Regionals Week for 16-18Us is Upon Us
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Where did the time go, specifically the last two months? Believe it or not, the Iowa Regional Qualifying Tournament for 16-18U goes down this weekend in Wes Des Moines. Champions in each age group qualify for the national tournament if…
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Continue ReadingWhere did the time go, specifically the last two months? Believe it or not, the Iowa Regional Qualifying Tournament for 16-18U goes down this weekend in Wes Des Moines. Champions in each age group qualify for the national tournament if they haven’t done so already.
You guys know all that. You’re volleyball fans. You feel the excitement building.
To help get you ready for the first weekend of regionals, let’s take a closer look at each age group:
18U
Always a fun event for a group comprised mostly of seniors. Many of them have committed to colleges and are playing their best volleyball without care about their futures.
Pool play is a marathon. There are three pools of five teams jockeying for position in Sunday’s three brackets. Gold is the goal.
Six Pack enters the fray as the favorite. Sisters Payton Petersen Payton Petersen 6'0" | OH Dike-New Hartford | 2024 State #55 Nation IA and Jadyn Petersen Jadyn Petersen 5'9" | OH Dike-New Hartford | 2024 State #195 Nation IA along with Maryn Bixby Maryn Bixby 6'1" | MB Dike-New Hartford | 2024 State IA led Dike-New Hartford to its fourth consecutive state basketball championship last week. They quickly turned their focus to this weekend with help from fellow Division I signees Gabby Lombardi Gabby Lombardi 5'11" | RS Des Moines Christian | 2024 State IA , Isabelle Elliott Isabelle Elliott 6'0" | OH Sumner-Fredericksburg | 2024 State #130 Nation IA and Emma Stammeyer Emma Stammeyer 5'8" | S Iowa City West | 2024 State IA .
Rockets will bring a strong squad to West Des Moines. Drake commitment Bliss Beck Bliss Beck 6'2" | MB Clear Creek Amana | 2024 State #141 Nation IA and Sam Schrage Sam Schrage OH Clear Creek-Amana | 2024 State IA just helped Clear Creek Amana win a state hoops title. They’ll have help from D-I bound Claire Ernst Claire Ernst 6'0" | OH City | 2024 State IA and Melae Lacy as well as libero, Meg Berkland Meg Berkland 5'6" | DS/L Clear Creek Amana | 2024 State IA , one of the state’s top available seniors.
CIA Black is a formidable outfit as well. Keely Collins Keely Collins 5'10" | MB Charles City | 2024 State IA will join Beck at Drake. Xada Johnson Xada Johnson 6'0" | OH Clear Lake | 2024 State IA , Ellery Luhring Ellery Luhring 5'8" | S Grundy Center | 2024 State IA and Carlie Willis Carlie Willis 6'0" | OH Grundy Center | 2024 State IA are signed with D-II programs.
Select Mizuno features Illinois State pledge Sydney Skarich Sydney Skarich 5'9" | OH North Scott | 2024 State IA and Maggie Johnson Maggie Johnson 5'11" | MB Assumption | 2024 State IA , who is headed to UM-St. Louis, along with fellow college signees Rachel Bowers, Kaci Johnson Kaci Johnson 5'8" | S North Scott | 2024 State IA , Emma Whitcomb and Mia Tubbs Mia Tubbs 6'3" | S Clinton | 2024 State IA . Paige Foltz Paige Foltz 6'0" | MB Center Point - Urbana | 2024 State IA , Natalee Hartman Natalee Hartman 5'7" | DS/L Marion | 2024 State IA , Jenna Lewis, Sophia Paulsen and Carlee Webber Carlee Webber 6'0" | MB Marion | 2025 State IA stand out for Adrenaline Deb/Brooke. CR Surge boasts Ava Czarnecki Ava Czarnecki 5'7" | OH Lisbon | 2024 State IA (Southern Illinois), Avery Knoop Avery Knoop S Union | 2025 State IA , Emersyn Secora, Gracen Klima, Piper Nelson and Carissa Timmerman Carissa Timmerman DS/L Xavier | 2025 State IA (’25).
17U
A loaded age group, 17U sets up with six pools and 23 total teams. After pool play, there are crossover brackets on Saturday. Sunday brings challenge brackets followed by gold and silver brackets. That’s a lot of volleyball.
Adrenaline Ben looks like the favorite on paper but could be pushed by some other outstanding teams. Six Pack, PowerPlex Mendieta, Impact, Rockets, IPVA Black and Select Mizuno represent the main challengers.
Louisville commitment Chloe Meester Chloe Meester OH Mount Vernon | 2025 State #37 Nation IA headlines Adrenaline Ben. The Mount Vernon high standout receives plenty of help from twins and Northern Iowa pledges, Kate and Molly Shafer Molly Shafer OH Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont | 2025 State IA , Sydney Maue Sydney Maue RS Mount Vernon | 2025 State IA (Arkansas), Dakota Mitchell Dakota Mitchell 5'3" | DS/L Mid Prairie | 2025 State IA (North Texas), Kate Passmore Kate Passmore 6'0" | MB Linn-Mar | 2025 State IA (uncommitted) and others. When this team is clicking, the opposition is in trouble.
I’m interested to get another look at a PowerPlex Mendieta squad that still was gelling when I saw them in Cedar Falls early in the season. Katie Quick Katie Quick 5'7" | S Ankeny Christian | 2025 State IA (Drake), Reagan Hanfelt Reagan Hanfelt 6'0" | MB Ankeny | 2025 State IA (Iowa State), Delaney Miller Delaney Miller 5'10" | OH Ankeny Centennial | 2025 State IA (uncommitted), Maci Lerseth Maci Lerseth 5'6" | DS/L Indianola | 2025 State IA (uncommitted) and Camryn Overton Camryn Overton 5'11" | RS Indianola | 2025 State IA (uncommitted) help form the foundation of a deep, talented roster.
