We told you all that there was going to be plenty of post-Triple Crown NIT coverage. It’s been a couple of days since the action stopped in Kansas City but we are still going strong! We are almost wrapped up with our Triple Crown articles. I still have a finishing write up to do, but below you can learn about our Day 3 Show Stoppers from the 15-18s divisions.
DAY 3 SHOW STOPPERS
Keoni Williams MB Skyline 15 Royal: Williams is a game-changing 5-star recruit who has helped elevate Skyline to national championship contenders with what she brings to the floor. Her length and size are almost impossible to deal with at this age group.
Layla Austin OH Skyline 15 Royal: Austin is another 5-star recruit who joined the roster this year and is making huge impacts. She’s an all-around gamer with the ability to rip the ball and help carry the offensive load.
Taylor Clarke RS Skyline 15 Royal: Clarke was huge all weekend, shining on the final day as Skyline captured the 15s division. The lefty gets up and lets loose, taking aggressive swings and giving Skyline an added dimension to the attack.
Skylar Jackson OH Skyline 15 Royal: Like the three above, Jackson is also new to the roster and clearly has helped Skyline to a step forward this season. She’s another outside who contributes in a variety of ways and does well when her number gets called.
Christa Wilburn OH Austin Skyline 15 Royal: It could be a big season for Austin Skyline, which looks ready to be a contender in the 15s. Wilburn was that six-rotation steady outside that every successful team needs to rely on.
Syndey Lund S Austin Skyline 15 Royal: A 4-star recruit, Lund is an incredible talent with lots of length and size at the net for a setter. She has a soft touch and puts her hitters in good spots to do damage.
Raegan Ramirez L/DS Austin Skyline 15 Royal: Ramirez is a new addition to the roster and she has fit in nicely at the libero spot. She was playing sound defense and making plays on the regular to help out defensively.
Taylor Boice MB SCVC 15 Roxy: Boice, a 3-star recruit, was a definite factor in the middle as SCVC left KC with the silver medal. She was a strong scoring presence, coming through often when set. She also was touching her share of balls while blocking.
Milly McGee S SCVC 15 Roxy: SCVC has pieces to be sure but can’t overpower opponents so it’s important to be able to take advantage of all the pieces and it can with McGee running the offense. She does well riding the hot hand but also mixing it up and keeping defenses guessing.
Audrey Flanagan OH SCVC 15 Roxy: Flanagan is a current 3-star recruit who showed up as a potential 5-star recruit in our next updates. She was simply lights out! She’s lengthy and has a whip of an arm. She was attacking front and back row and definitely proved she’s a name everyone needs to know.
Jordyn Joppru MB AZ Sky 15G: AZ Sky surprised by tying for third place and one reason was the performance of Joppru. She makes herself known when she checks in. She makes plays on both sides of the ball as she brings her physicality to the net.
Brooklyn Jenkins OH AZ Sky 15G: Jenkins, a 6-1 outside, was also key for AZ Sky. She was ripping balls and scoring clutch point after clutch point in helping lift Sky to the bronze.
Marianne Garcia L/DS AZ Sky 15G: Garcia was strong as well, giving Sky a defensive presence and one who was frustrating opponents with the plays she was making keeping rallies alive.
Eva Long S Legacy 15-1 Adidas: Long, a 3-star recruit, is a fun setter to watch. She plays with lots of energy and she does well working in all the pieces Legacy can throw at opponents.
Meredith Martin L/DS 15-A Adidas: Martin is a wall in the back row and does a great job at keeping Legacy in system when the ball comes her way. She’s a sound passer and is rarely off target.
Gabby DiVita OH Legacy 15-1 Adidas: A 5-star recruit, DiVita is the go-to left who can carry an offense and cause defenses headaches trying to slow her. She has a whippy arm and can hit to different spots on the court equally well.
Danielle Whitmire S/RS TAV 15 Black: Whitmire is an all-around stud. The 5-star recruit has next level written all over her. She’s a strong setter with a nice release and with her height she can also score well across the front using her wide range of shots.
Kinsley Young MB TAV 15 Black: Young is a physical, powerful middle and she’ll get the ball when the team is in system. She’s a tough attacker to slow because of her strength and ability to blow up blocks.
Kylie Kleckner OH TAV 15 Black: Kleckner, speaking of blowing up blocks, was doing that well with her aggressive swinging. She was not holding back and if she wasn’t tooling blocks she was going around them and sending down loud kills.
Kaci Demaria OH Surfside 16 PV Legends: Demaria, a recently-named 5-star recruit, proved herself among the top outsides in the division. Demaria has had the length but has added much more power to her attack this season and with it helped Surfside to the 16s gold medal.
Olivia Foye L/DS Surfside 16 PV Legends: Foye joined the team this year and stood out big time with her play in the back row. Even with Demaria, Surfside doesn’t have the overall offense as other teams and relies a lot on its passing and defense. Foye was great in the back row.
Kalyssa Blackshear MB Surfside 16 PV Legends: Blackshear is a 4-star recruit teetering on becoming 5-stars. She’s a presence in the middle with her 6-4 frame and ability to go over just about anyone when attacking. She’s also quick and closes the block well at the net.
