Celebrating Hoosiers: Qualified 16s Teams, Part 2

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In our second edition of 16s teams that have qualified for GJNCs this summer, we hit up three rosters in three different divisions from multiple graduating classes. A little for everyone, so to speak. Here are nine athletes to watch in Dallas this summer from 16s divisions in Indiana.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Rev 16-1 Fury</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A mixed-class but talented roster for sure, there are multiple reasons to love the athleticism on this USA-division bound team. Let's start with setter <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='730187' first='Maggie' last='Sliwa'].</strong> Easily one of the top recruits in the class of '28, Maggie is long and lean for days and sets a highly hittable ball no matter where she receives it. Her size alone makes her an exceptional add for someone looking for a tall and athletic 5-1 setter, while her decision-making is upper-class compared to the rest of her classmates at her position. A pin attacker that has surprised me as of late is <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='513305' first='Mia' last='Zabel'].</strong> Mia is a grip-it-and-rip-it right side who has size and upper body strength to go with it. She can play either pin, and can go all the way around in serve receive. I'd like to see a little more focus with this young lady's future, as she looks more natural on the left pin (even though her right pin work at Rev is high-level). She takes no plays off, and is tough in all aspects of the game. Finally, we look at springy middle <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='730102' first='Ragan' last='Ward'].</strong> Although she's the shortest of the three listed from this roster today, she jump touches well past both of them. Her blocking skill has advanced PAST her offensive skill set, as she reads and reacts with the best of the middles in her class ('28, by the way). You can't teach natural athletic ability, and Miss Ward has it in droves.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Circle City 16 Black</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The 2s version of the 16s division at Circle, this squad should do quite well in the American division in Dallas. There's a lot to like here, including a couple of kids that could make different 1s teams around the city if they didn't play at Circle. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='443851' first='Ali' last='Nobbe']</strong> is a six-rotation, big and physical outside that has made such amazing strides in the last calendar year. I like her length and willingness to go for it, regardless of the score or the situation. Her rise in the last 12 months has been meteoric, from relative obscurity to high-level club ball in the blink of an eye. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='546228' first='Ella' last='Stone']</strong> is a middle capable of playing either position, as she attacks equally from in front of or behind the setter. Even at her age, Ella got reps with the undefeated state champs at Roncalli this past spring, and is looking to do the same this coming fall. Length and athleticism in the middle makes her a solid recruit for the next level. In order for those two kids to get their kills, however, setter <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='514722' first='Marlee' last='Chafin']</strong> needs to feed it to them. A no-nonsense setter with work ethic for days, she's a kid that takes no plays off, makes no excuses, and maximizes every bit of talent in herself to maximize the talent around her.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Circle City 16 White</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The third Circle program to qualify in the 16s division has their own fair share of talent and athleticism. Take <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='435853' first='Avery' last='Bastien']</strong>, for instance. A beast in the weight room and a well-rounded beach player in her own right, Avery is in constant work mode to be better 1% from the day before. She's an easy plug-and-play three-rotation DS in any of the three spots in the back row, while also getting better in the outdoor game by playing high-level sand tourneys. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='514770' first='Lainey' last='Wojnowski']</strong> might be an undersized middle for this class, but her ability to explode in her jump and put balls away both in front of and behind her setter is a nice set of traits to have. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='771811' first='Reese' last='Price']</strong> is an explosive three-rotation outside that can thump at a moment's notice and will be a steal for someone looking for just that. I like her ability to put balls away in all areas of the court at any time---a trait not normally seen from a kid playing at a non-traditional volleyball school. Her size will help over time; her playing club at a higher-than-average level will improve her stock over time, which I'm looking forward to.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->