GJNC 18’s Recap: Arkansas’ Finishes & Any National Champions?

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Girls Junior National Championship (GJNC) 18's tournament wrapped up this week, and Arkansas teams made sure they were noticed on the national stage. The event, which brings together some of the best 18's teams from across the country, is always one of the biggest showcases of high school senior talent each year. Arkansas clubs came ready to compete, and throughout the tournament, they showed toughness and pride. From tough losses to dominant wins, players from across the state made a statement that Arkansas volleyball is continuing to grow and make its mark. While no Arkansas team brought home a national title this time, several teams made deep runs and finished among the very best, setting a high standard for the next generation.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">18 American Division</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In the&nbsp;18 American Division,&nbsp;FSJ 18&nbsp;delivered one of the strongest performances for the state. After a weekend full of long matches and tough opponents, FSJ 18 finished&nbsp;3rd place&nbsp;overall. Their chemistry, determination, and consistent play helped them push deep into the tournament and earn a spot among the top teams in the nation. This team is full of notable players, like [player_tooltip player_id='744580' first='Gabriela' last='Dupree'] and [player_tooltip player_id='748204' first='Lydia' last='Pitts']. Last club season, FSJ brought home a National Runner-Up title with this almost identical lineup.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">18 Freedom Division</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In the&nbsp;18 Freedom Division,&nbsp;NWAJS 18-2&nbsp;battled hard and came away with a&nbsp;19th place&nbsp;finish. Facing a deep and competitive field, they showed strong moments of growth and resilience throughout the event. Some notable players for this team would be Ella Pinches and Ashlyn Tag.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">18 Liberty Division</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The&nbsp;18 Liberty Division&nbsp;was another bright spot for Arkansas.&nbsp;NWAJS 18-1&nbsp;powered their way to an impressive&nbsp;11th place&nbsp;finish. Their balanced play and ability to close out tight matches kept them competing at a high level all weekend long. This team is full of household names like [player_tooltip player_id='749611' first='Macon' last='Butler'], [player_tooltip player_id='749676' first='Kate' last='Schofield'], and [player_tooltip player_id='749620' first='Ella' last='Bryan'].</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">18 Patriot Division</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In the&nbsp;18 Patriot Division, Arkansas had three teams representing.&nbsp;Ozark Juniors 18 National&nbsp;made an incredible run, finishing as the&nbsp;runner-up&nbsp;and taking home&nbsp;2nd place&nbsp;honors. Their path to the final was full of exciting wins, and they came just short of bringing a national title back to Arkansas.&nbsp;[program_tooltip program_id='581540' first='501' last='Volley'] 18.2&nbsp;also made a strong showing in the Patriot Division, ending in&nbsp;31st place, while&nbsp;Conway Juniors 18 National&nbsp;finished in&nbsp;61st place, gaining important national experience that will only help their athletes moving forward.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Ozark Juniors 18 National has a deep roster with talented athletes:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:table --> <figure class="wp-block-table"><table class="has-fixed-layout"><tbody><tr><td>[player_tooltip player_id='764403' first='Paige' last='Addington']</td><td>John Brown University, Outside Hitter, NAIA</td></tr><tr><td>Caylie Apperson</td><td>University of Ozarks, Opposite/Middle Blocker, Division 3</td></tr><tr><td>[player_tooltip player_id='770130' first='Kennedie' last='Browning']</td><td><strong>Class of 2026</strong>, DS/Libero, <strong>UNCOMMITTED</strong></td></tr><tr><td>Preslie Clubb</td><td><strong>Class of 2028</strong>, Setter/DS, <strong>UNCOMMITTED</strong><br>* Clubb normally plays for Ozarks Juniors 15 Mizuno. This past weekend, she played up and made a strong difference. <em>College Coaches</em> - put her on your radar.</td></tr><tr><td>Chloe Gilliard</td><td>University of Arkansas,<em> Academics Only </em></td></tr><tr><td>[player_tooltip player_id='161834' first='Charlei' last='Henkel']</td><td>John Brown University, DS/Outside Hitter, NAIA</td></tr><tr><td>[player_tooltip player_id='754297' first='Anna' last='Claire Martin']</td><td><strong>Class of 2026</strong>, Setter/DS, <strong>UNCOMMITTED</strong></td></tr><tr><td>[player_tooltip player_id='744961' first='Victoria' last='Otter']</td><td>Providence College, Outside Hitter, Division</td></tr><tr><td>[player_tooltip player_id='744966' first='Audrey' last='Pender']</td><td>Western Illinois University, Middle Blocker, Division</td></tr><tr><td>[player_tooltip player_id='749625' first='Caroline' last='Red']</td><td>Drury University, Middle Blocker, Division 2</td></tr></tbody></table></figure> <!-- /wp:table --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">18 USA Division</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The&nbsp;18 USA Division&nbsp;saw&nbsp;[program_tooltip program_id='581540' first='501' last='Volley'] 18.1&nbsp;put together a standout tournament run of their own. They pushed deep into bracket play, ultimately finishing in&nbsp;5th place, an impressive finish against some of the toughest competition at GJNC. This roster has one of the most talented lineups: </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:table --> <figure class="wp-block-table"><table class="has-fixed-layout"><tbody><tr><td>Berkeley Berry</td><td>Henderson State University, Libero/DS, Division 2</td></tr><tr><td>[player_tooltip player_id='744579' first='Gracie' last='Brown']</td><td>Southeastern Louisiana University, Middle Blocker, Division 1</td></tr><tr><td>[player_tooltip player_id='764392' first='Madison' last='Crum']</td><td>Missouri State University, Outside Hitter, Division 1</td></tr><tr><td>[player_tooltip player_id='749614' first='Addie' last='Fielder']</td><td>Liberty University, Setter, Division 1</td></tr><tr><td>[player_tooltip player_id='749633' first='Rachel' last='Jackson']</td><td>Arkansas State University, Libero/DS, Division 1</td></tr><tr><td>Madelyn Kinder</td><td>University of Arkansas, <em>Academics Only (Possibly Nursing)</em></td></tr><tr><td>[player_tooltip player_id='750280' first='Lauren' last='Latham']</td><td>Kansas State University, Setter, Division 1</td></tr><tr><td>Journey&nbsp;Peppers</td><td>University of Arkansas, Middle Blocker, Division 1</td></tr><tr><td>[player_tooltip player_id='749618' first='Parker' last='Stearns']</td><td>Arkansas State University, Outside Hitter, Division 1</td></tr></tbody></table></figure> <!-- /wp:table --> <!-- wp:separator --> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" /> <!-- /wp:separator --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>While Arkansas did not capture a national championship this year, the performances across all divisions proved that volleyball in the Natural State continues to rise. From top-three finishes to deep bracket runs, these athletes and programs are setting a high standard for the next generation of Arkansas volleyball stars. The future is bright, and these teams showed they belong among the best in the country.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->