18 Open Pool Breakdown of Top Athletes Vying For a Bid in Chicago
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Volleyball at the 18 Open level is a completely different ball game. Most of these athletes are heading to high powered programs and have been among the best their entire careers. Rosters filled with Division 1 talent, high school and…
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Continue ReadingVolleyball at the 18 Open level is a completely different ball game. Most of these athletes are heading to high powered programs and have been among the best their entire careers. Rosters filled with Division 1 talent, high school and potentially college All Americans, the best of their class. This weekend in Chicago will be the start of the 18s starting their journey to qualify for the Open Level at USAV Nationals May 1-3 in Reno. Circle City, MN Select, FC Elite, and M1 finished last year in the top four of the 18s and will be looking to find success yet again. However, Milwaukee Sting, Legacy, and local favorites from 1st Alliance, Adversity, Michio, and Sky HIgh will be making a major push as well. Here is a breakdown of the Girls Winter Volleyball Championships in Chicago.
Pool 1
Legacy at NLQ in 2019Legacy 18-1 Adidas
TI Elite 181
Metro 18 Travel
BEV 18 Empire
Legacy out of the Detroit area had an 18s team last year that was the story of club volleyball in 2019, winning qualifier after qualifier as well as winning the 2019 18 Open AAU National Title. Their 17s squad was one of the best in the country as well and will be a major contender heading into 2020. With a lineup full of athletes who can grab the rim of a basketball hoop, two major athletes to keep an eye on are 6’3 setter Alexa Rousseau (Northwestern) who is a major threat whenever she touches the ball with the ability to attack and dish to multiple weapons. One target she will be dishing plenty to is Kendall Murray, a Michigan commit who is a really special athlete to watch approach and fly. Murray is extremely terminal and dynamic and always provides Legacy with an option to score. Legacy will be a heavy favorite in this pool as well as a team to claim one of the first bids of the season.
Pool 2
WI Juniors 18-1
Michio Chicago 18 National
MI Elite 18 Mizuno
KeAloha 18 Azare
The roof is on 🔥🔥🔥 Karina Leber is @WiJrs pic.twitter.com/aTSq8uZyaL
— Chris Fitzgerald (@PrepDigChris) March 3, 2019
Wisconsin Juniors has always made noise at national tournaments and will be looking to snag an Open bid with a group who has been playing together for years. They will be led by their Colorado State recruit out of the middle in Karina Leber who is extremely physical at the net, especially off one foot. Pin hitter and IUPUI recruit, Maddie Haines is a big time point scorer from the left or right side and is also someone you have to respect out of the backrow. Setter Karlee Lois is dangerous at the net as a crafty lefthander who connects extremely well with Leber and another IUPUI recruit, Emily Alan out of the middle and can find the open spot in the corner as well. Michio out of Chicago is always a contender and this year will have plenty of solid ball control starting with libero, Mairead Boyle (Western Michigan). With a solid first contact, Michio can get in system with middle Laila Wallace, a Radford commit. Michigan Elite will be led by setter, Elizabeth Norris who will head to North Dakota as well as libero, Gracie Danziger from the Class of 2022 heading to Michigan State.
Elise Goetzinger of @stingvb1988 has evolved so much in the past year. The @KentuckyVB recruit has a bright future! pic.twitter.com/PQK9hTFwld
— Chris Fitzgerald (@PrepDigChris) February 17, 2019
Pool 3
1st Alliance 18 Silver
TVC 18 Black
Circle City 18 Purple
Milwaukee Sting 18 Gold
1st Alliance out of the Chicago area has always been an Open contender and this year 18 Silver will be coming in with plenty of top athletes out of the area with St. Marys (CA) commit in setter Elizabeth Sandt. She will be distributing to explosive rightside Amia Owolabi, who can really sky with a quick left handed swing. Faith Johnson has always been a steady outlet from the pin as well and will be going to Akron. Milwaukee Sting 18 Gold will be heavily favored in this pool as well to be playing big matches come Monday with multiple high powered recruits featuring outside hitters Aubrey Hamilton (Notre Dame) and Class of 2022 outside hitter Mckenna Wucherer (Minnesota). Their front line power will be tough to match along with gritty libero, Erin Powers who will head to UAB.
This dive…Molly Schultz of @MNSelect gets a diving kill. She is committed to @KUVolleyball #SCtop10 pic.twitter.com/vT24yMGxyi
— Chris Fitzgerald (@PrepDigChris) March 2, 2019
Pool 4
MN Select 18-1
Vision 18 Gold
Adversity G18 Adidas
MN Select has plenty of length and athleticism to compete at a high level. Elizabeth Helmich is one of the best right sides in the region with a powerful left-handed swing that can score points in bunches. Jordan Stalpes is extremely solid in all six rotations with a big arm on the outside and will be an impact player at Nebraska-Omaha in the Summit League. One of the top athletes will be libero Molly Schultz who will head to Kansas. Adversity will be one of the top teams in the country and will be a team ready to play some key matches late in the weekend. Penn State commit Rachel Muisenga will be running the offense and two of her top attackers will be BYU commit, Leilani Dodson and Clemson commit, Camryn Hannah. Hannah might be one of the most exciting players to watch all weekend with her ability to fly from anywhere in the front row (and can set too). Hattie Monson is one of the top Senior liberos in the nation and will be heading to Notre Dame.
Pool 5
Brooke MosherSky High Adidas 18 Black
Mizuno M1 18
FC Elite 18-Elite
The Sky High Adidas 18 squad was an exciting group to see last year with athletes who are extremely dynamic. Setter Taylor Jakubowski has a motor like none other and one of her go to attackers will be UNLV commit on the right side Trinity Sheridan who can sky to the ball. M1 out of the Minneapolis metro may have one of the top academic teams in the field with athletes heading to some of of the top academic schools in the country with Kathleen Bishop, a 6’3 right side force committed to Princeton, Christine Jurgens on the pin who will head to University of Chicago, and Sarah Luong who was on the 18 Open team last year who will head to Emory out of Atlanta. FC Elite out of the Appleton, WI area may have the youngest teams in the field with only two Class of 2020 athletes on the roster. Despite their youth, they will not be short on talent with the likes of Big Ten commits in Brooke Mosher from the Class of 2021 heading to Illinois and Class of 2023 libero, Saige Damrow who will head to Wisconsin. Hattie Bray, a 2021 out of the middle will be a dynamic point scorer and is committed to Marquette.