Volleyball Teams Go Fishing for National Titles in Land of 10,000 Lakes
MINNEAPOLIS – When teams qualify for the USA Volleyball National Championships, there is usually some sort of on-court celebration either at a regional qualifier or the region bid tournament.
That wasn’t the case for Nebraska ONE 13 Titanium, which will be one of 20 Nebraska club teams taking part in the championships beginning Tuesday, June 24 and running through July 3. Nebraska ONE Titanium fell one spot short of earning an automatic bid to the national championships when it finished third in the 13s division of the Great Plains Region Bid Tournament back in May.
A few days afterward, however, Titanium got the news it had been hoping for. A reallocation bid for the 13s in the National division opened up, which allowed Premier 13 Gold to move up a division and opened a spot for Titanium to compete in the American division.
While there was no on-court celebration after a heart-pounding match or anything like that, Titanium coach Mark Kirlin said his team was still plenty excited and ready for the opportunity.
“I think it was harder on the girls than me,” Kirlin, also the Nebraska City head volleyball coach, said. “When we finished third at the bid, I was fairly confident that a reallocation bid would get to us since first and second would already qualify. I am actually surprised that there wasn’t two bids.”
Titanium begins plays in Minneapolis June 26-29 and enters the 48-team 13 American field as the 23rd seed.
“When anyone asks me about Titanium, I always say that I have had more fun this year coaching club than I have ever had. I am blessed by a great club director who fosters an excellent culture; wonderful, supportive parents; a great assistant coach who challenges them; and hard working, amazing players, who have bought into what I want them to do,” Kirlin said. “I cannot begin to describe how much these girls mean to me. What makes them good is their fire and their amazing athletic ability. Their chemistry is amazing and they get along really well. You have to be able to put the ball (to the floor) against them or you will not beat them.
“I expect them to play well and be competitive. If they play the way they are capable, they can easily finish in the top 10. They are itching to play. “
Teams representing Nebraska Elite, Nebraska Impact, Nebraska ONE, Club Legacy, Omaha Wave and Premier are taking part in the USAV Girls Junior National Championships at the Minneapolis Convention Center.
Age groups with Nebraska teams competing range from 12s up to 18s. In the age groups, there are different levels of competition, starting with the Open division, followed by National, USA, American and Patriot divisions. Teams compete in progressively more difficult pool play the first three days with bracket play the fourth and final day.
Only one team from Nebraska qualified in the highest division – Open – and that was Nebraska Impact 141 Banzai.
A pair of Nebraska teams are legitimate national title contenders in their respective age divisions and levels. Premier 17 Gold enters play in the 17 National division as the top-seeded team in the 48-team tournament. In the 13 National division, Nebraska Elite 131 Thunder is the #2 seed in their 48-team tournament.
Below is a list of all teams competing and their initial pool play assignments.
18 National – June 28-July 1
Premier 18 Black – Seeded 26th out of 48 teams. Initial pool-play opponents: TVC 18 Elite, Jamba 18, TAV Blue, Velocity 181, Columbia Juniors Black.
Nebraska Impact 181 – Seeded 41st out of 48 teams. Initial pool-play opponents: NORCO 18 Black, Imi Ike 182, OP2 18 Smack, Northern Lights 182, Ignite 18.
18 USA – June 28-July 1
Premier 18 Gold – Seeded 14th out of 48 teams. Initial pool-play opponents: Bakersfield 18s, Club 5280 18 Black, Club Tonka 181, TX Tornados, TIV.
18 American – June 28-July 1
Omaha Wave 181 – Seeded 37th out of 48 teams. Initial pool-play opponents: Club H 18s, SMASH 18s, AJV 18 Cedar Park, Vision Blue 182, SWVBC G18.
17 National – June 29-July 2
Premier 17 Gold – Seeded 1st out of 48 teams. Initial pool-play opponents: FRVBC 17 Silver, Ho’opa Hawaii 17s, Venetian Bay 17s, CVA 17 Silver, Chaska Juniors 171.
