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Triple Crown NIT: Preview and Predictions

In many ways, the Triple Crown NIT is the most anticipated tournament of the season and for good reasons. It’s the only event on the calendar boasting the depth of field it contains. The number of nationally-ranked teams in each division is just one of the highlights of the weekend. Not only do fans get to see most of the top clubs in the country, the format offers a unique opportunity that no other event does. There are no divisions like Open or National or Club. Each age group is just that – one age group. It gives whichever team no matter the starting position a chance to win it all. Granted, no team outside of the power pools has ever won the tournament at any age group, but the tournament still offers that hope to all who enter. Another fun aspect of the format is beginning on Day 2 for those teams making the championship bracket, it becomes a single-elimination tournament. There are no second chances or tiebreaker luck that comes with pool play.

With all that, the tournament is not necessarily a precursor to what’s going to happen the rest of the season. Success at Triple Crown guarantees nothing beyond immediate bragging rights. Last season, none of the Triple Crown champions in the 14-18s age divisions captured a gold medal at USAV nationals. In fact, only one team in the top eight in the 14s division last season wound up medaling. That was OT 14 Laura, which tied for bronze. Last year’s 14 Open winner Dynasty 14 Black finished 10th. A year ago, Tstreet 15 Ascis – the eventual 15 Open champion in Las Vegas – also finished in 10th. It was a bit better in the 16s division, as the two eventual 16 Open finalists in SCVC 16 Roxy and 1st Alliance 16 Gold both tied for fifth at Triple Crown. Eventual 17 Open champ Arizona Storm 17 Thunder also tied for fifth at Triple Crown a season ago. It offers a lesson that while Triple Crown is the deepest event of the season, plenty can happen from Triple Crown until nationals in the summer.

Below, we show which nationally-ranked teams are in the field, players to know and offer our predictions on the winners.

*****

17s

Number of Teams: 108

Vballrecruiter Nationally-Ranked Teams (46):

  • 1. TAV 17 Black TX
  • 2. Hou Skyline 17 Royal TX
  • 3. Skyline 17 Royal Ping TX
  • 4. Legacy 17-1 Adidas MI
  • 5. 1st Alliance 17 Gold IL
  • 6. Austin Skyline 17 Royal TX
  • 7. Mintonette m.71 OH
  • 8. Pohaku 17-1 KS
  • 9. Coast 17 Rafa CA
  • 10. Premier Nebraska 17 Gold NE
  • 11. MKE Sting 17 Gold WI
  • 12. Idaho Crush 17 Bower ID
  • 13. Arizona Storm 17 Thunder AZ
  • 14. SCVC 17 Roxy CA
  • 15. Madfrog 17 Green TX
  • 16. Wave 17 Juliana CA
  • 17. Boiler Jrs 17 Gold IN
  • 18. A5 17-1 Calvin GA
  • 19. NKYVC 17-1 Tsunami KY
  • 20. MAVS 17 Elite KS
  • 23. Club V 17 Black Reed UT
  • 24. WPVC 17 Armour Black FL
  • 25. GP 17 Rox FL
  • 26. Elevation 17 Chicas OH
  • 27. Illini Elite 17 Cardinal IL
  • 28. PineappleHP 17-1 IN
  • 29. Tri-State Elite 17 Blue OH
  • 30. OP2 17-1 Elite OK
  • 31. Jupiter Elite 17 Elite FL
  • 32. OT 17 Aaron FL
  • 33. Tribe 17 Elite Cardinal FL
  • 34. Mizuno Long Beach 17 Rockstar CA
  • 35. HJV 17 Elite TX
  • 36. Vegas Aces 17 Ren NV
  • 37. Adidas KiVA 17 Red KY
  • 40. KC Power 17 Stowell KS
  • 41. Northern Lights 17-1 MN
  • 42. AVC Cle 17 Red OH
  • 43. Forza1 North 17 One CA
  • 44. Vision 17 Gold CA
  • 45. Fight Club 17-1 KS
  • 46. Norco 17 Black CO
  • 47. STVA 17 Mizuno TX
  • 48. Top Select 17 Elite FL
  • 49. EC Power KOP 17 Steel PA
  • 50. NPJ Salem 17 National OR

 

POWER POOLS

A – TAV 17 Black; Skyline 17 Royal; 1st Alliance 17 Gold; Austin Skyline 17 Royal; Mintonette Sports m.71; Legacy 17-1 Adidas; SCVC 17 Roxy; Pohaku 17-1

B – Wave 17 Juliana; Hou Skyline 17 Royal; Madfrog 17 Green; WPVC 17 Armour Black; MKE Sting 17 Gold; Premier Nebraska 17 Gold; AZ Storm 17 Thunder; Coast 17 Rafa

