SVA 17 Joe- Nationals Preview: Player Takeover!

<h2 class="wp-block-heading"> 2025 Libero [player_tooltip player_id='268477' first='Lingli' last='Chum-Schultz'] dives in for this Nationals Preview!</h2>   Thank you to Michelle Bamford from PrepDig California and Emma Adams from PrepDig Oregon for inspiring this player takeover!   We kick off a two-week run of Nationals team previews with a new format- a player from each squad has taken the reigns and provides insight into their teammates and the season. Our second team is SVA 17 Joe, out of the Puget Sound Region. The team earned a bid to USAV Nationals in Las Vegas by finishing second at the PSR Bid Tournament. The U17 season is never easy; it is usually spent facing off against 18's squads with older, experienced athletes who are extremely comfortable and confident in their play. SVA 17 Joe battled hard to a 5th place finish in the PSR Power League, a great result with 55 teams in the mix. At the bid tournament, the team gelled, dropping a heartbreaker in the final to PSVAB 17 Legacy, 25-17, 19-25, 13-15. Coaches Joe Baleto and Dylan Lavis will lead the team as they head to Las Vegas and compete in the 17 Liberty Division.   2025 Libero [player_tooltip player_id='268477' first='Lingli' last='Chum-Schultz'] will introduce the team, and we asked Lingli to answer our questions for an in-depth look at the rising senior from Kentwood High School.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/06/SVA-JOE-3.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-553666" style="width:601px;height:auto" /></figure>   Coach Joe Baleto of Seattle Volleyball Academy and SVA Joe 17 at The Emerald City Classic.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/06/SVA-JOE-17-5.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-553689" style="width:959px;height:auto" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">SVA 17 Joe</figcaption></figure>    From Lingli- "Izzy has been thrown many obstacles this season with injuries, but that doesn't stop her from coming into the gym and working hard. Whenever there is the chance, she'll work on blocking and hitting, taking any opportunity to polish her skills."       From Lingli- "Aubrey is a smart player that finds open spots on the opposing side, keeping the defense on their toes. She also reads the block well, swinging through and being able to tool off of it to score."      From Lingli- "Kate's the person in any situation, practice, or match who will be wearing a smile on her face. She'll chase a ball down, steal a pass, and reassure her teammates, all while uplifting everyone on and off the court."      From Lingli- "Fran is the player that thrives wherever you put here. She's been very adaptable between the middle and right side this season, finding her rhythm of where to place the ball on the opposing side."       From Lingli- "Charlotte is such a team player, always asking what she could do better and absorbs feedback very well and applies that to her game. She brings such a light of energy to the court, becoming everyone's personal cheerleader."      From Lingli- "Cam is a versatile player, transitioning from a pin hitter to a defensive player and vice versa. She's a consistent player in the back row, when you need her to dime a pass she'll give it to you."      From Lingli: "Whenever Viv is in the front row, she attacks left or right, moving the ball around the opposing team's defense. She also knows when to swing away when there's a hole in the block and tip the ball strategically. After she serves, Viv knows how to pass a ball and will lay out for anything that comes her way."      From Lingli- "If you're looking for a calm and collected player who brings high energy when needed, that's Dani. She smartly places the ball and is a killer at defense, reading the opposing hitters well to dig the ball. Once it's game time, Dani is lit with a fiery spirit that spreads to our teammates."       From Lingli- "Addi will thrive in any position you put her in. This season, she has played a bit of front row. When she was there, she created shots that would throw off the other team's defense, scoring us many points. Addi's passes are solid dimes, and her sets are perfect for our hitters to have an opportunity to score."      From Lingli- "Carissa is an aggressive right side that knows when to swing away at a ball. She works well with any set that's given to her, whether that's running a two in the middle or a set pushed to the pin. Carissa is also great at placing the ball, knowing how to swing around a solid block or tip it to keep the defense on their toes."      From Lingli- "When you need a well-rounded middle, Sam is that player. Offensively, she transitions quickly and can rip the ball or place it strategically when needed. Defensively, she's down and ready to dig anything that comes her way and gives butter sets to our pins."     <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/06/SVA-Joe-9.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-553719" style="width:690px;height:auto" /></figure>    <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://youtu.be/QAe4bDXWcBU?si=3j2PjCOqm3C8fULk </div></figure>    <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/06/SVA-2024-Ling-800.jpg?w=600" alt="" class="wp-image-553695" style="width:353px;height:auto" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">[player_tooltip player_id='268477' first='Lingli' last='Chum-Schultz']</figcaption></figure>   Volleyball Honors and Accomplishments As a junior, Lingli was a dynamite server for her Kentwood High School team, delivering a 92.6 serving percentage and 19 aces. Chum-Schultz passed a 2.01 in the back row and blistered the floor with her grit and hustle.     Seattle Volleyball Academy 17 Joe 2024 Season at a glance:   1st Place 2024 MLK Washington Kickoff 2nd Place Puget Sound Region 17 Bid Tournament- earned Liberty Bid 3rd Place 2024 Presidents Day Washington 11th Place at PNQ- USA Division 5th Place- Puget Sound Power League- 5/55 teams.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/06/SVA-joe-6.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-553697" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">SVA Joe 17 </figcaption></figure>   Please tell us your GPA and any college majors you are considering. What is important to you in a college? "My GPA is 3.6, and I am a running start student at a local community college. I'm looking at communications or public relations, and I ideally want to go into the media manager field, specifically for an NFL team. For college, I'm looking for a place I can call my new home, away from home, where I can do things outside of volleyball that match my hobbies and interests."   What do you like to do outside of volleyball? "My hobbies are exploring the city (Seattle), going on hikes, finding new places to eat, and just being near the ocean/water because I love swimming, sitting, and watching the sunset, and the ocean brings me clarity when I need it too.   What has been the best moment with the team this season(s)? "The best moment from this season has to be winning our bid at PSR. It has been a rough season leading up to it; working through what we struggled with as a team helped us finish 2nd at regionals. Securing our bid relieved the team; we've worked hard to earn it, and many of us have been coming in early (including myself) to work on skills to better the team for the rest of the season."   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/06/SVA-17-Joe-7.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-553710" style="width:600px;height:auto" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">SVA 17 Joe</figcaption></figure>   What do you love about the game of volleyball? "Passion is a key thing to loving a sport. I started volleyball in 4th grade, and I'm going into my senior year. We all know burnout is a real thing, and it can happen to any player. We all have our off days, but that doesn't stop me from loving volleyball. It's always been my safe place; whenever I step into the gym, I know I can put whatever is bothering me outside, and playing ball will clear my head of any of that negativity."   PrepDig Washington on Lingli:   Chum-Schultz is passionate on the court and dedicated to the game of volleyball. Her team will practice two or three times a week, and with her strong work ethic, she is always willing to come in early to get extra reps. Chum-Schultz works hard to fine-tune anything that can improve her skills and better the team. She has a nasty jump float serve that drops as it crosse the net and creates problems for the serve-receive group, leading to out-of-system swings for opposing attackers. She takes pride in being in the correct position for the situation, Chum-Schultz plants her feet and makes decisive moves on the ball as a defender. She will deliver the diving, one-handed save and make the easy play look easy- one of the keys we look for in a quality defender. The Kentwood prospect has a calm, focused approach that carries over to her platform and precision passing.     <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/06/SVA-Joe-8.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-553717" style="width:734px;height:auto" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">SVA 17 Joe</figcaption></figure>   Best of luck at Nationals to Seattle Volleyball Academy-SVA, and thank you, Lingli, for participating in our Nationals Preview series!