GJNC Preview: 15 Open
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It is almost that time! We will start our USAV Girls Junior National Championship preview with our Missouri teams competing in the 15 Open Division! HPSTL 15 Royal HPSTL enters the championships after earning a bid at Windy City with…
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Continue ReadingIt is almost that time! We will start our USAV Girls Junior National Championship preview with our Missouri teams competing in the 15 Open Division!
HPSTL 15 Royal
HPSTL enters the championships after earning a bid at Windy City with a third-place finish. They are currently ranked 8th in the USA rankings with a 38-11 record in matches utilized by AES. They’ve had a strong spring finishing in the top ten in every qualifier. As evidenced by the initial 2027 rankings, they are deep in talent and can be a factor on the final day. They have a strong front line led by middle in Marlee Steiner Marlee Steiner 6'3" | MB Lindbergh | 2027 State MO . Madelyn Mannebach Madelyn Mannebach 6'1" | RS St. Dominic | 2027 State MO , Kate Sherry Kate Sherry 5'11" | OH St. Pius X Festus | 2027 State MO , Claire Sandstrom, and Giselle Stoeva Giselle Stoeva 6'0" | RS Ladue Horton Watkins | 2027 State MO are featured on the pins. Gabby Schwoeppe Gabby Schwoeppe 5'10" | S St. Francis Borgia | 2027 State MO is the top-ranked setter in the early rankings and runs the offense well. This team will rely on heavy ball control from players like Adele Wright Adele Wright 5'6" | DS/L Kirkwood | 2027 State MO to keep them in system where they are dangerous.
Rockwood Thunder 15 Elite
The Show Me Qualifier runner-ups will enter the tournament with a 10th-place ranking in the USA rankings. After decent showings in March qualifiers, they found their stride in April with 2nd-place and 4th-place finishes. Their team features the top-ranked player in Missouri Shaye Witherspoon Shaye Witherspoon 6'3" | OH Lafayette | 2027 State MO . At 6’3″, she can do many things well, but this is a match-up problem for most teams they face. She is not alone and the team adds punch on the pins with Sophia Kaburakis Sophia Kaburakis 5'11" | OH St. Joseph’s | 2027 MO , Caroline Tenholder Caroline Tenholder 6'0" | RS Eureka | 2027 State MO , and Olivia Cox Olivia Cox 6'2" | RS Notre Dame Highschool | 2027 State MO . Defensively, Audrey Schaeffer Audrey Schaeffer 5'7" | DS/L Incarnate Word Academy | 2027 State MO and Khloe Heberle Khloe Heberle 5'4" | DS/L Orchard Farm | 2027 State MO provide a strong back row. Most teams want to be playing their best volleyball heading into the tournament and we saw that with Rockwood in April and the June Prep Dig Gauntlet.
KC Power 15 Black
Power is based on the Kansas side but boasts some Missouri players. Torri Massengill is a top-ten-ranked player in the state and will lead this team into nationals. KC Power captured their bid in their hometown at the Show Me Qualifier. They sit 20th in the USA rankings. They started club season with a bang, finishing 5th at Triple Crown. The thing you have to like about this team heading into Nationals is their consistency of play this year. St. Teresa’s product Aleigha Zollicoffee Aleigha Zollicoffee 5'11" | MB St. Teresa's Academy | 2027 State MO is one of the middles who have contributed to the success of this team.
PVA 15 Elite
The final team with Missouri-featured athletes to grab a spot in the Open division is PVA 15 Elite. They are the third team in this group to deliver at Show Me and leave with a bid. They have an overall 39-26 record listed in AES. After showing, they followed that up with another 5th-place finish at Lone Star. Jaden Monroe Jaden Monroe 5'11" | OH Staley | 2027 State MO from Staley has been strong on the outside for PVA this club season and improved tremendously from January to June. Defense has been a calling card for PVA this spring and Molly Bokenkroger Molly Bokenkroger 5'1" | DS/L St. Michael The Archangel | 2027 State MO has delivered along with backcourt mate Lochlar O’Bleness Lochlar O’Bleness 5'4" | DS/L Pembroke Hill School | 2027 State MO from Pembroke Hill. A player who has a big upside to watch is middle Charlee Pollard Charlee Pollard 5'10" | MB Summit Christian | 2027 State MO .