C – HJV 17 Elite; GP 17 Rox; A5 17-1 Calvin; MAVS 17 Elite; ID Crush 17 Bower; Vision 17 Gold; Elevation 17 Chicas; Illini Elite 17 Cardinal

D – Tribe 17 Elite Cardinal; OT 17 Aaron; Club V 17 Black Reed; Vegas Aces 17 Ren; NKYVC 17-1 Tsunami; KC Power 17 Stowell; Boiler Jrs 17 Gold; Pineapple 17-1

5-star Athletes to Know:

 

Outlook and Prediction: The winner usually comes from Power Pool A. TAV is coming off an impressive showing at the second Tour of Texas stop recently. You have last year’s 16 Open finalists SCVC and 1st Alliance in play. Skyline and Legacy (last year’s Triple Crown 16s champion) are always factors. Mintonette is off to a slower start this season, while Pohaku and Austin Skyline are considered longer shots than the rest in Power Pool A. If not a winner from that group, then who? Hou Skyline went undefeated at the first Tour of Texas stop and then finished runner up at the second. Coast is coming off a first-place showing at the Northern Lights qualifiers. They are two teams which are playing well. Wave is always a tough out, and the same goes for Arizona Storm. I don’t see anyone from Power Pool C and D making a charge. Therefore, I’m going with Wave getting hot at the right time and beating Legacy in the final.

*****

16s

Number of Teams: 156

Vballrecruiter Nationally-Ranked Teams (49):

  • 1. Wave 16 Scott CA
  • 2. TAV 16 Black TX
  • 3. Arizona Storm 16 Thunder AZ
  • 4. Hou Skyline 16 Royal TX
  • 5. Vision 16 Gold CA
  • 6. Forza1 North 16 One CA
  • 7. Mizuno Long Beach 16 Rockstar CA
  • 8. Club V 16 Black Kalee UT
  • 9. Madfrog 16 National Green TX
  • 10. Tstreet 16 Andy CA
  • 11. Legacy 16-1 Adidas MI
  • 12. Drive Nation 16 Red TX
  • 13. Forza1 16 One CA
  • 14. A5 16-1 Gabe GA
  • 15. City 16 Gold CA
  • 16. HPSTL 16 Royal MO
  • 17. AZ Rev 16 Premier AZ
  • 18. KC Power 16 Johnson KS
  • 19. 1st Alliance 16 Gold IL
  • 20. TAV 16 Black Jason TX
  • 21. Skyline 16 Whit TX
  • 22. HPSTL 16 Royal MO
  • 23. MAVS 16 Elite KS
  • 24. Dynasty 16 Black KS
  • 25. OT 16 JP FL
  • 26. Tri-State Elite 16 Blue OH
  • 27. PVA 16 Elite KS
  • 28. Rockwood Thunder 16 Elite MO
  • 29. Paramount 16 Nick VA
  • 30. Top Select 16 Elite FL
  • 31. Premier Nebraska 16 Gold NE
  • 32. VCNebraska 16 Elite NE
  • 33. Northern Lights 16-1 MN
  • 34. Kairos 16 Alpha SD
  • 35. GP 16 Rox FL
  • 37. WPVC 16 Armour Black FL
  • 38. Arizona Sky 16 Gold AZ
  • 39. Munciana 16 Mustangs IN
  • 40. AVC Cle 16 Red OH
  • 41. NKYVC 16-1 Tsunami KY
  • 42. Nebraska One 16 Synergy NE
  • 43. 1United 16 Blue TX
  • 44. Adversity 16 Adidas IL
  • 45. Sky High 16 Elite IL
  • 46. Idaho Crush 16 Bower ID
  • 47. Absolute 16 Black CA
  • 48. Sunshine 16 Pacific CA
  • 49. Mintonette Sports m.61 OH
  • 50. OK Charge 16 UA OK

 

POWER POOLS

A – AZ Storm 16 Thunder; Legacy 16-1 Adidas; Tri-State Elite 16 Blue; Vision 16 Gold; TAV 16 Black; Madfrog 16 Green; Wave 16 Scott; Club V 16 Black Kalee

B – Tstreet 16 Andy; Mizuno Long Beach 16 Rockstar; A5 16-1 Gabe; AZ Rev 16 Premier; Hou Skyline 16 Royal; Drive Nation 16 Red; HPSTL 16 Royal; AVC Cle 16 Red

C – NKYVC 16-1 Tsunami; Forza1 North 16 One; Top Select 16 Elite; OT 16 JP; Skyline 16 Royal; Premier Nebraska 16 Gold; KC Power 16 Johnson; PVA 16 Elite

D – AZ Sky 16G; Forza1 16 One; Munciana 16 Mustangs; Mintonette Sports m.61; Northern Lights 16-1; VCNebraska 16 Elite; GP 16 Rox; WPVC 16 Armour Black

5-star Athletes to Know:

 

