Triple Crown Stock Report: Ten 17U Teams on the Rise
Let’s take another look at the markets. In case you missed it, we recently put out a Triple Crown NIT stock report on some 16U teams that took a big step forward in Kansas City. That same motif is coming…
Access all of Prep Dig
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingLet’s take another look at the markets.
In case you missed it, we recently put out a Triple Crown NIT stock report on some 16U teams that took a big step forward in Kansas City. That same motif is coming back for the 17U teams, and there’s plenty of ground to cover with this group.
Here’s my list of ten.
NKYVC 17-1 Tsunami
It seems like such a layup to include the 17U champion in a feature on stock-rising teams, but hear me out.
Some questioned whether NKYVC 17-1 Tsunami would have the momentum needed to replicate last year’s runner-up finish at NIT. A fifth-place finish earlier this season at Central Zone was perhaps not the result Tsunami was looking for, but perhaps that’s just a testament to the sky-high expectations associated with this group.
This championship breakthrough at NIT was a step above the version of NKYVC we saw at that qualifier. Abby Yoder set a dynamic offense that included multi-talented pins like Alivia Skidmore and Sydney Barrett, plus the ever-dominant middle presence of Washington commit Julia Hunt. Elizabeth Tabeling was stellar at libero.
Tsunami is doing just fine.
OT 17 T Aaron
We might as well bring the runner-up into the discussion, too. Who had OT 17 T Aaron making the NIT finals?
It’s hard to pick a single factor that had the biggest influence on this outstanding breakout run for OTVA. Olivia Hart had an extraordinary impact as one of the event’s most terminal and efficient pins. Bella Lee was unbreakable in the libero jersey, allowing setter Taylor Parks to run a steady attack that leaned heavily on Madison Loiselle at opposite. Or, perhaps it was the “avocados and mayonnaise” combination that OTVA’s cheering section told me all about.
Either way, this 17 T Aaron squad has put everyone on notice.
Miami Hype 17N Emilio
Here’s another Florida team that made sure you took note of it in Kansas City. Miami Hype 17N Emilio scored the upset of the tournament, and suddenly everyone was paying attention.
That aforementioned upset was a Round of 32 win over Dynasty 17 Black, the defending NIT champions in this age group. Nobody had this result on their Bingo card, but 17N Emilio showed the depth and consistency needed to pull it off. Olivia Marrero was steady at the setter spot, and Julia Lewkowitz proved to be the primary scorer for Miami Hype regardless of rotation.
Let’s see the hype train roll on to a new station.
Rockwood Thunder 17 Elite
To think this team was almost left out of the 17U power pools.
Rockwood Thunder was a last-minute addition to the 17U power pools after an impressive fourth-place finish at January’s Northern Lights Qualifier. 17 Elite quickly backed up its inclusion in these coveted groups with an impressive 3-0 start. The team then rolled all the way to the Round of 8 before finally dropping a match with a three-set heartbreaker against 17 T Aaron.
Many of the same key contributors keep thriving with Rockwood. Ohio State commit Olivia Hasbrook has the end line locked down. Meanwhile, Claire Morrissey and Maya Witherspoon have been a thrilling duo to watch in the frontcourt.
17 Elite’s bid is coming soon.
CoJrs 17Kevin
You could argue that this Colorado Juniors team has already proven itself to be among the nation’s elite. But 17Kevin just keeps climbing higher after making Triple Crown’s Round of 8.
There are few players in the country like Penn State commit Izzy Starck. She’s going to be an extraordinary setter at the next level, but Starck is also one of America’s best opposites at the 17s level, too. It takes a special athlete to have both of those attributes. Of course, we can’t forget about the wide-ranging impact of players like Florida-bound libero Ella Vogel and Tennessee commit Paityn Chapman on the outside.
AZ Sky 17G
Just another year of AZ Sky putting itself at the forefront of Triple Crown.
17G’s combination of toughness and balance allowed it to soar all the way to the final four, where it came within a few points of knocking off NKYVC to reach the finals. It’s an incredible run for a group that always seems to find its best stuff in Kansas City. I’m particularly impressed with Mia Accomazzo’s leadership at libero, as well as the frontcourt dominance of middle blocker Aubrey Goodere and outside hitter Raechelle Dykstra.
I’m keeping this team on my radar for the next time we cross paths.
Momentous VBC 17-Dan
It only feels right that we make a visit to California.
Momentous was another one of our surprise teams from out west, as 17-Dan reached the Round of 8 before falling to AZ Sky. Better yet, this team has a wealth of uncommitted 2024s that are surely on people’s minds after this standout weekend. Taylor Walsh and Tatum Johnson form a dominant pair in the middle, and Makayla Gates has been impressive on the outside.
In the wide expanse of dominant Cali competitors, don’t lose sight of Irvine’s Momentous.
Triangle 17 Black
Now we make the long hop over to the Carolinas.
Triangle 17 Black is another group that has performed well on the NIT stage before. That continued with an appearance in the Round of 16 yet again this year, and I was excited to catch up with some familiar faces from this team. Setter Emily Bobbitt remains a difficult setter for opponents to read. She can also feed some incredibly athletic players along the net, including Kiki Horne, Kentucky commit Asia Thigpen, and future Illinois teammates Alayna Smith and Ashlyn Philpot.
FC Elite 17 Navy
More NLQ memories abound with FC Elite 17 Navy.
This Wisconsin squad has proven to be some formidable early-season competitors, and that run continued in Kansas City. 17 Navy emerged in the Elite bracket behind a steady dose of Annalise Patchett and Madison Daley on the outsides, as well as the veteran touch of Emerson Van Lannen at the setter spot. Like many of the other teams on this feature, FC Elite will be firmly in the 17 Open conversation as the year progresses.
MadFrog 17’s N Green
This Green squad helps show just how much depth belongs to MadFrog–and Texas as a whole.
17’s N Green started Triple Crown NIT in power pools, and their 17 N Black counterparts also soared through the lower pools at an astonishing rate. N Green managed to make the Elite bracket with a challenge round win over Ku’ikahi, and the team added a Round of 32 win over NorCal for good measure. It felt like we were seeing double, as N Black nearly knocked off NKYVC to reach the bracket play alongside N Green.
Kate Mansfield had an impressive weekend in the middle for N Green. She was joined by decorated MVP performer Lainee Pyles on the outside to form a formidable frontcourt. Cate Hatfield was stellar at setter, proving that MadFrog is doing just fine after a big shuffle with this group at the end of last year.