Previewing the GEICO Girls Volleyball Invitational

High school volleyball is coming to a television near you.   As we continue to progress in the media coverage of volleyball at all levels, this weekend's tournament at Papillion-La Vista South represents another milestone. The opening match of the GEICO Volleyball Invitational will be broadcast live on ESPNU, while the succeeding three matches will stream on ESPN+. This national coverage brings even more anticipation to this stacked event.   The teams participating in this invite should bring quite an exciting product to the big screens. A quartet of teams from coast-to-coast will converge in Omaha for a showcase of the rising quality of prep volleyball in the United States. I can't wait to take it all in.   So, with four different states represented among the four teams, let's get everyone acquainted.     The Home Team   Papillion-La Vista South has long been one of Nebraska's volleyball juggernauts.   That powerhouse status was on full display last fall when the Titans earned the Class A state championship without losing a single match all year. It's an accomplishment that few programs in the country can claim, but Papio South has pulled this off multiple times throughout its storied history.   Now, the Titans enter this weekend with a 22-4 record and are still dominant despite some impactful graduations from last year's squad. Any team looking to slow down Papio South has the tough task of shutting down two D1-bound outside hitters in [player_tooltip player_id='59192' first='Stella' last='Adeyemi'] (Hawai'i) and [player_tooltip player_id='109585' first='Lauren' last='Medeck'] (South Dakota). Both of these extraordinary pin hitters will also put their six-rotation skills on display, so don't lose track of whoever is in the backcourt.   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://x.com/KingsleyATK/status/1543283271919861769?s=20&t=RkCKHP5gHgp9cp8gn-oK_A </div></figure>   Offensive balance will be a storyline to watch as Papio South looks to other attackers besides its left sides. We'll surely see [player_tooltip player_id='152854' first='Morgan' last='Bode'] make a splash at the middle blocker spot, and Ava Greene has been another efficient scorer in the frontcourt. All of this offense will be backed up by a stout back row that is anchored by Rutgers commit [player_tooltip player_id='59198' first='Makenzie' last='Dyrstad'] at libero.     Idaho Dynasty   Skyview High School from Nampa, Idaho, is set to face Papio South in the tournament's opening match. It's bound to be quite a contest.   My familiarity with this team largely stems from watching Idaho Crush during this year's club season. With so much club-to-high school synergy on the Skyview roster, I'd expect some high-level play from these intermountain visitors.   One of the most exciting prospects competing in Omaha this weekend is Skyview's junior outside hitter, [player_tooltip player_id='201009' first='Alex' last='Acevedo']. Acevedo made headlines a few years ago when she committed to Oregon as a seventh grader--back when the old recruiting rules allowed you to do that. The star attacker has proven herself ever since then, and her near-.400 hitting percentage this year helps demonstrate how difficult it is to slow her down.   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://x.com/KingsleyATK/status/1487436209936863237?s=20&t=RkCKHP5gHgp9cp8gn-oK_A </div></figure>   Another athlete I'm excited to watch again is junior setter [player_tooltip player_id='201008' first='Alex' last='Bower']. It's become a Bower family tradition to run the show at Skyview, and Alex is clearly the next in line. And, like her older sisters, Bower will take her talents to BYU at the next level.   Of course, we'll likely have a few more standouts to discuss from this team. Freshman Bellamie Beus has been lighting up the stat sheet and is second on the team in kills behind Acevedo. This youthful impact is impressive given that the rest of the roster is made up of juniors and seniors.     Shark!   The next team on the docket hails from way down in Florida. Ponte Vedra brings a fascinating lineup to the fold this weekend, headlined by one of the most efficient attackers in the entire country.   I can't wait to get another live look at [player_tooltip player_id='98990' first='Zeta' last='Washington']. The senior superstar made an instant impression way back in January when she competed with OTVA at Omaha's Northern Lights Qualifier. Now she's headed back to the Big O on the high school side, and her final year with the Sharks has been astonishing. Through 13 matches, Washington is putting down nearly five kills per set on a 0.632 hitting clip. Yes, that number is real.   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://x.com/KingsleyATK/status/1487912114425630724?s=20&t=RkCKHP5gHgp9cp8gn-oK_A </div></figure>   Ponte Vedra is hitting 0.309 as a team. While Washington does a lot of heavy lifting in that regard, don't lose sight of other efficient terminators like Chelsea Sutton and [player_tooltip player_id='203435' first='Ryan' last='Murphy']. This effective offense is all set up by senior setter Jessica Shattles, a New Hampshire commit who also ran the show with Washington at OTVA.     The Best?   Finally, it's time to discuss the final team in the GEICO Girls Volleyball Invitational. If you want to argue that California's Cathedral Catholic High School is the best prep team in the entire country, you wouldn't have many people disagree with you.   The Dons are putting a perfect season on the line in Omaha this weekend. A record of 28-0 is incredible in its own right, but Cathedral Catholic hasn't even dropped a single set in any of those contests. Seriously.   Stanford commit [player_tooltip player_id='161445' first='Julia' last='Blyashov'] is the star of the show for the Dons. I have fond memories of watching the senior outside hitter tear it up with Team USA at the U19 Pan American Cup in Tulsa this summer. It was a glowing display of everything Blyashov brings to the court: rock-solid passing, outstanding attacking range, and a competitive fire that can't be taught. She is built to win.   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://x.com/KingsleyATK/status/1550996755625435141?s=20&t=RkCKHP5gHgp9cp8gn-oK_A </div></figure>   A pair of COAST club stars are also set to make a splash at the middle blocker spot. Junior [player_tooltip player_id='162773' first='Jenna' last='Hanes'] has already announced her commitment to Michigan, and her ability to terminate on a variety of sets will be a key to Cathedral Catholic's success. Likewise, Harvard commit [player_tooltip player_id='161449' first='Ryleigh' last='Patterson'] will get her share of opportunities in the frontcourt.   And the list just keeps going. Senior opposite [player_tooltip player_id='161450' first='Noemie' last='Glover'] is headed to Oregon next year, so we'll have some Duck connections to watch at this one. At libero, Maya Evens is yet another COAST product who will absorb many of the first contacts in the backcourt. And, to round everything out, DePaul-bound setter [player_tooltip player_id='162780' first='Amanda' last='Saeger'] commands the offense with great precision. If you're looking for a weakness in the lineup, I'm not sure it exists.

High school volleyball is coming to a television near you.