If you have never experienced Day 1 of the Triple Crown NIT before until the start of this year’s three-day tournament on Saturday in Kansas City, then welcome! I’m guessing your head hasn’t stopped spinning and you were completely and totally blown away by the amazing competition witnessed on Day 1?
You are also probably asking yourself why can’t every tournament be like this? I’m going to digress there because there is already enough to get to without adding any sidebars. Stuff like a daily rundown, Team Spotlights and of course our Day 1 Show Stoppers.
First, if you have been to Triple Crown before then you get it. Someone like myself could write thousands and thousands of words about one Power Pool A in one age division. Let’s factor in there was action from the 14-18s I was trying to get through and I’m not going to spend too much time running through all the results.
I started by covering the 14s this morning. I saw a lot of Power Pool A, which saw Arizona Storm 14 Thunder, Tstreet 14 Carson and TAV 14 Black all go 3-0. Storm and TAV looked especially strong. I touch on Legacy 15-1 Adidas and Boiler Jrs 15 Gold both going 3-0 in Power Pool A below. As for the 16s, I was a bit surprised not to see a team make it through at 3-0 in Power Pool A. Then again, considering the strength of competition, maybe that was asking too much of any team? As it turned out Drive Nation 16 Red, Arizona Storm 16 Thunder, 1st Alliance 16 Gold, Coast 16-1 and Surfside 16 PV Legends all finished up at 2-1. I’m not even going to attempt to sort that mess out. Let’s just see how the 16s continues to play out and go from there. Power Pool A from the 17s division produced ridiculous matches but Dynasty 17 Black was the only one to go 3-0. Wave 17 Juliana, TAV 17 Black, A5 17 Jing and Drive Nation 17 Red all went 2-1 in Power Pool A. Lastly, Drive Nation 18 Red continued to establish itself as the team to beat after going 3-0 in its Power Pool A.
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TEAM SPOTLIGHTS
SKYLINE 14 ROYAL: Skyline had a day in Power Pool B, going 3-0 and not allowing an opponent to score more than 19 points in any of the six sets. Skyline was the only club to go 3-0 in the pool Saturday. We know what a performance like that has the Skyline faithful thinking. Why weren’t we in Power Pool A?!? It’s okay, Skyline still has time to show where it belongs, as the North Texas Region club turns its attention to bracket play starting Day 2. Skyline swept past WPVC 14 Armour Black, Munciana 14 Chipmunks and A5 14 Helen and posted a 1.5 points ratio in the process. Ryan Spencer and Kate Cuppett did a great job at outside, while Izabelle Buchholz showed what type of threat she can be in the middle. Defensively, Dakota Huynh showed up strong at libero, making several nice hustle plays and showing her grit and determination in keeping balls alive.
AP 14 ADIDAS: Like Skyline, AP was the only squad to post a 3-0 mark in its pool, owning Power Pool C with a solid outing. AP seemed to get stronger as the day wore on as it finished with sweeps over City 14 Gold, Wave 14 Tammy and GP 14 Rox. Logan Sanders and Emerson Butler were tasked with running the offense and both did well delivering the ball to their hitters. The middles were doing their thing as well, with Camille Presley getting up and ripping balls down and Jazzlyn Hepburn showing her agility and quickness at the net. AP also has Susan Hudgins on the left. She’s a tall outside with lots of upside as she put down a few impressive kills as well.
LEGACY 15-1 ADIDAS: Legacy had a tough result at Central Zone a few weeks back, where it was upset by TVC 15 Black and knocked out of contention. Legacy was one of our teams to watch for this season, with some of the roster moves it made. A 3-0 showing in Power Pool A could be a sign that this group is beginning to figure it out. Legacy had no issues sweeping Madfrog 15 Green before narrowly getting past Wave 15 Brennan in three, 15-13 in the third. Legacy then closed out by hammering Tstreet 15 Curtis. Gabby DiVita played up on the 15s last year but stayed with her age group this go around and she’s a force on the left. Legacy is also really strong in the middle with Kayla Nwabueze and Ella Andrews. Legacy is also in a good spot in the back row with Meredith Martin at libero.
