Players Who Impressed in the First Chesapeake Tournament of 2026

A new club season has begun. Maryland Juniors began the season with a number of Open tournaments. Time to break out the notebook and identify new players to watch. Monday the results were posted.   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">15 U</h2>   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/02/72-Paetyn-Brown.jpg?w=886" alt="" class="wp-image-753456" style="width:350px;height:auto" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">[player_tooltip player_id='748492' first='Paetyn' last='Brown']</figcaption></figure>   Metro National   [player_tooltip player_id='748500' first='Katherine' last='Liu'] setter - She belongs to the class of 2028. With [player_tooltip player_id='762823' first='Brie' last='Mouton'] sidelined she set a 5/1. For the most part she showed good, soft hands. Her 5'6" height made her a bit of a liability in the front row, especially when playing the Metro Travel team. Ultimately, she set them to a second place finish. She is one of the many players that came over from Maryland Juniors.   [player_tooltip player_id='762829' first='Angela' last='Zhang'] outside - She came over from MVSA. A six rotation outside who stands tall at 5'11". Her height allows her to jump high for the block, but she needs to try to get them more over the net rather than straight up and down. Against [program_tooltip program_id='494409' first='Blue' last='Ridge'] she hammered a back row attack that gave Metro a 24-22 lead, then got the set winning tip after rotating in the front row. She acts as the floor captain on the court.   [player_tooltip player_id='748492' first='Paetyn' last='Brown'] middle - She showed the ability to hit the quick tempo sets in the middle. Another player who came from Maryland Juniors 14. At 5'10" a little more growth would be needed to stay in the middle.   [player_tooltip player_id='762826' first='Avery' last='Nierenberg'] and [player_tooltip player_id='753070' first='Avery' last='Lettinga'] left side- They both showed the ability to hit well from the left side. Against Metro travel Lettinga played both sets. It will be interesting to see how the playing time gets issued. Nierenberg is an inch taller while Lettinga is a strong six rotation player. Nierenberg can also play right side. Both are solid offensive players and could rest Angela on the left side as well. Nierenberg came from Virginia Elite while Lettinga came from Maryland Juniors.   [player_tooltip player_id='749642' first='Sophia' last='Groshek'] right side - Because the team played a 5/1 she got an opportunity to play back row. She could also hit left side but for Annapolis Area Christian she hit right side. Another taller player at 5'11". When [player_tooltip player_id='762823' first='Brie' last='Mouton'] gets healthy her back row opportunities could dwindle.   Metro Travel   This is a talented team that competed in the Open Division last year. I thought they were a little weak on powerful pins last year, but this year they added three Maryland Juniors 14 players to the team. Two left sides in [player_tooltip player_id='748513' first='Scarlett' last='Netherton'] and [player_tooltip player_id='622282' first='Emerson' last='Wolfe'] and middle [player_tooltip player_id='753073' first='Aniston' last='Williams']. A team I thought was a lower level open team for Nationals just got better.   [program_tooltip program_id='494409' first='Blue' last='Ridge'] Blue   [player_tooltip player_id='749349' first='Avery' last='Curtis'] middle - At 5'10" she has some height and for [program_tooltip program_id='494409' first='Blue' last='Ridge'] that usually means you are playing middle. She does appear to have the athleticism to move outside. Like a typical [program_tooltip program_id='494409' first='Blue' last='Ridge'] team they rely on higher sets in the middle. She produced a crucial game winning block in [program_tooltip program_id='494409' first='Blue' last='Ridge']'s 26-24 win over BAVA.   [player_tooltip player_id='878688' first='Mckenna' last='Homans'] right side - She packs some pop with her right side swing. In my rankings she was listed as a setter/middle blocker.   [player_tooltip player_id='877850' first='Kennedi' last='Bower'] right side/middle - In the rankings at number 65 she is listed as a middle but she put down some strong spikes from the right side. She stands just 5'7" so middle is a challenge.   American Red   [player_tooltip player_id='932206' first='Kaitlyn' last='Acquah'] middle - Last year she played for [program_tooltip program_id='476729' first='Paramount' last=''] 13. She stood 5'11" at that time. While her volleyball skills are still raw she does have some height. It could even lead to more growth. Her dad stands 7'1' and used to play basketball professionally in Europe. Her brother plays basketball for Paul VI. Last year she played for the Battlefield Junior Varsity team.   [player_tooltip player_id='754655' first='Bella' last='Pereyra'] left side - She has an extremely strong right arm that hits everything hard. Hitting or serving she fires bullets. This past season she played for Lightridge Junior Varsity. Currently she ranks number 61 in our class of 2029. Last year she played right side for Virginia Juniors.   [player_tooltip player_id='932208' first='Taryn' last='Bowyer'] middle - Taryn plays middle at 5'8". She showed a good middle attack and blocked well. Currently absent from our 2029 rankings.   Bay Area Volleyball Academy (BAVA)   [player_tooltip player_id='766895' first='Neely' last='Olish'] setter - [player_tooltip player_id='762823' first='Brie' last='Mouton'] left the team for Metro National. At the tournament it was Neely taking over the 5/1 setting responsibilities. She is not quite as polished as Brie, however she stands 6'1". This past high school season she made the Broadneck varsity, but did not get a lot of playing time. The one plus is that she enjoys setting, so that alone could create the hard work she needs to gain consistency.   [player_tooltip player_id='902360' first='A'vielle' last='Lewis'] left side - She was quite raw last year when she played for BAVA. She made varsity her frosh year for Chesapeake Math North and led the team in kills. For BAVA she uses her 5'10" height to play middle or right side.   [player_tooltip player_id='781700' first='Gianna' last='Bonnett'] defensive specialist - Gianna plays with a quiet intensity. Already, she has captured two top performer awards, one at last summer's frosh showcase and just last month at the Exposure Tour. Despite this success she seems to fall short of winning the libero role. In one rally she showed off some soft hands when setting a ball outside.   [player_tooltip player_id='763146' first='Jemma' last='Peterson'] libero - Last year at Junior Nationals she impressed me with her play. However, because she belonged to the class of 2030 she fell short of debuting in our rankings. A solid defensive player with a mean lefthanded serve.   [player_tooltip player_id='787925' first='Camryn' last='Bedell'] left side - A smaller left side who can put some velocity on the ball. This past high school season she made the Broadneck varsity but did not get a lot of playing time. That should change next season after the graduation of [player_tooltip player_id='721753' first='Kennedy' last='Smith'] and [player_tooltip player_id='829558' first='Anna' last='Graves'].   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">16 U</h2>   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/12/Sienna-Mitchell1.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-732553" style="aspect-ratio:1.501502019107653;width:443px;height:auto" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">[player_tooltip player_id='550688' first='Sienna' last='Mitchell']</figcaption></figure>   Metro Travel   [player_tooltip player_id='612396' first='Natalie' last='Hobson'] setter - They have the usual suspects that earned them a first place finish in the USAV Junior National Nationals Division. However, they did pick up a new setter to help run a 6/2. She sets for Bishop O'Connell and last year set for Virginia Elite. While Natalie only stands 5'7" she provides some pretty decent pop when firing from the right side. However, with all the pins on the roster she will probably not be needed. She performed well in the first tournament, showcasing off some very accurate jump back sets, which is not an easy task. She will share the setting duties with [player_tooltip player_id='625574' first='Ashley' last='Nguyen'].   [player_tooltip player_id='587876' first='Ariana' last='White'] pin - With [player_tooltip player_id='536719' first='Katherine' last='Mitchell'] and [player_tooltip player_id='787533' first='Chika' last='Onukwugha'] the primary hitters on the left side, Ariana will probably see most of her time hitting right side while providing depth for the left side. For the sets I watched I did not see her on the court so she may not have been available for this tournament. She stands 6'1". Last year she played for Paramount.   [player_tooltip player_id='550688' first='Sienna' last='Mitchell'] pin - Sienna is a 5'11" pin. She played right side and middle for Colgan her frosh season, then played left side for them last year. Another player who played for Paramount last season. Right side appeared to be her position in the tournament. Last year [player_tooltip player_id='721145' first='Claire' last='Tepper'] and [player_tooltip player_id='536721' first='Ana' last='Woods'] were the main hitters on the right side. It will be interesting how they fit seven pins for four positions. They certainly have depth.   Metro National   I did not see them play in the tournament last weekend. They missed out on the playoffs. The National team carried a number of unfamiliar names on their roster. They were able to beat St. James in two to win the silver bracket, though the first set was a struggle at 25-23.   [program_tooltip program_id='494409' first='Blue' last='Ridge']   [player_tooltip player_id='536736' first='Alexis' last='Stephens'] Middle - The 6'2" middle dominated during the tournament. While most of her kills in the middle were the result of tips into the heart of the court, they still scored points. While she plays middle she may be best suited for the right side. Her movement to the pins can be a tad late at times. She did produce a couple big blocks against Libero. In the third set of the semi-final match against Libero she banged out two early kills and an ace. Her big block late in the game gave [program_tooltip program_id='494409' first='Blue' last='Ridge'] an 11-7 lead in the third set for an eventual 15-9 win.   [player_tooltip player_id='536738' first='Avery' last='Fauver'] left side - Avery contributed some big offense from the left side. Despite her 5'9" height she can put the ball to the floor.   [player_tooltip player_id='830996' first='Catherine' last='Warren'] left side - Catherine also provided [program_tooltip program_id='494409' first='Blue' last='Ridge'] with the bulk of their offense from the left side. She led her Williamsport team to the finals of the Class 2 Maryland state championship, losing to Glenelg. In the finals against Metro she pounded four kills but [program_tooltip program_id='494409' first='Blue' last='Ridge'] came up short.   [player_tooltip player_id='932199' first='Hannah' last='Mood'] right side - Hannah was a new face with a left handed swing from the right side. She shows a good swing, putting a number of balls away during the tournament. A player to be watched for adding to the rankings.   American   [player_tooltip player_id='587034' first='Mackenzie' last='Gregory'] libero - While American went winless during the tournament Mackenzie was an ace machine. She strung together at least three aces against Libero.   [player_tooltip player_id='932202' first='Mackenzie' last='Mattran'] setter - She played some good defense in the setter's position, picking off a number of balls hit her way. Mackey played three rotations sharing the setting duties with [player_tooltip player_id='903983' first='Nora' last='Awadalla']. While Mackey is a new face in our rankings Nora appears on our watch list.   Libero   [player_tooltip player_id='623088' first='Irina' last='Padden'] outside - The second highest ranked player for Libero at number 64 in the class of 2028 she tends to play greater than her 5'5' height. In set number two she delivered two aces to give Libero a 28-26 win over American. With the match even at one game each Libero went on to win the third set 25-22, which earned them a spot in the gold bracket.   [player_tooltip player_id='782196' first='Samantha' last='Green'] right side - Libero surprised with their competitiveness at this age group and the 5'10" right side [player_tooltip player_id='782196' first='Samantha' last='Green'] punished some balls. She also puts up a strong block on the right side.   [player_tooltip player_id='771066' first='Madelyn' last='Denny'] right side - At 5'11" [player_tooltip player_id='771066' first='Madelyn' last='Denny'] also brings some length to the right side. In the gold bracket semi-final match against [program_tooltip program_id='494409' first='Blue' last='Ridge'] Madelyn contributed three kills and the set winning ace to send the match to a third set. Unfortunately, they lost the third set 15-10 but Madelyn popped off two kills early to put them on a good start.   [player_tooltip player_id='754951' first='Milica' last='Marden'] left side - Milicia ranks number 107 in our class of 2029. The 5'8" left side can put some muscle on the ball.   [player_tooltip player_id='536729' first='Katelyn' last='Rolph'] setter - At 6'0" she has some size for a setter. In one set she got taken out when she reached the front row and in another she set a 5/1. At number 35 she is the highest ranked player for Libero in the class of 2028. This past high school season she got to set for a greatly diminished Bullis team that finished 3-14-1 after winning the ISL the previous year.   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">17 U</h2>   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/08/137-Emmeri-Bishop.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-589278" style="aspect-ratio:1.501502019107653;width:471px;height:auto" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">emmeri bishop </figcaption></figure>   Metro Travel - Not a lot new to Metro travel except [player_tooltip player_id='265167' first='Laila' last='Chadwick'] is now playing her age. This gives them three solid back row players with [player_tooltip player_id='437443' first='Kaniyah' last='Ball'] and [player_tooltip player_id='530364' first='Caroline' last='Apergis']. Middle [player_tooltip player_id='557876' first='Kinsley' last='Flores'] came up from Southern Virginia where she played for [program_tooltip program_id='549544' first='Club' last='757']. The 6'0" middle played for Richard Montgomery this past high school season. With [player_tooltip player_id='437441' first='Hunter' last='Ross'], [player_tooltip player_id='438077' first='Averi' last='Hanna'] and [player_tooltip player_id='473872' first='Jocelyn' last='Gill'] she adds depth to the middle.   