Texas Right Sides to Track at U18 Nationals

The 2025-2026 club season is just about to end for the class of 2026 players, as this weekend, many of them will compete in the season-ending 2026 USA Volleyball Girls U18 Junior National Championship.   The three-day event will take place between Friday and Sunday in Reno, Nevada, and feature nearly 500 teams from all over the country, which will compete in its seven divisions.   The state of Texas will be represented by as many as 53 teams, which are spread across the divisions - American (9), Freedom (4), Liberty (9), National (5), Open (6), Patriot (5) and USA (15).   It will be the last opportunity to see some of the most talented players from the Lone Star State in action with their club jerseys, and, as the start of the event approaches, we're pointing out some of them who are definitely worth watching one final time.   Last, but not least, are the right side hitters:    Woods will be with TAV 18 Black Haroun in the Open Division of the event. She can play on either pin, but has been mostly appearing on the right this season and delivering strong performances there. Woods uses every drop of her athleticism to her advantage, getting off the floor extremely well and benefiting from her hang time to have an extra split-second up in the air before picking her shot. She can terminate with power or finesse and is typically very good with her decision-making. Woods is also an elite blocker who goes very high up at the net and knows how to press opponents.     St. Laurent and her Dallas Skyline 18 Royal team will play in the Open Division this weekend in Nevada. A six-footer, she makes an impact on both sides of the ball at the net with her length and range. St. Laurent's offense is very dynamic and versatile, as she can hit different sets at a high efficiency rate, while also embracing the responsibility of being her team's go-to scorer with consistent production. She's extremely mobile, too, and that helps with her movement at the net when blocking.     Potter will be wearing [program_tooltip program_id='510733' first='Drive' last='Nation'] 18 - Red's jersey when the team competes in hte National Division. A well-rounded offensive player, she handles the team's scoring load well, showing great vision and decision-making, even in moments of pressure. Potter has good size, goes up very well at the net and can cause damage with her heavy right arm, but what sets her apart offensively is her ability to suprise blockers and defenders with unlikely angles in her swings. She also offers a solid blocking presence, remaining disciplined and taking up space from opposing hitters at the net.     Ribakovs and her Katy Stars 18 Elite team are entered in the American Division. A very technical player, she typically doubles up as a setter and right side hitter, being a key piece in her team's playing system. A lefty, Ribakovs does very well offensively, using her length and vision to keep her production consistent and to find solutions to difficult plays. A truly all-around player, she also helps in other areas of the game, such as passing and blocking.     Chaapel plays for the [program_tooltip program_id='431337' first='Texas' last='Tornados'] 18 Adidas team that will face opponents in the USA Division in Nevada. Standing at 6'2", she's a force at the net and uses her high contact point and powerful swings to anchor the team's offense. Chaapel has great firepower, but also thrives offensively for her vision and shot selection, showing consistency and intelligence with her swings. Also capable of playing as a pin hitter, she also adds to the Tornados' game on the back row, playing very good defense and contributing to the team's serve-receive system in some rotations.

The 2025-2026 club season is just about to end for the class of 2026 players, as this weekend, many of them will compete in the season-ending 2026 USA Volleyball Girls U18 Junior National Championship.