BOILER JRS 15 GOLD: Like Legacy, Boiler Jrs went 3-0 in Power Pool A. We figured Boiler Jrs was going to be a real contender here and that’s how the team looked on Day 1. Boiler Jrs downed Tstreet, Madfrog and Skyline 15 Royal. It was the usual suspects for Boiler Jrs, with Lexi Shondell standing out at setter and Ellie Hepler taking care of the back end. Caroline Ward continues to put up a huge block on the right side and give attackers problems.
NKYVC 15-1 TSUNAMI: The standout from Power Pool B was NKYVC, which defeated AZ Sky 15G, SCVC 15 Roxy and Forza1 North 15. Callie Combs and Grace Portwood once again took care of business on the left, while Audrey Dyas was a strong presence in the middle, while setter/right side Addyson Bianchini played a vital role.
AP 15 ADIDAS: AP went 3-0 in Power Pool C but just as easily could have finished 1-2. AP swept Far Out 15 Black before getting past both HPSTL 15 Royal (15-13 Game 3) and AVC Cle 15 Red (16-14 Game 3) in three. Of course, this team features vballrecruiter.com 2022 Freshman High School Player of the Year in Henley Anderson on the outside. With her length, she has no trouble going over blocks. Rileigh Butler was also passing well at libero.
AUSTIN SKYLINE 15 ROYAL: I spent a few minutes today talking to a college coach about this team, because there is serious potential with this group. I’m not sure what type of move Austin Skyline will be able to make this year, but this group seems built to do well as it moves up in age. Sydney Lund is a great setter with lots of lank and a nice delivery. Riley Malloy is a tall, tall body on the left who can go over blocks with ease. Reese Wilburn is another solid option on the left. After sweeping WPVC 15 Armour Black, A5 15 Bob and Top Select 15 Elite on Day 1, we’ll see how far Austin Skyline can advance once elimination play begins Day 2.
OT 16 JP: With no teams going 3-0 in Power Pool A, OT managed to pull off the feat by going unscathed through Power Pool B. OT captured all three matches in straight sets, downing Mich Elite 16 Mizuno, TAV 16 Black and Legacy 16-1 Adidas. Much of last year’s group which took second in 15 Open at AAUs and made the Top 8 in USAV 15 Open is back and so it’s not much of a surprise to see OT open strong. Outside Maggie Dostic continues to improve and gives OT a big arm on the left. Lily Hayes is back at libero to help secure the defense while Izzy Mogridge is back helping guide the offense.
TRI-STATE ELITE 16 BLUE: I’m tired just looking at TSE’s day! Nobody is going to accuse Tri-State of an easy day in Power Pool C. Yes, Tri-State went 3-0 but needed three sets in every match to get there. It started by beating GP 16 Rox, 18-16 in the third, and continued by downing Madfrog 16 Green, 15-12 in the third. Tri-State closed out its run by clipping OT 16 Roberto, 15-10 in Game 3. One thing we know about Tri-State is they tend to produce teams which know how to compete and that was exactly what we saw Saturday. We caught Tri-State at Central Zone and really like the way setter Ally Hughes was doing her thing again here. Luci Heid carried a good portion of the offense on Day 1 here too, delivering impressive kills while Sakura Codling put in work in the back row at libero.
DYNASTY 16 BLACK: Dynasty and Nebraska One 16 Synergy both went 3-0 in Power Pool D. So why does Dynasty get the nod over Nebraska One here? Because Nebraska One – along with NorCal 16-1 Black – were the only two 16s teams in power pools that I missed in action on Day 1. Maybe it was just me, but Dynasty looked hungry. This group started off strong in 15s last year but didn’t finish as high as they would’ve liked. Dynasty swept past Munciana 16 Blaze and Alamo 16 Premier – last year’s USAV 15 Open champs – before edging Skyline 16 Royal in three, 19-17 in the third. Familiar faces were back at it again, as Lauren Lopez was attacking aggressively and coming with it on the outside; libero Hadley Porter was her stellar self in anchoring the back row; and Ella Florez, a 2026 setter/right side, was integral in her role.
