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