Prep Dig Takes On Windy City Power League
Prep Dig will be taking on the Windy City Power League this weekend and will be at the Sky High facility all day Saturday and part of Sunday to watch 15-18 Open play. With some of the top volleyball in the country in the Great Lakes region it provides these area teams some top competition without having to travel hours to find it. The Chicagoland extended area is one of the more heavily recruited areas and will welcome plenty of college coaches from across the country this weekend during a live evaluation period. Here are a few teams and storylines to watch for.
But First….
We just want to reach out our condolences to the family of Beth Dunlap, a member of 1st Alliance Volleyball Club and Downers Grove North High School. Volleyball is such a community, a family, and when it loses one of their own, all feel the pain, but yet there is support across the country for the Dunlap family and all those associated with Beth. Teams will be honoring her this weekend, not only in Chicagoland, but across the country. Here is the post from JVA and an article from Downers Grove.
Our condolences and prayers are with the Dunlap Family, @1stAllianceVBC and @dgnvolleyball community as they mourn the loss of Beth Dunlap. Do 18 push ups in honor of #18 today. #BethStrong https://t.co/iryHn1HAt4
— JVA (@jrvbassociation) February 22, 2019
Here are just a few of the clubs and teams who will be competing this weekend.
Serve City
Serve City 18 Blue is a solid all-around team led by outside hitters Emmi Shoup and Alyssa Mantia and middle hitter Alyssa Jeanbaptiste. Mantia is currently being recruited by College of DuPage, and Shoup is being considered by Benedictine University. The squad also relies on a strong back-row defense anchored by liberos Erin Baldwin and Jia Luchs and versatile setters in senior Teresa Noah and sophomore Anna Draftz along with a quick tempo offense to compete against a tough Windy City Power League schedule. Serve City is coached by Dennis De Garcia and practices out of facilities in Wheaton and Carol Stream.
After a tough start in seeding, Serve City 16 Blue won three straight matches on Jan. 27 to push its record to 3-2 in the young Windy City Power League season. Serve City features a standout outside hitter in Jacki Lucas (Downers Grove North) along with a savvy setter in Katie Baarman (Wheaton Academy) and a deep roster that includes a strong back-row defense led by Jazlyn Cruz and Parker Glynn and several capable hitters on the outside, right side and middle. Serve City is coached by Nick Maruyama and assistant coach Brad Hornstein.
Lions 15-1
Lions 15 is always one of the stronger programs at the 15s level and this year is no different. Jordan Walker, Katie Hurta, and Gillian Grimes are some of the top Freshmen in the country and most recently competed at Triple Crown in Kansas City where they went 6-2, winning their opening day pool. This team also took the Open title at Central Zone in Indianapolis. They are definitely a front runner in the 15/16 Open bracket of WCPL as the number one seed heading into the weekend.
Chicago Elite
Chicago Elite has quite the group of athletes in the 15s division with Chelsea Thorpe, the 6’2 pin hitter who is already getting some looks from the Big Ten. Definitely flashes of Simone Lee, the former Penn State Nittany Lion All American who played for Sting and Fusion during her club career. The 15s also have Ariana Joubert who stands at 6’0 tall with a quick arm and the ability to score points from either pin. Joubert and Thorpe were AAU All Americans as 14s. The Chicago Elite 16s have Bella LaCoco, an All State setter from De La Salle High School and AAU MVP ‘ last=”] in 15 Club as well as Jamie Schaller and Mckenzie Washington who were also AAU All Americans in 2018 during their 15s season.
Club 1 VBC
15 Skronkstrong:
This is a group that is playing very strong right now. They started the season on a twenty plus game winning streak and have a strong core that will help take this team to good places. They are controlled by two great leaders at the setting position with Jenna Bolek and Lily Ray. The back court is controlled by a strong Libero in Natalie Kent, and have a very impressive 6 rotation outside hitter in Claire Simpson.
16 Skronkstrong:
This team has 4 AAU All Americans from 2018 on the roster. Two great outside attackers Rachel Haubert and Kaitlyn Skowronski, both named All Americans in last years campaign. A new addition to this team is a heavy arm Kate Jennings swinging on the right side, and also have Collette Seidel back as the big block opposite. Libero Lindsey Schueman controls the back court for this team and is a very impressive Libero at this age division. The two setters Emily Boyette and Skylar McGill both are working to run this high tempo offense and build great chemistry among the strong pin attackers this team has. They have strong goals to get back to the AAU National Championship match this season!
17 Skronkstrong:
This team also has 3 AAU All Americans from the 2018 season on the roster as well as 4 AAU Academic All Americans. Maddie Bylak and Lily Summers are a very nice one two punch on the outside for this team, with Bylak having great athleticism and Summers have the fire and passion to lead this team with high energy. Bella Ray is a big sized middle blocker and provides nice spark in the Middle Blocker position. Natalie Stefanski and Ali Jansen are also a nice one two punch on the opposite offering great blocking and strong attacking on the right side of the court. Natalie also runs one half of the offense as a setter, and Anna Gawron comes in as the other setter for this high powered offense. Erin O’Grady and Mekenzie Smitih control the back court for 17 Skronkstrong. This team also has strong aspirations to get back to the AAU National Championship match this season, they most recently took home a first place finish at St. Louis
18 Skronkstrong:
Several college commits on this roster with a core group of lifelong Club 1 players. Claire Griffin, a 3 time JVA Watchlist and AVCA Phenom Watchlist player sets from the back row and swings on the outside in the front row. Kelly Kotoski provides a nice spark as a versatile 6 rotation outside hitter. The back court is in completely control with this team with Maddie Seper and Jenna Curbis both being very strong defensively. Flying under the radar as a dominant attacker is 5’11” lefty attacker Lexi Zajda swinging on the opposite. She provides a heavy arm and great blocking for this group.
From Out Of State
Iowa Rockets
Iowa Rockets 15R is coming off a successful Presidents Day weekend winning open division of the Nike Presidents Day Tournament in St. Louis. The team is led by some of the top freshmen in the region in Macy Daufeldt and Calia Clubb with Kora Ruff as one of the top freshmen setters in the state. The state of Iowa has an incredibly deep 15s and 16s group with CIS out of Central Iowa most recently taking second at Triple Crown in Kansas City.
Milwaukee Sting
Sting is always in the mix as one of the top clubs in the Midwest as well as the country. They will bring their 16 Gold, 17 Gold, 17 Black, and 17 White to the Windy City Power League. Most recently their 16 Gold and 17 Gold finished in the top eight overall at Triple Crown while Sting 17 White finished 3rd in the Premier Division at the Nike Presidents Day Tournament in St. Louis. 16 Gold has one of the top freshman outside hitters in the country in Mckenna Wucherer who has already committed to Minnesota while 17 Gold has multiple division one athletes let by a physical front from of Kiara Reinhardt (Creighton), Aubrey Hamilton (Notre Dame), and Elise Goetzinger (Kentucky). Keep an eye on two unsigned 2020 athletes for 17 Gold in libero Erin Powers and right side/middle blocker Kelsey Carrington. Two great pickups that are division one caliber.
Anna Holland of @stingvb1988 16 Gold having an amazing tournament at Libero. She is committed to @SHUVolley pic.twitter.com/a4u9FCQ5R8
— Chris Fitzgerald (@PrepDigChris) February 18, 2019