Club Breakdown: Michigan Elite 18 Mizuno
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The club season has officially begun and we are off to the races in 2023! 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…
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Continue ReadingThe club season has officially begun and we are off to the races in 2023!
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.
Let’s take a look at one of the top returning teams in the 18s Division this season. A USAV Open qualifying team in 2022, 18 Mizuno will surely look to continue their “Elite” ways.
18 Mizuno
Ava Sarafa Ava Sarafa 6'0" | S Marian | 2023 State #14 Nation MI | 6’0 S | Marian (Kentucky) | Remi Madison Remi Madison 5'9" | OH Grand Blanc | 2023 State MI | 5’11 OH | Grand Blanc |
Neele’ge’ Sims Neele’ge’ Sims 6'1" | MB Corunna | 2023 State MI | 6’0 MB | Corunna (Missouri State) | Kalliann Cook Kalliann Cook 5'5" | DS/L Birch Run | 2023 State MI | 5’5 L | Birch Run (Austin Peay) |
Taryn Rice Taryn Rice 5'7" | DS/L Northville | 2023 State MI | 5’9 L | Northville (Northern Iowa) | Sawyer Jones Sawyer Jones 6'0" | MB Berkley | 2023 State MI | 6’1 UT | Berkley |
Hannah Howard Hannah Howard 5'5" | DS/L St. Ursula (Toledo) | 2023 State OH | 5’6 L | St. Ursula | Quinn Robak | 6’1 OH | Our Lady of Lakes (Winona State) |
Victoria Gray Victoria Gray 6'2" | MB Bedford | 2025 State #100 Nation MI | 6’2 MB | Bedford | Molly Banta Molly Banta 6'0" | OH Marian | 2023 State MI | 6’0 OH | Marian |
Breakdown
As previewed, this 18 Mizuno squad is coming off of a great 2022 season. One of the top teams in the country, qualifying for the Open Division at USAV’s and just narrowly missing out on the Gold bracket at AAU Nationals. This Vince Muscat led team boasts one of the top players in the country, Ava Sarafa Ava Sarafa 6'0" | S Marian | 2023 State #14 Nation MI , and brings on a talented roster.
Returners
18 Mizuno returns just about everybody from their 17 Mizuno team a season ago. Led by the Kentucky bound, Division 1 Player of the Year, Ava Sarafa Ava Sarafa 6'0" | S Marian | 2023 State #14 Nation MI . She’ll look to round out her career at MiElite on a high note. Of her returning weapons, MB Neele’ge’ Sims Neele’ge’ Sims 6'1" | MB Corunna | 2023 State MI (Missouri State), OH Remi Madison Remi Madison 5'9" | OH Grand Blanc | 2023 State MI and UT Sawyer Jones Sawyer Jones 6'0" | MB Berkley | 2023 State MI return. Sims and Madison are long time members of this group and bring a lot of fire to the offense. Jones returns after joining Elite last season. As athletic as they come, Jones can bring the heat up the middle but is just as insane on the pins! Jones’ versatile nature could play a huge role in 2023.
Last season’s 17 Mizuno team boasted one of the best defensive lines in the country including Kalliann Cook Kalliann Cook 5'5" | DS/L Birch Run | 2023 State MI (Austin Peay), Taryn Rice Taryn Rice 5'7" | DS/L Northville | 2023 State MI (UNI) and Hannah Howard Hannah Howard 5'5" | DS/L St. Ursula (Toledo) | 2023 State OH . All three return for their last seasons. The three were lightning in a bottle for the group. Cook brings the scrappy defense, while Rice is a more steady, silent killer, and Howard is a combination of both! All three compliment each other SO well.
New Kids on the Block
Joining an already impressive roster comes OH Quinn Robak (Winona State), OH Molly Banta Molly Banta 6'0" | OH Marian | 2023 State MI , and Sophomore MB Victoria Gray Victoria Gray 6'2" | MB Bedford | 2025 State #100 Nation MI . Both Robak and Banta are in-house pick-ups from last year’s 18 Elite and 17 Elite teams. Robak has a whip of an arm that showed a lot of promise last winter. Banta is coming off of a championship season with Marian as the team’s OH2. Gray is a recent addition and huge get for the team. One of the top rated middle blockers in the state and top basketball player for her class, Gray will give some much needed size. For Bedford in the fall, Gray had over 300 kills on a tune of a .500 hit percentage!