GJNC Previews: HJV 16 Elite
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The most important moment of the season is just around the corner for teams from the 15s, 16s and 17s age group from around the country as the USA Volleyball Girls Junior National Championship will take place at the Las…
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Continue ReadingThe most important moment of the season is just around the corner for teams from the 15s, 16s and 17s age group from around the country as the USA Volleyball Girls Junior National Championship will take place at the Las Vegas Convention Center from June 26-July 5.
As many as 728 teams are expected to compete in the 15 divisions for these three age groups and the state of Texas will, of course, be well-represented in the tournament with more than 50 teams expected to make the trip to Nevada.
During the next few weeks, we’ll use this space to present the Lone Star state representatives in the tournament, recapping their performances during the club season and highlighting some of their top prospects.
HJV 16 Elite
A product of the Houston Juniors Volleyball Club, HJV 16 Elite will head to Las Vegas with great momentum after a solid season. The team that has Olympic bronze medalist Tara Cross-Battle as its head coach performed really well in each tournament it appeared at, securing 26 wins and only 10 losses. The positive record helped the team making deep runs in each event as their finish in the season was fourth-place and the best was arguably the second place they got at the Adidas Lone Star Classic.
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Players to Watch
Sydney Jordan Sydney Jordan 6'3" | OH Ridge Point | 2023 State #44 Nation TX – Outside Hitter – HS: Ridge Point – 2023
Sydney Jordan Sydney Jordan 6'3" | OH Ridge Point | 2023 State #44 Nation TX is a rare case of a player that combines great size with a nearly flawless skill set at such a young age. A 6’3” outside hitter, she has all the tools to succeed, starting with a prolific and reliable offensive game. Jordan will be a handful to deal with just because of her size but she also got a lot of options on her arsenal and is very smart with her shot selection, even more when she’s hitting from the back row. Don’t sleep on her passing and digging game either as it also contributed to rank her sixth on our 2023 Prep Dig State Rankings.
Arissa Smith Arissa Smith 6'1" | MB Ridge Point | 2023 State #105 Nation TX – Middle Blocker – HS: Ridge Point – 2023
Physicality is the first that stands out to anyone watching Arissa Smith Arissa Smith 6'1" | MB Ridge Point | 2023 State #105 Nation TX play. A big and long-armed middle blocker, she uses all of her natural gifts to dominate the net for HJV 16 Elite. Her great mobility and her impressive leaping ability make of her an exceptional blocker and all of that athleticism are also extremely helpful on the offensive side of the game as Smith is really hard to block due to her tremendous reach and heavy arm. She currently ranks 21st on our 2023 Prep Dig State Rankings but could get a lot higher on the list if she continued improving as she has.
Cindy Tchouangwa Cindy Tchouangwa 5'11" | OH Tompkins | 2023 State #45 Nation TX – Right Sider/Outside Hitter – HS: Tompkins – 2023
Cindy Tchouangwa Cindy Tchouangwa 5'11" | OH Tompkins | 2023 State #45 Nation TX comes right after Smith on our 2023 Prep Dig State Rankings at 22nd and that reflects her importance for HJV 16 Elite. She’s equally effective on both pins and has been mostly used on right with the team. A six-footer, Tchouangwa has tremendous reach and routinely hits over the top of opposing blockers. She’s also got a great wrist and a heavy arm, which give her the ability to hit the ball hard and place it anywhere she wants.