2021 Club Overview – Michigan Volleyball Academy

The 2021 club season is in full swing now after a delayed start and a late high school finish. With teams finally getting their legs under them, it should make for a productive spring in terms of growth and success. That certainly applies to Michigan Volleyball Academy, a Grand Rapids-area club that showcases some of the best talent in the state. Here’s a closer look at their top squads in 2021 and how the start to the 2021 season is going. <h4>18 Black</h4> MVA 18 Black is a team full of future talent at the next level. Currently with four Division 1 signees, this team has a lot of explosive hitters. Leading the way is 2020 Miss Volleyball finalist [player_tooltip player_id="14203" first="Addie" last="VanderWeide"] (Iowa), who brings it all to the court and commands the floor very well. [player_tooltip player_id="14172" first="Mackenzie" last="Gross"] (Eastern Michigan) gives the team a great 1-2 punch on the outside while [player_tooltip player_id="50294" first="Sophie" last="Plate"] (Grand Valley State) and [player_tooltip player_id="89357" first="Rachel" last="Carlson"] (Aquinas) are proven commodities as well. [player_tooltip player_id="50315" first="Riley" last="Hoffman"] (Syracuse) has a lot of great options to set to and she knows how to feed them the ball and succeed. Kennedy Hoffman is a 2022 setter that’s getting a great chance to grow her came this club season while facing the best of the best. In the middle, [player_tooltip player_id="50301" first="Tatum" last="Otolski"] (Robert Morris) and Haley Toigo have the size and length to be game-changers. In the back row, [player_tooltip player_id="50318" first="Julia" last="Bouma"] and Amanda Hilliker (Hillsdale) play very well alongside the outsides. The President’s Day Classic didn’t exactly go as planned, but MVA still grabbed a win along the way. The Central Zone Invite was a much better showing and should be more like what we can expect in upcoming events in March. This squad has good leadership and known winners. It will find its way to a win streak soon. <h4>17 Black</h4> There’s a lot to like about the hitting for 17 Black, starting with 2022 middle Brooklyn Conner, who is a verbal at Clemson. Conner stands 6’3”, jumps 10’3” and can reach 8’2”. She has Ava Horton and [player_tooltip player_id="92235" first="Alena" last="Whittaker"] backing her up in the middle. [player_tooltip player_id="24836" first="Cayden" last="Anschutz"] and [player_tooltip player_id="92236" first="Josie" last="Teslaa"] each see time at setter, as 17 Black has a diverse lineup to work with. On the outside [player_tooltip player_id="91614" first="Tori" last="Melpolder"] is a strong arm that can finish points and defend well. [player_tooltip player_id="92234" first="Avery" last="Toole"] and Abigail Zylstra also bring a strong all-around game and are capable of taking over a match. Defensively, Sierra Nausieda and Hannah Lourido have a lot of confidence in their coaches to make plays in the back row and keep long rallies going when needed. It has been a rocky road thus far in 2021, but 17 Black showed some resolve at the President’s Day Classic in St. Louis and ended its weekend with a solid victory. They can build on that in the weeks to come to showcase their potential. <h4>16 Black</h4> This squad is all 2023 prospects outside of setter [player_tooltip player_id="110292" first="Zoey" last="Dood"], a talented 2024 setter that is a lefty and can touch 10’0” and stands 6’1”. Dood has a lot of the tools to excel at her position. [player_tooltip player_id="66343" first="Corrie" last="Wisser"] is a talented 2023 setter playing alongside her as well. When it comes to hitting, [player_tooltip player_id="108759" first="Raegan" last="Lantz"] is a featured piece on the outside, as is RS [player_tooltip player_id="66324" first="Shelby" last="Porter"]. Cathryn Haven and Allison Wekema provide some depth with a lot of explosion on the outsides. In the middle, Kamryn Burbridge stands 6’1” and provides a 9’11” jump. Makenzie Ritsema is another 6’1” middle 16 Black has, giving them a terrific pair to work with. Defensively, [player_tooltip player_id="108758" first="Kate" last="Hotaling"] handles libero duties while Isabella Cole and Emma Costello provide depth in the back row and service line. 16 Black hasn’t had a chance to really see what it has against in-state competition yet. The team has taken some lumps in the Central Zone Invite and President’s Day Classic in St. Louis. It will be interesting to see how they respond to the slow start and if they push through to hit their potential. <h4>15 Black</h4> This squad is comprised of all 2024 prospects outside of 2025 outside hitter Layla Visser. Visser already can jump 10’0” and has a lot of upside. She brings a lot of explosion along with fellow pin hitters [player_tooltip player_id="110307" first="Morgan" last="Kaiser"] and [player_tooltip player_id="110333" first="Isabel" last="Whittaker"]. Hanna Bredeweg and [player_tooltip player_id="110324" first="Grace" last="Spoelma"] both are in the mix at setter with this team running a 6-2, and each can be aggressive offensively. In the middle [player_tooltip player_id="110311" first="Ava" last="Krist"] and Melina Teunis provide good length for offensive and defensive play at the net. Defensively, [player_tooltip player_id="110290" first="Hope" last="Davies"], Rachel Larsen and [player_tooltip player_id="110322" first="Taylor" last="Smaka"] all are capable players as they have experience at outside hitter and are transitioning to strictly defensive play this club season. The season started well for 15 Black, as they went 5-2 in the Michiana Open Power League starter, but they have had some struggles in regional events like the Central Zone Invite and the President’s Day Classic in St. Louis. There’s still a lot to like for this 9-10 team, as they have strong pin hitting and balance. Look for a lot of improvement over the rest of the club season.