10 Perfectly Brave Players Who Stunned the Mizuno Showcase

The Mizuno Showcase was a 3-day weekend full of great competition. There were players from 15s through 18s competing in front of a wide range of college coaches. I have so many notes from this tournament that it may take a very long time to get through them, but that just means more fun articles for all of our amazing subscribers! I love an athlete who plays with grit and a fire inside that just won’t burn out. These are my favorite players because you know they live and breath every play, and each touch is a fine detail to them. These athletes dig deep when they are up against the wall, and they understand it’s not about being perfect, but it’s about being brave. Claire Ammeraal – 2022 – 6’0 – Setter – Madison LaFolette (WI) – VCU 171 Elite – Committed to Western Michigan Ammeraal handles tight passes with ease and has super quick hands. She is deceptive with her sets and moves the ball around quickly and effectively. Ammeraal’s hitters get the best possible opportunities to score points; even if she isn’t typically on this squad, she finds a way to connect with her hitters. Jaci Winchell – 2022 – 5’8 – Setter – Cannon Falls (MN) – SMV 18-1 (title photo) Winchell never fails to catch my attention whenever I am scanning the gym for a good play. She moves really well and does such a nice job of moving the ball from pin to pin. Winchell has nice hands and is a very assiduous defender while always covering her hitters. Jada Nunn- 2022 – 6’0 – Setter – Woodbury (MN) - Kokoro 18-1 Nunn is a gifted athlete whose game is very well-rounded. She moves and flows so fluently across the court, but she really contibutes to her team in her capability to run the court and take the lead. Nunn can move the ball from pin to pin with ease and has the ability to bring out the competitive edge in her teammates. Jaelyn Sivertson – 2023 – 5’7 – Libero – Iola-Scandanavia (WI) – Wisconsin Ice 17 National Sivertson has a strong platform and nothing touches the ground without her making a move for it or get a touch at the very least. She makes the big saves and has good ball control on serve-receive. Sivertson can read her opponents and plays with grit that can change the entire course of a match. Janelle Pye-Blacknard – 2022 – 5’8 – Pin Hitter – Yorkville (IL) – SPVB 18 Red Pye-Blacknard is a pack of dynamite with so much explosive power that she is just really fun to watch. From the first step in her approach to the moment she absolutely scorches the line, it's all power. Her energy fuels this dynamic group of players, and no matter where she is on the court, she makes herself available to her setter. Pye-Blacknard has sound fundamentals and employs those to make the difficult shots look effortless. Keira Shannon – 2022 – 5’8 – Outside Hitter – Hononegah (IL) – VCU 182 Elite – Committed to Marietta Shannon does a really phenomenal job at selling a hard swing and then pulling out a late tip just over the block when the defense is dug in and really for a big swing. She really just has this way of making things work, and her great vertical and sound contact on the ball really help her execute any shot she chooses. As a smaller attacker, Shannon is really smart about working around the block and finding the holes in her opponent’s defense. Mary Schnell – 2022 – Middle Blocker – West Fargo (ND) – Summit 18 Bob Schnell runs a number of routes both in front of and behind her setter. She keeps the opposing block guessing and has the ability to hit a nice line shot off one foot behind the setter. Schnell can really be an impact player for Summit with a powerful arm swing and dynamic, competitive style of play. Sophie Sedgewick – 2022 – 5’8 – Setter – Waverly-Shell Rock (IA) – CIA 18 Black I had so much fun watching Sedgwick. She does such a great job of getting her feet to the ball every time, and her athleticism shines through her aggressive style of play. It was no surprise to see she’s taken her HS team deep into the post-season because she finds a way to connect with her hitters. Sedgwick’s style of play screams GRIT. She’s a competitor and has skill to back it up. Sedgwick would make for a great setter at the next level because you know you can depend on her to be consistent and steady. Sydney Lewellin – 2022 – Setter/Right Side Hitter – Lake Mills (WI) – Madtown 181 National – Committed to East Stroudsburg Lewellin has always been a player who can do a bit of everything for her team. She is just packed full of explosive power, and she can take a hard lefty swing from either pin. Everything Lewellin does, she does well. She picks up a lot on defense, puts up a big block, and distributes well-placed sets. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Madtown Juniors <a href="https://x.com/LewellinSydney?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@LewellinSydney</a> is looking sharp to start off day 1 at the <a href="https://x.com/jrvbassociation?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@jrvbassociation</a> <a href="https://x.com/hashtag/MizunoShowcase?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MizunoShowcase</a> <a href="https://x.com/PrepDigChris?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PrepDigChris</a> <a href="https://x.com/PrepDigWI?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PrepDigWI</a> <a href="https://x.com/PrepDig?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PrepDig</a> <a href="https://x.com/prepdigrachel?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@prepdigrachel</a> <a href="https://t.co/JTU64mRYCq">pic.x.com/JTU64mRYCq</a> — Breit Nelson (@BreitNelson) <a href="https://x.com/BreitNelson/status/1499752170710867969?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 4, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> Tayja Cornell – 2022 – 5’6 – Libero – Seymour (WI) – One Wisconsin Bay 18 Mizuno Cornell is an extremely active defensive player, covers a lot of court, and picks up some truly awesome attacks. She is aggressive, tenacious, and seems to get a touch on just about every ball that crosses the net. Cornell is a really fun player to watch!