Hoosier Bid Regionals: 18s In Pools 3 And 4

Empowered in Fort Wayne is once again hosting the Hoosier Bid Regionals for the 18s division, and have expanded their tournament to four courts involving 12 total teams from around the state. This two day tournament has plenty of athletes that are still available across multiple recruiting classes, and will be well worth the watch starting Saturday afternoon. Here are nine players from five different teams that should be turning heads this weekend.    Reclassifying to the class of '26, this strong and consistent setter is THE setter for Pineapple High Performance's inaugural 18s team. Technique-wise, Kyla is spot on with both her footwork and her hands. I like the location she gives her hitters, as she makes nearly every pass hittable on offense. Her feet are quick and decisive, and she takes long strides to get to every pass. Although the team itself has had a rough go of it early on this club season, Kyla has kept it positive throughout, and is a floor leader if there ever was one. She'll be on court 3 starting at 1p.     Yet another solid and consistent passer from northern Indiana, Grace is an additional class of '26 member of PHP's 18s roster. I like her ability to get to every ball regardless of where she is or where it comes from. Most defenders, especially in this class, have some sort of "hole" in their game. Grace has very few, if any, weaknesses in her technique and will be a nice addition to a stable of defenders at the next level.     With size and strength to burn, Lili is a big and physical M2 for the top program at Team Indiana. I've always been drawn to middles with size, as that's the ONE thing you can't teach once you get to the next level. Raw but strong, Lili takes up space on the block, is tough to defend when she attacks, and is just now scratching the surface of what she's capable of. You can find her on court 3, also starting at 1p.     Springy and quick, Miss Kilberg is a solid six-rotation outside that has yet to find a home for the fall of '25. At first, Maddy seems undersized for her position. After watching her play, she more than makes up for that size discrepancy by having exceptional athleticism and a high attack point that makes her harder to defend than one might think. It's easy to fall into a trap of looking at someone's stature and thinking that it might not translate to the next level. With Maddy, the tools and the talent are there, and can easily be used at the next level regardless of her height.     I can't speak for others, but I just love big and physical middles that use power and strength to overtake opposing blockers. Yes, there is something to being quick, but what about the raw talent and strength kids that are still available in February? Miranda comes from a not-so-traditional volleyball school, so she's still hasn't seen a lot of interest come her way. In her defense, starting the game late shouldn't hold her back from colleges showing interest in an athletic stud that can jump well and terminate with pace. You can find Miranda on court 4 at 1p on Saturday.     A transfer from Boiler Juniors, Catherine is a long and lean attacker that can do damage from either pin at a high level. Yes, you'll notice that her graduating class is '28, so in order for her to compete at this age group, she must be doing something right. Already with an above-average arm swing, Cat has the skill to hit high and hard on unsuspecting blocks while hitting much-needed shots to score points for her squad. Miss Mullis starts her weekend on court 4 at 2p.     With already a few years of varsity play under her belt, Ava is a solid six-rotation option from volleyball power Benton Central. Everything she does looks smoother than the average six-rotation kid in this class, making her a must-see when it comes to playing up a year. Between the training she gets from her high school and the level of play she's accustomed to so far this spring, Ava is a hidden gem of a talent that can do a little of everything from the left pin.     With fast feet and a high attack point, Lily makes up for her apparent lack of size with pace on the ball when she swings. I'd like to see a little more heavy attacking for out-of-system balls, as her footwork still has a little more training needed. Regardless, all of the skills are there, and should be just a matter of time before she puts all of the six-rotation skills together. Lily can be found on court 4 starting at 1p.     Part of a solid senior class at Dwenger, Maddy is a defense-first middle that uses her length to close blocks and penetrate consistently. Her offense isn't quite where it needs to be as a senior, so maybe a little more training this spring (and again in her first year at the next level) will have her offense rise to the level of her defense. With that being said, a solid blocking M2 is a nice thing to have going into the next couple of months, and she's still available to sign if needed.

Empowered in Fort Wayne is once again hosting the Hoosier Bid Regionals for the 18s division, and have expanded their tournament to four courts involving 12 total teams from around the state. This two day tournament has plenty of athletes that are still available across multiple recruiting classes, and will be well worth the watch starting Saturday afternoon. Here are nine players from five different teams that should be turning heads this weekend.