Capitol Hill Classic – Recap & Standouts
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Capitol Hill Classic brought a lot of joy to Washington D.C. and allowed all teams from the East Coast and Puerto Rico to meet at one of the best volleyball events in the nation. There were over 800 teams competing and we were able to watch a lot of good matches with many talented players. Metro Volleyball Club dominated most of the ages by winning the open Gold in the 14s, 15s, 16s, 17s, and 18s. Many of the players had one of their best performances or helped their team have a successful tournament.
Erin Debiec Erin Debiec 6'1" | S Bishop O'Connell | 2024 State #92 Nation VA – 6’1 – Setter – Metro 16 Travel
Erin showed a lot of improvement in her setting skills and proved that she is one of the upcoming elite setters. She helped her team to win the Gold in the 16s open.
Lameen Mambu Lameen Mambu 6'0" | OH Chantilly | 2025 State #64 Nation VA – 5’11″ – Outside Hitter – Paramount VBC 16
Mimi has a lot of physical capabilities that will help her perform at a high level. She is a high-flying and explosive athlete with a 10’3″ approach touch. When you watch her, she makes everything look easy. Mimi has a heavy arm with a lot of power behind her swing. Her athleticism allows her to make all types of transitions from passing, covering, blocking and tipping to hitting and looking smooth.
Emmerson Sellman – 6’3 – Outside Hitter – Metro 16 Travel
Emmerson showed why she is one of the best six rotation players in her class. She is very smooth in the back row and is very dangerous in the front and the back row.
Nala Cornegy Nala Cornegy 6'3" | MB Episcopal | 2023 State VA – 6’3 – Middle Hitter – Virginia Elite 17
Nala had a wonderful weekend. She is doing a lot of work that sometimes goes unnoticed, such as pulling blocks for the pins and making smart choices on hitting. She is a huge presence at the net with an impressive vertical touch of 10’2. Her reach and block helped her team to get touches, take speed off the big attackers, and assist her team’s defense. Nala has a lot of room to develop and improve.
Kiylah Presley Kiylah Presley 6'0" | OH Bishop McNamara | 2024 State #114 Nation VA – 6’0″ – Middle Blocker – Paramount VBC 16
Kiylah is very energetic with an impressive vertical jump. She is an electric athlete who hangs in the air with her 10’5″ approach touch. She can hit any side of the net. It doesn’t matter where she is on the court, since she is always ready to swing. Her lateral movement from side to side is very fast and she has the ability to adjust to the hitter very quickly. Kiylah has a lot of promise to be one of the best players in her position.
Grace Maria Grace Maria 6'2" | OH Bishop O'Connell | 2023 State #150 Nation VA – 6’2 – Outside Hitter – Virginia Junior
Grace confirmed that she is a legit player and a very impressive athlete with a full package. She has a huge presence at court and does everything right. She is the engine of her team and helped her team to go undefeated on the 1st and 2nd day.
Macaria Spears Macaria Spears 6'3" | OH Prestonwood Christian | 2025 State #5 Nation TX – 6’3 – Outside Hitter – Metro 16 Travel
If you were not able to watch Macaria playing, I suggest doing it as soon as possible. She is good! What I mean is that she is unstoppable. She can be on any team at any level and will still make them better. The freshman makes a lot of noise with her performance.