were almost always clean and she was spotting well. Kalli Lipo, L, Arizona Storm 14 Thunder – Similarly, it was a rough day as well for Storm but Lipo was strong in the back row. She was nails in serve receive, though she doesn’t get served very often as teams purposely keep the ball away from her. Kaiya Kearney, OH, Arizona Storm 14 Thunder – Kearney can bring heat when the opportunity is there. She’s an aggressive swinger and doesn’t back down. Catherine Palmi, OH, GP 14 Rox – There’s a different sound when Palmi catches one full force. She’s a powerful hitter who hits a heavy ball with her hammer of an arm. Paisley Pavliska, OH, Alamo 14 Premier – A bit undersized, Pavliska gets up well and has a whippy swing. It helps her generate plenty of pace on her shots to beat defenses with. Danielle Whitmire, S/RS, TAV 14 Black – Whitmire is another two-way player and valuable with her ability to set and hit. She possesses a good touch and carries a nice arm. Hannah Lee, MB, Flyers 14 Anthony – A middle who doesn’t necessarily look like she can bang like she does, Lee had impressive kills as she crushes balls. She can unload on 1s and slides alike and forces defenses to stay on her. Cassidy Bruns, L, MKE Sting 14 Gold – Bruns was an anchor in the back row. She’s a steadying presence who doesn’t rattle. She was on point in serve receive, rarely missing her target. Natalie Surges, OH, MKE Sting 14 Gold – An outside with a hammer, watch out for Surges. She keeps coming and is relentless. Milly McGee, S, SCVC 14 Roxy – McGee was dishing a clean ball. She consistently was giving her hitters balls to work with and was one of the few setters who was jump setting. Olga Nikolaeva, L, SCVC 14 Roxy – Nikolaeva showed her defensive prowess. She made great ups as balls were banged at her. Kylie Parker, OH, SG Elite 14 Rosh – Parker is a bit undersized but plays big. She gets up well, swings hard and unloads with a fury. She’s also a strong back row player with her passing and defending, making her a valuable all-around contributor. Kassidy O’Brien, S, Hou Skyline 15 Royal – O’Brien – a four-star recruit – was one of the smoother setters we came across. She has a soft touch and consistent delivery. She hits her mark on the regular and has plenty of pieces to work with. Lauryn Mack, OH, Drive Nation 15 Red – There were thundering kills coming off the arm of Mack. When this three-star recruit is hitting like that, she is difficult to slow. Drive Nation moves her around too in keeping the defenses guessing. Zoe Baliva, OH, HPSTL 15 Royal –

The final day of 16 Open competition at AAU in Orlando was all about the heavyweights. With seven of the top eight seeds all in the hunt for the gold medal, it was really the best of the best facing off for the right to be called national champions. Making it out ahead of the pack was top-seeded A5 Mizuno 16 Gabe, which proved to be the best after sweeping third-seeded Tri-State Elite 16 Blue, 25-17, 25-21, in the championship match. Earning the bronzes were No. 2 seed OT 16 Jason and Capitanas 16, the No. 5 seed. It completed a nearly perfect run for A5, which finished 12-0 and 24-1 in sets. The only frame A5 dropped came in its three-set victory over Capitanas in the semifinals, 25-17, 20-25, 15-10. It was an interesting last day of action from the standpoint that six of the eight teams in the quarterfinals all suffered their first loss of the tournament in the quarters or semis. Munciana 16 Moana, City 16 Gold and Momentous 16 Dan tied for fifth and all faced their first defeat in the quarters. The other fifth-place team – Shockwave 16 Sean – ended the tourney with a 6-5 mark. Capitanas and OT Jason didn’t lose until the semis, while Tri-State didn’t lost until the final. For OT Jason, it hadn’t dropped a set until getting swept by Tri-State, 25-17, 25-22, in the semis. A5 also started off as the highest team in our 16s National Rankings, coming in at No. 3. OT Jason sat at No. 8, while Tri-State was No. 10. All three medaled, along with Capitanas, which is unranked as a Puerto Rican club. Shockwave was the lowest-seeded team to make it the farthest. Shockwave opened as the No. 36 seed overall and faced A5 in Day 1 pool play. The two sides met again the quarterfinals, with A5 sweeping, 30-28, 25-17. Munciana, the No. 4 seed to open and ranked No. 11 nationally, had a shot at the semis and a medal but was topped by Capitanas in three, 20-25, 25-21, 15-10, in the quarters. Similarly, Momentous, the No. 6 seed, also was close enough to taste the semis but fell to Tri-State in three, 25-18, 21-15, 15-11, in the quarters. A5, OT Jason and Capitanas turn around and head to USAV GJNC in Indy next. A5 starts off as the No. 2 seed there. OT Jason is the No. 4 seed in Indy. Interestingly, Capitanas is the No. 6 team in Pool 6.

