Hidden Gems and More Storylines As 16s Begin AAU Nationals
The wave of 16s which kicks off Tuesday morning for AAU Nationals will have an interesting vibe as it may be the most heavily recruited event for this age group. The 16s, which most participants are part of the Class…
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Continue ReadingThe wave of 16s which kicks off Tuesday morning for AAU Nationals will have an interesting vibe as it may be the most heavily recruited event for this age group. The 16s, which most participants are part of the Class of 2021 will now be available to communicate with college coaches, take official visits this fall, and have the recruiting process for some go into overdrive, where for others they may be looking to wrap it up. There is going to be a ton of talent, a lot of epic matches, and some storylines to possibly pay attention to heading into the week.
The Darkhorse: VCNebraska 16 Elite
They have a number three seed in their pool, but they have a powerpacked lineup that can definitely turn some heads and make some upsets along the way. Ball control, athleticism, and firepower – what more do you need? Rebekah Allick (Title Picture) is a 2022 commit to Nebraska and setter Elle Glock is committed to USC, combine that with another pin who is touching ten feet in Whitney Lauenstein and libero Morgan Sangl and this team has multiple weapons to come after a lot of teams. VCN defeated Northern Lights 16-1 and MN Select 16-1 over Memorial Day at the Stars and Stripes Classic in Minneapolis. They finished second to Milwaukee Sting 16 Gold who will not be at AAUs as they received a bid to 16 Open at USAV.
Hidden (May be not so hidden) Gems To Watch:
Jenna Reitsma – FaR Out 16 Black – Outside Hitter
She is electric. A blend of power and shots, she will be part of a FaR Out team who will be in the hunt for some big matches come day three and four.
Madison Grace – Legacy 16 Elite – Right Side/Middle
Jumps out of the gym and is so physical at the net with her blocking and attacking. She is fun to watch and brings such great energy to the court.
Sophie Jesewitz – MN Select 16-1 – Pin Hitter
Jesewitz can go on the left or right pin. A 6’3 and a high contact point she can pin point what angle she wants to hit. MN Select has a ton of firepower that can do some damage.
Ava LeGrand – Nebraska Juniors 16 Black – Setter
Smooth. Runs the show and is always composed, and a high IQ. Will be competing with a gritty Nebraska Juniors squad.
Brooke Bolwerk setting for FC Elite (WI)Double Duty:
Some teams will be playing this week and then heading right to USAV Nationals in Indy. Northern Lights 16-1 and Michigan Elite 16 Mizuno are a couple, but an interesting one is FC Elite 16 Navy who is a bit of a late addition to the AAU field. They will definitely be a contender and will have the addition of Brooke Mosher, an Illinois commit, and Hattie Bray who is one of the top middles in Wisconsin from the Class of 2021. They were on the FC Elite 18 Navy squad that competed at USAV 18 Nationals, but since this is an AAU event, they are able to compete. In USAV, you can only qualify and compete for one team, roster rules are different between the two sanctions.
She’s Feeling Class of 22
Julia Bishop of MiElite is heading to Michigan State.Kendal Kemp of MN Select will not be able to get on her phone and text, email, and communicate with college coaches once Nationals is over. The 6’6 middle blocker and one of the top Class of 2022 prospects out of Minnesota will be going into her Sophomore year. Kemp is powerful, a physical blocker, and has been playing up on with this team for at least the past two years. Either way, she will be high on the radar of college coaches this week.
Top Lefty
Lauren Crowl of Northern Lights 16-1 might be one of the top right sides this week in 16 Open. A big left handed swing means a heavy ball to dig and a top blocker who can really shut down an opposing outside hitter. Her Northern Lights 16-1 squad does not have any players under 5’10 – yes, libero Emma Torstenson is 5’10, and really solid.
Future Spartans
Michigan State is already starting to fill up their Class of 2021 recruits and 2022. The O’Gorman sisters from FaR Out, Maradith (Class of 2022 – Right Side) and Aubrey (Class of 2021 – Middle), have been committed to MSU since last club season where another Michigan prospect in Julia Bishop from Michigan Elite 16 Mizuno just recently committed as well. Bishop is one of the top players in her class in Michigan as well as one of the top setters in the Class of 2022 across the country.