Triple Crown Stock Report: Ten 16U Teams on the Rise
Time to make some investments. In all seriousness, I’ve really been looking forward to doing one of these stock reports in the aftermath of Triple Crown NIT. It’s a challenging, high-level venue where some squads will inevitably surprise us and…
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Continue ReadingTime to make some investments.
In all seriousness, I’ve really been looking forward to doing one of these stock reports in the aftermath of Triple Crown NIT. It’s a challenging, high-level venue where some squads will inevitably surprise us and elevate their stock with a standout weekend. That’s the exact spirit of this feature: we’re looking for the teams that took a big step forward in Kansas City.
Here’s a stellar group of ten from the 16U field.
Munciana 16 Blaze
SA Magic 16 Elite
SA Magic churned through their opening pool en route to a 3-0 record, but this non-power pool team wasn’t done. 16 Elite toppled Adidas KIVA 16 Red in the challenge round to reach the Round of 32 and put this Lone Star squad firmly on everyone’s radar.
Liliana Brisco sets a dynamic SA Magic offense that features frontcourt terminators like Aubrey Lyssy, Bailey Scott, and Natalia Silva. If we had any doubts about the depth of Texas talent at the 16s level, SA Magic put many of those questions to rest.
AVC CLE 16 Red
This Cleveland squad made the trek to Kansas City and put together one of the most impressive runs of the weekend from outside of power pools. A perfect opening day propelled AVC to a challenge round win over Mizuno Long Beach 16 Rockstar, and 16 Red just kept going from there. This underdog climbed all the way to the Round of 16 with another three-set triumph over Tri-State Elite 16 Blue and finished 13th overall.
I’ve already covered the many talents of setter-opposite Annabelle Groomes in our all-tournament feature, but the standouts are everywhere for AVC. Marlie Davis carries a pivotal role on the outside, and libero Julia Oster will lock down the end line for a 16 Red squad that thrives on good ball control.
OT 16 T JP
16 T JP’s 3-0 start put everyone on notice, especially as the Tampa team churned through some of the best teams in its power pool. I was fortunate enough to do an in-depth spotlight on this team as they took down Legacy 16-1 Adidas on opening day. The good times kept rolling after that as OTVA reached the Round of 16.
Star setter Isabella Mogridge receive all-tournament honors on my aforementioned 16U feature. Maggie Dostic was phenomenal on the outside for OTVA, and Hannah Hankerson was similarly impactful on the other side of the rotation.
Absolute 16 Black
We’re now venturing out to California, a state where sleeper teams just keep popping up at big events. Absolute 16 Black emerged in the Round of 32 in Kansas City and will be a fascinating group to follow at some upcoming west coast qualifiers.
Middle blocker Bella Ehrlich will draw a lot of attention for this group, but Absolute can find the balance needed to win big matches, too. Taylor Roloff and Aveya Stone have been major contributors on the pins, and Lauren Dignan takes care of defensive duties at the libero spot.
HPSTL 16 Royal
I started to follow this team’s growth ever since I saw it at last year’s Show Me Qualifier in 15 Open. Now, as 16s, HPSTL has become even more formidable. If it wasn’t for a third-set heartbreaker against MiElite in the Round of 32, we could have seen 16 Royal play for a spot in Monday’s bracket with a cross-state battle against Dynasty.
Tara Greenberry has expanded her offensive arsenal for 16 Royal, allowing her to terminate on the outside in addition to her role in the middle. Lainey Waser has also stepped up from the middle blocker spot while Harper Highfill remains dominant in the backcourt.
MiElite 16 Mizuno
We just mentioned MiElite, so let’s bring this group into the discussion.
This is another team that showed out at last year’s Show Me Qualifier, and 16 Mizuno seems to be finding a new gear in 2023 with a Round of 8 appearance at NIT. Jessica Costlow and Gabriella Babinski are must-see athletes on the pins for MiElite. Of course, we also can’t forget about Ella Craggs, the crafty setter who landed on my 16U all-tournament team.
EXCEL 16 National Red
We return to Texas.
EXCEL is yet another group that made its mark from outside of power pools. After finishing second in its opening group, 16 National Red notched a big upset over AZ Sky in the challenge round and followed that up with another stunner against Absolute. Standouts on this team include libero Piper Mickenheim, opposite Macie Potter, and left-side hitter Halle Jameson.
Northern Lights 16-1
This Northern Lights squad snagged an open bid last year, and it looks like they’re on track to repeat that success. 16-1 flashed its high ceiling throughout NIT, including in its challenge victory over MAVC KC 16-1 to reach the Elite bracket.
Mesaiya Bettis has developed into an impressive attacker who can play on either pin. Meanwhile, Eagan prep star Keira Schmidt anchors the middle while McKenna Garr takes care of business at libero. It’s that balance of firepower and ball control that will keep Northern Lights in the national conversation at the 16s level.
Six Pack 16
Finally, we’re making a stop in Iowa.
Six Pack 16 soared to an unblemished record on opening day and was so close to nabbing an upset over Austin Skyline to make an Elite bracket appearance. Still, this was a productive weekend that showed the kind of talent lurking in Hawkeye territory.
Ball control is a big storyline for this group with Ella Rogers running the show at setter and the duo of Dakota Mitchell and Amelia Klenk playing in the backcourt. I’d expect to see more of this group during my future stops at national qualifiers.