GJNC Previews: Madfrog 17’s N Green
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 60 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.
Madfrog 17s’N Green
Madfrog 17’s N Green is arguably one of the strongest teams in the state and it heads to Las Vegas with a real chance of bringing the gold medals of the 17 Open division back to Texas. The group of players led by head coach Michele Tucker has been on fire in 2021, winning 56 and losing just six matches so far. The team based in the Dallas area had success in out-of-state tournaments, triumphing at the Triple Crown Volleyball NIT in Missouri and taking silver at the Big South in Georgia. They were also third at both the Sunshine Volleyball Classic and the Texas President’s Day Invitational.
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Players to Watch
Maya Duckworth Maya Duckworth 5'9" | OH Birdville | 2022 State #49 Nation TX – Outside Hitter – HS: Birdville – 2022
Maya Duckworth Maya Duckworth 5'9" | OH Birdville | 2022 State #49 Nation TX ‘s stats with Birdville are her calling card. In three seasons with the strong high school team, she registered 1,552 kills, 1,316 digs, 1,224 passes, 165 blocks and 69 aces. The 5’9” Duckworth can do-it-all on a volleyball court and her offensive game is a joy to watch as she brings a lot of power to both her approach and her contact with the ball, being an extremely explosive player. She ranks second on our 2022 Prep Dig State Rankings and has committed to play for Iowa State at the collegiate level.
Ana Heath Ana Heath 5'11" | S Wylie | 2022 State #97 Nation TX – Setter/Right Sider – HS: Wylie – 2022
Ana Heath Ana Heath 5'11" | S Wylie | 2022 State #97 Nation TX comes right after Duckworth at third on our 2022 Prep Dig State Rankings for good reason. She’s one of the best well-rounded players in the state as she double duties as a setter and right sider for Madfrog 17’s N Green and makes a difference on both roles. Her touch on the ball is as clean as it gets and at 5’11” and with a lot of firepower on her left arm, she’s hard to stop on offense as well. Her high school stats at Wylie show 1,179 kills, 688 digs, 684 passes and 659 assists show how versatile she is. The University of Arizona has noticed that too and scooped her for their college team.
Ifenna Cos-Okpalla Ifenna Cos-Okpalla 6'2" | MB Marcus | 2022 State #123 Nation TX – Middle Blocker – HS: Marcus – 2022
Ifenna Cos-Okpalla Ifenna Cos-Okpalla 6'2" | MB Marcus | 2022 State #123 Nation TX has everything one would look for in a middle blocker. At 6’2”, she’s big enough to dominate the net but is also fast and coordinated to take her game to the next level. Offensively, she has a really high contact point and a quick arm that make her difficult to be stopped. She’s also got a really interesting ability to make herself available even when in transition. Her potential is sky-high and Texas A&M not only took note of it but also secured a commitment from Cos-Ospalla, who ranks seventh on our 2022 Prep Dig State Rankings.