Must-See NLQ 2025s Playing a Year Up

We see star players rise to the forefront every year while also playing against mostly older players. Doing this is quite a feat, but last weekend's Northern Lights Qualifier had several shining examples of 2025s thriving alongside their 2024 counterparts.   Keeping track of these 2025s who are playing up is especially important given the huge recruiting period coming up for this group in the summer. Colleges coaches will rightfully have their eyes on plenty of 16s teams, but don't lose sight of these superstars with the 17s.     Reese Messer - 5'11 S - Dynasty 17 Black   Abigail Mullen - 6'3 RS - Dynasty 17 Black   You probably won't find a more formidable 2025 duo in the 17s age group this year than Messer and Mullen.   This pair keeps finding new ways to revolutionize the Dynasty 17 Black offense. Mullen, an elite-tier opposite with USA Youth experience, has become even more dynamic with her back-row attacks this season. She can hit the 'D' ball or the pipe with incredible efficiency, making her team even more difficult to defend. It also helps that Messer has been dishing dimes from the setter spot while also running one of the fastest offenses in the 17s game.   These two 2025s are playing like they have unfinished business this season.   <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/1619368844187045888?s=20u0026amp;t=0dTkdiixvlE95yV6ue3KMQ </div></figure>     Tia Traudt - 6'0 OH - VCNebraska 17 Elite   NLQ was such an incredible venue to see Traudt spar with some of the best teams in the Midwest. This Grand Island native absolutely delivered. Traudt is VCNebraska 17 Elite's prototypical L1 who helps the team get out of jams and tough rotations. But more than that, Traudt has developed as a passer and defender enough to warrant her full-time inclusion in VCN's backcourt. This 2025's competitive fire came out in Minneapolis, and 17 Elite is not done making noise on the national stage.   <figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2023/02/IMG_6483-crop-3044x1999-1675310070.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-308727" width="533" height="349" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Traudt (2) patrols the backcourt for VCN 17 Elite.</figcaption></figure>     Madison Daley - 5'10 OH/S - FC Elite 17 Navy   Daley can do a little bit of everything on the volleyball court, but she was a reliable left-side hitter for the NLQ action I watched. Her background as a setter shines through in the way she can read opposing offenses and make the right blocking moves. Daley's evolution as an all-purpose player will be fun to follow as FC Elite prepares for a big upcoming slate of qualifiers.     Lameen Mambu - 5'11 OH - Metro VBC 17 Travel   Mambu fits right into Metro's incredibly physical 17s lineup. A former member of Paramount, Mambu has switched over to Metro and made an immediate six-rotation impact with her high-flying squad. She elevates effortlessly as a frontcourt hitter, but Mambu's skills in the middle-back area cannot be overlooked, either.     Makenzie Miller - 5'11 MB - Pohaku 17-1   Like Mambu, Miller is a standout 2025 who has moved around the club landscape in her area. She landed on our radar as a shutdown middle blocker for Dynasty and is now giving those same contributions to Pohaku 17-1. Miller was stout with her blocking reads throughout NLQ and has evolved as a go-to attacker on the middle quick. Moreover, Miller's team likely has more to prove heading into future qualifiers.     Maya Witherspoon - 5'11 OH/MB - Rockwood Thunder 17 Elite   Morgan Dumm - 5'11 S - Rockwood Thunder 17 Elite   We'll wrap up this feature with another pair of 2025s to follow from America's heartland.   I think I've now seen Witherspoon play every frontcourt position. Her latest forays have been on the left pin, but this athletic 17 Elite standout can play just about everywhere. Witherspoon's left-side hitter role allows her to show off one of the other tools in her arsenal: passing. Even with a background as a middle blocker, Witherspoon proved that she can step into the backcourt and drop dimes in serve receive.   Then there's Dumm, a vital component of Rockwood Thunder's lineup who dished out some impressive sets in Minneapolis. Dumm is not afraid to make some risky plays, especially when she's drifting off the net in what looks like an out-of-system situation. That aggressive mentality will have 17 Elite back in the bid hunt soon after falling just one position short at NLQ.     <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/1619374039591690243?s=20u0026amp;t=0dTkdiixvlE95yV6ue3KMQ </div></figure>

We see star players rise to the forefront every year while also playing against mostly older players. Doing this is quite a feat, but last weekend's Northern Lights Qualifier had several shining examples of 2025s thriving alongside their 2024 counterparts.