Defending the (Triple) Crown: Scouting 2022’s TC NIT Champs
Winning a Triple Crown NIT championship is tough. Earning back-to-back titles is extraordinary. With the 2023 iteration of Triple Crown quickly approaching, I’ve been sifting through 2022’s bank of memories from Kansas City. Among the wide array of unforgettable moments…
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Continue ReadingWinning a Triple Crown NIT championship is tough. Earning back-to-back titles is extraordinary.
With the 2023 iteration of Triple Crown quickly approaching, I’ve been sifting through 2022’s bank of memories from Kansas City. Among the wide array of unforgettable moments from last year’s NIT, the high-level championship matches immediately come to mind. We’ll have a few stacked teams looking to defend their championship triumphs this year, and this feels like a good time to get you primed on those squads.
So, here’s a look at the players and teams hoping to hold on to their (triple) crown.
A5 Mizuno 18-Marc
Despite a few roster changes in 2023 (which is to be expected at the 18s level), A5 Mizuno 18-Marc still has the potential to be a formidable competitor at this year’s Triple Crown. And this isn’t just about back-to-back crowns. A three-peat is at stake here.
Few players rose to stardom at last year’s NIT quite like LSU commit Jurnee Robinson. We’re not accustomed to seeing smaller outside hitters make their living by going over the top of the block, but Robinson did this all weekend en route to A5’s 17U title. Her performance against the incredibly physical Drive Nation frontcourt in the 2022 championship match was particularly jarring.
18-Marc will miss having Mississippi State early enrollee Ashley Sturzoiu on the other side of the outside hitter rotation, but depth is also not a problem for this roster. Furthermore, the talented middle blocker duo of Jaidyn Garcia and Milana Thornton after a breakout weekend in KC a year ago. Arya Jue and Mary Neal will lock down the backcourt.
Dynasty 17 Black
Bring on the home team.
Kansas City’s Dynasty 17 Black is back to defend its home turf after hauling the hardware at Triple Crown last year. Unfortunately for 17 Black’s opponents, this team is dialed in and largely the same as 2022’s title-winning group.
My most recent glimpse at Dynasty 17 Black came a handful of days ago in Minneapolis, where the team secured a GJNC bid and a runner-up finish at the Northern Lights Qualifier. That event was a stark reminder of the high ceiling that 17 Black can attain when they’re in rhythm. Class of 2025 standouts Reese Messer and Abigail Mullen were phenomenal, while D1-bound outside hitters Carlie Cisneros (Arizona) and Skyler Pierce (Nebraska) were similarly impactful.
But keep an eye on the middles here, too. Jada Ingram and Cy Rae Campbell continue to expand their roles within the offense, and both can score behind the setter with lethal efficiency. If the entire frontcourt gets going, we might be headed for a repeat champion in 17U.
1st Alliance 16 Gold
College coaches will be hovering around plenty of 16s courts in Kansas City, looking for the future stars of the Class of 2025. 1st Alliance 16 Gold will surely snag some of that attention.
Take your pick on who to follow from this group. Abby Vander Wal ascended our 2025 radars last year by leading this team from the outside hitter spot in 2022. Her floor-denting kills were a huge factor in lifting 15 Gold to the 15U title, and now Vander Wal is making her all-around presence felt in the backcourt.
Addison Horner and Hannah Kenny provide a sensational dual threat for 1st Alliance, as both are able to set and hit on the right side. Elsewhere in the lineup, look for Jenna Kolosta to make some big plays in the middle while LaDonna Trantham gets her share of swings from the left.
1st Alliance has so many quality teams across the age group ladder, and 16 Gold is ushering in a new wave of future leaders.
MadFrog 15 National Green
This will be a true learning experience for me as we start to turn our microscope toward the Class of 2026.
Because we normally start to keep close tabs on athletes beginning at the 15s level, we didn’t see a lot of MadFrog’s run to the 2022 NIT 14U championship. But based on film we have available, MadFrog 15 National Green seems to have all the pieces for a repeat run.
The pins for MadFrog are stacked with Blaire Bowers, Bella Lopez, and Maleah Evans leading the way. In the backcourt, Gabi Rodriguez is one of the quickest, most dynamic liberos you’ll find in the 15U power pools this year.
And more names will likely emerge as we have a chance to take a long, hard look at this talented Texas team.