GJNC Previews: NPJ Seattle 16 Elite
What has been a shortened club volleyball season is coming to an end in Seattle but the best was arguably saved for the last with the USA Volleyball Girls Junior National Championship set to take place at the Las Vegas…
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Continue ReadingWhat has been a shortened club volleyball season is coming to an end in Seattle but the best was arguably saved for the last with the USA Volleyball Girls Junior National Championship set to take place at the Las Vegas Convention Center from June 26-July 5.
The event is expected to attract more than 700 teams in the 15 divisions for clubs from 15s to 17s and the state of Washington will be among the participants with at least 17 teams entered to appear in the event.
Between now the stating serve on June 26, we’ll take a look in each of those teams, recapping their club season and pointing out the players you would want to follow in the tournament.
NPJ Seattle 16 Elite
NPJ Seattle 16 Elite is one of two 16s teams from the North Pacific Juniors Volleyball Club to qualify for the GJNC. The team will compete in the 16 Patriot division in Las Vegas and will try to improve its current 11-13 win record in the club season. The group of players led by head coach Kasey Yost has a fifth-place finish at the PSR Power League as its best result this year.
Players to Watch
Naiya Gagliardi – Right Sider/Outside Hitter – HS: Kentwood – 2023
Capable of playing as a right sider, outside hitter and even middle blocker, Naiya Gagliardi offers an interesting dose of versatility to NPJ Seattle 16 Elite. The 5’9” prospect, who came from DaKine Volleyball Club, is mostly used on the right for her club team and her game also brings a lot of flexibility as she’s equally skilled on the net and on the backcourt.
Viviann Garcia – Outside Hitter – HS: Issaquah – 2023
A talented outside hitter, Viviann Garcia does a good job in adding to NPJ Seattle 16 Elite’s playing system with her defensive skills. A 5’6” outside hitter, she’s mostly praised for her digging and passing skills and she uses her ability to make the team stronger overall.
Jenessa Piekarski – Outside Hitter – HS: Tahoma – 2023
Jenessa Piekarski is another talented pin hitter to be part of NPJ Seattle 16 Elite’s squad this season. At 5’9”, she’s also very athletic and brings a lot of firepower to the team’s offense from either the left of the right side of the net. Piekarski still has a lot of room for growth on her game but is already a very efficient player.