Outlook and Prediction: Three teams which have been right near the top for years are TAV, Arizona Storm and Tstreet. Tstreet – last year’s 15 Open winner – has under gone a few changes and hasn’t started out quite the same in regional play as in the past. In fact, Tstreet is in Power Pool B this year, so that’s big change. Meanwhile, TAV and Storm have to be considered heavy favorites. A team to watch out for is Vision, which is off to a strong start having competed in SCVA regional play down in So Cal. That’s a difference for the Nor Cal club this season. Legacy and Club V are both very competitive and will be a factor. And of course there is Wave, which captured the first Tour of Texas stop in Houston and enters as are No. 1 team. The last team in Power Pool A is Tri-State Elite, a solid bunch who can cause problems for anyone. In Power Pool B, Long Beach, Tstreet and Hou Skyline all can make plenty of noise. Drive Nation has a newly-built roster and when on, can beat anyone, so they could be a X factor. Where I didn’t see teams from Power Pool C and D making a charge in the 17s, two teams to watch for in the 16s are both Forza squads. Forza1 North out of Power Pool C could be a dangerous team. As is Forza1 out of Power Pool D. Still, with Power Pool A so loaded it’ll be a real shock if the winner doesn’t emerge from that group. I am taking Wave over TAV in the final.

*****

15s

Number of Teams: 148

Vballrecruiter Nationally-Ranked Teams (46):

  • 1. Dynasty 15 Black KS
  • 2. HPSTL 15 Royal MO
  • 4. TAV 15 Black Jason TX
  • 5. Alamo 15 Premier TX
  • 6. Madfrog 15 Green TX
  • 7. Hou Skyline 15 Royal TX
  • 8. Tribe 15 Elite Cardinal FL
  • 9. OT 15 Randy FL
  • 10. Legacy 15-1 Adidas MI
  • 11. A5 15-1 Kelly GA
  • 12. Adidas KiVA 15 Red KY
  • 13. NKYVC 15-1 Tsunami KY
  • 14. AVC Cle 15 Red OH
  • 15. MAVS 15 Elite KS
  • 16. Tstreet 15 Chandler CA
  • 17. Skyline 15 Royal Yun TX
  • 18. Tri-State Elite 15 Blue OH
  • 19. Coast 15-Rodrigo CA
  • 20. HJV 15 Elite TX
  • 21. SG Elite 15 Rosh CA
  • 22. Wave 15 Brennan CA
  • 23. Arizona Storm 15 Thunder AZ
  • 24. KC Power 15-1 KS
  • 25. Munciana 15 Blue IN
  • 26. PVA 15 Elite KS
  • 28. Elevation 15 Tony OH
  • 29. AZ Sky 15G AZ
  • 30. Vision 15 Gold CA
  • 31. Absolute 15 Black CA
  • 32. ARVC 15 Black Adidas NM
  • 33. TAV Houston 15 Adidas TX
  • 35. Mintonette Sports m.51 OH
  • 36. OP2 15-1 Elite OK
  • 37. AJV 15 Adidas TX
  • 38. Northern Lights 15-1 MN
  • 39. Premier Nebraska 15 Gold NE
  • 40. Ozark Jrs 15 Mizuno AR
  • 41. MKE Sting 15 Gold WI
  • 42. 1st Alliance 15 Gold IL
  • 43. Kairos 15 Alpha SD
  • 44. SAS VBC 15 Kevin HI
  • 45. Triangle 15 Black NC
  • 46. SPVB 15 Elite IL
  • 48. CJV 15 Mizuno NC
  • 49. VCNebraska 15 Elite NE
  • 50. Paramount 15 Maureen VA

 

POWER POOLS

A – Hou Skyline 15 Royal; Alamo 15 Premier; TAV 15 Black; Dynasty 15 Black; Legacy 15-1 Adidas; HPSTL 15 Royal; Coast 15-1 Rodrigo; OT 15 Randy

B – A5 15-1 Kelly; Madfrog 15 Green; Skyline 15 Royal; KiVA 15 Red; Tstreet 15 Chandler; SG Elite 15 Rosh; NKYVC 15-1 Tsunami; AZ Storm 15 Thunder

C – Wave 15 Brenna; HJV 15 Elite; Absolute 15 Black; KC Power 15 Mize; AVC Cle 15 Red; Mintonette Sports m.51; Tri-State Elite 15 Blue; ARVC 15 Black Adidas

D – Tribe 15 Elite Cardinal; Elevation 15 Tony; Adversity 15 Adidas; 1st Alliance 15 Gold; Ozark Jrs 15 Mizuno; OP2 15-1 Elite; MAVS 15 Elite; Premier Nebraska 15 Gold

5-star Athletes to Know:

 

4-Star Athletes to Know:

 

