GJNC Podium Spotlight: Premier Nebraska 15 Black

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The future is in good hands.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Premier Nebraska drew some major headlines after <a href="https://prepdig.com/2025/07/premier-nebraska-15-gold-wins-usav-nationals-15-usa-title/">Premier Nebraska 15 Gold's championship triumph</a> in the 15 USA division at USAV Nationals. That alone is plenty of success for one age group, but this club went a step further with <strong>Premier Nebraska 15 Black</strong> mounting its podium ascent in 15 Freedom.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Similar to our discussions on the 16s side, 15 Black was the beneficiary of some bid changes and reallocations after the Great Plains Region Bid Tournament. [program_tooltip program_id='428743' first='VCNebraska' last=''] 15 Elite upgraded from USA to National, resulting in a reallocated USA bid for Premier 15 Gold. This shuffle allowed Premier 15 Black to slide into the 15 Freedom slot and set its sights on a new journey at GJNC. The Dallas trek was worthwhile.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Our next GJNC Podium Spotlight features another 15s group that will loom large on Nebraska's prep stage for years to come.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">Gaining Momentum</span></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Premier Nebraska 15 Black settled in when it mattered most.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The opening round of GJNC pool play provided an up-and-down wave of momentum for 15 Black. We wouldn't expect anything less from the notoriously unpredictable 15s age group.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A win over MAVS KC started proceedings. Premier Nebraska then split a pair of three-set gauntlets against FC Elite and Cape Coast to position itself at 2-1. A dominant victory over NCVC placed 15 Black one step closer to the next round. Even after 15 Black fell to SoCal in the Round 1 finale, the team had done enough to advance.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>15 Black flipped a switch on Sunday. Premier Nebraska was re-seeded into a three-team pool with RVT and MVVC, and a challenge match loomed later that night. The Great Plains visitors won all those contests with decisive sweeps and reached the quarterfinal round of the Gold bracket.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The team's most thrilling match of the event came in the Gold opener against Ignite. Every set went to a two-point decision, and 15 Black faced an early deficit by dropping the opener. Premier rallied with a 26-24 triumph in Set 2 and capped it with a 15-13 win in the tiebreaker. On to the semifinals.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Match 2 gave us far less drama as 15 Black swept its way to the championship match. We came within one set of a pair of 15U titles for Premier Nebraska, but this was a stark display of club-wide dominance nonetheless.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">Into the Future</span></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":576581,"width":"278px","height":"auto","sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none","align":"right"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/07/47-Avery-Whaley.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-576581" style="width:278px;height:auto" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Whaley</figcaption></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>GJNC has been a testament to the enormous growth potential for Nebraska's Class of 2028, and Premier 15 Black is bringing its share of future leaders into the fold.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Several of 15 Black's stars made the earliest introduction possible at last summer's Prep Dig Freshman Showcase. Ashland-Greenwood standout [player_tooltip player_id='575218' first='Avery' last='Whaley'] was an instant standout at our event and has brought her tremendous defensive instincts to 15 Black's backcourt. Whenever 15 Black needed a clutch pass in Dallas, Whaley was ready to deliver in the middle-back area.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='729394' first='Audrey' last='Galyen'] is another name that popped up during last year's showcases. The Norfolk native has been a proficient signal-caller for 15 Black and has adapted to whichever system the team deploys. Her recent reps in the front row have expanded Galyen's range as an all-around leader.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='774635' first='Molly' last='McGreer'] helps set the offense on the other side of the rotation. Like Galyen, McGreer can play across the net and give 15 Black another strong, versatile leader at the setter position. This McGreer-Galyen duo knows how to distribute in three-hitter rotations and harness 15 Black's stacked bench of frontcourt attackers.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Let's address some of those attackers. Multi-position flexibility has become a calling card for 15 Black's terminators, leading to a well-rounded onslaught at GJNC. We've been privileged to watch [player_tooltip player_id='573209' first='Jordan' last='Frink'] develop into a true six-rotation force and a ball-control asset around the dial. Frink's do-everything mentality has set the tone for everyone around her. [player_tooltip player_id='774644' first='Grace' last='Scheef'] also transformed matches through her left-side athleticism and saw her kill tally skyrocket in Dallas.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='773875' first='Teagan' last='Nielsen'] has also expanded her role during 15 Black's late-season push. She plays a similar all-around role to Frink and brings ample experience on either pin. Her out-of-system scoring brought 15 Black out of some serious jams throughout USAV Nationals.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>15 Black's in-system offense has also thrived with a wealth of terminal arms. [player_tooltip player_id='774638' first='Grace' last='Rued'] and [player_tooltip player_id='774646' first='Bella' last='Mueller'] have formed a formidable middle duo for this squad and receive ample opportunities to tee off in front of the setter. Having two middle blockers with massive hitting windows has transformed 15 Black's offense, particularly while the team operates with two different setters.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":732433,"width":"374px","height":"auto","sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none","align":"right"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/12/Audrey-Galyen.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-732433" style="width:374px;height:auto" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Galyen</figcaption></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The opposite position allows us to glimpse into the Class of 2029. Haley Rands has been the go-to scorer at this spot and has the physicality to match up with her older peers. Opposing left-side hitters often struggled to get past Rands' imposing block, and this standout pin hitter will keep raising the bar in future seasons.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Finally, we put a bow on ball control. [player_tooltip player_id='774642' first='Campbell' last='Hoeft'] and [player_tooltip player_id='774641' first='Katelyn' last='Dyrstad'] have complemented Whaley to give 15 Black a full platoon of defensive specialists. Even with 15 Black's vast hitting arsenal along the net, first contacts were often the key difference-maker in the team's runner-up triumph. This breakthrough required excellence from every name on the roster.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->