That is “Dots,” VolleyballMag’s weekly take a look at 10 issues in membership volleyball, previous or current, that curiosity me and hopefully will curiosity you. Search for Dots each Tuesday by Junior Nationals this summer time:
• In all of the mania surrounding the Triple Crown NIT over President’s Day Weekend, it’s simple to overlook that a number of different well-represented tournaments came about over the identical weekend.
Once I first began masking membership some 22 years in the past, greater than a decade earlier than Triple Crown started its quest to dominate the house on President’s Day by marshaling the nation’s greatest membership groups; the Las Vegas Basic, Sports activities Efficiency President’s Day Match, President’s Cup in Dayton and Asics President’s Day Basic in Omaha have been the massive occasions that signaled the unofficial begin to the membership volleyball season.
Within the ensuing years, the Capitol Hill Basic in D.C. and St. Louis President’s Day Match got here into the house, alongside different, extra native, occasions equivalent to one run by the Northern California Volleyball Affiliation and Prime Courts’ President’s Day Invitational in Orlando.
Today, the hierarchy of occasions appears to be Triple Crown, St. Louis, Capitol Hill, Las Vegas and Omaha, in that order. That’s an enormous fall for Las Vegas, which was once THE premier occasion for 17s and 18s earlier than Triple Crown got here alongside.
• Within the run as much as Triple Crown, I famous that each one however two of the nation’s elite golf equipment have been taking part in in Kansas Metropolis. Metro VB of Washington D.C. and Indy’s Circle Metropolis have been the 2 golf equipment not at Triple Crown. Metro is the anchor membership at Capitol Hill and taking part in there. Circle is host of the St. Louis occasion and competed there.
• How did these golf equipment fare at their occasions? Actually, very well, in a single occasion, and never so nice within the different.
Right here’s what that you must find out about how Metro did. The D.C. membership gained 18 Open, 17 Open, 16 Open and 15 Open (These are the age teams we cowl. Metro additionally gained 14 Open and completed second in 13 Open) and compiled a cumulative document of 37-1 over these divisions.
Metro 18 Journey didn’t drop a set behind MVP Mimi Mambu and two different standouts, Alexis Ewing, who was named greatest attacker; and Malinh Godschall, the most effective digger.
Metro 17 Journey dropped only one set. Isabelle Bardin, a 6-3 setter, was excellent. She averaged practically eight assists per set and was the staff block chief. Outsides Leni Stanton-Parker and Madison Smith mixed for greater than 100 kills.
Metro 15 Journey misplaced a match and only one different set on its solution to the 15 Open title. Alexa Telly, a center changing this yr to the skin, was named MVP. Alli Robinson was named Greatest Blocker and Kaniyah Ball greatest digger.
• Circle Metropolis wasn’t fairly as profitable and definitely didn’t repeat its efficiency in 2023, when 18 Purple and 17 Purple completed 1-2 in 18 Open, 16 Purple gained 16 Open and 15 Purple completed T-3 in 15 Open.
This yr, 18 Purple completed T-9 in 18 Open, 17 Purple was T-3 in 17 Open, 16 Purple positioned T-5 in 16 Open and 15 Purple checked in T-9 in 15 Open.
No, the sky will not be falling down for Circle Metropolis. The oldest three Purple groups mixed to go 19-4 total. A mix of premature losses, lacking gamers, sickness and different obligations contributed to the resume not wanting as rosy because it in any other case may need.
VC United 181 Elite gained 18 Open. Oklahoma Peak Efficiency 17-1 Elite took 17 Open. Iowa Choose 16 Mizuno dominated 16 Open and Iowa Rockets 15R topped 15 Open. That’s a robust displaying for Iowa groups on the youthful age ranges, making the Hawkeye State one to look at for volleyball dominance within the coming years.
Word: This previous weekend, Circle Metropolis 15 Purple, 16 Purple and 17 Purple all captured Nationwide bids at Hoosier Bid regionals. 18 Purple completed second to Workforce Pineapple.
• School Preparatory Academy, from the Spokane space, was the standout membership on the Las Vegas Basic.
CPA 18 Nicole gained 18 Open led by the artful play of uncommitted OH Ellie DeAndre, athletic setter Lilli Etter and powerful RS attacker Ziya Munyer.
CPA 16 Benson took second in 16 Premier (the best division within the event), led by nice all-around play by highly effective OH Mara Sandberg and constant passing and protection from liberos Jade Livingston and Gabi Reich.
CPA 15 Benson took second in 15 Premier (the best division within the event), paced by the power of setter Emery McMurray, the constant play of OH Leigha Hardesty and the robust center duo of Bri Alexeyenko and Avery Berglund.
• Let’s speak about two 18s qualifiers, one in all which came about this previous weekend and one other of which went ahead the weekend earlier than (when most high 18s groups have been at Triple Crown).
