Winter Classic Wrap Up

The Winter Classic is such a fun tournament. Some of the top teams in the Midwest travel to Milwaukee for the massive 2-day tournament hosted by Juniors Volleyball Club. I was able to spend some time on the courts on championship Sunday and was so impressed by how seamless so many teams were looking this early in the season. Let's take a look at some of the champions, all tournament teams, standout athletes, and new names to know from the tournament.   Please note: I did my best to find all of the All-Tournament Team names on social media. I will update any I missed when the final list is posted on the Winter Classic Website!   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Winner Winner! </h2>   Winning any division of the Winter Classic is a huge deal! Huge congratulations to all the champs from the weekend. I am going to highlight a few here, but I will list each team!   [program_tooltip program_id='428672' first='Milwaukee' last='Sting'] 17 Gold - 17/18 Open Champions   This team had to play consistently at a high level to take this championship. They dropped only one set throughout the tournament, a huge testimony to their ability to finish out matches. This team had three all-tournament team honorees: [player_tooltip player_id='435889' first='Gigi' last='Chasco'], [player_tooltip player_id='809138' first='Peyton' last='Wollman'], and [player_tooltip player_id='435874' first='Addison' last='Kelenic']. All three are athletes who are leaders and can set the tone of a match. [player_tooltip player_id='509343' first='Taylor' last='Wold'] is another athlete who did her job so incredibly well. Her defense and serving in particular made an impact every time she was on the court. This team looked seamless and will be looking for this tournament to be a launching point for their season.   [program_tooltip program_id='429199' first='Hometown' last='Heat'] 17/18 U - 17/18 Premier Champions   Just last week, this team was competing at our Resolution tournament, where they went 3-3 against some incredibly talented WI teams. At the Winter Classic, they were a perfect 6-0 against teams from across the Midwest, taking the championship. Their gold division matches were absolute battles, but the Heat showed its grit and stayed strong through the very last point. Their three all-tournament team honorees were [player_tooltip player_id='388556' first='Macy' last='Kline'], a highly talented and consistent libero; [player_tooltip player_id='437479' first='Charley' last='Casey'], an explosive pin hitter in all six rotations; and [player_tooltip player_id='522866' first='Moira' last='Linse'], an offensive weapon with lethal precision.   [program_tooltip program_id='428672' first='Milwaukee' last='Sting'] 15 Gold - 16 Open Champions   I was so impressed with this team's grit. They never let a single ball drop. And when they get a scrappy touch on the ball, they are able to put a competitive ball back over the net. When they are in-system, they are powerful and have great connections. Libero [player_tooltip player_id='915804' first='Karis' last='Tucker'] was named to the All-Tournament Team. She was absolutely relentless on defense and serve receive. [player_tooltip player_id='745070' first='Avery' last='Bork'], a 6-rotation pin, and [player_tooltip player_id='915807' first='Adeline' last='Yarbrough'], a middle who is going to make huge waves in this class, were also named to the All-Tournament Team. I was very impressed with [player_tooltip player_id='771899' first='Juliet' last='Otto']'s decisions as setter, as well as the impact [player_tooltip player_id='522077' first='Briah' last='DeBoard'] made as a defensive specialist. This team won three three-set matches to claim the championship, a true show of grit and tenacity.   Heat 16 Flame - 16 Club Champions   This is another team that was incredibly impressive at the Resolution last week. They took 3rd at the Resolution and turned around to have a 6-0 weekend at the Winter Classic, only dropping one set. [player_tooltip player_id='739708' first='Raya' last='Zurfluh'], [player_tooltip player_id='739949' first='Kayla' last='Fournillier'], and Eleanor Reed all took home All-Tournament Team Honors. Raya is a setter and right side who impacts nearly every point. Kayla is a dominant blocker out of the middle who is quick in transition and is always hungry for the ball. Eleanor holds down the back row as the libero, keeping passes consistent, and is a key leader on the team. This team overall has so much chemistry, and this is an awesome win for them!   Elevate 17 Pandemonium - 17/18 Club Champions   <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>All Tournament Team Honorees: [player_tooltip player_id='832668' first='Harper' last='Sullivan'], [player_tooltip player_id='514798' first='Addy' last='Oldenburg'], Lydia Kimball</li> </ul>   Northside VBC 18 - 17/18 Classic Champions   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">More All-Tournament Team Honorees</h2>   Let's talk about some of the All-Tournament Team Honorees!   <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>[player_tooltip player_id='454686' first='Emree' last='Kellerman'] & [player_tooltip player_id='388454' first='Paige' last='Proefrock'] from I AM VBC 17 Red</li> </ul>   <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>[player_tooltip player_id='584040' first='Harper' last='Gibson'] & [player_tooltip player_id='564289' first='Britta' last='Olson'] from Club Red VB 17 National</li> </ul>   <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>[player_tooltip player_id='611353' first='Kinsley' last='Christensen-Bara'] & Rebeca Arreola from [program_tooltip program_id='431479' first='Wisconsin' last='Juniors'] 16-1 </li> </ul>   <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>Bella Betzhold & Mira Hildebrand from Sting 15 Silver </li> </ul>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Standout Athletes</h2>    Hannah was aggressive and smart on offense. She really utilized her vertical and high contact on the ball to power through big blocks and pick apart opposing defenses. I was so impressed with her ability to come on in the front row and terminate consistently. She made momentum-changing plays and was relentless on offense.     Helena is such a gamer. She is gritty and quick with a clean, fast touch on the ball. She moves the ball around with seemingly little effort and feeds her hitters with practiced precision. Her connection with her teammates is just awesome, and she builds trust by keeping everyone involved on the court.     Shayla can do it all on the right side. She is an absolute powerhouse with one of the best right-handed line shots around. The way she can hide her shot and then take a massive rip on the ball makes her tough to defend. She also puts up a wall of a block and is a dominant part of every match. Her kills are momentum-changing moments and bring energy to her side of the court.     Aldyn was running a clean offense at Winter Classic. She was using her middles as often as she could, making her team unpredictable. She demonstrated her well-rounded skill set and moved the ball around with great efficiency. She is a player who will be very exciting to watch as the strategy and tempo sides of her game continue to develop throughout this season.    <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Under the Radar Names to Know</h2>    Ana was so key for I AM. She was always ready and hungry for the ball. She set the block well and did the little things right. I liked that Ana never hesitated on the court. She seemed to know how to handle all of the chaotic situations with focus and consistency. I saw her playing on the right side where she had a massive impact on both offense and defense.     Miya was at middle for [program_tooltip program_id='431479' first='Wisconsin' last='Juniors'] 16-1. Her effort to block pin-to-pin was notable, and her speed got her there nearly every time. She was quick to transition and always found a way to be available on offense. As a middle, she was very well-rounded and didn't excel only at blocking or hitting, as some middles do. She was able to impact the game from both sides, making her a huge threat to her opponents.     Brielle is a lefty setter with a quick touch on the ball. She worked incredibly hard to move the ball around and to run down every pass. Brielle has a huge amount of potential and was constantly pushing herself. She was a solid defender as well, picking up some key passes.     Ryun was on the right side when I saw her playing for Wisconsin Elite this weekend and she was dominant. She is a lefty who not only has great power, but also a deep toolbox of shots. Ryun's court awareness helped her find holes in the opposing defense and manufacture points. She was smart and savvy but was more than willing to take big swings when she had the opportunity.     Anastasia was so impressive. She is new on my radar, but not one I will soon forget. Her ball control and fundamentals were so well developed that they enabled her to be aggressive and take risks. She was a talented serve receiver and defender, playing in all six rotations. In the front-row she was a go-to hitter and rarely hit the same shot twice.     Madison is as scrappy as they come as a libero. She was all over the court and picking up some crazy tough balls. Some of the reads she had were very high-level. What set her apart was her discipline in her movement. She was always where she needed to be, in coverage, serve receive, and on defense, and then responded to the situation from there. Madison could consistently get productive touches on very tough swings or tips.     Olivia was on the outside for [program_tooltip program_id='431537' first='Midwest' last='Penguins'] 16-1, and she did a great job in all six rotations. Her passing was consistently efficient when she was in the back row or pulling back in serve receive. On offense, Olivia had great control over her shots and was disciplined as a blocker. She was simply a well-rounded player who worked hard on every single point.

The Winter Classic is such a fun tournament. Some of the top teams in the Midwest travel to Milwaukee for the massive 2-day tournament hosted by Juniors Volleyball Club. I was able to spend some time on the courts on championship Sunday and was so impressed by how seamless so many teams were looking this early in the season. Let's take a look at some of the champions, all tournament teams, standout athletes, and new names to know from the tournament.