Fitz's Day 1 Notes App - USAV 15 Open Impact Athletes

There is always a buzz on day one of USAV Nationals. This is a fresh start, a season within a season. Some of these teams haven't played in a few weeks and haven't had the convention center energy in a couple months. I spent my morning on the 15 Open courts and every team had players who can make a case for being some of the best in their age division. I have my notes app on full blast and a camera by my side to make sure I can capture the moments of day one. I didn't get to see all the teams, but the tournament is young. Here is what my notes app had to say about the 15 Open athletes who made a big impact.   <a href="https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?vanity=PrepDig&set=a.830190745445463" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">PHOTO GALLERY - DAY 1 - 15 OPEN </a>   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2023/06/DSC03172.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-409264"/></figure>   Keoni Williams - Skyline 15 Royal   Right away I could see that she was going to have a major presence in the frontline. At the 15s level, there are plenty who have the height, but she has the athleticism and physicality to go with her game. She has a big time ceiling as well where she is only going to get better as she continues to work out of transition to be available for all the tempos. A major presence on frontline who was one of the more physical blockers I saw today.   Taylor Clarke - Skyline 15 Royal   Clark was one of the best athletes on the court this morning. With an extremely fast approach and explosive jump, she was thumping straight down with a big left handed swing. With her ability to terminate on the right side, this really spread the defensive front line putting a lot of pressure on the opposing backrow.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2023/06/DSC03162.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-409265"/></figure>   LeVariya Pinder - Skyline 15 Royal   Pinder would be considered “undersized” as a middle, but I look at that as a mismatch nightmare and she was able to find the deep corners to score points. She is also really quick when it comes to lateral movement to close the block. Every open team here has pins who can blast, but this Skyline team has athletes who can pass and terminate in multiple spots.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2023/06/DSC03159.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-409266"/></figure>   Laney Hannessee and Henley Anderson - AP 15 Adidas   Laney Hannessee and Henley Anderson can hammer down the line, pass to attack, you name it they can do it - this duo of outsides are so impressive for Austin Performance. I saw them compete at the Northern Lights Qualifier in March where they have since elevated their play. Anderson is a violent attacker, her athleticism and ability to terminate is just different in this age level. She looks like a college player right now. Hannessee was the one who ignited an early start for AP. She was hitting every shot going down the line, off the block, roll over the block and sharp cross. Her pass to attack was textbook with her transition work.    Sophia Johnson and Finley Krystowiak - Wave 15 Brennan   Johnson is the prototypical crafty California outside. She can pass, serve receive, and hit all of the shots. Her counterpart Krystowiak is definitely a different type of player making for a fun combo. She has the size and physicality to attack out of any spot in the front row and from multiple tempos.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2023/06/DSC03179.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-409267"/></figure>   Jaycee Mack - Wave 15 Brennan   Ran one of the best slides all day. If only I had video of how she pivoted off one foot and completely crushed the ball going back into the court. People on both sides of the net were impressed with her sideline going wild. What I see more and more of are the middles who can really work and use their speed can be highly efficient at any of these levels.   Jordin Southall - GP 15 Rox   This was another athlete where all it took was one swing to say “Whoa”. She did this with ease, making it look easy. She is able to hang in the air and blast away. I'm keeping my eye on Game Point out of Florida where they are making a name for themselves as a club in multiple age groups.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2023/06/DSC03147.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-409271"/></figure>   Sophia Gisslen and Lola Sasse - Team Pineapple BlackLJ   It does help when you have one of the best ever to play the game as your coach in Lloy Ball on the sideline. Setter Sophia Gisslen has all of the fundamental boxes checked with how she is efficient with her feet, hands high, neutral, and getting the ball to her attackers. The combinations she had with middle blocker Lola Sasse were money. Sasse plays with a high motor where she can get out of transition and run a really quick tempo where she is highly efficient.