15s Teams Headed to Vegas
Later this week volleyball teams from across the country will descend upon Las Vegas for the USAV Girls Junior National Championships. The first age groups to go are 14s and 15s. At the 15s age level, there are nine Badger…
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Continue ReadingLater this week volleyball teams from across the country will descend upon Las Vegas for the USAV Girls Junior National Championships. The first age groups to go are 14s and 15s. At the 15s age level, there are nine Badger Region teams competing across four divisions. There will be a high level of play for all traveling out to Vegas and the “heat” of the competition should match the 115-degree weather out west!
Here is a breakdown of the 15s teams attending the USAV GJNC.
Milwaukee Sting 15 Gold – Qualified Open
This team has an incredible amount of talent and it is no surprise that they qualified for the open division. Four of their athletes: Claire Luoma Claire Luoma 5'8" | DS/L Franklin | 2024 State #85 Nation WI (libero), Lilly Wagner Lilly Wagner 6'0" | S Oconomowoc | 2024 State #42 Nation WI (setter), Anna Bjork Anna Bjork 6'3" | MB Oconomowoc | 2024 State #54 Nation WI (middle) and Melia Johnson Melia Johnson 6'2" | OH Slinger | 2024 State #140 Nation WI (middle) will be training with the USAV National Team Development Program later this summer.
Olivia Kwiatkowski Olivia Kwiatkowski 6'0" | OH Oconomowoc | 2024 State WI is an explosive pin with a high swing and great shots. Setter Ellarose Safar has a lot of ball control and great natural hands. She is fast and pushes the ball pin to pin. Their roster boasts 12 athletes with major talent across the board. They will be fun to watch compete in Las Vegas!
FC Elite 15 Navy – Qualified National
This FC Elite team is gritty and has a lot of power. They are really cohesive as a team and it shows in their tough matches. Setters Bryn Janke Bryn Janke 5'10" | S Wisconsin Dells | 2024 State WI and Emerson Van Lannen Emerson Van Lannen 5'10" | S Appleton North | 2024 State #144 Nation WI both play a major role on the team. Bryn has great hands and makes smart, precise sets. Emerson is gritty and betters the ball every time she touches it. Olivia Baierl Olivia Baierl 5'8" | DS/L Howards Grove | 2024 State WI is a solid libero who excels on serve receive and is scrappy in the backcourt. Pin hitter/middle Annalise Patchett Annalise Patchett 6'0" | OH Fox Valley Lutheran | 2024 State WI is a power hitter who manufactures kills for this talented team.
Milwaukee Sting 15 Black – Qualified National
This team has had a lot of success this season. They have a well-rounded team that is highly competitive in tournaments both big and small. Setters Mahek Grewal Mahek Grewal S Brookfield Academy | 2024 State WI and Emily Bruss Emily Bruss 5'9" | S Pulaski | 2024 State WI run a clean court with crisp and accurate sets. They work hard to set their hitters up for success. Pin hitter Briana Binagi Briana Binagi 5'10" | OH Kettle Moraine | 2024 State WI brings solid power and a good arm swing to the court. She also is a great defender. Olivia Wyma Olivia Wyma 6'4" | MB Arrowhead | 2024 State WI has only continued to improve throughout her career. As a middle, she is an effective blocker and makes good plays off her sets.
FC Elite 15 White – Qualified American
This FC Elite team will compete at a really high level in the American division. They are a really dynamic team with a lot of athletes who can play multiple positions. Libero Izabelle Shea Izabelle Shea DS/L Xavier | 2024 State WI is scrappy in the back row and keeps a lot of amazing balls alive. Nena Swoboda and Olivia Neumann Olivia Neumann 6'3" | MB Xavier | 2024 State WI are talented middles who get great touches as blockers and stay engaged in every play. They placed second this year in both Badger Region Championships (15 Open) and Badger Region Power League (16 Select).
Milwaukee Sting 15 White – Qualified American
This age group is very deep and this Sting white team has had a lot of success this season including placing 3rd in Badger Region Champs (15 Open), 2nd in Adidas BLuegrass Tournament (15 Club Blue), and 3rd in the Central Zone Invitational (15 Club Red). Pin hitter Brylee Leverenz Brylee Leverenz 5'10" | S Waukesha West | 2024 State WI is dynamic in all six rotations. She has a great swing but is also solid as a passer and in serve receive. Middle hitter Sophia Nowak Sophia Nowak 5'10" | MB Arrowhead | 2024 State WI has huge amounts of potential. She is a competitive blocker and puts down powerful swings as well.
1W Bay 15 Mizuno – Patriot Division
This is a team that has grown and improved every time I have seen them play, most recently at the Navy Pier Asics National Volleyball Championships where they placed 5th. Madison York is a huge asset to this team as a lefty right side. She has great contact on the ball and puts up a strong block. Maddy Kreider is a class of 2025 setter who has great ball control and is very consistent. Pin hitter Brynn Frappier Brynn Frappier 5'8" | OH Seymour | 2024 State WI has a great vertical and huge potential as an all-around athlete.
Midwest Penguins 15 Black – Patriot Divison
This team has a lot of power on the pin. Ellie Schumacher Ellie Schumacher 5'9" | OH Lake Country Lutheran | 2024 State WI can pound a ball and has great power. Addie Leffler has a deep arsenal of shots and is great in out-of-system plays as well as out of the back row. Abby Bauer is a gamer who can play competitively across the net. She has a huge vertical and is a great blocker. Middle hitter Ella Skogman Ella Skogman 6'2" | MB Waukesha West | 2024 State WI seals the net very well from pin to pin and stays engaged in nearly every play on the court. This team has competed at a high level this season and is set to have a successful and competitive run at nationals.
Midwest Penguins 15 Red – Patriot Division
This Penguins team is scrappy. While they don’t have a lot of huge hitters, they outwork a lot of teams which earns them wins. Brooklyn Higgins is a pin with a lot of potential. She hits great shots and is great in defense, serve receive, and offense. Libero Anna Miller is scrappy and has a great platform. Middle hitter Faith Hudson has made incredible progress after a season-ending ACL injury in 2020. She is fast, athletic, and moves across the net effectively and efficiently. She puts up a great block and is a leader on this team.
SWVBC G15 Blue
Unfortunately, I did not have the opportunity to watch Southwest play this season, and am looking forward to covering them at nationals!