“Nebraska Nice” in Minneapolis for Northern Lights Qualifier
Nebraska nice. The good life. Whatever Nebraska slogan you subscribe to, there’s no denying that teams from the Cornhusker State took some great volleyball on the road for the Northern Lights Qualifier last weekend. Of course, these are all teams…
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Continue ReadingNebraska nice. The good life. Whatever Nebraska slogan you subscribe to, there’s no denying that teams from the Cornhusker State took some great volleyball on the road for the Northern Lights Qualifier last weekend.
Of course, these are all teams that I’ve seen before this season. This is my base camp, after all. But there was something about the way Nebraska squads performed at NLQ that felt different and new. It was special. And, best of all, it resulted in some championships and bids at the end of the event.
So, this one is for the Nebraska family, and for all the teams and players that brought that “Nebraska nice” energy to this national qualifier.
The Bids
After all the NLQ excitement, we’ve added some Nebraska teams to the list of those who have qualified for nationals. See you in Indy!
In yesterday’s roundtable discussion, I mentioned the special weekend that unfolded for Premier Nebraska 16 Gold. What a journey. This has been a season fraught with challenges for 16 Gold since the early infancy of the 2022 season in mid-January. You’d never know it by the way this team performed in Minneapolis, though, because 16 Gold seemed to go into NLQ with an exemplary attitude and an expectation that they would succeed in the end. A podium finish and a Nationals bid followed.
Mia Tvrdy Mia Tvrdy 6'0" | MB Papillion-La Vista | 2024 State #35 Nation NE was quite simply one of the most impactful players in the entire gym last weekend. The whole dynamic changes when she rotates into the frontcourt. Her extraordinary ability to terminate off of one foot has Tvrdy running some unique attacking patterns, including a “front slide” to the A-gap that you just don’t see every day at the club level. I get so excited about these things.
The Tvrdy ROOF for the win!
Never a dull moment for @Premier16_G! 17-15 in the third! pic.twitter.com/aQUvFz0507
— Austin Kingsley (@KingsleyATK) March 20, 2022
You also have to give a shoutout to Morgan Glaser Morgan Glaser 6'0" | OH Papillion-La Vista | 2024 State NE for stepping in for this big moment with 16 Gold. She has spent much of the year with 16 Black but did not hesitate to make an impact when her name was called for a 16 Gold squad that is finding the right formula in the wake of injuries. It also helps that Glaser has played her high school ball with Tvrdy and skilled setter Reagan Hickey Reagan Hickey 5'8" | S Papillion-La Vista | 2024 State NE . It just works!
What an unbelievable weekend for @Premier16_G!
After all the drama, a bid has been secured! #NLQ pic.twitter.com/8eKFbDeNrX
— Austin Kingsley (@KingsleyATK) March 20, 2022
Now, you’ve noticed that I just mentioned Premier Nebraska 16 Black. How about that championship run?
I documented much of 16 Black’s journey in our full bids and champions recap. Those unforgettable bracket matches against TAV Houston 16 Adidas and Iowa Rockets 16R always stick with me. It felt like this team just couldn’t be denied after those two gauntlet matches, and the emphatic sweep over A5 in the 16 USA title helps support this.
16 Black got valuable contributions from just about every source. I loved watching Shandy Faalii Shandy Faalii 5'7" | OH Lincoln East | 2024 State NE take on a six-rotation attacking role, and she put away some really tough swings on the left side throughout the event. Eleanor Brislen Eleanor Brislen 5'11" | OH Omaha Westside | 2024 State NE remains a go-to attacker for this team, and Aaliyah Bradford Aaliyah Bradford 5'4" | S Lincoln Southwest | 2024 State NE ‘s distribution was excellent once again.
Another bid in the bank for @Premier_VB!@premier16black is going to the 16 USA finals! #NLQ pic.twitter.com/551ZkkmkPk
— Austin Kingsley (@KingsleyATK) March 20, 2022
Then, of course, there’s Nebraska ONE 15 Synergy, a 15 Open team that certainly had some dramatic matches of its own. In that aforementioned recap of the event’s bid winners, I pointed out the bounceback that was necessary for 15 Synergy to earn a bid after dropping one of NLQ’s most hotly contested matches against Drive Nation 15 Red. It’s easy to have another letdown after such a grueling battle, but 15 Synergy showed its maturity and team unity to take third place and secure the final Open bid.
This run for Nebraska ONE was built on one major premise: this team does not make big mistakes. They will play smart, low-error volleyball and absolutely wear down any opponent across the net. Anna Jelinek Anna Jelinek 5'9" | DS/L Norris | 2025 State NE ‘s ball control is such a valuable asset for 15 Synergy, and she is also a reliable attacker in out-of-system situations. And, on those perfect passes that Nebraska ONE often produces, you want to set Natalie Wardlow and Lexi Hasselbalch every chance you get.
Sweet victory for @We_are_NEONE 15 Synergy!
The tough loss in pool play is quickly remedied by a third-place match victory and a Nationals bid!
Nebraska all over NLQ this weekend! pic.twitter.com/nWv3YbP6nU
— Austin Kingsley (@KingsleyATK) March 20, 2022
The Best of the Rest
The list of Nebraska’s top performers goes on and on.
- Nebraska Elite 16 Lokahi‘s constant improvement continues, and they just narrowly missed out on advancing to Gold pools in
16 Open. Ironically, Iowa transplants like Alizabeth Jacobsen and Molly Romano continue to push this squad forward. I also love watching Nora Wurtz Nora Wurtz 6'4" | MB DC West | 2024 State #109 Nation NE and Carly Ries tear it up in the frontcourt. - Premier Nebraska 15 Gold had a great showing in Minneapolis. Abbie Hagedorn Abbie Hagedorn 5'11" | RS Omaha Skutt Catholic | 2025 State NE ‘s attacking range was on full display throughout the event, and Rya Borer keeps putting together brilliant performances at libero.
- Premier also showed its serious depth throughout the 16s age group, with Premier Nebraska 16 Silver putting up a podium finish in 16 American and Premier Nebraska 16 Red placing top five in 16 Liberty. We’re going to keep featuring athletes from these two groups in the coming weeks.
- The 17 Elite and 18 Elite divisions were not part of the qualifier pool, but Nebraska teams still flexed their might in these fields. VCNebraska 17 Elite walked away with a 17 Elite title after prevailing in every match they played throughout the tournament. Meanwhile, VCNebraska 17 Black and VCNebraska 18 Elite also claimed top-three finishes in their respective divisions.