MLK Invitational: 15 Open – Top Setters
In this article:
This past weekend, Houston hosted a massive national-level club tournament, the 2024 MLK Invitational, which featured more than 250 teams from several states, with two of the three days of the event taking place at the NRG Center in Downtown.…
Access all of Prep Dig
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingThis past weekend, Houston hosted a massive national-level club tournament, the 2024 MLK Invitational, which featured more than 250 teams from several states, with two of the three days of the event taking place at the NRG Center in Downtown.
Texas was represented with multiple teams in every division and some of the most exciting prospects of the Lone Star State got to go on the court and battle teams from other states over three days.
On Saturday, Prep Dig was at the British International School of Houston, where the 15 Open division was played, and got to watch seven Texas teams compete. Several players caught our attention and this week we’ll feature them, starting with the setters:
Zoe Stuhlmiller
Zoe Stuhlmiller
TAV Houston 15 Adidas advanced all the way to the golden bracket final and registered a 7-1 win record over the weekend with Stuhlmiller’s steady hands guiding them. She was extremely precise and consistent all weekend, keeping the team in rhythm during matches. Stuhlmiller did a very good job too when the pass didn’t find her at the net and used all her hitters in an intelligent way. She also contributed to the team’s solid campaign with tough serving and very active defense.
Karmen O’Quinn
Karmen O’Quinn
With O’Quinn and Ava Martinez splitting time at setter, Houston Stellar 15 Elite had one of the best combos at the position in the entire field and ranked fifth with five wins and three losses. O’Quinn displayed a very clean touch on the ball and was extremely precise when setting to the pin, even when out of system. Always looking very calm on the court, she distributed the ball well among her hitters and displayed great chemistry with pin hitter Alixandra Klein Alixandra Klein 5’7″ | OH Deer Park | 2027 TX . O’Quinn also worked very hard on defense and generated several transition plays for her team.
Isabella Franco
Isabella Franco
Xcel VB 151 Adidas had a difficult weekend, with just two wins in eight matches, but Franco did well enough to stand out for them. The team’s offense flew very well through her hands as the setter tried to use each of her hitters, but was smart enough to turn to the most effective ones in key moments. A lefty, Franco was also a threat with her setter dumps, often scoring herself in big moments. The setter also showcased a tough floater and got several touches on defense.
Bree Garcia
Bree Garcia
One of Valley Venom – 151 Red’s setters, Garcia was a big part of the team’s game over the weekend – they finished tenth with four wins and four losses. Working with an undersized group of hitters, she had to be very precise to give her teammates the chance to score and she did just that, especially when setting to the pin. Garcia also contributed to the team on defense, playing with great energy and displaying good ball control.
Avery Guinn Avery Guinn 5'8" | S Klein Collins | 2027 TX
Avery Guinn Avery Guinn 5'8" | S Klein Collins | 2027 TX
Seventh-place finishers with three wins and four losses, Texas Legacy 15 Elite were another team to use multiple setters, with Guinn splitting time with Madelyn Butler Madelyn Butler 5’8″ The Woodlands | 2026 TX . A long setter, she used her reach well to make contact with the ball at a high point when setting it, running quick plays when she had a chance. Guinn’s creative playmaking paid big dividends to the team, as she often had her pin hitters going against a single blocker. She also served well, consistently getting opponents out of system.