PD Champions Cup – Championship Gamechangers

This content series is sponsored by GameChanger - The Official Scorekeeping, Stats, Team Management & Technology Partner of Prep Dig.

A lot of athletes showed they could compete among the best at the Prep Dig Champions Cup this past weekend at the Community First Champion Center in Appleton.  Nearly 80 teams across five divisions.  We do not provide evaluations of 13s and 14s, but we have plenty of photos.  We do take a close look at 15s-18s where there were many athletes who had top performances as well and breakout weekends where they really stepped up for their team.  Here are athletes who were the gamechangers where they made a major impact on their team as they collected plenty of wins along the way. 

Emma Barton, Alexis Jonas Alexis Jonas 5'7" | S Mosinee | 2023 State WI , and Caitlyn Pernsteiner Caitlyn Pernsteiner 6'0" | OH Marshfield | 2023 State WI - WI Flight 18 Black 

Heading into the 17/18s division, there were a handful of teams who had a legitimate shot to win it all, Wisconsin Flight being one of them.  They have the balance and firepower to compete with a lot of teams in the field.  Two of the big weapons for this squad this past weekend was Emma Barton out of the middle and Caitlyn Pernsteiner Caitlyn Pernsteiner 6'0" | OH Marshfield | 2023 State WI from the outside.  Barton is long and athletic where she has a high contact point and snap.  She was really dangerous off a one foot approach and was able to find multiple ways to score points.  Pernsteiner is a very physical and athletic outside.  She is able to score points in multiple ways where she has a really heavy swing that is tough to defend.  Her on court intangibles are extremely positive as well.  Jonas is the director of all the traffic for Flight where she is their setter.  She plays with a high IQ, holds her own at the net, and picks the right time to tip to the deep corner with a crafty left handed slap shot. 

Grace Rochon Grace Rochon 5'9" | OH Kewaskum | 2023 State WI and Jennacy Wille- I AM VBC 18 Red 

I have seen Rochon play at the high school and club level - doesn't matter what jersey she is wearing, its all the same when she is attacking.  She approaches the ball extremely fast with a violent arm swing.  If the line is open, she can turn the thumb down up and use the block or find the deep corner.  She is not afraid to go for the split, if she gets blocked, she's still going to come hard at the pin with a scorers mentality.  Wille is a dynamic six rotation player where I AM VBC is able to use her as an attacker out of the back row.  Steady, consistent, and someone the other side of the net has to be aware of. 

The Balance of I AM VBC 16 Red 

I AM VBC 16 Red was dominant enroute to their championship win.  They ran a 6-2 with two really solid setters in Madelyn Abel Madelyn Abel 5'9" | S West Bend West | 2025 State WI and Anna Leong Anna Leong 5'7" | S Kettle Moraine Lutheran | 2025 State WI who are able to distribute to multiple attackers who can score points.  Kaylee Altendorf has been a breakout player this 2023 club season where she can score points, but she is an extremely solid defender in middle back.  One of their other main attackers from the outside is Brooklyn Grisolono Brooklyn Grisolono 5'8" | OH Kewaskum | 2025 State WI who really stepped up in big moments over the course of the weekend.  This team has plenty of length as well.  Kathryn Urban Kathryn Urban 5'11" | MB Divine Savior Holy Angels | 2025 State WI and Lillian Merow Lillian Merow 6'2" | MB Port Washington | 2025 State WI can pose a big problem for the other side of the net.  They are a pair of six footers who team up as a middle and right side, their block causes issues.  Overall, the chemistry on this team is extremely fun and is an example of how I AM VBC has been a club on the rise the past couple of years. 

Samya Hughes Samya Hughes 5'9" | OH Nekoosa | 2025 State WI - WI Flight 16 Black 

I was extremely impressed with Hughes this weekend.  She is a long, springy six rotation outside hitter that is showing great potential.  Her contact point is high on the pin and with how she can leap, she is the type of player who could be touching ten feet at some point in her career.  She showed she can score a lot of points and with more development could rise among outside hitters in the Class of 2025 in Wisconsin.  

MaKaelyn Clark MaKaelyn Clark 5'8" | S Oshkosh West | 2026 State WI - FVP 15 National 

Clark was the glue for FVP 15 National who was solid and consistent all weekend.  Clark was setting in the backrow and hitting from the right side in the front row.  She was always under composure and has a great sense of the game.  When things started to get chaotic, she always found a way to bring it back under control.  She was the floor general. One of her favorite targets was outside hitter  FVP lost to Milwaukee Juniors in pool play and had a big day two to come back and win the championship. 

Miley Quade Miley Quade 5'8" | OH Slinger | 2026 State WI - Milwaukee Juniors 15-1 

This was a really fun Milwaukee Juniors team to follow all weekend.  They played with plenty of fire and passion all weekend.  A lot of the firepower was coming from the outside with Miley Quade Miley Quade 5'8" | OH Slinger | 2026 State WI .  She had a big swing and wasn't afraid to let it rip.  When things got close for her team, she was their go to who could provide a swing out of the front or backrow.  This team will be one to watch the rest of the season where they are so gritty and will bring a big fight to every match.