Nebraska Bid Tracker: Nebraska ONE 17 Black Reaches WCQ Podium

It's a Great Plains double in 17 USA!   Yesterday, we discussed <a href="https://prepdig.com/2024/04/nebraska-bid-tracker-premier-17-black-strikes-gold-in-chicago/">Premier Nebraska 17 Black's run to last weekend's 17 USA title</a> at the Windy City Qualifier. With three bids up for grabs, we have to look down the leaderboard for the other podium finishers in the division. It doesn't take long until you find another Great Plains Region competitor.   [program_tooltip program_id='428717' first='Nebraska' last='ONE'] 17 Black is heading to GJNC this summer after a third-place finish in Chicago. We had seen this group compete in Gold brackets before, but this trip to the Windy City Qualifier was extra special. This group would not be denied.   Let's relive the journey to a 17 USA bid for [program_tooltip program_id='428717' first='Nebraska' last='ONE'].     Thriving Under Pressure   Our <a href="https://prepdig.com/2024/03/nebraska-teams-on-easter-bid-hunt-at-windy-city-qualifier/">Sunday morning feature</a> on Nebraska bid hunters discussed [program_tooltip program_id='428717' first='Nebraska' last='ONE'] 17 Black's journey to the USA bracket. A 2-1 start propelled 17 Black into the next round, but the team's best volleyball was yet to come. As the competition got tougher, [program_tooltip program_id='428717' first='Nebraska' last='ONE'] got better. Perfection was achieved in Round 2, setting up a trip to Sunday's quarterfinals.   First up: the must-win contest. If [program_tooltip program_id='428717' first='Nebraska' last='ONE'] wanted to contend for the podium and a bid, the Easter holiday had to start with a victory. 17 Black met NRG VBC, setting up a rematch of [program_tooltip program_id='428717' first='Nebraska' last='ONE']'s first WCQ outing. Just like Friday's meeting, this ended in an emphatic 2-0 win for the Great Plains team. The first hurdle was cleared.   Now, 17 Black needed a win in the semifinals or the third-place match to lock up a bid. This is where we'd see the true resilience of [program_tooltip program_id='428717' first='Nebraska' last='ONE']. The semifinal round ended in a defeat to Club One AZ, forcing 17 Black to bounce back from its first loss since opening day. The winner-take-all third-place contest would pit [program_tooltip program_id='428717' first='Nebraska' last='ONE'] against Top Select 17 Elite, which entered the weekend as 17 USA's #1 seed. It's a tough draw, but [program_tooltip program_id='428717' first='Nebraska' last='ONE'] was familiar with the pressure.   We had a third-place match worthy of its high stakes. Top Select pounced early before [program_tooltip program_id='428717' first='Nebraska' last='ONE'] responded in Set 2. That yielded an all-out battle in a race to 15 with a bid on the line. 17 Black made one final push to win 15-13 and reach the podium. It's the most clutch scoreline you can create.     A Medley of Stars   What a group of 2025s. [program_tooltip program_id='428717' first='Nebraska' last='ONE'] 17 Black features some of the state's top uncommitted talent in this age group. They'll now showcase their skills on club volleyball's biggest stage.   [program_tooltip program_id='428717' first='Nebraska' last='ONE'] hauls most of its athletes from the greater Lincoln metro, and many of 17 Black's players have abundant state tournament experience on the high school side. Why not start this conversation with some state champions?   [player_tooltip player_id='342613' first='Jillian' last='Donovan'] has rocketed up the 2025 rankings lately. She took the reins of Lincoln Lutheran's offense last fall and set the Warriors to their third consecutive state title. We learned that Donovan has no problem stepping into a high-pressure situation and embracing the spotlight. That pressure was ramped back up in Chicago, but Donovan was built for it. This is one of Nebraska's most dynamic setters in the 2025 class.   <figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/04/IMG_9619-edited.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-527597" style="width:317px;height:auto" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Donovan</figcaption></figure>   Want another state champion with skyrocketing stocks? Check out [player_tooltip player_id='342615' first='Shelby' last='Harding'] at 17 Black's outside hitter spot. She seized a starting role with last year's Lincoln Southwest squad and helped the program claim its first-ever volleyball title. Harding is a nimble left-side hitter who can carve around opposing blocks with ease. It's a perfect fit for [program_tooltip program_id='428717' first='Nebraska' last='ONE']'s up-tempo offense.   