The 2022 version of AAU in Orlando is all done with after the 16s finished up on Sunday. The 16 Open division concluded with A5 Mizuno 16 Gabe sweeping Tri-State Elite 16 Blue to earn the gold medal. OT 16 Jason and Capitanas 16 earned the bronzes. We’ll have more on that in a separate article. For now, we want to focus on the Day 4 Show Stoppers, which you can find below. Hannah Benjamin, OH, A5 Mizuno 16 Gabe – A four-star recruit, Benjamin’s game was on full display as A5 brought home the 16 Open gold medal. She has a big, powerful swing with the ability to hit any part of the court. It makes her a nightmare to defend and cover. Logan Wiley, MB, A5 Mizuno 16 Gabe – Another four-star recruit, Wiley also keeps defenses on their toes with her scoring prowess. A5 can use her as a decoy or the main option and she has a wide variety of shots in her bag as well. Gabriela Cornier, L, A5 Mizuno 16 Gabe – Cornier isn’t scared of hitting the floor to make a save or pass out of serve receive. She was consistently on point when served and did a nice job making hustle plays throughout the day. Molly Kate Patten, RS, A5 Mizuno 16 Gabe – A 6-6, three-star recruit, Patten changes the dynamic of the lineup when she’s across the front row. She puts up a big block and can discourage teams from using their outsides. She’s also someone A5 will use in various spots to attack, including running combo plays to get her swings out of the middle. Lola Schumacher, L, Munciana 16 Moana – Schumacher continued to shine on the final day. A five-star recruit, she commands the back row. She isn’t one to challenge too often in serve receive as she’s rarely off the mark to her target. Lauren Evans, OH, Munciana 16 Moana – The outside duo is a position of strength for Munciana. Evans – a three-star recruit – can mash it at times. She’s an aggressive, free swinger and challenges defenses to make plays on her. Delaney Lawson, OH, Munciana 16 Moana – Lawson – a three-star recruit – is similar in her ability to pressure defenses. She’s lanky with nice extension and can generate lots of pace on her swings. Melina Schrader, S, Munciana 16 Moana – A bit undersized, Schrader has a sharp release and is on target regularly. She does well getting her various hitters involved when in system. Kate Duffey, S/RS, City 16 Gold – A vital piece of the puzzle, Duffey plays a key role as a setter and hitter. She has a nice touch and shows consistent location setting. On the attack, she can bring heat at times. Madeline Way, MB, City 16 Gold – Way – a three-star recruit – is a legitimate scoring threat out of the middle. She has a great extension with high contact and can send balls down over and over. Jenna Garner, OH, City 16 Gold – A three-star recruit, Garner carries a good chunk of the offensive load. She has a nice arm and keeps coming at blockers and defenders. Elana Erickson, OH, Far Out 16 Black – Erickson – a three-star recruit – was difficult to slow down in the Round of 16 matches. She was showing her smarts, hitting off speed shots to open spots or taking her swing down the line. Audrey Kocon, S/RS, Northern Lights 16-1 – Kocon fills a valuable role as a setter and hitter. She was consistent hitting her spots when in the back row. Up front, the lefty was putting pop on her swings and was a reliable scoring option. Julia Kakkis, S/RS, Momentous 16 Dan – Another setter/right side, Kakkis does well putting up a hittable ball on a consistent basis. She also carries a big arm and can hammer balls at times.     