USAV Nationals Preview: 16 and 17 USA

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Today, we shift our focus to the USA Division for the 16s and 17s. Unlike the National Division, these bids are earned by proving yourself against USA-level competition at qualifiers throughout the season. Several teams from Heart of America and Gateway have already shown they can compete with some of the nation's best, and they'll look to carry that momentum into Indianapolis.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">16 USA</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Four teams from the two regions are set to battle in the 16 USA Division, with each possessing the talent to put together a deep tournament run.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Leading the group is [program_tooltip program_id='428799' first='Rockwood' last='Thunder'] 16 Elite, the highest-seeded regional squad. Their trip to Indianapolis was secured with a third-place finish at Show Me in April, and they've consistently shown they can compete with quality opponents. Middle blocker Lyla Badman is a key piece of their success, giving Thunder a versatile offensive option who can score both on quick attacks and in transition.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Topeka Saints 16 Gold enters as the 31st seed and opens play in Pool 2. The Saints earned one of the region's back-to-region bids after an impressive postseason push and proved they can knock off favored opponents when they're playing with confidence. They'll arrive in Indianapolis believing they can do exactly that again.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[program_tooltip program_id='428889' first='Dynasty' last=''] 16 Blue lands in the top pool after punching its ticket with a third-place finish at Sunshine in Florida. When this group finds its rhythm, it has the fire[program_tooltip program_id='428794' first='Power' last=''] to challenge anyone in the field. [player_tooltip player_id='518358' first='Brooklyn' last='Andrews'] and [player_tooltip player_id='574151' first='Emani' last='Clifton'] headline an athletic lineup capable of putting opponents under constant pressure.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[program_tooltip program_id='428797' first='Pursuit' last=''] 16 National rounds out the regional contingent in Pool 7. The Gateway and Southeast Missouri club spent the spring testing itself against both Liberty and USA competition before earning a back-to-region bid. Right-side hitter [player_tooltip player_id='817665' first='Payton' last='Lynch'] has emerged as a reliable scorer, and [program_tooltip program_id='428797' first='Pursuit' last='']'s balanced attack allows them to outperform their seed.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">17 USA</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The 17 USA Division features one of the strongest collections of regional teams in the tournament, with three squads entering as top-12 seeds and legitimate contenders to make noise deep into bracket play.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Manhattan Mayhem 17P enters with perhaps as much momentum as anyone in the field. After finishing runner-up in the Liberty Division at the Northeast Qualifier, they moved into the USA Division and captured the Show Me title before adding a Triple Crown Rumble in the Rockies championship in May. They'll open atop Pool 8 with every reason to believe they belong among the favorites.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[program_tooltip program_id='428889' first='Dynasty' last=''] 17 Blue earned its bid with a fourth-place finish at Red Rock Rave before choosing to spend the remainder of the qualifier season battling Open Division competition. That challenging schedule should pay dividends in Indianapolis. Led by St. Pius X (Kansas City) standout [player_tooltip player_id='485579' first='Mikayla' last='Fox'] and a roster filled with size and depth, [program_tooltip program_id='428889' first='Dynasty' last=''] has all the pieces to make a serious run.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[program_tooltip program_id='430200' first='KC' last='[program_tooltip program_id='428794' first='Power' last='']'] 17-2 opens in Pool 7 as the No. 12 seed after earning its bid at Show Me on its home floor. This is a balanced team that defends well, controls the ball, and can score from either pin. Dakota Frasse has been one of the team's primary offensive weapons and will play a major role if [program_tooltip program_id='428794' first='Power' last=''] advances into the later rounds.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>HPSTL 17 Orange completes the group after taking care of business at MEQ. They've been one of the more consistent teams throughout qualifier season and have the type of balanced roster that can steadily climb the standings over three days. [player_tooltip player_id='836165' first='Micheline' last='Roth'] provides offensive punch from either pin, while her improvement as a passer has made her an even more complete six-rotation player.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->