What we learned during the 2019 club season

<p>Just like that, the 2019 club season has concluded.</p> <p>It seemed like just yesterday that we were breaking down rosters.</p> <p>With the club year ending in Indianapolis last week and players now turning their attention to the fall, it’s important to think about all we saw during the club season.</p> <p><strong>Best of the best</strong></p> <p>There was no bigger storyline in Michigan’s club season than Legacy 18-Elite. Entering the start of the year, this team had a lot of promise on paper with no glaring weaknesses and they didn’t disappoint throughout the club season. A 72-4 record during the season led to the AAU National Championship and a No. 1 ranking nationally. Michigan could say it had the <a href="http://bit.ly/2JMsT2d">best club team in the nation</a>, a label Legacy carried for most of the year. Stacked with Division 1 talent, Legacy had a pair of 2020 players that will be on display this fall in Mercy’s <strong>Jess Mruzik </strong>and Brighton’s <strong>Celia Cullen</strong>. We can expect to see members of this Legacy team continue to make an impact on the national stage for years to come.</p> <p><strong>Breakout Stars in 2021</strong></p> <p>There were plenty of notable individual performances this club year, many by names were already were well aware of or expected big things from. However, 2019 saw some new stars emerge that you should keep an eye on heading into the prep season. In the Class of 2021, Michigan Elite had a number of Mercy stars shine. <strong>Charlie Atiemo </strong>really asserted herself as one of the top middles in the class while outsides <strong>Kaylin Collins </strong>and <strong>Ellie Tisko</strong> showed a lot of improvement during the club year to make the Mercy hitting depth look even stronger for the fall. For Legacy, another middle stood out as <strong>Reagan Goeke </strong>had a big year. The 6-2 Lake Orion product proved to be more than just size this club year, as she showed a lot of improved athleticism and court awareness. On the outside, <strong>Sydney Palazzolo </strong>and <strong>Jenna O’Brien </strong>had standout years for Legacy. Palazzolo was a big hitting presence for 16 Elite and will be a big part of the Eisenhower team this fall. O’Brien competed for 16 National, but really turned a lot of heads and will take her improved skills to Regina during the prep season. Out West, <strong>Anna Butler </strong>had a breakout year for FaR Out. The 5-11 middle/outside from Byron Center was a pleasant surprise for a team that already had a lot of hitting. Butler proved she can compete with the best and really rose to the occasion in big matches.</p> <p><strong>Breakout Stars in 2022</strong></p> <p>In the Class of 2022, <strong>Kimani Johnson </strong>really shined toward the end of the club year. The Michigan Elite right side has become a complete force at the net and I’m excited to see what she will do at Cass Tech. <strong>Sarah Sylvester </strong>and <strong>Jessica Mondragon </strong>also were impressive for Michigan Elite. Sylvester is a talented middle that is finding her groove right now and should have a big 2019 year at Marian, while Mondragon looks like she can really be a big asset for Northville this fall with a big hole being left in the defense. Speaking of defense, Legacy 15 Elite libero <strong>Josie Bloom </strong>is a name that continues to garner steam. The Notre Dame Prep product had a great club year and was a consistent passer for Legacy. She will be part of a very talented back row with the Irish this fall. On the outside, <strong>Audrey Brown </strong>drew a lot of eyes for her play. The 6-foot hitter from Seaholm brought a lot of power on her attacks, but knew the right time to mix up speeds.</p> <p><strong>The future is in good hands</strong></p> <p>Michigan has been continuing to improve in developing top-level recruits over the years and that trend will continue when you look at what we saw from the class of 2023. Four different programs (Legacy, FaR Out, Michigan Elite and TeamD) from Michigan landed in the <a href="http://bit.ly/2YcAvyv">top 35 of the AAU Junior Nationals</a>. Legacy 14-Elite would go on to finish third at the USAV Nationals a week later for Michigan’s first Open medal since 2003. Of all the players in the state, it was <strong>Harper Murray</strong> that seemed to shine the most on the big stage. The 6-1 outside has a familiar name and is likely to be a name to watch this fall while alongside sister, Kendall Murray, at Ann Arbor Skyline.</p>