DYNASTY 17 BLACK: There was a shocking development on Day 1 as we learned that this Dynasty team is pretty good (full sarcasm)! Last year’s 16s winner at Triple Crown and a bronze medalist in USAV 16 Open, Dynasty has already qualified for 17 Open this season by earning its bid at Northern Lights. Dynasty was the only team in Power Pool A to make it out without a loss. Dynasty topped Drive Nation 17 Red and TAV 17 Black in straight sets with a three-set victory over HJV 17 Elite squeezed in between. Like I said, news flash this team is loaded, from outsides Skyler Pierce and Carlie Cisneros, to setter Reese Messer, libero Ryan McAleer, right side Abigail Mullen and middles Cy Rae Campbell and Jada Ingram, there is not a weak spot on the floor.
HOU SKYLINE 17 ROYAL: There was no getting to Hou Skyline in Power Pool B, as Hou Skyline was the only club to go 3-0. Hou Skyline swept Academy 17 Tsunami, 1st Alliance 17 Gold and Adidas KiVA 17 Red. Academy finished first in 17 Open at Central Zone, while 1st Alliance finished fifth at the recent Northern Lights 17 Open qualifier, so those are two good results for Hou Skyline. Hou Skyline went to work this past offseason in hopes of retooling its roster to make a move up in the final standings in 17s this summer. So far those moves are paying off. Kirra Musgrove – a 2025 S/RS – Samara Coleman – a 2025 OH – and middle Jaela Auguste are new to the team and all had their fingerprints on the Day 1 success. Setter/right side Cayley Hanson and outside Reese Animashaun are both returners and shined as well.
SCVC 17 ROXY: It was a 3-0 outing in Power Pool C for SCVC, which beat VCNebraska 17 Elite, AVC Cle 17 Red and Tri-State Elite 17 Blue. Althea Morris was key, setting in the back and hitting across the front row. Hayden Lin was the back row setter while Taylor Deckert – class of 2025 – was a wall in the back row. Chloe Hynes was hitting well on the right side, while Kendall Beshear and Sarah Hom held down the outside positions.
ROCKWOOD THUNDER 17 ELITE: I’m on the Rockwood Thunder bandwagon! I love the development of this team and I really hope to see it continuing the way it has been. Quick background, as a 16s team last year, this group was eliminated twice on Day 1 of national qualifiers. That’s a difficult thing to deal with considering the expectations, but RT did not fold last year. It went on to qualify for 16 Open and was playing its best volleyball of the season in Indy. By keeping pin Claire Morrissey – who played up an age group on the 17s a season ago – on the 17s it appeared RT would be stronger in 2023. Then factor in that RT took fourth at the recent Northern Lights Qualifier and it certainly appears RT is on the upswing. And that’s before RT went 3-0 in Power Pool C! Alyssa Nelson and Morgan Dumm do a fine job running the offense as they both set in the back row. Maya Witherspoon and Jordan Smith are both 2025s playing up again and are big-time contributors, as is libero Olivia Hasbrook.
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SHOW STOPPERS
Cedra Talaga L/DS/OH Mizuno Long Beach 14 Rockstar: Talaga brings tons of fire and tenacity to the court. She’s an all-out defender who makes plays all over the court.
Reagan Wallraff MB Arizona Storm 14 Thunder: When in system, Storm’s middle attack is unstoppable. One half of that is Wallraff. She gets up and unloads, pressuring the defense with her aggressive and hard hitting.
Mia Diouf RS GP 14 Rox (2028): This lefty caught my eye with her attacking. Diouf can get up and she swings well. She was scoring consistently and once I found out she is part of the Class of 2028 it was even more impressive.
Brooklyn Sippio MB GP 14 Rox: Sippio is long and lanky and has lots of upside as she moves up the rank. She was already showing she’s a legit scoring option for GP when in system and she does impact the play at the net.
Gentry Barker OH TAV 14 Black: Barker joined TAV this year and she’s paying dividends. She’s a smart hitter who seemed to alternate in between bouncing balls off the floor or blowing up blocks by tooling.
Brynn Stephens S/RS TAV 14 Black: Stephens is smooth for her age and that’s why she stands out so much. She has next-level talent and is already one of the top setters in her class. If that wasn’t enough, she also hits and hits well too! With her length, she’s a real threat at the net.
Zamari Christensen S Club V 14 Ren Silver: I really enjoyed the energy Christensen played with. She was active and setting a clean ball as well as connecting well with her hitters.
