Wisconsin Bid Tracker – What 17s Qualified in February?

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The 17s division of the Badger Region Qualifier was tight. Some of the best teams in the state battled to qualify for nationals. This is very early in the qualifier season for all age divisions but 18s, so these bids were key to lock down. While some teams are expected to earn higher bids at big qualifiers, this tournament showed just how deep and competitive the 17s age division is. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2>[program_tooltip program_id='428672' first='Milwaukee' last='Sting'] 17 Gold - National Bid</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This Sting Gold team is simply elite. Every aspect of their game is high-level and dominant. No one got more than 15 points on them throughout the two-day qualifier. It is safe to say they took care of BIDness. They are led by setter, and recent North Dakota State commit [player_tooltip player_id='122479' first='Emily' last='Bruss']. She is fast, smart, and seems to have an insane amount of endurance. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The defenders on this team are crucial to the team's success. [player_tooltip player_id='122523' first='Claire' last='Luoma'] (Clemson) and [player_tooltip player_id='122466' first='Jae' last='Fitting'] (Loyola-Chicago) have been dominant performers on this team for years and both add value every point they are on the court. This team is stacked with dynamic pins including [player_tooltip player_id='122569' first='Sophia' last='Wendlick'] (Creighton), [player_tooltip player_id='122499' first='Melia' last='Johnson'], [player_tooltip player_id='122576' first='Kendall' last='Heger'], and [player_tooltip player_id='122516' first='Olivia' last='Kwiatkowski']. Each pin can play all six rotations and has a lot of experience on the court. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This list hasn't even included their explosive middles [player_tooltip player_id='122475' first='Anna' last='Bjork'] (Notre Dame) and [player_tooltip player_id='122468' first='Rylea' last='Alvin'] (Northern Illinois). [player_tooltip player_id='122574' first='Olivia' last='Wyma'] is another dynamic athlete who can play out of the middle and on the right side. They will be looking to upgrade their bid and are talented enough to do so. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2>[program_tooltip program_id='428591' first='FC' last='Elite'] 17 Navy - American Bid</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[program_tooltip program_id='428591' first='FC' last='Elite'] walked away from the qualifier with an American Bid. After an electric point-for-point battle with Sting 17 Black, they fell to 17 Gold in the championship match. This team won the National Division of USAV Girl's Junior National Championships last year and return many key players. This is another team that will be in the hunt to earn a higher bid at upcoming qualifiers. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Pin hitter [player_tooltip player_id='122532' first='Annalise' last='Patchett'] was simply unstoppable at the tournament. She seems to fly higher and hit harder every time I see her play. Annalise is incredibly well-rounded and is a huge impact player in all six rotations. Setter [player_tooltip player_id='122566' first='Emerson' last='Van Lannen'] (Kansas State) runs the court like a pro. She is physical and athletic on the court and will hustle on every play. [player_tooltip player_id='122508' first='Elle' last='Kennedy'] was quick and fearless on defense. She is a high-level first contact for this team. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='122497' first='Olivia' last='Baierl'] (Illinois State) was playing on the pin at the qualifier, and she impressed me with her low-error and gritty performance on both offense and defense. [player_tooltip player_id='122527' first='Emma' last='Nilson'] (Middle Tennessee State) also really impressed me with her blocking and engagement on offense. Other key players included right sides [player_tooltip player_id='181809' first='Madison' last='York'] and [player_tooltip player_id='178352' first='Madison' last='Daley'] and middle hitter [player_tooltip player_id='122526' first='Olivia' last='Neumann'] (UW-Green Bay). </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2>Sting 17 Black - American Bid</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sting 17 Black showed their versatility and competitiveness at the Badger Qualifier. They went head to head in a thriller match with [program_tooltip program_id='428591' first='FC' last='Elite'] 17 Navy. One thing I love about this team is they all battle together throughout matches and clearly play for each other on the court. No single person carries the team; every athlete is critical to their success. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Let's start with the defenders. [player_tooltip player_id='122512' first='Georgia' last='Koscielak'] and [player_tooltip player_id='187642' first='Alexandra' last='Prange'] are lights-out athletes. They are both gritty, fearless, and scrappy on defense. The pins on this team are very dynamic and can play well across the front row. [player_tooltip player_id='122557' first='Ellie' last='Schumacher'], [player_tooltip player_id='181738' first='Peri' last='Subat'], [player_tooltip player_id='122577' first='Briana' last='Binagi'], and [player_tooltip player_id='122573' first='Gabby' last='Wold'] are all impactful athletes that can play all six rotations and on either pin. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In the middle, [player_tooltip player_id='122558' first='Ella' last='Skogman'] was relentless as a blocker. She pushed pin to pin and was nearly impenetrable at the qualifier. [player_tooltip player_id='211465' first='Natalia' last='Farrugia'] was dynamic on offense. Both Ella and Natalia were engaged on offense and earned momentum-changing points. Both setters, [player_tooltip player_id='158689' first='Jordan' last='Bauer'] and [player_tooltip player_id='302095' first='Greta' last='Pleuss'] ran the offense effectively. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2>Madtown 17-1 - Freedom Bid</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Madtown really impressed me. It put several athletes on my radar that hadn't previously been. [player_tooltip player_id='261359' first='Morgan' last='Van Wie'] was key to Madtown's success. She ran a 5-1 and was a consistent force on the court. Morgan hustled on every play and was relentless in her pursuit of the ball. She is very athletic and definitely impressed throughout the tournament. Right side [player_tooltip player_id='345261' first='Emily' last='Hansen'] was explosive on the pin. She earned points and was disciplined in her block. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Libero [player_tooltip player_id='178617' first='Emerson' last='Hackbart'] was scrappy and has a clean platform. She is always covering and ready for anything that comes over the net. Middle hitter, [player_tooltip player_id='180871' first='Anneka' last='Cassel'], impressed me with her power on offense and discipline on defense. On the pin, [player_tooltip player_id='178620' first='Summer' last='Grigg'] was offensive and scrappy. She is explosive on the pin and gritty in her play. This team really caught my eye at the Qualifier, and I am excited to watch them play the rest of the season. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2>[program_tooltip program_id='428591' first='FC' last='Elite'] 17 Blue - Freedom Bid</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[program_tooltip program_id='428591' first='FC' last='Elite'] 17 Blue played very tough throughout the tournament. They battled against some of the top teams in the state and walked away with a bid to nationals. Setter [player_tooltip player_id='257835' first='Leia' last='Kersten'] kept the ball moving for her team. She has soft hands and works hard for her team. Libero [player_tooltip player_id='209364' first='Lily' last='Berrens'] impressed me with her grit and consistency. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Pin hitter [player_tooltip player_id='178351' first='Hailey' last='Kobussen'] was impactful across the court. She took big swings out of the back row and earned points for her team throughout the tournament. Middle blocker, [player_tooltip player_id='257834' first='Alivia' last='James'], was a key player on the court for FC. She was always calling for the ball and put up a solid block. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->