2023 GJNC Texas Preview: 18 USA

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The club volleyball season is coming to an end for the players competing in the 18s age group and the final stop in this stage of their careers will take place at the 2022 USA Volleyball Girls 18s Junior National Championship, which will be held in Columbus, Ohio, from April 28-30.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Texas will have a huge representation in Ohio, with as many as 44 teams entered to compete across six different divisions and many of them will be real contenders at the National Championship.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>As the pinnacle of the season approaches for the 18s, we're previewing each of the divisions in which the teams from the Lone Star State will compete and in this article we'll analyze 18 Freedom, where five squads from the Lone Star State that will fight for the title:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><u>18 USA</u></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Division Size: 42</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Teams from Texas: 11</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><u><strong>Team Previews</strong></u></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>1United 18N G</em> </strong>– 1United Volleyball (Frisco)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Season Record (on AES):</strong> 30-6</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://www.instagram.com/p/CpbMkiOJcWd/","type":"rich","providerNameSlug":"instagram","responsive":true} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-instagram wp-block-embed-instagram"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://www.instagram.com/p/CpbMkiOJcWd/ </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Players to Watch: </strong>Adilynn Henry (setter), Jaclyn Carr (middle) and Rayanna Mauldin (outside hitter/defensive specialist)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>AVA TX 18 Adidas</em> </strong>– Absolute Volleyball Academy (Webster)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Season Record (on AES):</strong> 27-16</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://www.instagram.com/p/CpDAfgGr-Do/","type":"rich","providerNameSlug":"instagram","responsive":true} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-instagram wp-block-embed-instagram"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://www.instagram.com/p/CpDAfgGr-Do/ </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Players to Watch: </strong>[player_tooltip player_id='177535' first='Ashley' last='Richardson'] (setter), [player_tooltip player_id='181367' first='Kaitlyn' last='Gotsch'] (middle) and [player_tooltip player_id='87551' first='Devyn' last='Lewis'] (outside hitter)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>Drive Nation 18 Black</em> </strong>- Drive Nation (Dallas)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Season Record (on AES):</strong> 17-8</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://www.instagram.com/p/CpGu41PMFZv/","type":"rich","providerNameSlug":"instagram","responsive":true} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-instagram wp-block-embed-instagram"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://www.instagram.com/p/CpGu41PMFZv/ </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Players to Watch: </strong>[player_tooltip player_id='122901' first='Megan' last='Weldon'] (outside hitter), [player_tooltip player_id='195834' first='Camryn' last='Weldon'] (setter) and Clair Redmon (outside hitter)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>H Skyline 18 Black</em> </strong>– Houston Skyline Juniors (Houston)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Season Record (on AES):</strong> 25-12</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://www.instagram.com/p/CpYQAOcvALa/","type":"rich","providerNameSlug":"instagram","responsive":true} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-instagram wp-block-embed-instagram"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://www.instagram.com/p/CpYQAOcvALa/ </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Players to Watch: </strong>[player_tooltip player_id='195821' first='Lyric' last='Jordan'] (outside hitter), [player_tooltip player_id='124132' first='Morgen' last='Durgens'] (setter) and [player_tooltip player_id='200644' first='Riley' last='Steubing'] (libero)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>Hou Stellar 18 Elite</em> </strong>– Houston Stellar Volleyball (Pasadena)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Season Record (on AES):</strong> 29-16</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://www.instagram.com/p/Cp_GRQBP08K/","type":"rich","providerNameSlug":"instagram","responsive":true} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-instagram wp-block-embed-instagram"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://www.instagram.com/p/Cp_GRQBP08K/ </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Players to Watch: </strong>[player_tooltip player_id='141251' first='Avery' last='Wilks'] (middle), [player_tooltip player_id='153301' first='Stratton' last='Sneed'] (outside hitter) and Carly Lange (libero)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>[program_tooltip program_id='431200' first='[program_tooltip program_id='431200' first='Madfrog' last='']' last=''] 18's N Black </em></strong>– Mad Frog Volleyball (Plano)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Season Record (on AES):</strong> 34-10</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://www.instagram.com/p/CqTzQHUvMv4/","type":"rich","providerNameSlug":"instagram","responsive":true} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-instagram wp-block-embed-instagram"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://www.instagram.com/p/CqTzQHUvMv4/ </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Players to Watch: </strong>Shea Dupuis (right side), [player_tooltip player_id='87527' first='Trinity' last='Blackwood'] (middle) and Katelyn Ruhman (outside hitter)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>Skyline 18 Black</em> </strong>– Skyline Juniors (Dallas)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Season Record (on AES):</strong> 27-8</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://www.instagram.com/p/CpwDwPwMXYD/","type":"rich","providerNameSlug":"instagram","responsive":true} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-instagram wp-block-embed-instagram"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://www.instagram.com/p/CpwDwPwMXYD/ </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Players to Watch: </strong>Hannah Redrow (middle), Morgan Howard (setter) and [player_tooltip player_id='176665' first='Jenna' last='McMichael'] (libero)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>Summit 18 National Blue</em> </strong>– Summit Volleyball Club (Carrollton)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Season Record (on AES):</strong> 26-8</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://www.instagram.com/p/Cpa1dqKpRjy/","type":"rich","providerNameSlug":"instagram","responsive":true} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-instagram wp-block-embed-instagram"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://www.instagram.com/p/Cpa1dqKpRjy/ </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Players to Watch: </strong>[player_tooltip player_id='153296' first='Hailey' last='Nixon'] (libero), Josie Bishop (outside hitter) and Presleigh Roest (middle)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>Tejas 18 Black</em> </strong>– [program_tooltip program_id='431307' first='Tejas' last='Volleyball Club'] (Grapevine)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Season Record (on AES):</strong> 30-7</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://www.instagram.com/p/Cqi__qWO75-/","type":"rich","providerNameSlug":"instagram","responsive":true} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-instagram wp-block-embed-instagram"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://www.instagram.com/p/Cqi__qWO75-/ </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Players to Watch: </strong>[player_tooltip player_id='122892' first='Reagan' last='Fifer'] (setter), [player_tooltip player_id='141116' first='Sydney' last='Garrison'] (outside hitter) and [player_tooltip player_id='153299' first='Madison' last='Parrish'] (outside hitter)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>[program_tooltip program_id='431337' first='Texas' last='Tornados'] 18 Adidas</em> </strong>– [program_tooltip program_id='431337' first='Texas' last='Tornados'] Volleyball (Houston)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Season Record (on AES):</strong> 28-15</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://www.instagram.com/p/CpI9n3CPs_p/","type":"rich","providerNameSlug":"instagram","responsive":true} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-instagram wp-block-embed-instagram"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://www.instagram.com/p/CpI9n3CPs_p/ </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Players to Watch: </strong>[player_tooltip player_id='87560' first='Kirby' last='Kliafas'] (libero/outside hitter), [player_tooltip player_id='87566' first='Evyn' last='Snook'] (outside hitter) and Jordyn Jones (middle)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>TX Legacy 18 Elite</em> </strong>– Texas Legacy Volleyball Club (Tomball)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Season Record (on AES):</strong> 27-15</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://www.instagram.com/p/CpicilePBsb/","type":"rich","providerNameSlug":"instagram","responsive":true} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-instagram wp-block-embed-instagram"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://www.instagram.com/p/CpicilePBsb/ </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Players to Watch: </strong>[player_tooltip player_id='122888' first='Ariana' last='Brown'] (outside hitter), [player_tooltip player_id='122906' first='Savannah' last='Jennings'] (setter) and [player_tooltip player_id='87538' first='Mikala' last='Sampson'] (middle)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->