2019 Club Team Profile: Michigan Elite Volleyball Academy
The Michigan Elite Volleyball Academy has never been one lacking in talent and success in club volleyball. With the 2019 season quickly approaching, here’s a closer look at the top Mizuno Teams for MI Elite in the next year. RELATED:…
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Continue ReadingThe Michigan Elite Volleyball Academy has never been one lacking in talent and success in club volleyball. With the 2019 season quickly approaching, here’s a closer look at the top Mizuno Teams for MI Elite in the next year.
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18 Mizuno
Madeline ChinnNeil Rucinski will be coaching this impress roster of nine players, headlined by Miss Volleyball winner Madeline Chinn (Purdue), as well as outside Natalie Risi (Ball State), who was also a Miss Volleyball finalist in the 2018 prep season. Those two helped lead the Notre Dame Prep squad to a second straight state championship match. They will be joined by setter Wren Macaulay (New Hampshire), who claimed a Division 1 state championship with Lake Orion in November. These three also join libero Jordan Valley (South Florida) and middle hitter Abbey Herrmann (Western Michigan) as returning players in this age group. This Mizuno squad adds in some new faces of middle Rachel Speck (Valparaiso), libero Rachelle Madison, middle Abigail Durecki (Northern Michigan) and OPP Emma Schlagheck (Albany). This team has a great foundation behind Chinn, Risi, Macaulay, Valley and Herrmann. The new additions should give them some nice depth at the net and the back row. This squad definitely has the talent to be a top contender in the state picture.
17 Mizuno
Elizabeth NorrisKristin Eddy will lead this team in 2019, a 10-player squad that finished fourth in the Mideast Power League as 16’s last year and also earned a top-15 finish at the AAU Nationals. This squad has five players back from the 2018 16’s squad, led by versatile players Francesca McBride (Florida) and Elizabeth Norris. McBride is one of the top 2020 players in the state, as is Norris. Norris is coming off leading the state in kills as she guided Corunna to the state semifinals. Emily Snay is another returning hitter that can play six rotations for the team. In the back row, both Paige Gallentine and Emily Hagelthorn are back, giving this squad a solid defensive foundation. Newcomers to the squad are outside hitters Sydney Eggleton and Sarah Dunn, as well as middles Carly Doros and Kendall Robertson. Robertson is a 2021 player that is moving up after a strong showing in Battle Creek to help Lake Orion win the state title. Novi setter Shannon Jennings also joins this squad to give Norris an option to play setter or middle.
16 Mizuno
Michigan Elite 16 MizunoVince Muscat will coach this squad, a group that placed 21st at the USAV Nationals in 2018 as 15’s. This team returns eight from that squad, which should make them a team to keep an eye on in the national picture. Leading this team will be Mercy setter Julia Bishop, who has established herself as one of the top 2021 players in the state and in the country. Joining her will be some talented hitters, led by SMCC outsides Mikayla Haut and Ashley Nordmann. Hitters Ellie Tisko, Charli Atiemo and Kaylin Collins were all players at Mercy this fall and already have good chemistry with Bishop as well. Defensively, Rachel Jennings and Olivia Kowalkowski are liberos with a lot of experience on big stages and have been part of state-championship programs. Jenna Vakse is also part of the team that can play setter and right side.
15 Mizuno
Ava BrizardMayssa Cook coaches this squad, which features 10 promising stars for the future of the state. There is a Marian connection here for Cook, who took over the Mustangs program in 2018. She has three players from Marian on this squad in hitters Sophia Treder, Ava Brizard and Sarah Sylvester. Brizard really had a standout freshman season this fall and should be set for a big club season this year. Kimani Johnson, Sarah Vellucci, Piper Talaga and Serena Nyambio are also set to play at the net for this Mizuno club while Caris Cross and Jaina Macaulay will handle the setting duties. In the back row, Macaulay can slide back while Jessica Mondragon will be the team’s libero.
14 Mizuno
DJ Kellogg will be coaching this crop of future high schoolers in 2019. He has a very athletic roster to work with, with many already touching over nine feet. The team will have some key hitters in Remi Madison and Emma Thamarus on the outside, with Neele’ge Sims in the middle. Hannah Tymitz and Megan Grose are also available to provide hitting depth. Grose and Gabrille Kaminski and Ava Sarafa all can set for this team, as the roster has a lot of versatility. The defense will be led by Kalliann Cook and Rylie Madison. Erica Maladecki can also play the back row or move up to outside. If the setting and defense is consistent, the hitting of 14 Mizuno should lead this team to great success.