Outlook and Prediction: One thing about the 15s division is last year’s 14s champ Madfrog 15 Green begins in Power Pool B. Will that motivate them and lead to another title at Triple Crown? This age group can be very unpredictable at times. Dynasty and Hou Skyline were the 14 Open finalists from last summer. Dynasty is off to a solid start in regional play, while Hou Skyline didn’t have its best showing at the recent Tour of Texas stop in Austin. HPSTL is always in the mix and figures to be once more, while OT, Legacy and TAV are all high-caliber teams capable of winning. Alamo is off to an incredible start, picking up three victories apiece against Madfrog and Hou Skyline during the Tour of Texas action. Coast, meanwhile, is a scrappy team that frustrates opponents. Along with Madfrog, a few other teams to watch for out of Power Pool B is A5, Skyline and KiVA. They are all capable of making a deep push, and in the case of Madfrog winning it all. I don’t see teams from Power Pool C and D getting into medal contention, but you never know. In the end, I’m going with Legacy topping OT in the final.

*****

14s

Number of Teams: 89

Vballrecruiter Nationally-Ranked Teams (42):

  • 1. A5 14-1 Helen GA
  • 2. KC Power 14 Welding KS
  • 3. Legacy 14-1 Adidas MI
  • 4. Skyline 14 Royal Ryan TX
  • 5. Madfrog 14 Green TX
  • 6. OT 14 Jody FL
  • 7. Coast 14-Said CA
  • 8. Boiler Jrs 14 Gold IN
  • 9. Mizuno Long Beach 14 Rockstar CA
  • 10. Arizona Storm 14 Thunder AZ
  • 11. Tstreet 14 Tara CA
  • 12. Rockwood Thunder 14 Elite MO
  • 13. Dynasty 14 Black KS
  • 14. AVC Cle 14 Red OH
  • 15. Drive Nation 14 Red TX
  • 16. Excel 14 National Red TX
  • 17. Hou Skyline 14 Royal TX
  • 18. GP 14 Rox FL
  • 19. TAV 14 Black TX
  • 20. Idaho Crush 14 Bower ID
  • 21. HPSTL 14 Royal MO
  • 23. Wave 14 Thiago CA
  • 25. 1st Alliance 14-1 IL
  • 26. Far Out 14 Black MI
  • 28. MKE Sting 14 Gold WI
  • 29. Mintonette Sports m.41 OH
  • 30. Elevation 14 Case OH
  • 31. Alliance 14 Ren TN
  • 32. MAVS 14 Elite KS
  • 33. Tri-State Elite 14 Blue OH
  • 34. 1 United 14 Blue TX
  • 36. NKYVC 14-1 Tsunami KY
  • 37. Munciana 14 Chipmunks IN
  • 38. PVA 14 Elite KS
  • 40. Adidas KiVA 14 Red KY
  • 42. Tribe 14 Elite Cardinal FL
  • 45. Premier Nebraska 14 Gold NE
  • 46. Forza1 14 One CA
  • 47. AZ Rev 14 Premier AZ
  • 48. Skyline 14 Royal Jon TX
  • 49. SPVB 14 Elite IL
  • 50. Kairos 14 Alpha SD

 

POWER POOLS

A – AZ Storm 14 Thunder; Coast 14-1 Said; Mizuno Long Beach 14 Rockstar; OT 14 Jody; Madfrog 14 Green; Skyline 14 Royal Ryan; A5 14-1 Helen; Legacy 14-1 Adidas

B – Tstreet 14 Tara; Hou Skyline 14 Royal; Drive Nation 14 Red; Boiler Jrs 14 Gold; Dynasty 14 Black; ID Crush 14 Bower; KC Power 14 Welding; GP 14 Rox

C – Skyline 14 Royal Jon; Wave 14 Thiago; AZ Rev 14 Premier; Excel 14 National Red; AVC Cle 14 Red; Elevation 14 Case; Premier Nebraska 14 Gold; Rockwood Thunder 14 Elite

Outlook and Prediction: The conversation has to begin with A5. The club was first at Triple Crown in 13s a season ago and then backed that up by winning gold at both AAU and USAV nationals. To be the best you need to beat the best and coming into this season A5 still has to be considered the best. Madfrog and Skyline has both done really well at the two Tour of Texas stops, taking turns beating each other up. Legacy is a team to watch for having won the Nike Classic and taking runner up at Central Zone. A pair of So Cal clubs in Long Beach and Coast join OT from Florida and Storm from Arizona in rounding out Power Pool A. There are a few teams to pay close attention to in Power Pool B. One is Boiler Jrs, which finished first at Central Zone. The other two are local Kansas City clubs in Dynasty and KC Power. KC Power has started off hot in regional play and could be ready to make a statement. I wish I could offer a crazy prediction, but I’m feeling like A5 keeps its dominance going and wins once more, beating Skyline in the final.

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