Club Team Spotlight – Houston Juniors 17 Elite
We are coming to the end of the volleyball season soon and we wanted to write a few articles on certain club teams who we think deserve some recognition for their season. Qualifier season has now come to an end and…
Access all of Prep Dig
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingWe are coming to the end of the volleyball season soon and we wanted to write a few articles on certain club teams who we think deserve some recognition for their season. Qualifier season has now come to an end and some teams have punched their ticket to USA Volleyball Junior Nationals, which will be held in Indianapolis later on this summer. Let’s take a look at a team who has had a great season so far and who we will be seeing at Nationals. Take a bow Houston Juniors 17 Elite…you have earned it.
Houston Juniors is one of the most respected clubs in the nation year in and year out. They have some amazing talent in their coaching staff and their players are always advancing to the next level to play in college. Their 17s team is littered with high-level recruits who have been punishing opponents all year long. This year they have an overall record of 45-11 and rank 9th overall in the nation according to AES results. They qualified in the Open division of USA Junior Nationals by placing 3rd at the Windy City Qualifier in Chicago. They went 8-1 for the tournament and looked dominant. We at Prep Dig have seen this team in action numerous times this year. We are proud of their success and look forward to seeing them in Indy later this summer for Nationals. Even though we can write about each and every athlete that contributed to their success, I am only going to cover a few players that stood out while I was watching them. Let’s meet a few of them.
Sydney Jordan Sydney Jordan 6'3" | OH Ridge Point | 2023 State #44 Nation TX [2023] 6-3 Outside (HS: Ridge Point/Club: Houston Juniors /Verbal: Colorado)
Sydney is currently ranked as the 2nd best overall prospect in the 2023 class according to the Prep Dig Texas State Rankings. She stars for Ridge Point High School and also for the amazing Houston Juniors club program. She is one of the most lethal left sides in the state of Texas. She is a true six-rotation pin who can attack and keep pressure on opponents from both front row and back row. Her reach is very long and she truly contacts the ball at the peak of her jump, which makes it very difficult for blockers to slow her down. She does a fantastic job in serve receive and on defense also to keep her team in each rally. We are very high on this young lady and if you haven’t seen her, please stop by her court. You will see why she is highly touted and has won numerous accolades and awards from publications.
Arissa Smith Arissa Smith 6'1" | MB Ridge Point | 2023 State #105 Nation TX [2023] 6-2 Middle (HS: Ridge Point/Club: Houston Juniors /Verbal: Mississippi State)
Arissa is currently the 11th ranked prospect in the 2023 class according to the Prep Dig State Rankings list. She plays for Ridge Point High School and also for the famed Houston Juniors program. She was a blocking machine both times that I watched her play this season. Her upper body frame is very strong and she uses that strength to press and seal the net really well. I was very impressed with her footwork closing the block pin to pin out of the middle. She seemed to not have any trouble with lateral movement during long rallies which truly helps her team stay strong all tourney long against open level competition. Her big hands help take away a lot of space also and she keeps them spread out pretty well during the block. The Mississippi State commit will do wonders at the next level for sure.
Bianna Muoneke Bianna Muoneke 6'0" | OH Cy Ranch | 2023 State #80 Nation TX [2023] 6-0 Outside (HS: Cy Ranch/Club: Houston Juniors /Verbal: Texas A&M)
Bianna is currently ranked as the 19th best overall prospect in the 2023 class according to our Prep Dig State Rankings. She stars on the outside for Cypress Ranch high school and also for the awesome Houston Juniors program. Bianna’s star is definitely on the rise since we have been covering her. She exploded during the high school season, as she was one of the highest scoring left sides in the state all year long. Her vertical is next level and it makes it very difficult for opposing blockers to time. She can score on both pins as she takes her big swooping approach to the ball. What I love is her athletic ability to turn on the ball in mid-air to hit around the block. She has a great cut-shot to the sharp angle zone four area and can also paint the line when the block takes the angle away. Her right arm is a cannon and it is very difficult to stop or slow down once she makes contact.
Other notable players for this legit squad are middle Mary Katherine Preston, outside Cindy Tchouangwa Cindy Tchouangwa 5'11" | OH Tompkins | 2023 State #45 Nation TX , and right side Piper Stephenson Piper Stephenson 6'3" | RS St. Agnes Academy | 2023 State TX . We will be highlighting these young ladies and others from this team in another article soon as they gear up for Nationals. Stay tuned for more from this wonderful team.
As always stay tuned for more articles on your favorite athletes. If you have anyone you think we should watch out for, please shoot me an email with some info at nov8vb@yahoo.com. Also don’t forget to help these kids get more exposure by sharing our stories with your friends. Help us help them by simply retweeting on Twitter or sharing on Facebook. Thanks for following us, Prep Dig Texas Family! Don’t be afraid to interact with us. We love the likes, shares, and quotes/comments. Keep them coming!