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2023/06/DSC03208.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-409275"/></figure>   Anna Flores and Danielle Whitmire - TAV 15 Black   TAV was one of the most physical teams I saw today. Tough to find a weakness on this squad where they can handle the ball and always seem to be in system. The setter who runs the show is Anna Flores. She has great feet, a smooth release and keeps it neutral with every set she makes. I was also impressed with the Whitmire with how strong she was on her block, the solid hand contact, and her overall intangibles    Makenna Kirlin - Elevation 15 Tony   I really liked this team where they have weapons everywhere. Everyone can put the ball away and you can tell they have relied upon their depth and balance to be among the top teams in the country. Setter, Makenna Kirlin is the QB 1 of this squad. She has a high motor, gets her feet to the ball and makes it easy for her attackers to terminate.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2023/06/DSC03232.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-409276"/></figure>   Riley Malloy - Austin Skyline   There is a ton of upside to the game of Riley Malloy where she is really long, athletic, and very fundamentally sound all over the court. I saw her play at Windy City Qualifier in April, but against a really tall SG Elite squad she was able to hit with power and finesse. She is a scorer everywhere on the court.    Audrey Flanagan and Samantha Destler - SCVC 15 Roxy   What a duo for SCVC. They fly high and hit hard. Audrey Flanagan is able to get the most out of her approach and leap, hitting at a high contact point where she can take it from a variety of angles. Destler is so good with her last two steps. She generates so much power and whip on her swing that it makes it tough for the defense to handle if they are able to get a touch on it.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2023/06/DSC03247.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-409277"/></figure>   Brooklyn Jenkins and Vivian Hickman and - AZ Sky 15G   Jenkins was among the top attackers I saw in the 15 Open field this morning. What I liked was how she approached with no fear and would go big. As she continues to develop shots, she will be a great tough pin to contain. Her counterpart, Vivian Hickman is such a fun athlete to watch where she would swing big on the right side and go to the backrow and set. One of the more dynamic players in the 15 open field where she could do a lot of special things with a diverse skill set. Whatever her team needs, she will find a way to get it done.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2023/06/DSC03253.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-409278"/></figure>   Haley Wilson and Sydney Borowy - AVC 15 Red   What an exciting end to the match where AVC closed out Boiler Juniors to snag the upset. AVC is ranked 34th and Boilers are 6th in the field. That's just USAV open level in general. Nothing is really a big upset. Wilson came up big with a huge block that sparked the AVC sideline and would later come back with a kill off the hands. Borowy has a high contact point and snap, coming up big in those last five points to close.    Ella Andrews and Eva Long - Legacy 15 Adidas   I feel like my coverage schedule lined up pretty well with Legacy this club season. I don't watch a ton of 15s during the heat, but I managed to see Legacy a handful of times. Gaby Divita and Kayla Nwabueze provide so many highlights. However this is a complete team. I really like how setter Eva Long runs the offense and gets her middles involved. Ella Andrews has a huge upside out of the middle. She has improved tremendously since I saw her first at Central Zone. She takes a big swing and is a physical force as a blocker    Academy 15 HP Daniele   Maura Hambly    Riley Barulich    Noelle Vanacht     SCVC 15 Roxy   Kaitlin Herweg   Milly McGee     Dynasty 15 Black   Sydni Lafasciasno     SG Elite 15 Roshambo   Piper Chylinski    Maya Stillwell     Vision 15 Gold   Jenelle Legates   Teagan Cooling     Tribe 15 Elite Cardinal   Giavanna Artiles     Metro 15 Travel   Nadiya Johnson   Morgan Williams     Austin Skyline 15 Royal   Claire Nelson

There is always a buzz on day one of USAV Nationals. This is a fresh start, a season within a season. Some of these teams haven't played in a few weeks and haven't had the convention center energy in a couple months. I spent my morning on the 15 Open courts and every team had players who can make a case for being some of the best in their age division. I have my notes app on full blast and a camera by my side to make sure I can capture the moments of day one. I didn't get to see all the teams, but the tournament is young. Here is what my notes app had to say about the 15 Open athletes who made a big impact.