Part 1 NLQ: 15 Open Athletes With Tweetworthy Performances
After each weekend, I like to give a little glimpse behind the curtain of how some of the articles I write come together. I take plenty of notes on my “Notes App”, but I also make sure to note names…
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Continue ReadingAfter each weekend, I like to give a little glimpse behind the curtain of how some of the articles I write come together. I take plenty of notes on my “Notes App”, but I also make sure to note names on my Twitter page throughout the event that I can come back to. These are some of the 15 Open athletes I noted on my Twitter page. This past weekend I had a mission of finding top athletes I haven’t seen play live much or maybe even hardly at all. What is exciting about 15s is that there is so much that changes from week to week. With how these high level athletes work, they will improve quickly, I will see gains the next time I see these names take the court. Here is part one of 15 Open athletes and the tweetworthy performances.
Class of 2025 Kelly Kinney from @BoomersVB is one of the top players in the 15s division. Heavy swing, dynamic is an understatement #nlq pic.twitter.com/2xZ2Vk1ETN
— Chris Fitzgerald (@PrepDigChris) March 19, 2022
Kelly Kinney – Boomers Volleyball Academy BVA 15 Mizuno
Kinney was one of the top players in the 15s division as a six rotation outside for Boomers Volleyball Academy out South Florida (Pompano Beach). Kinney is a bad ball hitter, meaning she can make the third contact a heavy swing, especially out of system. When their side of the net is in system Kinney can run multiple routes and tempos where she is powerful and highly efficient. A deadly combo to score points. An exciting athlete, she is definitely on the radar already for some high powered programs.
More names to know in 15 Open at #nlq
Elle Heckenlively – @Premier_15Gold
Maddie Tripp – @FCEliteVB
Abbie Hagedorn – @Premier_15Gold
Sarah Mendoza – @DriveNation_Dfw
BreAnna McMillan – @TriangleVB— Chris Fitzgerald (@PrepDigChris) March 19, 2022
Cadence McDonald- Drive Nation 15 Red
Sarah Mendoza – Drive Nation 15 Red
Dynamic and left handed, McDonald had a big weekend for Drive Nation while they punched their ticket to an open bid to nationals. I actually saw McDonald when I wasn’t even watching their court. Seeing a lefty come for a two ball in the middle and put a hard swing on it definitely caught my attention. McDonald can swing from multiple spots in the front row. She is an option on the left side in serve receive, is very terminal from the right and out of the middle. Sarah Mendoza is the libero for Drive Nation and I actually saw her performance when things weren’t going in favor of Drive when they played Premier Nebraska 15 Gold which was their only loss of the weekend. Mendoza had such consistency, even when things weren’t going well for her side of the net. I love being close to the court because I can see and hear the interactions between teammates. Mendoza is engaged with her team and is such a steady contact.
Watching a lot of 15 Open today (and other gold pool contenders). Some names to know at #nlq
Natalie Wardlow – @We_are_NEONE
Anna Jelinek – @We_are_NEONE
Katie Raymer – @TriangleVB
Cadence McDonald – @DriveNation_Dfw pic.twitter.com/Mb70LHq75I— Chris Fitzgerald (@PrepDigChris) March 19, 2022
Natalie Wardlow – Nebraska One 15 Synergy
Anna Jelinek – Nebraska One 15 Synergy
This was such a fun team to watch. They are disciplined, skilled, and have a strong chemistry where there is such a flow to this squad. It’s Nebraska volleyball. These athletes can do it all. Wardlow is a middle blocker who was a major presence in the front line. She’s 6’4 and can move really well with a fast arm. Her hitting efficiency has to be through the roof with how she can see the open spot and put it on the money. Jelinek is the high flying outside hitter who can do the same with putting her swing on the money, she can hit a dime on the court. She has a high contact point and a whip of an arm swing. This is a team to watch with plenty of players who are just volleyball players, they have an extremely high IQ and will be in the open division in Indy this summer.
Maddie Tripp – FC Elite 15 Navy
Tripp moves so easily around the court where this 2025 setter gets her hands to every ball. She knows how to anticipate the next contact and with her footwork and IQ she knows how to get it done. FC Elite 15 Navy made it to gold pools on Sunday and were in the hunt for an open bid, they will be heading to MEQ this upcoming weekend where some of the top teams in the country will be. Tripp and fellow setter, Alexa Hernandez will be key pieces to this scrappy squad out of Appleton, WI where they have the firepower to compete with the best when they can stay in system.
BreAnna McMillan – Triangle 15 Black
Another swiss army knife type of player, where she can set and swing. In the front row, she brings a left handed swing with a scoring impact and can really make a presence at the net with her block. In the backrow she sets and her overall athleticism has such an impact on the court. She’s confident, has a great feel for the game, and knows how to get her teammates involved. This Triangle team definitely has some pieces that will pose problems for other high level teams to compete against.