Six Pack is powered by Creighton commitment and six-rotation standout, Abbey Hayes Abbey Hayes 6'2" | OH North Scott | 2025 State #82 Nation IA . Annalise Grant Annalise Grant 5'5" | DS/L Dowling Catholic | 2025 State IA (Iowa State), Carly Wazac Carly Wazac 6'1" | RS Prairie | 2025 State IA (Wichita St.), Ella Rogers Ella Rogers 6'1" | S Dowling | 2025 State IA (uncommitted), Grace Hannam Grace Hannam 6'1" | MB Cedar Falls | 2025 State IA (uncommitted) and others join Hayes in making this a dangerous outfit. Asta Hildebrand Asta Hildebrand S Iowa City Liberty | 2025 State IA , Grace Erwin Grace Erwin MB Solon | 2025 State IA , Emmy McComas Emmy McComas 6'0" | MB Iowa City | 2025 State IA , Yasmine Sell Yasmine Sell MB Solon | 2025 State IA and Sophie Buysse team up with sounds lineup , making the Rockets a well-oiled machine.
Landry Glasgow Landry Glasgow 5'9" | RS Dallas Center Grimes | 2025 IA , Kamryn Scheib Kamryn Scheib 5'11" | DS/L Ankeny | 2025 State IA , Olivia Eike Olivia Eike 6'1" | OH Ankeny | 2025 State IA and their teammates provide Impact with high hopes. Gabriella Ragins Gabriella Ragins 5'11" | OH Pleasant Valley | 2025 State IA , Ellie Schubert Ellie Schubert 5'9" | S Davenport Assumption | 2025 State IA , Addison Wright, Adalyn Galbraith Adalyn Galbraith 6'1" | MB Burlington | 2025 State IA and others make Select a solid team. Sydney Brandmeyer Sydney Brandmeyer 6'1" | OH Des Moines Christian | 2025 State IA , Dakota Hendricks Dakota Hendricks OH Nevada | 2025 State IA , Ava Adams and Carly Olson help provide high hopes for IPVA.
16U
The 16U division features 21 teams spread throughout six pools. They will compete on Day 1 for gold challenge bracket position in Sunday’s Round 2. That’s followed by gold and silver brackets. It’s a guantlet.
This group might be the most wide open this weekend. Six Pack, Rockets, Adrenaline Doug and PowerPlex Mendoza come into the event with legitimate opportunities to win it all.
Brynn Bakula Brynn Bakula 5'8" | S Cedar Falls | 2026 State IA , Mya McCoy, Annistyn Wedgbury Annistyn Wedgbury 5'5" | DS/L Cedar Falls | 2026 State IA , Bailey and Grace Mullihan Grace Mullihan 5'11" | MB Denver | 2026 State IA , Allison Koch and Alexa Buhman Alexa Buhman 5'8" | S Sumner - Fredricksburg | 2026 State IA contribute to making Six Pack a contender. If Abby Jensen Abby Jensen 5'6" | OH Dike-New Hartford | 2026 State IA returns from a leg injury, that’s another top weapon in the fold.
Adrenaline Doug is enjoying a solid season, one that included a second-place finish playing up with 17U at the UNI-Dome Challenge early last month. Presley Myers Presley Myers 6'2" | MB Holy Trinity Catholic | 2026 State IA , Cambel Drapeau Cambel Drapeau 6'2" | MB Dubuque Senior | 2026 State IA , Harper Pacha Harper Pacha 5'11" | OH Mid-Prairie | 2026 State IA , Paycee Sorgenfrey, Jovi Evans Jovi Evans 5'6" | DS/L Mid Prairie | 2026 State IA , Grace Knock Grace Knock 5'5" | DS/L CR Prairie | 2026 State IA , Sophie Sander Sophie Sander 5'10" | S Anamosa | 2026 State IA and Sariah Sherman Sariah Sherman 5'11" | OH Clear Creek Amana | 2026 IA should have this group in contention for the gold medals.
Reese Naeve Reese Naeve 5'9" | OH Iowa City Regina Catholic | 2026 State IA , Isabelle Kremer Isabelle Kremer 6'3" | RS Pleasant Valley | 2026 State IA and Stella Smith Stella Smith 6'1" | MB Pleasant Valley | 2025 State IA headline a Rockets outfit capable of taking the top prize. Emily Henderson Emily Henderson 5'8" | S Clear Creek Amana | 2026 State IA , Kiley Devery Kiley Devery 6'1" | MB Iowa City Regina | 2026 State IA and Jozie Lahr Jozie Lahr 5'11" | MB Solon | 2026 State IA are other playmakers on this squad.
Do not sleep on PowerPlex Mendoza. Mya Lei-Butters Mya Lei-Butters 5'1" | DS/L Ankeny Centennial | 2026 State IA stands out as one of the state’s better liberos. Ava Groeteke Ava Groeteke 6'1" | RS Dowling | 2026 State IA is a rising pin prospect with excellent potential. Kaelyn Weiland ranks among the state’s top six-rotation performers. Kaylie Klein Kaylie Klein 6'1" | OH Dowling Catholic | 2027 IA , Maya Ridgeway Maya Ridgeway 5'11" | OH Ankeny | 2025 State IA and Elizabeth Greenfield Elizabeth Greenfield 5'6" | DS/L Ames | 2026 State IA help add juice to a strong, versatile roster.