Isabel Clark, OH, Momentous 16 Dan – A three-star recruit, Clark is who Momentous turns to when it is in need of a point. She has a powerful swing and can slam kills down when the opportunity is there. Annah Legaspi, L, Momentous 16 Dan – Legaspi – a three-star recruit – is routinely on point when she’s targeted in serve receive. She does well covering tips and touches and was showing her ability to run down errant balls and extend rallies. Taylor Parks, S, OT 16 Jason – This three-star recruit is smooth with her delivery. She can be hard to read and is rarely off her mark. Maria Happ, MB, OT 16 Jason – Happ – a three-star recruit – proved to be a great scoring presence. She was consistently scoring when her number was called, showing power at times with big kills. Bailey Higgins, RS, OT 16 Jason – A three-star recruit, Higgins is an offensive weapon any team would love to have. The lefty can sky and rip it, making her tough to dig. Camdyn Stucky, S, Shockwave 16 Sean – Watching Stucky it’s easy to see why she’s a four-star recruit. She has a great touch and sets a clean ball seemingly every time. She knows how to mix it up by going to her various hitters and keeping defenses guessing. Gracie Morrow, OH, Shockwave 16 Sean – Morrow – a three-star recruit – was at it again. She provides valuable offense with her ability to score in a variety of ways. London Wijay, OH, Supernova 16 All Star – A three-star recruit, Wijay carries a lot of the offensive load. She can score from all over. She jumps and swings well and helps keep Supernova in matches at times. Mallorie Meyer, L, VCNebraska 16 Ellite – Meyer was solid in both her passing and defending skills. She did well chasing down balls and showing her range. Faith Young, MB, Tri-State Elite 16 Blue – Young was a menace out of the middle. She has

The 16 Open division at AAU in Orlando is winding down. Day 3 was key in that it decided the final 14 teams for the gold bracket. Given that, there was fierce competition as clubs fought and scrapped for one of those spots. Below, we highlight the Show Stoppers, featuring the players who caught our attention the most. Logan Wiley, MB, A5 Mizuno 16 Gabe – A four-star recruit, Wiley was scoring at will. A5 was running her on quicks and slides. It didn’t matter, she was pounding kills either way. Meghan Roggenkamp, L, Northern Lights 16-1 – Roggenkamp was defending with a passion. She made plenty of nice saves in helping hold down the back row defense. Kamryn Utley, S, Rev 16-1 – A three-star recruit, Utley was doing a good job of spotting her sets accurately. She also showed a nice touch and consistent release. Lauren Harden, OH, Rev 16-1 – Harden – a five-star recruit – is a difference anywhere she is on the court. She’s long and can go over blocks. Or she hits hard enough to blow them up. She proved difficult to slow time and time again. Reese Wuebker, OH, Tri-State 16 Elite – Wuebker was part of a strong outside attack for Tri-State. A three-star recruit, Wuebker jumps well and swings fast. It allows her to generate pace on her shots and makes her tough to dig. Addy Brus, OH, Tri-State 16 Elite – Another three-star recruit on the left for Tri-State, Brus was also tough to slow consistently. She was displaying nice extension on her swings and hitting at a high contact point. Leah Richmond, S, Academy 16 Yeti – Richmond has good hands and soft touch. She was on point with her location. She was also helping on the defensive end with blocks for points. Samantha Bowron, OH, Top Select 16 Elite – Top Select has a strong outside duo, with Bowron – a three-star recruit – a part of it. She can