2024s and 2025s to Follow at the Badger Region Qualifier
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The Badger Region Qualifier is going to be an exceptional event this year as teams are coming in record numbers and they had to use additional sites. Between the 2024s and 2025s, there are endless possibilities for recruiting. Some of…
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Continue ReadingThe Badger Region Qualifier is going to be an exceptional event this year as teams are coming in record numbers and they had to use additional sites. Between the 2024s and 2025s, there are endless possibilities for recruiting. Some of these teams will be getting their first taste of playing with open-level teams while others have been battle-tested and have their eyes on the coveted National and Freedom division bids for GJNC held in Indianapolis, IN this summer. So, let’s get started with some athletes that you will want to keep tabs on at the Milwaukee Sting Center this weekend.
Anna Bjork Anna Bjork 6'3" | MB Oconomowoc | 2024 State #54 Nation WI – 2024 – 6’3 – Middle Blocker – Oconomowoc – Milwaukee Sting 16 Gold
Sting 16 Gold has a lot of great talent, but Bjork provides a blend of physicality, resourcefulness, and knowledge gained from USAV development programs that have been useful in the Milwaukee Sting gym. She just gets better and better each time we see her play. Bjork along with her setter, Lilly Wagner Lilly Wagner 6'0" | S Oconomowoc | 2024 State #42 Nation WI (2024 – 6’0 – Oconomowoc), are high energy and unstoppable when they find their groove. When you add Melia Johnson Melia Johnson 6'2" | OH Slinger | 2024 State #140 Nation WI (2024 – 6’2 – Slinger) and Olivia Kwiatkowski Olivia Kwiatkowski 6'0" | OH Oconomowoc | 2024 State WI (2024 – 5’11 – Oconomowoc) on the pins and a solid first contact from Claire Luoma Claire Luoma 5'8" | DS/L Franklin | 2024 State #85 Nation WI (2024 – 5’8 – Libero – Franklin) or Jae Fitting Jae Fitting 5'8" | DS/L Cedarburg | 2024 State WI (2024 – 5’8 – Libero – Cedarburg) you have a team that is rarely playing out of system. Opposing teams really never get a break because once Bjork is out they see the likes of Rylea Alvin Rylea Alvin 6'2" | MB Randolph | 2024 State WI (2024 – 6’2 – Middle Blocker – Randolph) and they really can’t catch a break.
Ava Dean Ava Dean 5'9" | S McFarland | 2024 State WI – 2024 – 5’8 – Setter/Right Side Hitter – McFarland – Madtown 161 National
Dean impressed me at the JVA MKE Jamboree in late January and with a coach like Taylor Klinzing I am looking forward to seeing how she has developed in the last month. Dean is commonly a huge factor in their success whether she is getting the ball out of her hands lightning fast as a setter or making a smart shot to find the open court for the pins.
Brooklyn Grisolono Brooklyn Grisolono 5'8" | OH Kewaskum | 2025 State WI – 2025 – 5’8 – Outside Hitter – Kewaskum – Milwaukee Sting 15 White
Grisolono is a smart attacker and she really doesn’t make many errors. I really can’t remember her from the PD Sizzle when we had Kewaskum playing so she either made some huge gains since or she wasn’t there. She provides a great sense of consistency without being so safe she is predictable and easy to read. Every team loves to have a player like her.
Campbell Onell Campbell Onell 5'10" | RS Luxemburg-Casco | 2025 State WI – 2025 – 5’10 – Right Side Hitter – Luxemburg-Casco – FC Elite 15 Navy
I’ve had my eye out for O’nell since working with her at the Badger Region High-Performance camp. Her personality was a ton of fun and always game to demo or answer questions. I love her willingness to put herself out there to learn and grow. Initially, I saw her as a middle but I think the transition to the right side has allowed her to expand her skill set by playing off blocker defense and utilizing the slide approach.
Emerson Van Lannen Emerson Van Lannen 5'10" | S Appleton North | 2024 State #144 Nation WI – 2024 – 5’10 – Setter – Appleton North – FC Elite 16 Navy
Van Lannen, along with Lilly Wagner Lilly Wagner 6'0" | S Oconomowoc | 2024 State #42 Nation WI (Sting) and Andi Spies Andi Spies 5'10" | S Fort Atkinson | 2024 State #135 Nation WI (Capital), have been in the discussion regarding the best setters in Wisconsin’s 2024 class, and rightly so after the season, Appleton North had with Van Lannen running a 5-1 in her sophomore season. This setter puts up a decent block and has a high volleyball IQ that helps her give her attackers plenty of opportunities to terminate. With Olivia Baierl Olivia Baierl 5'8" | DS/L Howards Grove | 2024 State WI (2024 – 5’8 – Libero – Howards Grove) providing the first contact Van Lannen has the ability to run just about any tempo she wants any time she wants. This is when she finds her big weapons with the likes of Emma Nilson Emma Nilson 6'1" | MB Fox Valley Lutheran | 2024 State WI (2024 – 6’0 – Middle Blocker – Fox Valley Lutheran) and Annalise Patchett Annalise Patchett 6'0" | OH Fox Valley Lutheran | 2024 State WI (2024 – 5’11 – Outside Hitter – Fox Valley Lutheran).
Karli Molnau Karli Molnau 5'11" | MB Lake Country Lutheran | 2025 State WI – 2025 – 5’11 – Middle Blocker – Lake Country Lutheran – Milwaukee Sting 15 Gold
Molnau started her high school career off with a trip to the D3 state championship match and I would expect her to be back for more in the 2022 season. She has plenty of big-match experience whether in high school or club so she will be battle-tested before entering her sophomore season and could be a pretty huge pick-up for most college programs if she keeps developing the way she is.
Myla Unterweger Myla Unterweger 5'11" | OH Arrowhead | 2025 State WI – 2025 – 5’11 – Outside Hitter – Arrowhead – Milwaukee Sting 15 Black
I’m really excited to see a lot of the players on this Sting 15 Black team after working with quite a few at Badger Region High-Performance camp. Sting produces some really solid six rotation outsides and Unterweger is no exception. She brings a ton of solid passing and defense as well a certain level of consistency that coaches love to have around.
Sophia Wendlick Sophia Wendlick 6'0" | OH DSHA | 2024 State #100 Nation WI – 2024 – 6’0 – Outside Hitter – DSHA – Milwaukee Sting 16 Black
If we are talking about big pin hitters from Sting, we better throw Wendlick into the conversation. There aren’t many pin hitters with her length and potential to be as dominant but Sting 16 Black also has the likes of Kendall Heger Kendall Heger 6'0" | RS Muskego | 2024 State WI (2024 – 6’0 – Right Side Hitter – Muskego). I’m hoping we see Wendlick carry this fire and momentum into her 2022 high school season as well.