2023 GJNC Texas Preview: 16 Freedom

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The season finale of the 2023 club volleyball season is just around the corner as the very best teams in the country are all ready to make the trip to Chicago to compete in the 2023 USAV Girls Junior National Championship, from June 28-July 6.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The state of Texas will be very well-represented in the tournament, with as many as 148 teams from the Lone Star State headed to Illinois to battle in the 15s, 16s and 17s divisions of the event.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We'll use the weeks leading up to the Girls Junior National Championship to highlight each of these teams and preview the 21 divisions that will have Texas clubs as contenders for the title.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><u>16 Freedom</u></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Division Size: 48</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Teams from Texas: 4</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><u>Team Previews</u></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>Ama Xtreme 16 Shock </em></strong><em>– </em>[program_tooltip program_id='431053' first='Amarillo' last='Xtreme Volleyball'] (Amarillo)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Season Record (on AES):</strong> 46-5</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Players to Watch: </strong>Mazi Smith (outside hitter), [player_tooltip player_id='248547' first='Sidney' last='Soria'] (setter) and Avery Ramos (libero)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://x.com/angiesmith715/status/1632125974648168448?s=20","type":"rich","providerNameSlug":"twitter","responsive":true} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://x.com/angiesmith715/status/1632125974648168448?s=20 </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>Drive Nation 16 Black</em></strong> – Drive Nation Volleyball (Dallas)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Season Record (on AES):</strong> 27-27</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Players to Watch: </strong>Megan Bishop (middle), Kennedy Calabrese (setter) and Aspen Wendt (outside hitter)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://www.instagram.com/p/Cr9hm9Rs50e/","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/Cr9hm9Rs50e/ </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>SA Elite 161 Navy</em></strong> – [program_tooltip program_id='431250' first='San' last='Antonio Elite Volleyball'] (San Antonio)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Season Record (on AES):</strong> 59-24</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Players to Watch: </strong>Yliana Almaguer (middle), [player_tooltip player_id='401547' first='Rayna' last='Dinsmore'] (setter) and Gia Okulicz (outside hitter)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://www.instagram.com/p/CshvojuMfGA/","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/CshvojuMfGA/ </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>Texas One 16 Royal</em> </strong>– Texas One Volleyball (Richmond)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Season Record (on AES):</strong> 41-13</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Players to Watch: </strong>Chloe DeMoss (outside hitter), Taylin Woods (right side) and Jade Romero (libero)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://www.instagram.com/p/CsHD9dMrbW8/","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/CsHD9dMrbW8/ </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed -->