NLQ 17 Open - Day 1 Storylines and Names To Know

Quite a day from the Northern Lights Qualifier. Here is a little bit of everything from day one. How I go about my coverage is I make a plan prior to the start of the event making sure I get to different courts at different times. I make sure and see Iowa and Wisconsin teams as those are two of the states I'm evaluating, but I also came into this event looking at it all with a national lens. There were some great performances and plenty of new names to add to the “Notes App”.   When I add a name to the list its usually from a great play, consistent play, or maybe even an intangible that the athlete was showing.  This is usually from athletes that I might not be as familiar with.  Some of these athletes I've seen compete at a high level since they were 15, others they might be on a different team or have leveled up this weekend in something they are contributing to their team in a positive way.    More to come from gold pools on day 2 of NLQ!   Moments From Day 1   The Pool 3 Gauntlet   Pool 3 was pretty rugged in 17 Open with MAVS 17 Elite out of Kansas City coming out with a 3-0 victory. They started the day with an upset over top seed in the pool MN Select and survived a three set match against Iowa United 171 Elite. With a fast and scrappy tempo run by setter Maryn Dean they created plenty of stress on the other side of the net. Iowa United 171 Elite is going to win a lot of matches this year and will be in the hunt for an open bid all season. They just happened to be on the wrong side of the coin today with two tough losses to MAVS and MN Select and a tough loss for a chance to play into the gold bracket, losing 24-26 to Dallas Premier.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2026/01/RG1A0271.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-940998" style="aspect-ratio:1.5014807204158105;width:463px;height:auto"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Delaney Lauer, Class of 2028</figcaption></figure>   NORCO 17 Black With a Statement   NORCO 17 Black out of Loveland, Colorado will be heading to a gold pool on Saturday.  They have plenty of athleticism and physicality along with some youth on their team.  Class of 2027 outside hitter Emery Johnson was impressive to watch from the outside.  The Wyoming commit contacts high with a really heavy top spin swing where she was a threat everywhere on the court.  Two 2028s to keep tabs on are Madlen Gloessner and Delaney Lauer.  Gloessner is a 6'5 middle blocker who moves extremely well.  She has a high motor, gets from pin to pin to close the block, and can attack on one foot where her slide is so terminal.  There's another former Colorado prep by the name of Andi Jackson who is thriving at Nebraska that Gloessner shows flashes of.  Delaney Lauer is a six rotation outside hitter who plays with plenty of athleticism and physicality.  She is a threat to score from anywhere on the court and can also handle a high volume in serve receive. Both of these athletes have trained with USAV NTDP and Gloessner was part of the U17 National Team.    <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2026/01/RG1A0180-crop-2546x1672-1769828806.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-941000" style="aspect-ratio:1.5238139049897261;width:408px;height:auto"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Reagan Wallraff</figcaption></figure>   Nebraska Teams Flex Into Saturday.   Nebraska One 17 Synergy made a statement today with their clean ball control, experience of Malorie Boesiger, and the balance of attackers.  I knew I would see Reagan Wallraff score points (which wow - she's another level), but I was also impressed with attackers Nora Herlan and Emilee Thayer-Menoke.  They are fundamentally sound and so powerful where they can score points in an efficient way.    VCN will be playing in a gold pool after going 3-0 on day one.  Mckinley Moser runs the show for this team, the future Minnesota player is a pure playmaker.  Two athletes who jumped onto my radar are actually 2028s in Madison Zajicek and Emma Rink.  The speed at which this offense operates is going to cause a lot of problems for opponents.    Newish Names On My Radar From Day 1 of NLQ 17 Open   Addison Otto - Northern Lights 17-1    Mary Bahle - NE Elite 171   Emilee Thayer-Mencke - Nebraska One 17 Synergy    Jeana Lenhard - MIElite 17 Mizuno    Nora Herian - Nebraska One 17 Synergy    Ginny Gores - M1 171    Sasha Deans - M1 171    Ellie Bain - Dynasty 17 Black    Presley Kreter - PVA 17 Elite    Joelle Kelly - Dallas Premier 17 Black    Jillian Deatherage - ID Crush 17 Bower    Saniya Reynolds - HJV 17 Elite    Ella Fetherston - Madtown 171 National    Amy Denkert - Madtown 171 National    Makennah Peterson - Madtown 171 National   Reese Meier - ID Crush 17 Bower    Madlen Gloessner Norco 17 Black    Emery Johnson Norco 17 Black    Delaney Lauer Norco 17 Black    Lily Meservier - ID Crush 17 Bower    Maryn Dean - MAVS 17 Elite    Victoria Gutierrez - Miami Hype 17Prime1   Brianna Napoles - Miami Hype 17Prime1    Madison Zajicek - VCN 17 Elite    Emma Rink - VCN 17 Elite    Fara Bronson - Arizona Storm 17 Thunder    Clare Yeggy - Iowa United 171 Elite    Kacie Schulte - MN Select 17-1    Isabell Scheuch - MN Select 17-1   Ellie Bain - Dynasty 17 Black    Lydia Burrell - PowerPlex 17U Mendoza    Skyler VanderPol - PowerPlex 17U Mendoza   Emma Tenhagen - MKE Sting 17 Gold   Ella Peirick - MKE Sting 17 Gold

Quite a day from the Northern Lights Qualifier. Here is a little bit of everything from day one. How I go about my coverage is I make a plan prior to the start of the event making sure I get to different courts at different times. I make sure and see Iowa and Wisconsin teams as those are two of the states I'm evaluating, but I also came into this event looking at it all with a national lens. There were some great performances and plenty of new names to add to the “Notes App”.