get up well and swings hard. It makes for big kills at times. Dionna Mitchell, OH, Top Select 16 Elite – A three-star recruit, Mitchell can also jump well and swings hard. Given that, she puts a lot of pressure on the defenders to make plays as she brings the heat. Jayda Redd, RS, Top Select 16 Elite – Redd – a three-star recruit – was a reliable scoring option. She has a big arm and was popping winners with authority. Chelsea Sutton, MB, OT 16 Will – Sutton – a three-star recruit – contributes on both sides of the ball. When in system, she’s always a viable scoring threat. She can also be a menace with her blocking. Connor Rahn, OH, OT 16 Will – A lanky outside, this three-star recruit has a fluid swing and high contact point. It allows her to go over smaller blockers. She also hits with pace and can be tough to dig up. Jenna Garner, OH, City 16 Gold – Garner – a three-star recruit – was attacking with a vengeance. She was ripping balls through the seam and down the line and scoring lots of points. Havyn Rolle, MB, City 16 Gold – Rolle showed her value on both sides of the ball. She was getting up and sending balls down with power. She was also touching and blocking balls when attacked against. Landry Braziel, OH, OP2 16-1 – Braziel was taking aggressive cuts and was backing down. OP2 likes to move her around, running her on the combo to utilize her scoring ability. Juleigh Urbina, S, OT 16 Roberto – Urbina – a three-star recruit – has a good release and consistently sets a clean ball. She was doing well running the offense, getting her hitters good looks. Fallon Stewart, OH, OT 16 Roberto – Stewart can be tough to slow down. She’s long with a high contact point. She’ll go right over the block with big rips at the ball. Bailey Higgins, RS, OT 16 Jason – Higgins – a three-star recruit – can be an offensive force. She gets up very well with a fluid swing. She can bring real heat and is tough to keep in check consistently. Taylor Parks, S, OT 16 Jason – A three-star recruit, Parks has a very nice hands and a soft touch. She can go behind her with ease and is rarely off the mark with her delivery. Kyla Firestone, S, Supernova 16 All Stars – Firestone is a bit undersized but she’s quick and gets to the ball well. She hits her spots regularly and does well moving the ball around. Alanah Clemente, RS, Supernova 16 All Stars – A freshman playing up, Clemente has huge upside. She’s a long 6-0 and a lefty. She can really extend and hits well when the set is lined up. Taylor Lewis, MB, Munciana 16 Moana – Lewis – a three-star recruit – is someone defenses have to pay attention to. Munciana loves going to her and she has the ability to score on slides or quicks with her big arm. Lola Schumacher, L, Munciana 16 Moana – A five-star recruit, Schumacher is a defensive force. She makes everything she does look easy and smooth, from passing in serve receive to showing great range in coverage. Lauren Evans, OH, Munciana 16 Moana – Evans keeps coming at blockers and doesn’t let up. A three-star recruit, she has a nice swing and can power balls deep cross court to the corner regularly. Amanda Mack, OH, K2 16 Adidas – A four-star recruit, Mack is the go-to on the left for K2. When the opportunity is there, she can unleash with a fury and crush balls down. Natalie De Paula, S/RS, Tribe 16 Elite – De Paula is a vital piece of the lineup with her setting and hitting. She has a nice touch and accurate delivery. Though she’s a bit undersized, she might be even more valuable on the attack. She’s a

