USA Wins Gold after Perfect Run at U19 Pan American Cup
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Twelve of America’s top prep volleyball athletes put together five sweeps to capture Pan American gold. It doesn’t get much better than that. It was an incredible honor to be in Tulsa to cover this incredible run to the podium…
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Continue ReadingTwelve of America’s top prep volleyball athletes put together five sweeps to capture Pan American gold. It doesn’t get much better than that.
It was an incredible honor to be in Tulsa to cover this incredible run to the podium for Team USA. The U19 roster is packed with athletes that have entertained us in a variety of club venues, and I went into more detail on that in our event preview.
There’s a new level of excitement in watching these prep stars join forces and don the USA colors in an international event. It’s even better when you factor in just how dominant this team was in Tulsa.
So, let’s take a step back and relive some of those Pan Am Cup memories. I know I’ll remember this one for a long time.
Award-Winning Trio
Three Team USA players were recognized with individual awards after helping the team win gold with a 3-0 sweep of Brazil last Saturday.
First, we recognize the MVP. Bergen Reilly Bergen Reilly 6'1" | S O'Gorman | 2023 #4 Nation SD , a future Nebraska Cornhusker and current club setter for South Dakota’s Kairos Elite, took home honors as both the best setter and the tournament’s most valuable player. Her connection with Team USA’s hitters was a treat to watch, and it probably helps that Reilly competed with many of these players on the U18 team last year. Split-block opportunities were a frequent occurrence for the USA attackers thanks to Reilly’s deceptive setting and uncanny ability to mix tempos.
We might as well talk about one of those USA attackers here, because the team also claims the best spiker of the tournament. Harper Murray Harper Murray 6'2" | OH Skyline | 2023 State #2 Nation MI , another Nebraska commit, added yet another award to her extensive resume after a brilliant week in Tulsa. Her dominance at the prep level has been nothing short of legendary, and she brought that same dominance against international competition. Murray can hit the high ball to the outside or a fast “go” set, making her the ideal L1 to score in just about any situation.
Of course, you can’t get the most out of your hitters without a strong backcourt handling first contact. Luckily for Team USA, Minnesota-bound libero Laney Choboy Laney Choboy 5'4" | DS/L Leesville Road | 2023 #10 Nation NC locked down the passing formation well enough to earn the best receiver award. Choboy is incredibly comfortable with receiving serve outside her midline and does a great job stabilizing her platform to deliver the ball on target. It’s fitting that this trio of USA award winners covers almost every important skill required to form a winning volleyball team.
Twelve Strong
Perhaps the biggest storyline coming out of Team USA’s championship run was the major contributions coming from every athlete on the 12-player roster. This is especially notable given the fewer substitutions permitted in international rules compared to club and NCAA volleyball.
The USA coaching staff frequently varied the team’s lineup between sets, allowing personnel changes to happen without using any subs. This is exciting for me because I can now talk about the highlight moments from every individual listed on the USA roster.
It’s hard to know where to begin. 2023 Stanford recruit Julia Blyashov Julia Blyashov 6'3" | OH Cathedral Catholic | 2023 State #3 Nation CA might be a good choice. This dominant outside hitter brought all the ball skills and smart shots you hope to see from an L2. With USA’s backcourt offense coming primarily from the pipe, Blyashov also made her attacking presence felt regardless of rotation.
Florida commit Kira Hutson Kira Hutson 6'3" | OH Metea Valley | 2023 State #26 Nation IL also had moments of brilliance on the outside. We already knew about Hutson’s ability to play on either pin, but she really took a step forward in the ball control phase with Team USA. Middle-back defense was a big strength for Hutson, and you probably wouldn’t want to take her out of that spot even if you had more substitutions.
2025 athlete Macaria Spears Macaria Spears 6'3" | OH Prestonwood Christian | 2025 State #5 Nation TX also turned heads when she made the final cut after training with a large field of older players. She quickly proved her value on this team with some heavy left-side swings throughout the week. I have to constantly remind myself that a tremendous athlete like Spears hasn’t even reached recruitment age.
On the topic of 2025s, the Pan American Cup was a huge moment in the international spotlight for Abigail Mullen Abigail Mullen 6'3" | RS Liberty | 2025 State #3 Nation MO . Her finest performance of the tournament came in the championship match, as Mullen put up a persistent block and carved around the Brazil block all match. It’s a testament to her maturity and poise–two traits that are always notable for a player who still has so much of their prep career left.
Amid all this talk of pin hitters, Torrey Stafford Torrey Stafford 6'0" | OH Marymount | 2023 State #20 Nation CA got a chance to show off her skills at both the left side and opposite for Team USA. She eventually became part of the setter-opposite double sub with Izzy Starck Izzy Starck 5'11" | S Rampart | 2024 State #1 Nation FL , the Penn State commit whose aggressive setting garnered her plenty of starting opportunities in Tulsa.
Okay, so now you’re waiting for some middle blockers. I’ve got you covered. Maggie Mendelson Maggie Mendelson 6'5" | MB Fremont | 2022 #9 Nation UT earned recognition as team captain on the final USA roster, and she backed that up with her floor-denting attacks on the quick. This middle blocker also has the distinction of being the only U19 player participating in college ball this fall, as she’ll join Nebraska this year after reclassifying to 2022.
Nya Bunton Nya Bunton 6'5" | MB DuPont Manual | 2023 State #7 Nation KY joins this stacked position group. Like Mendelson, this Texas commit’s best moments came in front of the setter, especially in transition. Bunton can crack down on USA’s “shoot” sets with great efficiency, and the team deserves huge props for establishing that connection during such a short training period.
Finally, Andi Jackson Andi Jackson 6'2" | MB Brighton | 2023 #43 Nation CO evolved as a bit of a fan favorite in Tulsa. Perhaps it was her incredible feats of athleticism that made the rounds in the volleyball community last week. Her contact point is truly something to behold, and she supplemented that with the refined technique required to play at the international level. The Cornhuskers are familiar with middles who are dangerous off of one foot, and Jackson is another one for the Nebraska pipeline.