2024 Club Preview: Michigan Elite 16 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>Now, onto the 16s age group. Let's take a look at Michigan Elite and what they have going on with 16 Elite.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">16 Elite</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:table --> <figure class="wp-block-table"><table><tbody><tr><td>[player_tooltip player_id='261202' first='Peyton' last='Lowes'] - Northville</td><td>[player_tooltip player_id='490029' first='Amina' last='Baszile'] - Royal Oak</td><td>[player_tooltip player_id='226880' first='Chloe' last='Burns'] - Dexter</td></tr><tr><td>[player_tooltip player_id='226879' first='Samantha' last='Broutin'] - Notre Dame Prep</td><td>Lily Fellin - Troy Athens</td><td>Gabriella Ferrera - Woodhaven</td></tr><tr><td>Nadia Murray - Rochester Adams</td><td>Payton Robinson - Clarkston</td><td>[player_tooltip player_id='226937' first='Mallory' last='Stoy'] - Novi</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>[player_tooltip player_id='226944' first='Maya' last='Zarow'] - Mercy</td><td></td></tr></tbody></table><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">HC: Mallory Kopa; AC: Brianna Edwards</figcaption></figure> <!-- /wp:table --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We are about half way through the club season, let's take a look at 16 Elite. This team has been on the bubble of something great for the first half of the season. Despite playing without a key projected key pieces in their lineup, they still show signs of a real promising work that is yet to come. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">Power on the Pins</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This team is loaded with a couple of options on the pins. Starting off strong, they bring on [player_tooltip player_id='226944' first='Maya' last='Zarow'] for another season. This player is coming off of a huge fall campaign with the 2023 Michigan D1 champs, Mercy. Zarow was a six rotation player that came up in clutch moments with her pass and defense. Alongside her, look to Nadia Murray to be a strong piece coming on strong in the latter half of this season. A new addition to the program from High Performance, Murray has a really strong pop to her swing. And with the more time she recovers from an early season leg injury, the more pop she'll have in her hop as well.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Rounding out the attackers, 16 Elite brings on [player_tooltip player_id='490029' first='Amina' last='Baszile'] and Lily Fellin. All of which can be real nice utility players in their own right. Baszile, in the absence of Murray, has stepped in quite nicely swinging on the left. A great piece to have playing the entire game, she has a keen sense in the back row that makes her a deadly DS or six rotation outside. Fellin has been getting a lot of action on both pins, but has been seemingly very comfortable over on the right pin. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">Middle Territory</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Moving to the middle, this is an area of this team's game that has been consistently growing throughout the season. With some athletic pieces honing in on the game, by time we get to national tournament time, these two could be putting it down with the best. [player_tooltip player_id='226879' first='Samantha' last='Broutin'], while listed as an outside initially, has been seeing the bulk of her time in the middle this season. To great success, Broutin has a quick pop off of the ground and has been finding the ball much better than she started the season. Opposite of Broutin, Gabriella Ferrera enters the game. Ferrera is a more 'traditional' middle given her size and quick-twitched nature. She's one of those players that has been coming on strong coming at this turn of the season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">Deadly Defense</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Much like their attackers, this team is at no shortage of defenders. Leading the pack, Elite brings on [player_tooltip player_id='226937' first='Mallory' last='Stoy']. This is a player that has caught some attention over the latter parts of her 15s year. She's quickly latched onto the libero jersey for this group and has yet to let go of it. Alongside her, Payton Robinson has come in and been the impact DS for this team. Alongside Stoy and the pins, Robinson brings a great presence to the court. She balances out the load and she leads to a lot of attacking opportunities when she's in.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">Setting the Pace</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Rounding out the group, Elite has both [player_tooltip player_id='261202' first='Peyton' last='Lowes'] and [player_tooltip player_id='226880' first='Chloe' last='Burns'] running the show this year. Much like a lot of their teammates, these are a pair of players who could very well be utility players. Throughout the season, I have seen Lowes take on the entire offense herself in 5-1 situations, or I have even seen her be a go-to attacker in a 6-2 scenario. Similarly, Burns not only brings in a lot of balance in the 6-2 scenario, but she plays some solid defense. She could very easily add to the depth this team has in the defensive department if needed. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->