Lincoln East is another Star City school experiencing a recent resurgence, and that's where we find 17 Black middle blocker [player_tooltip player_id='342616' first='Brinley' last='Falkinburg']. The Spartans have compiled back-to-back state tournament appearances behind Falkinburg's physicality and range at the net. Her role expanded at WCQ, as Falkinburg thrived on slide plays and crossing patterns for [program_tooltip program_id='428717' first='Nebraska' last='ONE']. She's an ideal terminator in the 17 Black lineup.   Falkinburg is not the only middle who can stuff the stat sheet for [program_tooltip program_id='428717' first='Nebraska' last='ONE']. [player_tooltip player_id='342617' first='Renae' last='Landon'] and [player_tooltip player_id='237412' first='Taytum' last='Miller'] have game-changing potential at this position, giving 17 Black a ton of frontcourt depth. Waverly High School knows all about the sky-high hitting efficiencies Landon can produce. She has made her mark as a 'gap' hitter for [program_tooltip program_id='428717' first='Nebraska' last='ONE'] who can confuse opposing blockers with her routes. Miller, meanwhile, can swap between middle and opposite while bringing a ton of length to either position. Miller plays her prep ball at Columbus High School and is an extraordinary multi-sport athlete for the Discoverers.   While we're discussing productive high school athletes, we don't have many 2025s that can compare to [player_tooltip player_id='342612' first='Sierra' last='Crist']'s production at Crete High School. What a transformative addition for 17 Black. Crist was a do-everything athlete for 16 Synergy last year and followed it up with over five kills per set on the high school side. She is now entrenched in 17 Black's left-side hitter spot, where she can constantly maximize her swings in every rotation. Putting Crist with this group was a colossal shakeup that led to the latest breakthrough at WCQ.   <figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/04/IMG_0752-edited.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-527594" style="width:317px;height:auto" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Crist</figcaption></figure>   [program_tooltip program_id='428717' first='Nebraska' last='ONE'] is seeing increased production across its pin-hitting arsenal. [player_tooltip player_id='495061' first='Kate' last='Carnie'] is a steady force who has ample experience at both pins. We've recently seen her take over at opposite, and 17 Black is taking full advantage of Carnie's heavy arm.   Of course, we have to discuss the army of talented defenders on the 17 Black roster. This is the hallmark of most successful [program_tooltip program_id='428717' first='Nebraska' last='ONE'] teams. It's a group anchored by [player_tooltip player_id='269961' first='Abby' last='Covalt'], a Seward standout who has been one of Nebraska's most productive prep liberos for the last few years. She has amazing defensive instincts and a rock-solid platform in serve receive, allowing 17 Black's offense to operate.   This group has a ton of lineup possibilities in the back row. [player_tooltip player_id='342618' first='Harlie' last='Griffin'] and [player_tooltip player_id='497360' first='Haidyn' last='Case'] have thrived in the right-back area, a tough spot for many defensive specialists to master. This position also allows either one to take on duties as a secondary setter. [player_tooltip player_id='342614' first='Claire' last='Daly'] accompanies this duo in Zone 6, too. This is a subtle reminder that Daly can be a left-side hitter whenever needed.   A collective effort yielded Chicago magic regardless of the starting lineup. Look for more mix-and-match combinations as [program_tooltip program_id='428717' first='Nebraska' last='ONE'] 17 Black prepares for the summer finale.     The Tracker   Here's our tracker--pending the addition of more teams from Windy City. Stay tuned for the next couple of days as we grow the list.     18 Open   Premier Nebraska 18 Gold (KC MLK)     18 National   [program_tooltip program_id='428743' first='VCNebraska' last=''] 18 Elite (GPR)     18 USA   Premier Nebraska 18 Black (NLQ)     18 American   Banzai VBC 18 Select (GPR)     18 Freedom   Club Legacy 18 Alpha (GPR)     17 USA   [program_tooltip program_id='428717' first='Nebraska' last='ONE'] 17 Black (WCQ)   Premier Nebraska 17 Black (WCQ)     15 Open   Nebraska Elite 15 Revolution (NLQ)   [program_tooltip program_id='428743' first='VCNebraska' last=''] 15 Elite (MEQ)     15 USA   Premier Nebraska 15 Black (NLQ)     15 Liberty   [program_tooltip program_id='428743' first='VCNebraska' last=''] 15 Black (MEQ)

It's a Great Plains double in 17 USA!