Club Breakdown: Legacy 17-1 & 18-1 Adidas

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The club season has officially begun and we are off to the races in 2023!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The state of Michigan has quickly become one of the top hot beds of volleyball in the nation. Prep Dig has you covered on who's who and what names you need to keep on your radar. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Starting off strong, let's looks at a very strong 17-1 Adidas and the returning National 18 Open Champions from Legacy!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2>17-1 Adidas</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:table --> <figure class="wp-block-table"><table><tbody><tr><td>[player_tooltip player_id='139304' first='Lucy' last='Mott']</td><td>6'0 S</td><td>St. Ursula Academy</td><td>[player_tooltip player_id='110282' first='Mallory' last='Bohl'] </td><td>6'3 MB</td><td>Saline</td></tr><tr><td>[player_tooltip player_id='110315' first='Avry' last='Nelson']</td><td>6'3 MB</td><td>Northville</td><td>[player_tooltip player_id='176600' first='Kate' last='Maley']</td><td>6'1 OPP</td><td>Skyline</td></tr><tr><td>[player_tooltip player_id='110288' first='Cayla' last='Cogan']</td><td>5'11 OH</td><td>Clarkston</td><td>[player_tooltip player_id='153672' first='Audrey' last='Geer']</td><td>5'11 OH</td><td>Frankenmuth</td></tr><tr><td>[player_tooltip player_id='110293' first='Mia' last='Eickholdt']</td><td>5'11 OPP</td><td>Detroit Country Day</td><td>[player_tooltip player_id='110299' first='Kiley' last='Gallagher']</td><td>5'6 L</td><td>Clarkston</td></tr><tr><td>[player_tooltip player_id='110300' first='Ashlee' last='Gnau'] </td><td>5'8 L</td><td>Northville</td><td>[player_tooltip player_id='473927' first='Alise' last='Evans']</td><td>6'2 MB</td><td>Oak Park</td></tr></tbody></table></figure> <!-- /wp:table --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4>Breakdown</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>While this group returns a bulk of its roster, Legacy 17-1's will be without some of their top players due to injury for the 2023 season. MB [player_tooltip player_id='110282' first='Mallory' last='Bohl'] (Notre Dame) and OH [player_tooltip player_id='110288' first='Cayla' last='Cogan'] (George Washington) will be sidelined due to ACL injuries sustained during the high school season. Both of which were this squad's top scorers a season ago. Not to be deterred, this group should still be a strong player in the 17 Open division throughout the season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"align":"right","id":276087,"width":190,"height":174,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2022/12/7-Cayla-Cogan.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-276087" width="190" height="174" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Injuries aside, Head Coach <strong>Kacy Byron</strong>'s group will be strong. Boston College commit [player_tooltip player_id='139304' first='Lucy' last='Mott'] returns to run the offense alongside six rotation dynamo [player_tooltip player_id='153672' first='Audrey' last='Geer'] (Marshall). I got a preview of both Mott and Geer this last weekend at Rock N Rumble. Mott is running her ship the cleanest I have seen in her career, while Geer has an extra pop in her swing and continues her strong passing game.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Alongside Mott and Geer, 17 Adidas returns the defensive duo [player_tooltip player_id='110299' first='Kiley' last='Gallagher'] and [player_tooltip player_id='110300' first='Ashlee' last='Gnau'] with utility attacker [player_tooltip player_id='176600' first='Kate' last='Maley']. Both Gallagher and Gnau are coming off of stellar high school seasons. Gallagher led Clarkston to one of their best seasons in program history and Gnau was critical in Northville's epic championship run. Maley also stepped into some big shoes for Skyline, alongside [player_tooltip player_id='66319' first='Harper' last='Murray'], Maley took on a huge load in the offense, thriving in the role. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Let's take a look at the newbies. With the absence of both middles from 2022, [player_tooltip player_id='110315' first='Avry' last='Nelson'] and [player_tooltip player_id='473927' first='Alise' last='Evans'] are strong additions from L2 and Florida. Nelson had a huge season alongside Gnau with Northville and was second on the team in kills and a blocks leader. Evans is an explosive attacker that brings a lot of layers to this team. On the pin, [player_tooltip player_id='110293' first='Mia' last='Eickholdt'] comes to Legacy after a few years at Michigan Elite. Eickholdt will look to fill in the shoes of Cogan as one of two healthy pins on the roster.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This team is starting off the season on a real high note. In the 17 Open at Rock N Rumble, 17-1 returned to Michigan with a third place finish.