Scouting Windy City Qualifier 18 Open – Pools A-D

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Pools are out, and bids are ready to be awarded. The West Coast is ready to invade Chicagoland, but there are plenty of Midwest teams who are looking to defend their home turf. I will be in attendance in Schaumburg getting a glimpse of some of the top athletes in the country. Next year, many of these athletes will already have their first year of college volleyball under their belt. They are big names in the making. Let's scout out Pool A - Pool D with the rest of the pools coming tomorrow! </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://x.com/PrepDigChris/status/1612517081836052483?s=20","type":"rich","providerNameSlug":"twitter","responsive":true} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://x.com/PrepDigChris/status/1612517081836052483?s=20 </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Pool A </strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"align":"right","id":179381,"width":452,"height":301,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2022/02/DSC03386.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-179381" width="452" height="301" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">[player_tooltip player_id='208628' first='Margo' last='Hernandez']</figcaption></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Club V 18 Ren Reed</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Rev 18-1 Raptors</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>AVC CLE 18 Red </strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>USANY Patience 18 </strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Club V will be the favorite in this field and one of the top teams in the country.  They are coming back off a final four finish at USAV 17 Open this past July. They are loaded with talent with athletes committed to top programs in the West such as <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='195470' first='Jordyn' last='Harvey']</strong> who is heading to Stanford, <strong>Kaieva Lee (Utah), and [player_tooltip player_id='195497' first='Mia' last='Lee'] </strong>(BYU).  They will take on REV and AVC who are strong programs out of the Mideast.  REV out of Indy had a big time performance at Nationals in 2022 and will return a dynamic setter in <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='208628' first='Margo' last='Hernandez'] </strong>(South Alabama).  AVC could be a sleeper in this pool where they have four outsides who can really put up the points in <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='114557' first='Alayna' last='Tessena'] (Northern Colorado), [player_tooltip player_id='114531' first='Nia' last='Hall'] (Cleveland State), [player_tooltip player_id='114532' first='Kira' last='Holland'] (Indiana State), and [player_tooltip player_id='141695' first='Lauren' last='Janosy'] (UNC Greensboro).  </strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Pool B</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Coast 18-1 </strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"align":"right","id":128740,"width":524,"height":350,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2021/02/DSC05198.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-128740" width="524" height="350" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">[player_tooltip player_id='85899' first='Grace' last='Purichia']</figcaption></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Union 18-1 UA</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Paramount VBC 18s </strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Forge VBC </strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Another final four team from 2022 in 17 Open Nationals that will be in the hunt for a bid and Windy City title is Coast out of SoCal.  They have some big time athletes staying on the West Coast for some power programs with <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='251220' first='Brooklyn' last='Briscoe'] (UCLA), [player_tooltip player_id='161450' first='Noemie' last='Glover'] (Oregon), and [player_tooltip player_id='160016' first='Claire' last='Little'] (BYU)</strong>.  Union will be coming to town with some of the top talent out of the Louisville area.  <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='85899' first='Grace' last='Purichia']</strong> makes it happen for Union as a setter where she can defend and dish at a quick tempo to get her attackers a favorable matchup, she will head to Jacksonville State.  Paramount comes from Northern Virginia where they could be in the hunt to advance to day two gold pools with commits heading to strong programs all along the east coast. They have two commits heading to UMBC in <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='181205' first='Helen' last='Frankovich'] and [player_tooltip player_id='181201' first='Hannah' last='Howard']</strong>.  Forge VBC comes from the NW suburbs of Detroit where they have plenty of talent doing the D2 and D3 route including Ashley Murray who is heading to in-state D3 power, Hope College in Grand Rapids, Michigan. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Pool C </strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Circle City 18 Purple </strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>MKE Sting 18 Gold</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>CVH Select 18u</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"align":"right","id":228027,"width":550,"height":366,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2022/09/DSC07320-scaled.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-228027" width="550" height="366" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">[player_tooltip player_id='61819' first='Lily' last='Wagner']</figcaption></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Top Flight 18 Elite</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Circle City was consistently one of the top 17s teams in the country last year.  Purdue commit Chloe Chicoine was a big part of their success and is a spring enrollee and will not be part of the 18 Purple squad, but this team is so deep they will still be a top contender in every tournament they compete in.  They have the length, balance, and depth that will be a great combo for a three day event.  <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='85932' first='Ava' last='Smith'] (Florida Gulf Coast), [player_tooltip player_id='93482' first='Avery' last='Hobson'] (Duquesne), and Quinci Brown (Xavier) </strong>have played in a lot of high level matches over the course of their career.  They will create a well balanced attack led by 2024 setter <strong>Macy Hinshaw (Santa Clara)</strong>.  This Milwaukee Sting team won the 17 National Division title at USAV this past July.  They have a full lineup of electric talent. They have plenty of depth at the setter position with <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='61781' first='Zoe' last='Behrendt'] (North Carolina), [player_tooltip player_id='91906' first='Elena' last='Dragani'] (Wake Forest), and newcomer 2024 setter [player_tooltip player_id='122568' first='Lilly' last='Wagner'] (Maryland).  </strong>On the pin they have solid six rotation outsides in <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='82916' first='Sylvie' last='Zgonc'] (South Dakota State), [player_tooltip player_id='61819' first='Lily' last='Wagner'] (Liberty), and [player_tooltip player_id='91877' first='Karissa' last='Fortune'] (Drake)</strong> where they can be used in plenty of ways and complement each other extremely well. CVH will be making the trip from Puerto Rico.  Top Flight Elite is out of Chicagoland where they have a team who is looking to make some strides for their program.  They have plenty of dynamic athletes with a springy middle in <strong>Gabrielle Peters </strong>who is committed to UIC. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"align":"right","id":201662,"width":257,"height":385,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2022/06/Ava-Sarafa2.jpg?w=683" alt="" class="wp-image-201662" width="257" height="385" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">[player_tooltip player_id='66328' first='Ava' last='Sarafa']</figcaption></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Pool D </strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Mintonette m.81</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Michigan Elite 18 Mizuno </strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>FC Elite 18 Elite</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Vital 18 Gold</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>These teams were all open teams in the 17s or 18s division in 2022.  I think Mintonette has a really strong chance of playing in some big matches on day three, potentially earning a bid.  They have a really physical lineup that features maybe the most physical frontline in the country with the likes of <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='114513' first='Eloise' last='Brandewie'] (Ohio State), [player_tooltip player_id='114523' first='Ella' last='Durham'] (San Diego), Kaleigh Palmer (Alabama), [player_tooltip player_id='141699' first='Emma' last='Beretich'] (West Virginia), and [player_tooltip player_id='141701' first='Lauryn' last='Bowie'] (Virginia).</strong>  Michigan Elite 18 Mizuno has a chance in any match with Kentucky commit, <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='66328' first='Ava' last='Sarafa'] </strong>who has rewritten record books with her high school career at national powerhouse Marian out of the Detroit area.  FC Elite 18 Elite out of Wisconsin was a final four finisher at 18 Open last year and will have some new faces on their squad.  One attacker who will be relied upon to score a lot of points is 2024 outside <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='122483' first='Ella' last='Demetrician']</strong> who is a Michigan commit.  Vital 18 Gold is out of the Minneapolis Metro and have been a program on the rise.  Their 18 Gold team was a 18 Open Gold Bracket squad in Phoenix last spring.  They will look to establish a strong setter/middle combination with setter <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='86660' first='Ashlyn' last='Steding'] (Winona State) and [player_tooltip player_id='172109' first='Alexandra' last='McGeehan'] (Palm Beach Atlantic).</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->