OT 18 O Roberto, a earlier Open qualifier at Lone Star, gained the 18 Open Southeast Qualifier in Atlanta this previous weekend, avenging an earlier loss this season to A5 18-Marc, one other already-qualified staff, within the championship match. The now double certified staff, from Orlando, was led by MVP setter Juleigh Urbina. The win offers OT a lift after it went 1-6 the weekend earlier than in Kansas Metropolis to tie for 53rd place.
575 VB 18-1 Kortney WS, Academy 18 Diamond and MAVS KC 18-1 completed 3-4-5 within the 18-team area.
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HJV 18 Elite gained 18 USA. East Carolina Juniors 18 Nationwide certified in fifth place. After going 5-1 over the primary two days, the North Carolina membership overcame a Gold Bracket loss to Ocala Energy to comb PVA for the ultimate bid spot.
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Infinity 15 REN, from Mississippi, gained the 14/15 Energy division contested on the identical occasion. Although a whole staff effort, OH Madelyn Rodrique was hailed because the MVP after contributing 49 kills, 49 digs and 11 aces to the trigger. Olivia McDonald additionally had a terrific weekend, compiling 44 kills, 25 digs and 7 aces.
“Collectively, as a cohesive unit, our staff defied the percentages, embraced the challenges, and emerged triumphant,” stated coach Krishna Chigurupati. “As champions of the division, our staff’s triumph stands as a testomony to our resilience, teamwork, and unwavering pursuit of excellence.”
• On President’s Day Weekend, Seal Seashore 18 Black overcame two losses and 5 USA-qualified groups to win the 16-team 18 Open division at AVC Dallas to qualify for 18s Junior Nationals. Tony Rodriguez’ squad dropped a match on every of the primary two days solely to go 3-0 on the essential third day, together with sweeps within the semifinals and finals.
The secrets and techniques to Seal Seashore’s success have been aggressive serving and excellent passing.
“We competed effectively and performed good and constant volleyball all three days,” Rodriguez stated.
Libero Tessa Hurley and DS Kylie Grundman keyed the ball management, whereas outsides Ashley Repetti and Addison Collum handed and attacked persistently. This was particularly spectacular for Collum, an Arkansas State signee, as she performed with the flu all weekend.
• Huge blocking from Marae Reilly, Grace Langer and Grace Woodring helped propel Colorado Juniors 18Sherri to 3rd place on the Rocky Mountain Area Prime Flight Invitational for the most effective 16 groups within the area no matter age group.
“The staff of 11 has six new gamers, 4 of whom are from a unique membership altogether,” stated coach Sherri Hawkins. “We’re enhancing each week. The children are nonetheless hungry and desperate to study and enhance, which is nearly remarkable at this level within the season with 18-year-olds!”
• This weekend, what most of us check with a “qualifier season” will get underway with the 16 and 17s competing on the Sunshine Volleyball Basic in Orlando, one in all three qualifiers, together with Present Me and Salt Lake Metropolis Showdown, operated by USA Volleyball.
Triple Crown champion Legacy 16-1 Adidas, TC runner up Mintonette m. 61 and 2023 15 Open Junior Nationwide Champion Dallas Skyline 16 Royal spotlight a sturdy, 48-team 16 Open area.
These three behemoths will definitely be within the combine on Monday within the first 16s qualifier of the yr, however when you want a sleeper, look no additional than Imaginative and prescient 16 Gold. If OH Makenna Crosson has recovered from an ankle sprain suffered in Kansas Metropolis, this can be a staff that might shock.
The 17 Open area is simply as giant and is headed by defending age group nationwide champion AZ Storm Elite 17 Thunder. There are not any groups that certified at Northern Lights in January within the area, making this huge open. Two lower-seeded groups to look at are No. 4 Houston Juniors 17 Elite and No. 12 Tribe 17 Elite Cardinal.
And when you’re in Orlando and wish to try a tremendous freshman, go watch Lydia Chinchar, quantity 10 on No Title 17 Sarah.
• Lastly, there’s a reel circulating on social media of a coach/participant/guardian being incredulous that Triple Crown didn’t award her staff medals for ending in thirteenth place. The response of the Triple Crown consultant on the receiving finish is priceless.
One yr, when working the PrepVolleyball.com Basic within the Wisconsin Dells, we determined that particular person medals would solely go to the highest three finishers in every division. We named the brackets apart from the Championship Bracket “Milky Means, Equipment Kat, Snickers, and many others.” and handed out giant fun-sized baggage of that chocolate to the bracket winner. I assumed it will be a enjoyable, candy reward for having a very good last day, quite than one other medal to collect mud someplace.
Mother and father have been incensed! They might quite have acquired nothing in any respect than a bag of chocolate.
Lesson realized.