26 High Flying Pins at MEQs: 16 Open (Pt. 2)

Get that bid! Get that bid! Moving up to the 16s age group and the competition was even more cut throat at the Mid-East Qualifiers. Some of the best from all over the country traveled to Indianapolis in hopes of punching their ticket to the USAV Nationals in July. The 16 Open saw Dynasty 16 Black take the ultimate crown and a bid for July. Somehow going 10-0 on the weekend, Dynasty was on point all weekend especially with such a stacked field of competition. Let's talk about the pins at MEQs. Here are 26 of the highest of flying pins at the Mid-East Qualifiers. (PART 2) Hannah Hankerson (2024) | 5'6 OH | OTVA One of the smallest attackers in the field, Hannah Hankerson showed no problem playing with the big dogs. With great leaping abilities, Hankerson does a great job going after the block. Her play really shines on defense and in receive as well. Bailey Higgins (2024) | 5'11 OPP | OTVA The go-to south paw for OTVA, Bailey Higgins has a lot of pop to her game. She makes great contact with the ball and can rip the ball anywhere on the court. Higgins also holds up quite well in the reception line. Alivia Skidmore (2024) | 5'10 OH | NKYVC This NKYVC team was a blast to watch in action. A huge reason why was the play of Alivia Skidmore on the outside. She can jump out of the gym and she can hit just about any set you give her. Despite her size, Skidmore was crushing the ball over the block more times than not. https://x.com/LineShotVBall/status/1507431453386227716?s=20&amp;t=tJuB7pZuItxvZRpNaBYkDA Rachel Van Gorp (2024) | 5'9 OH | KC Power En route to a top 3 finish at MEQs, KC Power was powered behind the arms of a dynamic left side duo. Part of the duo, playing six rotations, Rachel Van Gorp did not disappoint. She plays the entire game at a very high level, passing was on point and her attack was crazy. Hope Hickman (2024) | 6'1 OH | KC Power Rounding out the pin duo, Hope Hickman is a great 1-2 punch alongside Van Gorp. Her offensive game was very good with a high reach and follow through on the ball. Hickman was a go-to for her prowess on the left side. Morgan Gaerte (2024) | 6'4 OH | Team Pineapple This is a player you cannot miss. She's large and she's in charge. Just as advertised, Morgan Gaerte exceeded expectations this weekend. Given her size, she can dominate at the net. What was even more impressive was her back court play. Gaerte played elite defense throughout the weekend and was a constant option throughout the back row. https://x.com/LineShotVBall/status/1507893365706313730?s=20&t=tJuB7pZuItxvZRpNaBYkDA Makenzie Wagner (2024) | 5'10 OPP | UNION Walking court to court, you get to see some gems that you didn't expect to see. Makenzie Wagner was a definite gem from MEQs. Another big time lefty in the 16 Open, Wagner is a huge piece to this UNION offense and rightfully so with her type of power. A strong hitter that can score on a variety of shots, Wagner also has a tough top spin serve. Emma Schelah (2024) | 6'2 OPP | NC Academy Another pretty big pin in Indianapolis was NC Academy's Emma Schelah. On the right side, Schelah was a monster to come in contact with throughout the weekend. Her blocking was on point and pretty elite. Not only was her block huge, but so was her swing. Often times Schelah was able to swing over the block and score in big moments. Zoe Strachan (2024) | 6'0 OPP | VA Elite Continuing on the trend of go-to lefties in this group, Zoe Strachan was another big time player for her respective team. She brings a lot of heat in her swing and its pretty unstoppable if you so happen to come in contact with it. Strachan can play the complete game and played some great back court defense. https://x.com/LineShotVBall/status/1507432992171597828?s=20&t=tJuB7pZuItxvZRpNaBYkDA Lauren Harden (2024) | 6'3 OH | REV One of the most aggressive attackers was definitely Lauren Harden. You can't miss her when she's soaring through the clouds and bringing down the thunder. Harden is a physical attacker that has some incredible hops and impressive strength in her swings. Whether its in system or out of system, her approach to the ball is always strong. Kylie O'Brien (2024) | 5'10 OH | OVA Kylie O'Brien was a fun player to watch for OVA. A steady force on the court, she plays every asset of the game very well. A solid passer and reliable option on the left. O'Brien is more than trusted by her team to put a ball away, especially out of system. O'Brien sees the block well and makes some smart cuts. https://x.com/LineShotVBall/status/1507436523771334674?s=20&t=tJuB7pZuItxvZRpNaBYkDA Stevie Henderson (2024) | 6'2 OPP | OVA Right alongside O'Brien, Stevie Henderson is another fun player to watch. She's one of the more dynamic of opposites to see in this field. Her mechanics on the right side were gorgeous to watch, very fluid with great footwork and a nice high swing. Henderson has a heavy arm and knows how to hit a deep corner shot. Ava Utterback (2024) | 6'0 OH | Circle City Circle City knows how to produce an elite outside hitter, Ava Utterback is a perfect example of why. She's the complete package anyone could want on a team. Her passing and defense makes it seem like Circle City is running with two liberos at all times. Her hitting is impressive too with the way she approaches the ball hard, every time, but you never know what kind of shot she'll pull out to score. https://x.com/LineShotVBall/status/1507442015985930245?s=20&t=tJuB7pZuItxvZRpNaBYkDA