Number of Teams: 36 vballrecruiter.com National Rankings: 1. Arizona Storm 15 Thunder 2. Hou Skyline 15 Royal 3. TAV 15 Black 4. Dynasty 15 Black 5. Circle City 15 Purple 6. 1st Alliance 15 Gold 7. OT 15 Randy 8. Legacy 15-1 Adidas 9. HJV 15 Elite 10. Surfside 15 PV Legends 11. Mizuno Long Beach 15 Rockstar 12. MAVS KC 15-1 13. Austin Skyline 15 Royal 14. Coast 15-1 15. Absolute Black 15-1 16. Nebraska One 15 Synergy 17. Skyline 15 Royal 18. Excel 15 National Red 19. Alamo 15 Premier 20. Tstreet 15 Curtis 21. Drive Nation 15 Red 22. NE Elite 15 Matrix 23. Wave 15 Scott 24. HPSTL 15 Royal 27. Mich Elite 15 Mizuno 28. Six Pack 15 29. AZ Sky 15 Gold 30. AZ Rev 15 Premier 31. NorCal 15-1 Black 33. AJV 15 Adidas 34. ID Crush 15 Bower 35. Madfrog 15 Green 40. Northern Lights 15-1 42. GP 15 Rox 48. NKYVC 15-1 Tsunami 49. Top Select 15 Elite vballrecruiter.com 5-star recruits (6): Logan Parks, S/RS, MAVS KC 15-1 Bayleigh Minor, MB, Hou Skyline 15 Royal Abby Vander Wal, OH, 1st Alliance 15 Gold Bailey Warren, OH, Hou Skyline 15 Royal Teraya Sigler, OH, Arizona Storm 15 Thunder Megan Fitch, OH, Alamo 15 Premier vballrecruiter.com 4-star recruits (25): Ruby Hill, S/RS, Tstreet 15 Curtis Quinn Loper, OH, Tstreet 15 Curtis Sydney Bryant, OH, HJV 15 Elite Mesaiya Bettis, OH/RS, Northern Lights 15-1 Sarah Mendoza, L, Drive Nation 15 Red Natalie Wardlow, MB, Nebraska One 15 Synergy Kassidy O’Brien, S, Hou Skyline 15 Royal Ella Lewis, OH, Hou Skyline 15 Royal Morgan Madison, L, Hou Skyline 15 Royal Sydney Black, L, HJV 15 Elite Kirra Musgrove, S/RS, HJV 15 Elite Kennedi Rogers, OH, HJV 15 Elite Campbell Flynn, S, Legacy 15-1 Adidas Riley McCloskey, OH/RS, NKYVC 15-1 Tsunami Sydnee Peterson, RS, TAV 15 Black Aaliyah Smith, OH, HJV 15 Elite Kalyssa Blackshear, MB, Mizuno Long Beach 15 Rockstar Taryn Morris, MB, TAV 15 Black Reese Jackson, MB, TAV 15 Black Sophia Thornburg, OH, TAV 15 Black Izzy Mogridge, S, OT 15 Randy Sarah Pfiffner, S, TAV 15 Black Madison Winkler, L, TAV 15 Black Maddie Smotherman, L, Madfrog 15 Green Audrey Jackson, OH, TAV 15 Black Outlook: The two heavyweights sit atop our national rankings in Arizona Storm 15 Thunder and Hou Skyline 15 Royal. The feeling here is if you played this event 10 times, one or the other would win it eight out of the 10. The other 34 teams in the field will be trying to prevent that from happening. It’s very unlikely the gold medalist comes from outside the Top 10 in our national rankings. However, while Storm grabbed the No. 1 overall seed, Hou Skyline checks in as the No. 6 overall seed. In between is No. 2 Dynasty 15 Black, No. 3 Mizuno Long Beach 15 Rockstar, No. 4 TAV 15 Black and No. 5 1st Alliance 15 Gold. Dynasty, Circle City 15 Purple – the No. 2 team in Pool 5 – and 1st Alliance have been in the mix everywhere they have gone. The same is true of TAV, Legacy 15-1 Adidas and OT 15 Randy. The latter two faced off for the 15 Open gold in Orlando, with Legacy topping OT. The first two days of pool will cut the field to 24 teams, as four teams advance from each pool. Given that, we don’t anticipate any contenders getting bumped early. One thing to watch for though is if any top contenders don’t take first in the pool. In that case, it would make for a difficult Round 2 pool, which will feature eight pools of three teams. If we have to pick a dark horse to keep an eye on it would be Austin Skyline 15 Royal. Prediction: Arizona Storm and Hou Skyline have not met yet this season and the prediction is they will finally play in the championship match. Storm takes the match in three games. Circle City and 1st Alliance earn the bronze medals.