Nebraska Teams Secure Nationals Bids at Great Plains Regionals
We’ve got more Nebraska teams headed to Nationals! The Great Plains Regional Bid Tournament provided another opportunity for squads from the Cornhusker State to secure their spots at Nationals. I was excited to spend some time in the gym over…
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Continue ReadingWe’ve got more Nebraska teams headed to Nationals!
The Great Plains Regional Bid Tournament provided another opportunity for squads from the Cornhusker State to secure their spots at Nationals. I was excited to spend some time in the gym over the weekend to see these teams battle in such a high-stakes environment. Many of the teams at GPR have already had good showings at USAV National qualifier events, and this latest event was a chance to put everything together.
So let’s give a shoutout to some of the top-performing teams that competed in the Bid Tournament.
18s
The parity we saw in the 18 Bid field was remarkable. It’s a testament to the evenness of these teams and the depth of Nebraska athletes in this age group.
Premier Nebraska 18 Black had a busy Sunday slate, but it culminated in four wins and a trip to Phoenix next month. This team prevailed in tough battles against Nebraska Elite 18 Crossfire and Nebraska ONE 18 Black to steady their course toward a Nationals bid.
Let’s talk about that Nebraska ONE 18 Black team. It’s a roster full of players who have made their mark on the Nebraska prep game, and now they’ve earned a shot at the Nationals field. It was an easy Sunday road for this group, but you can usually rely on this veteran group to pull through in the end. Wins over Nebraska Elite and Club Legacy got the job done.
You also have to be impressed by what VCNebraska 18 Elite put together at this event. The #1 seed in the pool promptly put together three clean sweeps to simplify their route to the top. Business as usual from this talented bunch.
17s
In the 17s Bid race, a clear leader emerged.
Premier Nebraska 17 Black punched their ticket to Indianapolis with four wins Sunday, and they did it while only needing to overcome one set loss all day. That set loss came to Club Legacy 17 Alpha, a team that posted a strong showing and a second-place finish in the four-team pool. Do not overlook this 17 Alpha team!
Nebraska ONE 17 Black will also make a Nationals trip from this group. Indeed, the list of Nationals-bound teams from this club just keeps growing, and I’m anxious to see where the journey leads for 17 Black.
16s
Nebraska’s 16s teams are really starting to find a rhythm. Look out!
It was yet another fabulous weekend for Premier Nebraska 16 Silver. The whole month of March has been that way for them, actually. 16 Silver rocketed through the 16 Bid pool without dropping a set, which was fitting retribution for coming up just short of a bid at NLQ. This team has proven itself yet again.
NVA Navy 16 Alex deserves some praise after earning a pair of hard-fought wins against Nebraska Elite from the #5 seed. We’ve also got Premier Nebraska 16 Red poised to make an Indy trip after Sunday’s performances, so it’s safe to say that the Premier docket for Nationals is filling up quickly!
@Premier16Silver is coming off a podium finish at NLQ and is looking for more here in Lincoln! pic.twitter.com/TNz3APlCGw
— Austin Kingsley (@KingsleyATK) March 27, 2022
15s
The 15 Bid pool had a similar “redemption” feel that the 16s group had.
Premier Nebraska 15 Gold was another one of those teams that found themselves just barely on the outside of the NLQ bid chase. They entered their pool as the #1 seed and only had to secure two emphatic sweeps to end Sunday’s slate.
And, once again, it’s a full house of Premier bid-earners with Premier Nebraska 15 Black and Premier Nebraska 15 Red also locking up Indy trips in this group. To recycle a familiar phrase: the gang’s all here.