USAV Nationals Spotlight: Premier Nebraska 16 Black
What a run. All club national championships are now complete! We’ve got a lot of analysis, breakdowns, and top players to discuss across the site over the next several days. It helps that Nationals presented us with some elite talent…
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Continue ReadingWhat a run. All club national championships are now complete!
We’ve got a lot of analysis, breakdowns, and top players to discuss across the site over the next several days. It helps that Nationals presented us with some elite talent and riveting competition across all divisions and age groups. There’s truly no limit to the angles we could look at in the wake of these championship tournaments.
So, while club season may be over, we’re going full steam ahead to cover the players who are looking to take over the prep scene for months and years to come. Let’s get it started with a team who had a great final placing at GJNC: Premier Nebraska 16 Black!
Nationals Journey
Almost all of 16 Black’s results in the opening round of pools have one thing in common: razor-thin margins.
It was truly one thriller after another for this team to open up USAV play. Premier’s journey began Friday afternoon with a matchup against NPJ Seattle. Both teams traded blows in the first two sets before 16 Black pulled out a 15-13 win in the tiebreaker. 16 Black split the opening-day matches after falling to HJV in another 15-13 third set.
After dropping the first match of Saturday’s slate against Iowa Rockets , Premier bounced back with an intense three-set victory over Sunshine. A heartbreaking 21-19 loss in the third set against OT wrapped up the first round of pool play for 16 Black.
The second round is where Premier made its move. This trend of three-set nailbiters was no more as 16 Black began to dominate. They plowed through the second round with sweeps over Triangle and Tstreet. Premier then swept the challenge match against SA Juniors to advance to the gold bracket of 16 USA.
16 Black secured a top-three finish with a first-round win over the OT team that had defeated them earlier. Though Premier fell in the semis to A5, this 16 Black team made a huge statement with everything on the line in Las Vegas.
Key Players
Azaria Green Azaria Green 6'0" | MB Council Bluffs Abraham Lincoln | 2023 State IA has been a fun player to follow. I first saw her compete for her Abraham Lincoln High School team. She crosses the river to play club for Premier, and she’s a perfect fit for this team. Green seals blocks well and is a great option on offense in front of the setter. She also brings the kind of positive energy that can help pull her team through all those tight matches.
At setter, Skylar Walters ran the show with skill and finesse. She was undoubtedly one of the most impressive setters in the 16 USA division. Walters knows how to find the available hitters and directs the flow of her offense like a true veteran.
One of Walters’ top options throughout the tournament was Alison Butler. This terminal left-side hitter can get off the floor quickly and makes tough out-of-system swings look easy. Her top-notch connection with her setter was tough for opposing teams to stop.
I want to conclude with a shoutout to one of 16 Black’s other left sides, Caitlin McCormack Caitlin McCormack 5'8" | OH Millard North | 2023 State NE . Simply put, she found out how to come up clutch in big moments. McCormack is a six-rotation hitter who is always ready to take a swing from anywhere. This kind of all-around talent is so valuable when the trophy is on the line.
And, for this group, there may be plenty more trophies to earn in the future.