USA All-Star Championship Preview: Evergreen 17U
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Ft. Lauderdale, Florida will play host to the 2023 USA All-Star Championships. Sanctioned by USA Volleyball, the 40 regions of USAV produce the event, and its hosted this year by the Florida Region. The USAV moved to the National Team…
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Continue ReadingFt. Lauderdale, Florida will play host to the 2023 USA All-Star Championships. Sanctioned by USA Volleyball, the 40 regions of USAV produce the event, and its hosted this year by the Florida Region. The USAV moved to the National Team Development Program in 2021, and the regions collectively chose to continue developing elite athletes within each region. Each region can choose to host an NTDP (formerly HP) program, with the culminating event being the All-Star Championship Tournament held each July. The two regions in Washington, Puget Sound and Evergreen each chose teams based on an initial tryouts followed by a selection camp.
The USA All-Star Championships allow athletes to play under international rule sets, with limited substitutions, a best 3 out of 5 matches, and an international ball, the Molten Flistatec. The Evergreen Region sends two teams, one at 17U and another at 15U. The region covers all of Central and Eastern Washington and parts of Idaho and Montana. Four separate initial tryouts took place, blanketing the region and leading into the selection camp in Spokane. Only 10 players were selected for each team, putting a premium on versatility. Let’s look at the 17U group today.
York was a crucial member of her Colfax High School team’s run to the state volleyball championship final last high school season, and she continued her winning ways with the Bulldogs basketball team during the winter. She has soft hands and good footwork from the setter spot and plays terrific defense in the right back. York has racked up kills during her high school career as a setter/attacker, she is clever at the net and not afraid to dump when the situation is right.
Oregon State secured a verbal commitment from Marrs recently, the 2025 prospect from Ellensburg will compete in the Pac 12 for the Beavs in Corvallis. As a player, she can pass, play either pin or the middle, and gives effort all times blocking or playing defense in the back row. It will be important for the 6″4 Marrs to but up a big block against the high level talent at the All-Star Championships, team defense and blocking should be a strength for the Evergreen team.
Highlights
Willsey is another versatile Central Washington middle, playing for CRU and AC Davis High School. The 6″0 2025 can pass the ball in serve receive, and that may be a talent she has to put to use in Florida. The big arm swing is there on all the middle attacks, and Willsey is a strong blocker wherever she is playing along the front line. She has shown growth running the slide and the seam from the middle this season, Willsey had excellent timing and was in sync with her setters at Junior Nationals.
https://youtu.be/wNhHV6aNrqw
Chloe Sanders | 6″1 RS/MB 2025 | Big Sky Volleyball | Helena High School
Sanders is one of five Montana players that bolstered the region on the 17U team. The 6″1 2025 prospect is strong at the net, taking big swings from both pins this season for Big Sky. She has added a crafty tip she drops right over the top of blockers to score, and when you touch 10 feet, that’s a weapon!
Leela Ormsby | 6″3 MB 2025 | Big Sky Volleyball | Billings Senior
Ormsby spent the past week in Florida, participating in the USA National Team Development Summer Training Series. The rising junior may have the biggest ceiling on the team and should be attracting high major attention on the college recruiting scene for 2025. She is a dominating blocker with great press and heavy hands, and Ormsby is delivering kills from all angles as she continues to accelerate her development. This should be a breakout week for the Montana middle!
Etter is a verbal commit to Boise State, and the 2024 from Gonzaga Prep High School will play setter for the Broncos and the Evergreen Region team. She played a strong right side when she rotated into the front row for CPA 17 Drew during club and has played as a six-rotation outside at times during the high school season. Her versatility could come into play in Ft. Lauderdale, following the trend of many of the athletes on the team. The 5″10 Etter plays big enough at the net to run a 5-1, which is ideal with the limited subs allowed due to the international rules.
Highlights
Micaela “Mickey” Stains
Micaela “Mickey” Stains
The 2024 libero from Eastmont is tough and gritty as a defender and brings a high level of communication and smarts to the back row. Stains will be counted on to step up as a passer and deliver to the Evergreen setters, the big middles are one of the team’s best options to score. She should be up to the challenge, she is excellent at scrambling and making clutch plays defensively, the team around her should be able to make it count when she does.
Mickey Stains Mickey Stains 5’7″ | DS/L Eastmont | 2024 State WA Highlights
Piper Jette | 5″11 OH 2024 | Monchina | Billing Senior
The three-sport athlete from Montana is another great addition from Billings Senior High School for the Evergreen squad. Jette is a scorer from her outside spot and plays athletic defense in the back row. Her team relied on her during the run to the AA State title, and she delivered: ripping shots down the line and mixing in well-placed tips and off-speed shots. Jette is a competitor who will give the team max effort when she is on the floor.
Makenzie Jackson | 6″2 Opposite 2024 | Big Sky Volleyball | Helena High School
Jackson is a long, left handed attacker who can swing it from either pin and set as well. A Montana State commit, Jackson is everything coaches could want in an opposite. She medaled in the high jump at the State Track Championships, has quick feet to get into transition, can step in set the second ball, and of course has the lefty hammer to terminate a point.
Maddie Swanson | 6″0 Pin/MB 2024 | Big Sky Volleyball | Billings Senior
The 2024 is the third member of the squad from Billings Senior in Montana, a team that took home the Class AA championship last fall. Swanson has committed to the Vulcans of Hawaii Hilo and will play in the Pac West Conference after high school. She plays passionately and gets her team fired up with her contagious energy. Swanson has a tough serve, can pass, block, and score from each position across the front row. Her team can look to her for a boost when the match is on the line.
Keep an eye on social media: The official ASC social media platforms are:
FACEBOOK: USA All-Star Volleyball Championships
INSTAGRAM is USAAllStarVBChamps.
Players and coaches will be using the Event hashtag AllStarChamps and #FL23 to showcase the competition. Matches start on July 20th and continue each day through the 23rd. We are looking forward to a live stream from each one of the four Washington teams- send a livestream link to @JesseEtter12 if you would like the stream shared with the Prep Dig community!