The Open at I-X Center: Nationally Qualified Teams to Follow
On to Cleveland! I’m so excited to have another chance to cover a Prep Dig Circuit event this weekend. The I-X Center in Cleveland is hosting what promises to be a showcase of some elite talent from around the Great…
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Continue ReadingOn to Cleveland!
I’m so excited to have another chance to cover a Prep Dig Circuit event this weekend. The I-X Center in Cleveland is hosting what promises to be a showcase of some elite talent from around the Great Lakes region, and I’ll be going into this event with a bit of prior knowledge on a few of these teams. That’s because The Open features some nationally qualified squads that will be competing on club volleyball’s biggest stage in Indianapolis this summer.
Let’s identify some of those teams here. This will be a good opportunity to evoke a few memories from past events, as well as get a glimpse at which teams could be the newest Prep Dig Circuit champions after this weekend.
Legacy 17-1 Adidas
This Legacy team is nothing short of notorious, with the floor-denting outside duo of Harper Murray and Nina Horning leading this squad to so many event championships. I’ll be interested to see which lineups 17-1 Adidas deploys in Cleveland after locking up a 17 Open bid at MEQ earlier this year. What a great venue for a little Nationals prep.
@LegacyLvc 17-1 Adidas notches another victory, this time over Premier Nebraska! #TCVolleyballNIT pic.twitter.com/Cv0QRP9cW8
— Austin Kingsley (@KingsleyATK) February 20, 2022
Legacy 15-1 Adidas
Seeing this 15s team at Triple Crown NIT earlier this year was a huge eye-opener for me. Few squads in this age group can boast the kind of rising stars that Legacy has. From Campbell Flynn at setter to Gabriella DiVita on the outside, it’s no wonder why this team secured an Open bid at the Sunshine Classic.
Can’t say enough about the physicality and power of @LegacyLvc 15-1. A clear contender for the 15s crown. #TCVolleyballNIT pic.twitter.com/OHkL1oRSqB
— Austin Kingsley (@KingsleyATK) February 21, 2022
Mintonette m.71
Here’s a team that’s still fresh on my mind. I was in Kansas City earlier this month to see Mintonette m.71 swipe the final 17 Open bid at the ultra-competitive Show Me Qualifier. Players like Lauryn Bowie and Eloise Brandewie continue to anchor an intimidating frontcourt for this physical squad.
The final Open bid of the Show Me Qualifier goes to @MintonetteSport m.71!
A win in the fifth-place match sends Mintonette to Nationals in 17 Open. pic.twitter.com/liXMUB0xqO
— Austin Kingsley (@KingsleyATK) April 11, 2022
Mintonette m.51
This is yet another Mintonette team that consistently impressed me at a national qualifier earlier this year. We saw a huge group of standout players from m.51 at NLQ in Minneapolis, and I’m thrilled to get another look this weekend. Keira Steininger continues to have a spectacular year in the libero jersey, and the strength of middle blocker Taylor Bahnub will also be worth watching.
AVC CLE Rox 17 White
AVC is one of the clubs here that will be looking to put up some “home territory defense.” 17 White is a good candidate to do this, and we’ll also see them compete for a 17 American title in Indianapolis later this year.
AVC CLE Rox 16 Blue
16 Blue has a 16 Freedom bid heading into the summer, so The Open should be another great chance for this squad to hone its skills. We’re going to learn a lot about these Ohio Valley Region champions this weekend, and 16 Blue is a team that I’ll have my eye on.
MKE Sting 16 Gold
We all had a feeling that the Nationals bid breakthrough was coming for MKE Sting 16 Gold, and it just arrived at Windy City a couple of weeks ago. Intimidating frontcourt players like Anna Bjork and Madison Quest are complemented perfectly by the superior ball control of Lilly Wagner and Claire Luoma. I can’t wait to see this squad again.
MKE Sting 15 Black
Sting will have some good representation at Nationals this summer, with 15 Black joining the fold after earning a 15 USA bid at NLQ. Myla Unterweger has been a stout six-rotation pin hitter for 15 Black this year, while Isabella Perkins has held things down in the backcourt.
ECJ 15-1
ECJ has a 15 American bid from the Ohio Valley Region, and this club will be an exciting scouting opportunity for me. Players like Bella Puchmeyer and Sofia Smotek already have some big-time high school experience, and I’m interested to see how that translates to Eastside.