Taylor Porter RS Hou Skyline 16 Royal: Porter is just one piece that defenses need to worry about when facing Hou Skyline. She can get up and send it down in a hurry and helps spread the attack out.
Kassidy O’Brien S Hou Skyline 16 Royal: O’Brien, a 5-star recruit, is a fun setter to watch deliver the ball and run the offense. She has all the pieces to work with and can get them all involved to keep defenses wondering where it’s coming from next.
Asia Harvey OH A5 16 Gabe: Harvey is currently a 4-star recruit but might have elevated herself to 5-stars after this weekend. There were flashes of Harvey unbelievable talent but she brought it consistently at the next level all weekend long with her high-flying antics.
Camryn Jeffery RS A5 16 Gabe: Jeffery is a 3-star recruit who also lifted her status this weekend. The 6-1 right side showed she could play six rotations and can be a force at the net with her physicality and ability to power down balls and put up a strong block.
Abigail Li S A5 16 Gabe: Li had the offense going, putting A5 in position to reach the 16s final before settling for a bronze. Li has good size for a setter and was dishing well.
Francesca Popescu L/DS A5 16 Gabe: Popescu, a 4-star recruit, is a defensive anchor and part of the reason A5 could be a big factor in the 16s division. She’s sound out of serve receive and covers the court well with her agility.
Izzy Mahaffey L/DS Arizona Storm 16 Thunder: Mahaffey, a 4-star recruit, is another who owns the back row with her play and presence. She’s capable of making big-time saves and turning a rally in her team’s favor.
Devyn Wiest OH Arizona Storm 16 Thunder: Wiest is currently a 3-star recruit but was playing like a 4-star one. She had the size and length last year but as we’ve seen elsewhere, she’s added more power to her swing and it’s lifted her to the next step. She was crushing balls and gave Storm a formidable 1-2 punch on the left.
Teraya Sigler OH Arizona Storm 16 Thunder: A 5-star recruit, Sigler is the do-it-all outside with the big, powerful arm. She can blast balls and carry an offense in long stretches.
Natalie Wardlow MB Nebraska One 16 Synergy: The 6-4 Wardlow is a 5-star recruit and such a presence at the net. She’s a strong scorer and blocker and one of the reasons Nebraska One is such a tough opponent.
Izzy Busignani OH Mich Elite 16 Mizuno: A 4-star recruit, Busignani has a big arm and is the go-to for Mich Elite. She can let it fly and can register impressive kills.
Abby Vander Wal OH 1st Alliance 16 Gold: You could see Vander Wal’s improvement at Central Zone and she continued to impress in KC. The 5-star recruit is easily among the best outsides in the division and with her power and length is a true offensive weapon.
Addison Horner S/RS 1st Alliance 16 Gold: Horner was doing her thing again in KC after standing out at Central Zone as well. She’s tall and brings versatility and a different dynamic for 1st Alliance to take advantage of.
Julia Hunt MB NKYVC 17-1 Tsunami: Hunt, a 4-star recruit committed to Washington, missed Central Zone and NKYVC struggled some as a result. She was back and all it led to was NKYVC winning the 17s division. She’s a big-time factor for this team, as she brings her tremendous scoring threat to the front row and gives NKYVC the added boost it needs.
Sydney Barrett OH NKYVC 17-1 Tsunami: Barrett, a 3-star recruit, was solid all weekend in her role as a six-rotation outside. She was passing steady and gave NKYVC a reliable scorer.
Elizabeth Tabeling L/DS NKYVC 17-1 Tsunami: Tabeling, a 4-star recruit on her way to Ball State, held down the back row and helped keep NKYVC in system.
Taylor Parks S OT 17 Aaron: Parks, a 5-star recruit committed to Florida, is such a fun and dynamic setter. She’s quick and delivers a quick ball and is reason No. 1 OT had an amazing run to the final.
Olivia Hart OH OT 17 Aaron: Hart is a new addition and has fit in well. She’s helped make up for some of the offense OT lost from last year as she was taking big swings from both pins.
Ayden Ames MB Drive Nation 17 Red: The 5-star Nebraska recruit is tough to slow once she gets going. She can hurt defenses in different ways, including getting out and hammering balls on the slide.
Izzy Starck S/RS Co Jrs 17 Kevin: Another 5-star recruit who helped her team to a deep run, the Penn State commit brings it all to the court. Starck has leadership, competitiveness and next-level skills both setting and hitting.
Aubrey Goodere MB AZ Sky 17G: AZ Sky was a definite surprise finisher in the 17s by taking bronze. Goodere is a factor in the middle with her length, ability to score and block balls.
Noemie Glover RS coastvbc 18-1: The 5-star Oregon recruit is the definition of a Show Stopper. She’s a high-flying lefty who can bang balls all over the court and keep defenses frustrated they can’t stop her.
Reese Robins MB Drive Nation 18 Red: The 5-star Louisville recruit impacts the middle like no one else. She’s so strong and physical and puts up a wall of a block as well and being able to score in crafty and heady ways.
