2023 GJNC’s Overachieving Teams: 16 Open

USAV Nationals is always full of surprises. This year was no different.   There are many different angles and storylines to address from a wild wave of 16s and 17s action at GJNC. Eventually, I started with a few teams and players who outperformed expectations. Some teams will inevitably elevate their play with everything on the line.   So, here are my 16 Open shoutouts for teams who outperformed their seeds and swiped a piece of the Chicago spotlight.     MiElite 16 Mizuno   So, it's fair to say that MiElite 16 Mizuno's hot streak was not limited to USAV Nationals. The Michigan team finished runner-up in 16 Open at AAU Nationals immediately before traveling to Chicago for GJNC. 16 Mizuno's high ceiling was showing up at the right time.   The fatigue factor of doing the AAU-USAV double will always present question marks. Moreover, MiElite was the third-ranked team in its Round 1 pool behind Houston Skyline and Nebraska ONE. That didn't stop 16 Mizuno from winning the pool outright with a 4-1 record.   That positive momentum rolled right into Wednesday's pools as MiElite posted a 2-0 record to claim another top placement in Round 2. Perhaps the highlight of the round was 16 Mizuno's revenge victory over Adidas KIVA 16 Red in a rematch of the AAU title match.   A narrow loss in the challenge round halted MiElite's bracket aspirations, but the team finished tied for ninth as the 16th overall seed. Pin hitters were a major factor in 16 Mizuno's success. Jessica Costlow and Isabelle Busignani were stellar on the left side while Gabriella Babinski locked down the opposite position. Ella Craggs tied everything together at setter.   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://x.com/KingsleyATK/status/1676611697493114880?s=20 </div></figure>     NorCal 16-1 Black   16 Open was loaded with California squads this year, but NorCal 16-1 Black might not have been a common pick in the Gold hunt. The team was seeded 29th in the division, or fifth in its initial pool of six.   Nonetheless, NorCal clawed its way into Round 2 with a 3-2 record in the opening wave. The most notable result in this round was a three-set triumph over HJV 16 Elite, the #1 team in the pool. That upset was the start of a two-match winning streak to keep NorCal alive after the team posted a 1-2 record on Day 1.   The big breakthroughs didn't stop there. NorCal started the second round by handing Drive Nation 16-Red its first loss of the entire weekend. Must be something about playing those Texas teams. 16-1 Black narrowly missed out on the challenge round after Drive Nation bounced back to defeat Madfrog.   There's a lot to like about this upstart squad. Charlotte Kelly was a vital scoring catalyst in the middle and connected well with setter Ellie Hunt. Lucy Chertock produced her share of highlight moments on the outside. 16-1 Black flashed a variety of lineups and systems throughout the event, allowing us to get a full glimpse at the team's depth and flexibility.     Madfrog 16's N Green   This has to be one of the headliners among the overachievers, right?   Madfrog 16's N Green started its Chicago journey as the 25th seed, or the fifth seed in Pool 1. This pitted the Texas club against some intimidating foes right out of the gate, but 16's N Green was never daunted. Rather, Madfrog posted three stunning sweeps over Legacy, Wave, and OTVA to start 3-0 and effectively assure its spot in the next round.   An incredible Day 1 allowed Madfrog to sharpen its skills in preparation for Round 2. It paid off right away as the team swept past NorCal to start the round. A three-set loss against in-state rival Drive Nation would not keep Madfrog out of a challenge match.   The run continued. Madfrog ended Day 3 with an emphatic sweep over Idaho Crush 16 Bower, which started the event as the seventh overall seed. This improbable run was going to the bracket.   Madfrog gave their best to Arizona Storm 16 Thunder but eventually fell in Thursday's opener to the eventual champs. This group had already done plenty to put its stamp on this tournament. Middle blocker Olivia Wayne garnered all-tournament honors. Sara Quigley's command of the setter position was phenomenal, and Naya Salfiti remained a key contributor on the right pin. We'll probably see Madfrog back on this stage next season.     Tribe 16 Elite Cardinal   We've seen Tribe 16 Elite Cardinal flex some championship potential throughout 2023, but this sustained success was on another level.   The Florida team was ranked third in its pool and 14th overall in 16 Open. Tribe took that seeding and sprinted out to an incredible 5-0 start in Round 1. That's how to make a statement.   16 Elite Cardinal took its first loss of the tournament in Round 2 but managed to bounce back to ensure a spot in challengers. Still, the road ahead was daunting. Waiting in the crossover match was OT 16 T JP, a Florida rival who had been reseeded to the top spot in the division.   The grudge match went to Tribe. An incredible march to bracket play was punctuated by a Round of 8 victory over Houston Skyline 16 Royal. 16 Elite Cardinal came up just short in a dramatic outing against 1st Alliance, but a podium finish was more than enough to put this team on the map as a national powerhouse. Left-side hitters Kelly Kinney and Tekoa Barnes were both on the all-tournament team. Charlotte Glass was as flashy as ever at setter, allowing other attackers like Mija Bendziute to make a huge splash in Chicago.   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://x.com/KingsleyATK/status/1676236317791756290?s=20 </div></figure>     Northern Lights 16-1   The Show Me champs came to play.   Northern Lights 16-1 occupied the #3 spot in Pool 6, placing them 18th in the division. The Minnesota torchbearers did one spot better than that seeding, finishing second with a 3-2 mark.   But Day 3 was Northern Lights' finest hour. 16-1 posted a 2-0 record in Round 2 after two thrilling three-set wins over MAVS KC and its close neighbors from MKE Sting. The drama continued in the challenge round, where another tiebreaker battle ensued. Northern Lights fought back from down 0-1, won a 32-30 second set, and finished the comeback in the third against a hard-hitting A5 16-Gabe team. On to the bracket.   A familiar matchup with Nebraska ONE 16 Synergy ended in defeat, but Northern Lights played some of its best volleyball during this season-ending event. Ava Ball and Mesaiya Bettis were all-tournament performers. Keira Schmidt remains a dominant force in the middle, thanks in part to McKenna Garr's steady leadership in backcourt ball control.

USAV Nationals is always full of surprises. This year was no different.