Which 16s Stood Out at the Great Plains Bid Tournament?
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While I was mingling among the 15s and 17s matchups at The Courts, the 16s were battling for their own bids at the Kinetic Sports Complex. Now, through the magic of game film, we can talk about some 16s standouts.
We're clearly heading into a big stretch for these 16s, most of whom fall in the Class of 2025. Open contact for this group will begin in just over a month, and the flurry of recruitment will carry on for months afterward. It's now becoming extra important to give these athletes their due.
So, now that I've had a chance to assess some tape from the 16s side of the bid tournament, here are a few names that stood out during the pursuit to Nationals.
Aubree Bules Aubree Bules 5'7" | DS/L Minden | 2025 State NE
Aubree Bules Aubree Bules 5'7" | DS/L Minden | 2025 State NE
Minden representation is a huge storyline for Nebraska Pride Gold 16s, and we’re about to feature two Whippets who loom large in this team’s lineup. Bules has made a late-season surge as the libero for Gold 16s. Her steady first contacts help anchor what has turned out to be a strong defensive unit, and that became a key to Nebraska Pride’s Nationals berth in the 16 National division.
While Bules has done a great job handling first contacts, Emery has made her presence felt on the second touch. This up-and-coming 2026 athlete has a knack for dishing out a smooth offense, but that’s far from Emery’s only contribution to Nebraska Pride. Like her fall role with Minden, Emery usually takes up a pin-hitting role in the frontcourt and becomes a go-to attacker whenever she’s along the net.
Highlights
Hutson Rau
Hutson Rau
Premier 16 Black gets a ton of all-around production from Abraham Lincoln High School in Council Bluffs, and it’s about time I start talking about these standouts from across the Missouri River. Rau took full advantage of the GPR Bid Tournament and showed her full array of skills on both pins for 16 Black. Her effortless elevation has offered a reliable scoring outlet for 16 Black, and the team capitalized on that advantage to secure a Nationals bid.
It wasn’t just the frontcourt that was thriving for Premier 16 Black. Backcourt specialists like Sinnett continue to make huge gains as 16 Black elevates its level of play late in the season. Whether Sinnett is in a primary defensive specialists role or in the libero jersey, she is sure to make positive touches that will factor into her team’s success.
Let’s bring another standout libero into the mix, this time from Banzai 16 Select. There’s a lot of credit to go around for Banzai’s bid-earning breakthrough in the 16s age group, and Teter is certainly one worthy of mention. She can lock down the crosscourt with great efficiency, allowing Banzai’s wealth of frontcourt talent to score in transition. That’s how a libero can influence a match, and we saw that kind of impact from Teter at the bid tournament.
Cecilia Bryant Cecilia Bryant 5'11" | RS Lincoln Pius X | 2025 State NE
Cecilia Bryant Cecilia Bryant 5'11" | RS Lincoln Pius X | 2025 State NE
Bryant is one of several names in the VCNebraska 16 Black that has surged into the spotlight in recent weeks. Teams often struggle to defend an effective slide attack at the prep level, and Bryant is the kind of hitter who can give blockers fits when she swings behind the setter. This middle blocker’s one-footed takeoffs have allowed her to thrive in clutch moments for 16 Black, especially when a bid was on the line.
Haidyn Case
Haidyn Case
Nebraska ONE has had extraordinary success with outside hitters who have six-rotation skill sets, and Case is quickly adding her name to that conversation. She brings the explosiveness to be a reliable out-of-system terminator for 16 Black. More than that, however, Case is a fearless floor defender who offers the defensive range of a libero. This combination of abilities took center stage at the bid tournament, and that will likely be the case in the fall season, too.
Lincoln High gets on the board yet again with a Nebraska ONE 16 Lime athlete who is making big strides. Anderson locks down the net in just about every way she can, from sealing blocks from the middle to getting involved offensively on the quick. 16 Lime wisely allowed this versatility to flourish as Anderson quickly became a standout on the GPR stage.
The stockpiling of defensive talent continues for Premier Nebraska. Fichtl has found recent success in the libero jersey for Premier 16 Red, which is especially impressive given her extensive background as an outside hitter. Because of that pin-hitting experience, Fichtl is a stout defender in the middle-back area and works well with her teammates to seal off any gaps in the 16 Red’s backcourt.
Sami McCormack
Sami McCormack
McCormack is assured a spot in our next 2025 rankings update, and a lot of that has to do with her work in late-season events like the GPR Bid Tournament. She is one of several 16 Red hitters whose attacking prowess comes from her ability to get off the floor quickly. That trait stood out on film last week, and McCormack’s best moments may still be yet to come.
