The season-ending event we all have been clamoring for is finally near! It’s almost time for the start of the USAV Girls Junior National Championships in Chicago. Below, we look at the 14 Open division, which runs June 28-July 1, and make our predictions as to which club is leaving with the gold medal.
14 OPEN
Number of Teams: 36
vballrecruiter.com National Rankings:
- 1. TAV 14 Black (TX)
- 2. Arizona Storm 14 Thunder (AZ)
- 3. Tstreet 14 Carson (CA)
- 4. Mizuno Long Beach 14 Rockstar (CA)
- 5. Madfrog 14 Green (TX)
- 6. Skyline 14 Royal (TX)
- 7. Forza1 North 14 One (CA)
- 8. OT 14 Laura (FL)
- 9. MAVS KC 14-1 (KS)
- 10. Drive Nation 14 Red (TX)
- 12. Elevation 14 Molly (OH)
- 13. A5 14 Helen (GA)
- 14. Hou Skyline 14 Royal (TX)
- 15. HPSTL 14 Royal (MO)
- 17. AP 14 Adidas (TX)
- 19. AZ Sky 14G (AZ)
- 20. Vision 14 Gold (CA)
- 21. Absolute 14 Black (CA)
- 22. PVA 14 Elite (KS)
- 23. Tribe 14 Elite Cardinal (FL)
- 24. Forza1 14 One (CA)
- 25. Wave 14 Tammy (CA)
- 26. Excel 14 National Red (TX)
- 27. Legacy 14-1 Adidas (MI)
- 29. Club V 14 Ren Silver (UT)
- 30. GP 14 Rox (FL)
- 31. VCNebraska 14 Elite (NE)
- 34. Top Select 14 Elite (FL)
- 35. Lions 14-1 (IL)
- 36. NKYVC 14-1 Tsunami (KY)
- 37. Mintonette Sports m.41 (OH)
- 39. Premier Nebraska 14 Gold (NE)
- 40. Rage 14 Garren (CA)
- 43. Academy 14 Diamond (NC)
- Tejas 14 Black (TX)
- SA Juniors 14 Adidas (TX)
5-Star Athletes to Know:
- Nyla Livings MB TAV 14 Black
- Brynn Stephens S/RS TAV 14 Black
- Kendall Omoruyi MB Arizona Storm 14 Thunder
- Marissa Jones S A5 14 Helen
- Janiah Burrage RS Forza 14 One (2028)
4-Star Athletes to Know:
- Bryn Meyer OH Mintonette Sports m.41
- Evie Pool MB Forza1 14 One
- Ella Johnson OH Forza1 14 One
- Kiersten Moore S Forza1 14 One
- Ella Olson OH Tstreet 14 Carson
- Susan Hudgins OH AP 14 Adidas
- Hanna McGinest OH Mizuno Long Beach 14 Rockstar
- Tessa Larkin OH Arizona Storm 14 Thunder
- Pulelehua Laikona L/DS Arizona Storm 14 Thunder
- Brooklyn Sippio MB GP 14 Rox
- Ansley Shafer L/DS TAV 14 Black
- Gentry Barker OH TAV 14 Black
- Mariah Akinsola MB TAV 14 Black
- Sophee Peterson S/RS TAV 14 Black
- Morgan Meiring OH Elevation 14 Molly
- Zamari Christensen S Club V 14 Ren Silver
- Cynthia Ockerman MB Legacy 14-1 Adidas
Outlook: With this division, there’s one question to ask? Can anyone capture the gold medal outside of the top trio this season in TAV 14 Black, Arizona Storm 14 Thunder and Tstreet 14 Carson? Combined, they have won Triple Crown plus five qualifiers. It’s going to take a special effort to prevent one of them from keeping it going in Chicago and finishing the year on top. A handful of teams already warmed up by participating in 14 Open at AAUs. The national champion there – Northern Lights 14-1 – is in the National Division in Chicago. But the teams playing in both Open divisions include OT 14 Laura, A5 14 Helen, Tribe 14 Elite Cardinal, Legacy 14-1 Adidas, GP 14 Rox, Top Select 14 Elite and Mintonette Sports m.41. A5 finished runner up while Top Select collected a bronze medal. Legacy and OT tied for fifth.
Prediction:
Let’s first look at which teams are going to break pool, then we’ll pick the quarterfinalists and eventual winner.
ROUND 1
Pool 1
TAV 5-0
A5 4-1
Elevation 3-2
Forza1 14 One 2-3
Vision 14 Gold 1-4
Academy 14 Diamond 0-5
***
Pool 2
Tstreet 5-0
HPSTL 4-1
Top Select 3-2
Lions 1-4
PVA 1-4
Tejas 1-4
***
Pool 3
Arizona Storm 5-0
Madfrog 3-2
Forza North 3-2
MAVS 2-3
VCNebraska 1-4
Club V 1-4
***
Pool 4
Skyline 5-0
Wave 3-2
AZ Sky 3-2
GP 2-3
Absolute 1-4
SA Jrs 1-4
***
Pool 5
Long Beach 4-1
Drive Nation 4-1
Hou Skyline 3-2
Tribe 3-2
NKYVC 1-4
Premier Nebraska 0-5
***
Pool 6
OT 4-1
AP 4-1
Legacy 2-3
Rage 2-3
Mintonette 2-3
Excel 1-4
***
Quarterfinalists
TAV
Arizona Storm
Tstreet
Long Beach
Skyline
OT
A5
AZ Sky
***
Final
Tstreet d Arizona Storm
Bronzes
TAV; Skyline
