More 18’s To Watch At The 2021 Resolution

We will peruse the Badger region to learn about some of the 17/18s teams and rosters that will be competing January 2nd-3rd at the Community First Champion Center.  With a fun mix of clubs, we predict an exciting season opener for these teams.  We also plan to have plenty of content rolling during the tournament, so keep your eyes peeled for tweets from Prep Dig Wisconsin and your favorite scouts! And, if your team isn’t featured today, don’t worry! There is more to come and coaches can send previews of your team to spikeitdown@hotmail.com .  Impact 18 National  [player_tooltip player_id="117312" first="Rachel" last="Mueller"] Photo Credit: Breit Nelson The team will be directed offensively by Heidi Colburn (2021 – 5’9 – Oshkosh North) and Kellyn Kennedy Kellyn Kennedy 5'9" | S Appleton East | 2021 State WI (2021 – 5’9 – Appleton East). Colburn has a solid volleyball IQ and Kennedy keeps the opposing defense on their toes.  Joining them is an absolute superstar personality Rachel Mueller Rachel Mueller 5'9" | OH Oshkosh West | 2021 State WI (2021 – 5’9 – Oshkosh West).  She is a top-notch defender who is also a big scorer on the pin.  Mueller has several shots in her tool belt and will probably be a key pin for Impact. But there is so much more to this team than these three.    Lauren Borchardt Lauren Borchardt 5'8" | OH Manitowoc Lincoln | 2021 State WI  (St. Norbert) and Natalie Buser (2021 – 5’3 – Oshkosh West) are two keys for Impact. Borchardt is another formidable pin hitter who will play a factor on offense. Buser has been playing with some big talent on her high school squad which will prove beneficial being able to play with solid players year-round.    Payton Uptagraft Photo Credit: Breit Nelson Alyssa Koska Alyssa Koska 5'8" | OH Bay Port | 2021 State WI  (Maryville),  Emma Mullins Emma Mullins 5'8" | OH Hortonville | 2022 State WI  (2022 – 5’8 – Hortonville),  Rachel Reed Rachel Reed 5'9" | S Shawano Community | 2021 State WI  (2021 – 5’9 - Shawano) and Payton Uptagraft (2022 – 6’0 – Oshkosh North) round out the big weapons. Uptagraft is an above-average defender who blocks and gets so many great touches. Mullins and Reed will benefit from a quick offense Kennedy likes to run.   Midwest Penguin 18 Black  The sole 18’s team in the Penguins program is ready for a final hurrah in 2021. Many of their players weren’t able to participate in a true high school season and are licking their chops to compete again. It will be led by 6-rotation right side  Abby Fregien Abby Fregien 5'7" | OH Waukesha West | 2021 State WI  (2021 – 5’7 – Waukesha West). She is one of those players who made the most of the season by almost reaching the 1,000 career digs mark. She displays a strong serve, can pass with the best of them, and displays a number of shots.   Ella Chevalier Photo Credit: Breit Nelson We also know  Hailey Boelter-Eberhardt Hailey Boelter-Eberhardt 5'8" | S Pewaukee | 2021 State WI  (2021) is eager to play after Pewaukee opted out of the fall high school season. She will run the team from the setter position. Middle blocker Ella Chevalier (2021 – 5’10 – Hamilton) had a strong high school season taking the Division 1 State Title.   Cassandra Luedtke (2021 – Beaver Dam) will be another potential attacker who can swing in the middle as well as the pin.    Brigid Straub Brigid Straub 5'10" | RS Waukesha South | 2021 State WI  (2021 – 5’10 – Waukesha South) has the skills to contribute on the pin and defensively.   Haley Allen Haley Allen 5'10" | OH Beaver Dam | 2021 State WI  (2021 – 5’9 – Beaver Damn),  Marissa Reynolds Marissa Reynolds 5'11" | OH Arrowhead | 2021 State WI  (2021 – Mukwonago), and  Ally Longden Ally Longden S Pewaukee | 2021 State WI  (2021 - Pewaukee) will play important roles for 18 Black this year on the pins and defensively.   Motion 18 BLU  [player_tooltip player_id="80787" first="Megan" last="Hawthorne"] Photo Credit: Breit Nelson Motion has been building quite a reputation the past couple of years.  They have many high-level athletes led by a pair of soon-to-be Germantown grads/Bemidji commits  Sophia Brown Sophia Brown OH Germantown | 2021 State WI  and  Lauren Sitter Lauren Sitter MB Germantown | 2021 State WI .  Brown had a solid high school career and can block with the best of them, while Sitter brings another level of tenacity to the net.  On the pins, Motion will have two top scorers in  Makayla Eckel Makayla Eckel RS Kenosha Bradford | 2021 State WI  (2021 – 5’10 - Bradford) and  Kayla Lewinski Kayla Lewinski 5'10" | RS Sussex Hamilton | 2021 State WI  (University of Mary - ND).  Both have shown the ability to score and are smart players who pound the seam or use the block.   Abby Gardner Abby Gardner 5'9" | DS/L Mukwonago | 2021 State WI  (UW-Green Bay) is a strong defender and has a high volleyball IQ partnered with super quick agility.  Chloee Epker (2021 – 5’10 – Shoreland Lutheran) is among the top setters in the state and does a great job in set selection.  Megan Hawthorne Megan Hawthorne OH Sussex Hamilton | 2021 State WI  (2021 – Hamilton) will also play an important role on this team after ending her high school career with a state title.