GJNC 16 Open Preview: Michigan Elite 16 Mizuno
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Be sure to follow @lshotvb on Instagram and Twitter for all things volleyball! Looking to get seen by more coaches? Sign up for this great opportunity in June with MiElite – Camp & Combine. The stage is set! The field…
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Looking to get seen by more coaches? Sign up for this great opportunity in June with MiElite – Camp & Combine.
The stage is set! The field of 36 is finalized and ready to take on the 2023 Girls Junior National Championship in Chicago, IL. The countdown is ON!
For many teams, they had their tickets punched to the highly sought after event as early as February and as late as April. Throughout the course of the qualifier season, only 34 bids were handed out. This left two bids looming in the air for takers.
For many, the conversation for these at-large bids were between Michigan Elite 16 Mizuno, Legacy 16-1 Adidas and MADFROG 16s National Green. The latter snagged their ticket at Far Western. So, the question then became, if its not them, then WHO?
This is a time where the committee got it right and both Lakeshore teams were awarded this year’s 16 Open At-Large bids. We’re breaking it down here, starting with Michigan Elite 16 Mizuno.
Roster Breakdown
A huge chunk of this team return from last year’s highly successful season. As 15 Mizuno, this squad pulled off a 15 Open bid to USAVs and finished third at AAU Nationals in the 15 Open Division. All while having little to no presence in the middle and looking pretty undersized. Now, this team has just about every piece to the puzzle to win a national championship.
This team has a loaded roster full of well-and-able attackers across the board. Now with a pretty deep bench of middles too, it all revolves around the play of Ella Craggs Ella Craggs 5'9" | S Northville | 2025 State #127 Nation MI . Craggs has picked up some tools to her belt this season. She’s not only running a much more balanced offense, but she’s picking up the pace on her ball. There’s a reason she’s one of the top setters in her class and her stock is nowhere near close to peaking.
While Craggs makes it look so flawless, she has much of this to thank to her defenders. McKenna Payne McKenna Payne 5'7" | DS/L SMCC | 2025 State #105 Nation MI and Addison Newblatt Addison Newblatt 5'9" | OH Clarkston | 2025 State MI have become quite a complimentary duo in the back court. Payne has just recently returned from a training camp with USA Volleyball. Meanwhile, Newblatt, a newbie to this team, has provided not only some depth on defense, but proves to be a lethal secret weapon out of right back.
For the attackers, let’s start off where they didn’t have much of last season. The middle. 16 Mizuno has some fine pieces in the middle that are making the world of a difference for this team. Shelby Ignash Shelby Ignash 6'1" | MB Cass City | 2025 State #124 Nation MI , Lauren Johnson Lauren Johnson 6'2" | MB South Lyon East | 2025 State MI , and Victoria Gray Victoria Gray 6'2" | MB Bedford | 2025 State #100 Nation MI are all newbies to this squad and are fitting in quite nicely.
Ignash has been making quite a name for herself with Cass City HS as the one-footed bandit that no one can stop. She’s bringing the heat to the national stage with similar results! Johnson is kind of new name to the scene, but definitely turning some heads. Her explosiveness off two feet and blocking prowess does wonders for Elite. Rounding out the trio, Gray is a later addition to this team. A highly sought after basketball star, Gray is just as good, if not better on this court too! Gray is a great compliment to both Ignash and Johnson with her high-flying ways and great finishes on the block!
Rounding out the roster with the pins, this is another area MiElite beefed up in 2023. Isabelle Busignani Isabelle Busignani 6'1" | OH Marian | 2025 State #73 Nation MI & Gabriella Babinski Gabriella Babinski 6'1" | RS South Lyon East | 2025 State MI return on the left and right pin respectively. Finally slotting over to the left comes Jessica Costlow Jessica Costlow 5'11" | OH SMCC | 2025 State #142 Nation MI , who saw her time mostly spent last year as a six rotation middle blocker. Joining the team from Indiana is left side pin, Sophia Barber Sophia Barber 6'0" | OH Northwood | 2025 State IN . This combination of pins gives HC Neil Rucinski a LOT of options.
Busignani and Costlow are proven six rotation pins with just about every shot up their sleeve. Costlow has the makings of a top level beach player with her leaping abilities and shot selection anywhere on the court. Barber also has the makings of an elite six rotation player. She’s a calm, steady presence in the court and can come into the front row with a lot of heat as well. Babinski has been a terror on the right pin since her move to the position midseason last year, and shows no signs of slowing down.
Big wins
Surfside 2-0, NEQ | HPSTL 2-1, Triple Crown |
WAVE 2-0, Triple Crown | KIVA 2-1, MEQ |
A5 2-0, MEQ | Triangle 2-0, Big South |
Notable Tournament Finishes
5th, MEQ (7-1) | 5th, Triple Crown (6-2) |
3rd, Central Zone (5-2) | 9th, NEQ (8-1) |
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