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2>18-1 Adidas</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:table --> <figure class="wp-block-table"><table><tbody><tr><td>[player_tooltip player_id='66313' first='Erin' last='Kline']</td><td>6'2 S</td><td>Mercy</td><td>[player_tooltip player_id='66291' first='Laurece' last='Abraham']</td><td>6'2 MB</td><td>Detroit Country Day</td></tr><tr><td>[player_tooltip player_id='66302' first='Olivia' last='Gardner']</td><td>6'1 MB</td><td>Dakota</td><td>[player_tooltip player_id='66325' first='Abigail' last='Reck']</td><td>6'3 OH</td><td>Northville</td></tr><tr><td>[player_tooltip player_id='66330' first='Ella' last='Schomer']</td><td>5'11 OPP</td><td>Marian</td><td>[player_tooltip player_id='66314' first='Kennedy' last='Louisell']</td><td>6'0 OH</td><td>Forest Hills Northern</td></tr><tr><td>[player_tooltip player_id='110323' first='Alexis' last='Smith']</td><td>5'3 L</td><td>Anchor Bay</td><td>[player_tooltip player_id='66308' first='Kaitlyn' last='Hoffman']</td><td>5'8 L</td><td>Novi</td></tr><tr><td>[player_tooltip player_id='66333' first='Ella' last='Shields']</td><td>5'10 OH/L</td><td>Mercy</td><td>[player_tooltip player_id='66329' first='Reagan' last='Sass'] </td><td>5'10 OH</td><td>Marian</td></tr><tr><td>[player_tooltip player_id='140490' first='Kayla' last='Ozanich']</td><td>6'3 MB</td><td>Okemos</td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr></tbody></table></figure> <!-- /wp:table --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4>Breakdown</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Yes, you're reading that right. No [player_tooltip player_id='66340' first='Sarah' last='Vellucci'] (Long Beach State). No [player_tooltip player_id='66309' first='Nina' last='Horning'] (Cincinnati). And no [player_tooltip player_id='66319' first='Harper' last='Murray'] (Nebraska). These three have been at the forefront of this program for the last several years. The three garnered All-American honors in last June's AAU National Title run. All three will be taking their talents to college a semester early. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"align":"right","id":259627,"width":174,"height":248,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2022/12/11-Kennedy-Louisell.jpg?w=717" alt="" class="wp-image-259627" width="174" height="248" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">[player_tooltip player_id='66314' first='Kennedy' last='Louisell']</figcaption></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Rest assure, this team returns a lot of strong players and brings on a nice crew of newbies to keep this 18-1s team a national power in 2023. Of the returners in the front line, S [player_tooltip player_id='66313' first='Erin' last='Kline'] (Mississippi State), MB [player_tooltip player_id='66291' first='Laurece' last='Abraham'] (Yale), MB [player_tooltip player_id='66302' first='Olivia' last='Gardner'] (Loyola-Chicago) and OH [player_tooltip player_id='66325' first='Abigail' last='Reck'] (Northeastern) return. Kline has been running the offense to this squad since her inception on the volleyball court, winning national championships almost every season. Abraham and Reck are two Miss Volleyball nominees that are coming off of big high school seasons. Reck was the leading scorer for Northville in their championship run in Division 1. Gardner played a variety of roles for Dakota in the fall as a six rotation attacker.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>From the front line to the back court, [player_tooltip player_id='66308' first='Kaitlyn' last='Hoffman'] (Ohio State) and [player_tooltip player_id='110323' first='Alexis' last='Smith'] (Oakland) return from last year's championship season. The two were big power players last season. Hoffman looks to be the heir to take over the off-colored jersey, while Smith will continue to be the impact DS out of right back.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We've checked out the returners, now what about the fresh faces? One of the biggest names to join this team comes from the west side of the state, [player_tooltip player_id='66314' first='Kennedy' last='Louisell'] (UNCG). Louisell is one of the top pins in the state and is coming off of an All-American and National Championship winning summer with FaR Out. Joining her are [player_tooltip player_id='66333' first='Ella' last='Shields'] (Stoney Brook) [player_tooltip player_id='66330' first='Ella' last='Schomer'] (Wofford), Raegan Sass (Denison), and [player_tooltip player_id='140490' first='Kayla' last='Ozanich']. Shields was a starting libero for Legacy 17-2s last season and played a huge role on the left pin for Mercy in the fall. Meanwhile Schomer and Sass are two transplants from Marian, coming off of their third straight state title in Division 1. Ozanich had a huge senior season at Okemos that saw her in one of the biggest upsets of the season, defeating Skyline in the Regional Semifinal.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->