17 American – June 29-July 2
Nebraska Impact 171 – Seeded 17th out of 48 teams. Initial pool-play opponents: Topeka Saints 17 Blue, Tribe 17 ROX, Asics Willowbrook 17 Red, FC Elite, Delaware Juniors.
16 National – June 30-July 3
Premier 16 Gold – Seeded 19th out of 48 teams. Initial pool-play opponents: Ignite 16 Elite, Red Rock 161, AJV 16s, NH Seacoast 16 Black, Beach Elite 16B.
16 American – June 30-July 3
Nebraska One 16 Charge – Seeded 12th out of 48 teams. Initial pool-play opponents: Sky High 16 White, IPVA 16 Black, Texstar 161, Bemidji Black Ice 161, Absolute Black 161.
15 National – June 25-28
Nebraska Elite 151 Revolution – Seeded 14th out of 48 teams. Initial pool-play opponents: SC Midlands 15 Elite, Gainesville 15 Elite, The Diff 15 Black, SWVBC G151, ECJ 15 Elite.
15 American – June 25-28
Premier 15 Gold – Seeded 45th out of 48 teams. Initial pool-play opponents: Coast 152, SA Magic 151, SLAM/PVA 152, IMUA MB Smack 151, Iowa Rockets 15 Black.
14 Open – June 24-27
Nebraska Impact 141 Banzai – Seeded 27th out of 32 teams. Initial pool-play opponents: Northern Lights 141, Vision Gold 141, SG Elite Roshambo 141, Tribe 14 ROX, Skyline 14 RSB Royal, A5 Mizuno 141, Rockwood Thunder 14s.
14 National – June 24-27
Premier 14 Gold – Seeded 23rd out of 48 teams. Initial pool-play opponents: Beach Elite 14B, A5 Mizuno 142, AZ Sky 14s, Midwest Penguins 141, MAVBC 14s.
14 American – June 24-27
Nebraska Elite 141 Havoc – Seeded 25th out of 48 teams. Initial pool-play opponents: Springfield 14 Blue, Cincy East 14, A5 South 141, Skyline 14 RSB Black, Boomers 14 Black.
13 National – June 26-29
Nebraska Elite 131 Thunder – Seeded 2nd out of 48 teams. Initial pool-play opponents: Bonneville 13s, MVA 13 Elite, Iowa Rockets 13 Black, Cape Coast 13 Elite, A5 Mizuno 132.
Premier 13 Gold – Seeded 10th out of 48 teams. Initial pool-play opponents: SSVBC U13 Black, WA Lightning G13, Attack 131, Alamo 13 Premier, OVA 13 North Elite.
13 American – June 26-29
Nebraska ONE 13 Titanium – Seeded 23rd out of 48 teams. Initial pool-play opponents: Club West 13s, TX Tornados 13s, Skyline 13 RSB Black, Cobb Atlanta 131, Stingray Black 131.
12 National – June 27-30
Premier 12 Gold – Seeded 21st out of 48 teams. Initial pool-play opponents: C1VB 12 Regional, TAV 12 Black, SF Tremors 121, Iowa Rockets 12 Black, NKYVC 12 Tsunami.
12 American – June 27-30
Club Legacy 12 ROX – Seeded 19th out of 48 teams. Initial pool-play opponents: Prime Time 12 Pandas, Miz LB 12 Mizuno, 659 Extreme Red 121, Woodlands Wave 12UA, EC Power 12 Periwinkle.
Nebraska Elite 121 Fusion – Seeded 20th out of 48 teams. Initial pool-play opponents: Milliani 12s, SF Juniors RoShamBo 121, AJV 12 Mizuno, El Paso Diggers 12 Pink, Brandywine BAM.
Premier 12 Black – Seeded 21st out of 48 teams. Initial pool-play opponents: I AM VBC 121, CVC 12 Black, Madfrog 12s N Black, Michio Chicago 12 Nat’l, ClubSolano Shock 121.