17 USA Contenders to Watch at USAV Nationals

It's going to be a busy few days of 17s action in Indianapolis. Yesterday, we resumed our GJNC previews by starting a discussion of some USA division teams to watch. Our first subject was <a href="https://prepdig.com/2022/06/16-usa-contenders-to-watch-at-usav-nationals/">16 USA</a>, and now it's time to climb up to the 17s. Based on what we've already seen throughout the 2022 season, we have a few strong championship candidates in this field. So, like our other features, we're going to talk about a few of those contenders here. Look out for these squads when 17 USA matches get rolling at Nationals.   TAV Houston 17 Adidas It has been a great all-around year for TAV Houston, and that should be evident in the 17 USA division. After locking up a late-March bid at Pacific NW, 17 Adidas will look to bring another trophy back to the Lone Star Region. Opposing teams will have to deal with a variety of strong points from the TAV Houston lineup. Setter Abigail Montes has had an incredibly flashy year while setting the up-tempo offense of 17 Adidas. She meshes well on gap plays to middle blockers [player_tooltip player_id="178668" first="Ariana" last="Goode"] and Yamari Thomas, who have quickly become major contributors to the TAV Houston attack. Look for Emmalynn Montes and Olivia Waggoner to thrive on the pins, too, as this team doesn't just run through the middles. I anticipate that more 17 Adidas athletes will come to the forefront by the end of Nationals. This squad is stacked.   MAVS 816 17-1 We have reason to believe that Kansas City will be well-represented among GJNC champions. Perhaps MAVS 816 will add to the list. This 17s team has challenged itself throughout the season, both in Open divisions and at arguably the year's toughest tournament at Triple Crown NIT. 816's big triumph came with a 17 USA championship at Show Me, firmly positioning MAVS to have a 17 USA frontrunner in Indianapolis. A look at film helps reveal where this championship came from. Any one of MAVS 816's attackers can go off at any moment. [player_tooltip player_id="152126" first="Emma" last="Siron"] has been terminal on both pins this year. [player_tooltip player_id="152143" first="Addi" last="Bybee"], meanwhile, is showing her aptitude as a go-to opposite. If middle blockers are your thing, look for Maya Fergerson and [player_tooltip player_id="152174" first="Allie" last="Kennedy"] to provide big momentum plays at the net. And, in a club that's built through good ball control, we can't forget to mention [player_tooltip player_id="120027" first="Sidney" last="Kacsir"]'s steady leadership at libero. That's surely a lot to watch out for, but MAVS 816 is built for a title run.   OT 17 T Aaron We've got to get Florida in the mix here. There's no shortage of OTVA squads to talk about leading up to GJNC, and 17 T Aaron looks poised to make a run in 17 USA. A tournament championship at MEQ backs up what this Sunshine State group is capable of. Multi-talented hitters are everywhere on this OTVA roster. Jaliyah Cohnes has made a habit of putting down massive swings on the right and in the middle. The team can also lean on left-side hitter Kinsley Warbritton for out-of-system scoring as well as backcourt defense. Jordan Bunce and Rylee Johnson have had solid showings as Warbritton's counterparts on that outside pin. Physical frontcourt might be the key to winning it all in Indy, and that trend would certainly favor 17 T Aaron in this division.   [caption id="attachment_200575" align="alignright" width="400"]<img class="wp-image-200575" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2022/06/Gabrielle-Moulton4-crop-1164x764-1654698465-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="400" height="263" /> Moulton at the Prep Dig Open.[/caption] Mintonette m.72 I've gotten used to seeing Mintonette wherever I go. There's nothing wrong with that. Mintonette m.72 has impressed at a variety of events, from national qualifiers to our own Prep Dig Circuit. A top-three finish at MEQ propelled the Ohio squad into GJNC, and there are few 17 USA teams with more live tournament experience. m.72's aggressive mindset can be seen in setter [player_tooltip player_id="141692" first="Gabi" last="Moulton"], who is always eager to be part of the offense on the second contact. She dishes some nice balls, too, and physical hitters like Paige Mock and McKenzie Hall have amassed several highlight moments in 2022. Don't overlook the impact of the backcourt, either, with [player_tooltip player_id="169507" first="Abbey" last="Queen"] and Kyleigh Bryant shouldering a lot of defensive responsibilities. It won't be a long journey to Nationals for Mintonette, and they just might make the 17 USA division their new home.   Sky High-Adidas 17 Elite I got plenty of early-season looks at this Sky High team. Now, I'm interested to see how it all comes together for 17 Elite in the 2022 finale. [caption id="attachment_139568" align="alignright" width="400"]<img class="wp-image-139568" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2021/04/DSC04953.jpg" alt="" width="400" height="267" /> Duyos[/caption] After plenty of ventures in Open competition this year, Sky High will get a look at the 17 USA field in Indy. With the talent on this roster, I like the team's chances. The middle duo of Tricia Kennedy and Avary DeBlieck has been particularly impressive lately, while [player_tooltip player_id="138663" first="Campbell" last="Paris"]' physical presence allows her to play a variety of frontcourt positions. Allyson Panzloff and [player_tooltip player_id="138666" first="Chelsea" last="Williams"] will take care of business on the left pin, and [player_tooltip player_id="138664" first="Maggie" last="Duyos"] ties everything together at setter. Few teams will be more battle-tested than Sky High heading into 17 USA competition, and that could be a good omen for the Illinois squad.   Areté 17 Navy Telos Here's another Texas team that has put together an impressive track record throughout the 2022 season. Areté enters the 17 USA fold after securing a podium finish at the Show Me Qualifier. The team has also added a strong finish at MEQ and will likely elevate its level of play once again in Indianapolis. Strong defense has become a hallmark of 17 Navy Telos' success. Savannah Dent absorbs a lot of contact in the crosscourt and will give her team plenty of transition scoring opportunities. Areté also gets a ton of backcourt contributions from left-side hitter Ella Nowlin and defensive specialist Jessica Canavan. With more steady contributions from these gritty competitors, 17 Navy Telos has a shot to make some noise at GJNC.