Metro National   [player_tooltip player_id='438098' first='Kennedy' last='Williams'] left side - She was the top player for a surprising National Cathedral, leading the team in kills. This was the first opportunity I got to see her play. She did not disappoint. A possible impact player on this National team.   [player_tooltip player_id='932195' first='Raven' last='Smith'] left side - At 6'1" she showed off some good height from the left side. She played for the DC International School. Last year she played for MOJO. In 2023 when playing for Maryland Juniors she won the award for best attacker while playing at the club level.   [player_tooltip player_id='906029' first='Kristen' last='Boone'] right side - At 6'3" with a left handed swing this player is built for the right side. She played for Urbana during the high school season and played middle, a position her speed and lefthanded swing are not best suited to play.   [program_tooltip program_id='494409' first='Blue' last='Ridge']   [player_tooltip player_id='437980' first='Katherine' last='Madden'] libero - She plays a very smooth back row. Her passes are accurate and her positioning on defense superb. A quality libero that will solidify a back row.   [player_tooltip player_id='438086' first='Emmeri' last='Bishop'] left side - At 6'2" she can hit some bombs from the left side. She played for the West Virginia powerhouse Hedgesville. After a year playing for Liberty Elite she is back at [program_tooltip program_id='494409' first='Blue' last='Ridge']. With more experience on the left side a potential impact player.   Liberty Elite   [player_tooltip player_id='438120' first='Sydney' last='Young'] middle - At 6'3" she towered over the other girls on her team. Last club season she played for Metro North so not seeing her on the 17 national team is a surprise. While she focused on the middle in the two sets that I watched she could easily slide over and bring an impressive block to the right side.   American   [player_tooltip player_id='776027' first='Desiree' last='Cappolla'] left side - This was the first time I noticed her play. The 5'8" left side can put the ball away hard. Desi played for Woodson and led the team in kills. I did go to at least one Woodson match last year but she did not stand out. As a sophomore she was fifth on the team in kills. So, it appears her game is starting to develop.   [player_tooltip player_id='932191' first='Sydney' last='Black'] left side - Another player who is not ranked by Prep Dig. She played for Immanuel Christian where she set and played right side. For American she hit left side, played six rotations and rifled some balls in a back row attack.   [player_tooltip player_id='772025' first='Kaitlin' last='Thomas'] setter - A home schooled player who won a top performer award at one of our showcases. That put her at 135 in our class of 2027 rankings.   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">18 U</h2>   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/12/Skyler-Riley1.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-732555" style="aspect-ratio:1.501502019107653;width:385px;height:auto" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">[player_tooltip player_id='716365' first='Skyler' last='Riley']</figcaption></figure>   Metro   I only watched the tail end of the championship match between Paramount and Metro.   [player_tooltip player_id='321678' first='Elaina' last='Murphy'] left side/defensive specialist - A 5'6" left side with an approach jump at 10'2". She rarely gets blocked when she hammers the ball around the block or high off the hands.   [player_tooltip player_id='493358' first='Kennedy' last='Cummins'] libero - They have a number of solid back row players on this team. Kennedy shared the libero position with [player_tooltip player_id='238358' first='Evie' last='Huang']. She made a tremendous save to keep a rally alive, giving Metro the opportunity to win the championship match over Paramount.   [player_tooltip player_id='716365' first='Skyler' last='Riley'] left side - A class of 2027 who will give you reason to watch this 18 team play. She hits the ball hard and can play six rotations. She led Chantilly in kills last year, replacing Lameen Mambu on the left side as the go to hitter.   [player_tooltip player_id='325601' first='Sydnee' last='Peters'] right side - At 5'10" she is not especially tall for a right side, but she swings left handed with a 10'2" approach jump. She is especially adept at finding the floor when she hits.   Paramount   [player_tooltip player_id='895854' first='Dawn' last='Pena'] left side - Understanding the recruiting game can be a challenge. Both Dawn and [player_tooltip player_id='555602' first='Bryah' last='Breaux'] played outside for Garrison Forest. Dawn led the team in kills while Bryah finished second. Bryah stands 6'4" which led to a commitment to Kentucky. Dawn lists at 6'2" and committed to Hofstra. This was the first time I have seen Dawn play and she can hammer the ball hard from the left side. However, Hofstra may be the more superior college for education.

A new club season has begun. Maryland Juniors began the season with a number of Open tournaments. Time to break out the notebook and identify new players to watch. Monday the results were posted.