Ava Burgess OH Club V 14 Ren Silver: One thing that stood out right away watching Burgess attack is she is strong. She has no problem hitting with pace and she was a reliable scoring option on the left.
Olivia Greenwood RS Wave 14 Tammy: Greenwood is a lefty right side who gets after it when attacking. Defenses need to be ready because Wave likes to get Greenwood the ball. And why not? She was delivering time and time again.
London Evans S/RS Munciana 14 Chipmunks: Evans was a key cog in the Munciana lineup and contributed all over. She wad did well with her placement setting and showed a nice arm while attacking.
Olivia Siskin S A5 15 Bob: After seeing Siskin setting the 14s-2 last season for A5 I told myself she’ll probably be part of the 15s-1 next season. And here we are! Siskin is long with a soft touch and release. The sky is the limit.
Jayden Robinson OH Hou Skyline 15 Royal: Robinson is very tall and like they say, you can’t coach height. Without question Robinson is one to keep tabs on and follow. She’s athletic, long and has the ability to torture defenses.
Keoni Williams MB Skyline 15 Royal: Williams making the move to Skyline this season has lifted Skyline at the start of this season. She’s such a factor in the middle with her length and athleticism and it’s virtually impossible for opponents to prepare for her.
Meredith Martin L/DS Legacy 15-1 Adidas: Martin always seems under control and she never appears to get rattle. She’s going to make the play in front of her, as well as a couple you don’t expect her to.
Sarah Hickman RS HJV 15 Elite: We first caught Hickman last year in the 14s. Seeing here this year for the first time, she is tall and a real presence at the net. We very much want to see her progress, as the ceiling is high.
Rileigh Butler L/DS AP 15 Adidas: I mentioned the day AP had in the Team Spotlights and when I caught them Butler was on in the back row. She was passing dimes and covering well.
Milly McGee S SCVC 15 Roxy: McGee is another who’s improvement from last year to this year is noticeable. She knows how to run the offense and she connects well with her hitters.
Audrey Flanagan OH SCVC 15 Roxy: Flanagan can really extend and let it fly. As she adds more strength to her frame watch out. She could be a big-time scorer on the left.
Piper Chylinski S/RS SG Elite 15 Rosh (2027): Chylinsky was playing on the 13s last summer and is making the jump to 15s by playing up an age group. It was my first time seeing her in action and I came away thinking there’s endless potential in her frame. She’s tall, has good hands and also hits well.
Kennedy Washington MB TAV 16 Black: I didn’t catch as much of this team as I did others, but when I did Washington was shining. She was scoring out of the middle and pounding down slides to help boost the offense.
Bailey Warren OH Hou Skyline 16 Royal: With Warren, bring the popcorn. She’ll take care of the rest. If you like to watch outsides with a big jump and big arm blasting balls down then Warren is your player.
Ella Florez S/RS Dynasty 16 Black (2026): Florez is a smooth, smooth setter with great hands. She also plays a dual role for Dynasty, staying across the front and helping out with the attack.
Elena Maynulet OH GP 16 Rox: Maynulet is new to the GP roster this year. She’s adds a six-rotation outside with the ability to end points in impressive fashion. She was putting away big swings at times to be sure.
Sydney Bryant OH HJV 16 Elite: What a talent Bryant is! She can be a difference maker on the left with her length and leap. She has no trouble banging balls.
Fallon Stewart OH OT 17 Felix: Stewart has been on the radar but she’s taken the next step. She’s added power to her attacking and it’s taken her to a new level. She can be a game changer.
Lolo Lambert OH Drive Nation 17 Red: Lambert gets off the ground quick and rips. She also seems like she glides in the air for just a millisecond longer to. She was a big part of the Drive Nation offense.
Alice Volpe L/DS HJV 17 Elite: Volpe is an unassuming libero who doesn’t draw attention to herself but what a wall she is in the back row. She can make all the plays.
Tia Traudt OH VCNebraska 17 Elite: Traudt is a six-rotation outside and key part of the offense. She was also passing well out of serve receive and starting off her team with a solid first ball.
Zoey Burgess MB Club V 17 Ren Matthew: Burgess was doing what she does. Which is being a menace to defenses with all the ways she can score. It also doesn’t hurt that she has a big arm and thumps balls.
