2024 Club Preview: Michigan Elite 15 Elite

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>Be sure to follow&nbsp;@lshotvb&nbsp;on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/lshotvb/">Instagram</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@lshotvb?is_from_webapp=1&amp;sender_device=pc">Tik Tok&nbsp;</a>and&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/LineShotVBall">Twitter</a>&nbsp;for all things volleyball!</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>–</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Just like that, club season is upon us!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>After another incredible high school season, this club season is proving to be another big one for Michigan-based club teams. In 2023, we saw national champions be crowned as well as many top finishes from all ages from these prestigious clubs. It's time to look to the future and see what these clubs have in store for us in 2024. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Next on the list, the 15s age group. This is another really exciting group of teams coming in from the Michigan Elite cannon. Let's talk about 15 Elite.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">15 Elite</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:table --> <figure class="wp-block-table"><table><tbody><tr><td>[player_tooltip player_id='523831' first='Anna' last='Bellomo'] - Utica Eisenhower</td><td>[player_tooltip player_id='454361' first='Sophie' last='Bohl'] - Saline</td><td>[player_tooltip player_id='442991' first='Leah' last='Bongiovanni'] - Marian</td></tr><tr><td>[player_tooltip player_id='523872' first='Anika' last='Jaroszewski'] - Novi Christian</td><td>[player_tooltip player_id='442980' first='Gabby' last='Lavoie'] - Northville</td><td>[player_tooltip player_id='523873' first='Cecilia' last='Murray'] - Marian</td></tr><tr><td>[player_tooltip player_id='442972' first='Brier' last='Skelton'] - Brighton</td><td>[player_tooltip player_id='523875' first='Kate' last='Sulkowski'] - South Lyon</td><td>Tamari Wheatley - Salem</td></tr><tr><td>Caroline Kulaga - Mercy</td><td></td><td></td></tr></tbody></table></figure> <!-- /wp:table --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Coming into the second half of the club season and we have another club team out of Michigan Elite who has been making some serious noise as of late. This 15 Elite squad has been kicking their feet close to a bid for several tournaments now. Competing in the 15 American division at every qualifier, this group has managed to place in the top ten at Northern Lights and top five at Sunshine. Let's see what else this group has on its roster. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">Power on the Pins</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>On the pins, this group has quite the roster that brings the heat up a notch or two. [player_tooltip player_id='442991' first='Leah' last='Bongiovanni'] and [player_tooltip player_id='523831' first='Anna' last='Bellomo'] have been the go-to arms on the left pin. Bongiovanni brings a lot of size and power as the consistent point scorer for the group. Bellomo brings a lot of the balanced ball control that brings this team together. Her prowess as an attacker has been growing much more consistently over the course of the season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In this group's 6-2 system, they have themselves really solid options on the opposite pin. With both [player_tooltip player_id='523873' first='Cecilia' last='Murray'] and Tamari Wheatley going blow for blow, it is pretty difficult to slow this team down when these two are going. Murray is a multi-sport athlete out of Marian that has shown some good signs of success on the right pin and sometimes in the middle. Wheatley is one of those raw, super athletic type of kids that has been growing exponentially since the start of the season. The two could be real game-changers come June for Nationals.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">Middle Territory</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In the middle, this group has two real solid options that are both new to the club. Both [player_tooltip player_id='454361' first='Sophie' last='Bohl'] and [player_tooltip player_id='523875' first='Kate' last='Sulkowski'] come to Elite by way of Legacy and Dynamite. Both Bohl and Sulkowski have seen their stocks seriously spike since their time at Elite. Bohl is a product out of a recent Division I powerhouse, Saline. At 6'0, she brings a nice touch on the block and her offense has grown tremendously. Sulkowski is another player at 6'0 with a lot of athleticism. When she gets going, it's hard to stop her. Sulkowski is the kind of player that can take over matches in the right time.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">Deadly Defense</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In the back court, 15 Elite has themselves a pair of defensive dandies. Annika Jaroszewski has been holding down the fort pretty steadily at the libero position for the bulk of the season. She's a steady touch on the reception line and shows huge promise defensively. Alongside her is a defensive product out of Northville, Gabby LaVoie. If there's anything to know about DSs out of Northville, it is that the track record speaks for itself and LaVoie shows big signs of following in those footsteps. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">Setting the Pace</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Rounding out this group and bringing it all togehter, both Caroline Kulaga and [player_tooltip player_id='442972' first='Brier' last='Skelton'] have been doing a real outstanding job running the offense. These pair of setters not only bring this group together, but they complement each other's game quite well. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->