The New Years Prep Dig Volleyball Bowl Season of 2018
With the NCAA Football bowl season coming to an end, it is time for Prep Dig to say, “Welcome to the New Years Prep Dig Volleyball Bowl Season of 2018”. At Prep Dig, we like to dream big, so this year we will be hosting the fictional and maybe one day a reality, Prep Dig Bowl – Club Style – at the Bradley Center in Milwaukee, home of the Milwaukee Bucks. In future years, we would rotate venues in having it at the Century Link Center in Omaha, and the following year at the Target Center in Minneapolis. Mind you, we dream big at Prep Dig, and we can’t dream big without our other states affiliated with Minnesota and Nebraska.
*Disclaimer: Previews and lineups are based on last years results and current rosters available online.
The Bowl Lineup
FC Elite 17 Navy (WI) vs. VC Nebraska 17 Elite
VC Nebraska was knocked out in the first round of the 16 Open Championship Bracket last year in Orlando by Milwaukee Sting 16 Gold, with the third set in favor of Sting at 16-14. FC Elite had a similar result to Sting 16 Gold. With VC Nebraska having the top Class of 2019 player in Kyla Swanson who is committed to Illinois and Kelsie Cada who is a top ten prospect in Nebraska on the outside would provide quite the match up against FC Elite who currently has seven players who are committed to Division 1 programs led by the firepower of hitters Liz Gregorski going to Wisconsin, Hannah Vandenberg to Marquette, Maggie Cartwright to Arkansas, and Addison Barnes to Loyola. With VC going the AAU route to Nationals and Elite to USAV, a match up like this is unlikely, but would be highly entertaining!
Milwaukee Sting 17 Gold vs. Nebraska Premier 17 Gold
Dru Kuck, an AAU All American libero heading to Wisconsin vs. Jaiden Centeno a top five prospect out of the Class of 2019 in Nebraska, committed to play libero at Iowa State (the “Libero U” of the Big 12). This would be a battle of gritty defense and long rallies. Sting has three other Division One commits with Kayce Litzau heading to Wichita State, a setter that is physical and dynamic and will one day be a key contributor for the Shockers who are on the rise to national prominence. Premier also has three other Division One commits and a setter similar to Litzau with Sami Clarkson, another top ten prospect out of Nebraska that has committed to Omaha, part of the Summit League.
Nebraska Elite Revolution 16 vs. Capital 16 Adidas (WI)
Capital 16 Adidas hasn’t had any major verbal commits….yet. But outsides Milla Malik and KJ McNabb will be aggressive on the pin and high flyers receiving sets from one of the top setters out of the Class of 2021 in Ella Foti who is a 6’0 setter that can touch 10 feet. Nebraska Elite has three players in the top 10 of the Class of 2020 out of Nebraska and will be looking for a run at the national level in June. This group finished 9th in the 15 Open Division at USA Nationals in Minneapolis.
Kokoro (MN) 16 vs. Milwaukee Sting 16 Gold
Kokoro at the 15s level had a successful club season last year finishing 13th the AAU Open Nationals and winning the National Division at USAV Nationals in their backyard of Minneapolis. Kokoro also has some Wisconsin athletes, Emily Bannit and Halle Olson of River Falls who helped lead their team to a Runner-Up finish in the Division 1 State Tournament. Milwaukee Sting 16 Gold will be loaded this season with Aubrey Hamilton, a Notre Dame commit on the pin, and Kiara Reinhardt in the middle committed to Creighton. Sting also has a new 6’5 middle in Elise Goetzinger who will be looking to be quite the new comer on the club scene in 2018.
MN Select 17-1 vs. WVA 17 Black
Wisconsin Volleyball Academy 17 Black will be strong in the middle with Cece Huhn and Gabby Murray. Huhn is an extremely strong, athletic, and physical middle who can touch 10 feet and will be a force offensively and defensively for WVA, she has committed to play at Northern Colorado. Olivia Olsen is also a setter on the rise that will get some prime time looks this offseason. MN Select features Wisconsin All State player, Selena Levendoski coming off a state title for Clayton, a springy and athletic middle. Select also has Northern Iowa commit, in 6’2 Maizy Jackson on the outside.
Milwaukee Sting 18 Gold vs. MN Select 18-1
Anytime Wisconsin and Minnesota are mentioned in volleyball there is always bound to be a rivalry. The same goes at the club level with two of the top teams in the nation would square off between Milwaukee Sting and Minnesota Select. Sting has alums playing Division One volleyball across the country with plenty playing in state at Wisconsin and Marquette. MN Select has alums such as Sidney Hilley, the current Wisconsin setter and Jenny Mosser who played for UCLA this past season.
If Sting and MN Select were to meet this year there would be a future of Big Ten matchups in the works with Mia Grunze of Sting who is playing at Ohio State against future Big Ten players for Select in Isabella Ashburn going to Wisconsin, Kayla Bair to Michigan, Lauren Clark to Penn State, and Grace Persson to Michigan.
Future teammates Brooke Anderson of Sting and Eleanor Holthaus of Select will get to match up against each other before joining forces for Coach Christy Johnson and the Iowa State Cyclones.