USAV GJNC Teams to Watch – 16 American Vol 1

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>USA Jr Nationals, which will be held in Las Vegas in early July, is the ultimate test to the end of the season as it will bring together all of the teams who have earned a bid to participate.&nbsp; These wonderful teams have proven themselves through a very long and grueling club season and will compete against other top-notch teams who have earned the right to play in this prestigious tourney.&nbsp; We will be highlighting teams and individual players from the 16 American division that we think you should be watching during the tourney in this series of articles.&nbsp; Let's take a look at a few names to know!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><u>Texas Fierce Elite 16-1</u></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>From the moment I saw this team in action at the beginning of their 15's year, I knew they would be in contention for a bid.  They have surpassed my expectations tremendously by not only bidding for Nationals two years in a row, but on their way to earning another medal this season.  After their 3^rd place finish at nationals in Chicago last season, they are after a championship this season.  They are led by stud setter [player_tooltip player_id='318199' first='Katelyn' last='Pritchard'] who is silky smooth and will absolutely play division one college ball in a few years.  She is one of the best setters in her grad class and has skills that could rival some college level setters right now.  This entire squad works out extremely hard outside of volleyball practice and it shows in their physical and mental abilities.  Outside hitter [player_tooltip player_id='318197' first='Julianna' last='Guajardo'] is super explosive moving around the court and also as she jumps out of the gym when attacking.  Libero [player_tooltip player_id='318134' first='Sophia' last='Bojorquez'] might be the youngest on the team, but she plays the game like a seasoned upperclassman already.  She is a ball control expert who has to have some ball magnets implanted in her arms because she always seems to be able to keep the ball in play by touching it.  Her defensive range is astronomical and if you are watching her play, you will thoroughly enjoy her emergency techniques.  Middle Isabella Stroman does a great job of watching the pass to see where it will take the setter so she can cheat to the pins.  This helps their defense set up correctly and early to anticipate where the attack will come from.  Right Side Ana Davila has some great timing on the block.  I like how she waits for the hitter to jump so that she can be pressing at the point of the hitter's contact of the ball.  The talented lefty also has a whip of an arm swing that she unleashes with authority.  Andrea Gonzlaez provides some additional heat out of the left side pin position and also plays some great defense out of middle back when she rotates to the back row.  By double-qualifying in the American division and beating tons of teams in this division this season, they have the record and skills to be one of the top teams to beat in the tournament.  If I were a betting man, I would put some serious money on them to make a solid run.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><u>SG Elite 16 Excel</u></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[program_tooltip program_id='429511' first='San' last='Gabriel Elite'] won their bid by winning the championship at the Salt Lake City Showdown National Qualifier.&nbsp; They are led by head coach Leilani Napolean and assistant Frank Salmeron.&nbsp; Setter [player_tooltip player_id='499555' first='Lauren' last='Flowers'] does a very good job of starting off matches with some exceptional serves that are pinpoint accurate and have a good float to them, which make them very difficult to pass. &nbsp;She moves the offense around well also and tracks down every pass with some great quick footwork.&nbsp; I love how middle Khloe Pavia uses her explosive jumping ability and great length in her arms to battle at the net.&nbsp; She is very effective at blocking and attacking against any opponent.&nbsp; Opposite Stella Tekippe is super strong on the defensive end setting the block for the middles to close out to.&nbsp; I like how she keeps her eyes wide open and laser focused on where the set will land so that she can protect the blocking scheme for her squad.&nbsp; Offensively she is one of their go to hitters who can score in bunches if they need her to.&nbsp; Libero [player_tooltip player_id='506240' first='Isabella' last='Aragon'] is very active all over the court covering her hitters and sprawling out for pancakes if need be.&nbsp; She is one of the reasons why this squad is so aggressive defensively because they know that she will back them up.&nbsp; Outside hitter Sophia Silva can move the ball around well as an attacker and this creates some difficulty for any defense because they have to be able to pursue balls to the corners when they least expect it.&nbsp; Right side Eva Portnaya also provides some much needed firepower from the opposite position.&nbsp; Not many teams see this many attacks coming from the right side, so this makes SG very dangerous.&nbsp; I think they have a great shot at a run to the gold bracket if they can keep up their momentum from this season.&nbsp; We will be watching them closely and you should also.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Stay tuned for more articles on your favorite teams and athletes that will be attending nationals.&nbsp; If you have anyone you think we should watch out for, please shoot me an email with some info at <a href="mailto:Michael@prepdig.com">Michael@prepdig.com</a>.&nbsp; Also don't forget to help these kids get more exposure by sharing our stories with your friends.&nbsp; Help us help them by simply retweeting on Twitter or sharing on Facebook.&nbsp; Thanks for following Prep Dig Family!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->