Live Eye Under The Radar Teams Rising in Windy City 16 Open

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The last qualifier of March, leading into a busy few weeks of April with teams competing for a bid to get to Vegas in July.  This is always a busy and exciting time in the world of club volleyball.  I will be reporting from the Windy City Qualifier this upcoming weekend and watching plenty of 15s and 16s.  </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":486017,"width":"473px","height":"auto","sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2023/12/85-Addie-Oeth.jpeg?w=998" alt="" class="wp-image-486017" style="width:473px;height:auto"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Addie Oeth</figcaption></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Pool A </strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Mintonette m.61 has been doing what they do.  They are one of the top teams in the country when it comes to 16s with two big qualifier trophies with wins at Sunshine and MEQ, they were also second at Triple Crown in February.  A team who will be chasing them in Pool 1 is Sting United 16 Red out of the Madison, Wisconsin area.  This is a satellite of Milwaukee Sting where this group has been playing together the past couple years, making an impact in the Badger Region.  They are led by two setter/attacker combo players in <strong>Addie Oeth</strong> and <strong>Sari Marks</strong>.  These two can do it all for Sting United who finished 2nd in the 16s Division of Badger Region and 3rd this past weekend in the 16 USA Division at NLQ. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":525718,"width":"471px","height":"auto","sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/03/DSC06668.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-525718" style="width:471px;height:auto"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Abbie Henson</figcaption></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Pool 2</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Austin Skyline 16 Royal comes into the weekend as a super powerful team with pin attackers Henley Anderson and Riley Malloy leading the way. They will be ones who will be in the hunt for an 16 Open title this weekend.  A team I was able to watch a few times at MEQ who is also in this pool is Michio Chicago 16 National.  One attacker who will be on the radar is six rotation outside hitter <strong>Abbie Henson,</strong> she is on the rise among 2026s.<strong>  L'Rae White </strong>will be another one to watch on the outside who can score points.  Their offense will get started with their libero <strong>Mollie Berry</strong> who is so solid and dependable in the backcourt. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":388195,"width":"477px","height":"auto","sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2023/04/DSC01932.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-388195" style="width:477px;height:auto"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Reese Naeve</figcaption></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Pool 3 </strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Madfrog 16 N Green grabbed an open bid at MEQ a couple of weeks ago and will be looking to be at the top of Windy City.  Another team who will be in the hunt in this pool is Iowa Rockets 16R out of the Iowa City area where they have some of the top 2026 player in Iowa on their squad.  Two of their outside hitters are <strong>Reese Naeve</strong> and <strong>Isabelle Kremer</strong>.  Naeve is a fiery 5'9 outside hitter who can pack a punch with her swing from the front and backrow.  Kremer has quite the wingspan at 6'3 and has been a standout on the volleyball and basketball courts, she's four for four in state tournament appearance in high school between the two sports.  She is a rising 2026 pin with a scary upside. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://x.com/PrepDigChris/status/1754146283747455147?s=20","type":"rich","providerNameSlug":"twitter","responsive":true} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://x.com/PrepDigChris/status/1754146283747455147?s=20 </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Pool 4 </strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Tribe has two really talented teams in their 16s age group and 16 Elite Navy is the top seed in Pool D.  They were in a day three gold pool for the Sunshine Qualifier at the beginning of March.  Another team who has been accustomed to high level competition and has notched some big wins is TVC 16 Black out of Toledo. Mallory Pike is a big point scorer on the outside while Katie Pahl provides a huge left handed swing from the right side.  Hayden Rodriguez runs the show as the setter.  They have early wins over Legacy and Sports Performance and know they can compete against anyone. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":362026,"width":"537px","height":"auto","sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2023/03/DSC01740-e1680212324648.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-362026" style="width:537px;height:auto"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Taylor Stanley</figcaption></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Pool 5 </strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Legacy 16 Adidas is on the hunt for an open bid.  They are one of the few teams to have beaten Mintonette this year and have fallen just short of qualifying at Sunshine and at MEQ.  When they are in system, they are so tough to stop.  The fourth seeded team in this pool is Dynasty 16 Black.  This seed might be a bit misleading with some of the injuries and adversity this team has been through so far this season.  This group qualified in 16 Open last season and when healthy, they are uber dangerous.  Right side <strong>Taylor Stanley</strong> will be back in action this weekend where she is a total difference maker with her length and court presence, this could be an exciting weekend for the Kansas City squad who will be looking for some momentum to finish the qualifier season. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":514896,"width":"530px","height":"auto","sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/02/DSC05447.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-514896" style="width:530px;height:auto"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Hoppe</figcaption></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Pool 6</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>1st Alliance is the top seed in this pool where they had an interesting weekend at MEQ where their star setter <strong>Nikolija Bulatovic</strong> when down with an injury and outside hitter <strong>Elle Schara </strong>did a little bit of everything with attacking and setting, she is an all around player that adds so much to her side of the net.  1st Alliance 16 Gold dropped a close match to Mintonette and downed Triangle.  They will be scary with a healthy lineup.  Another team to watch in this pool will be AVC 16 Red out of Cleveland.  They have one of the top setters in Pennsylvania <strong>Isabelle Hoppe</strong> who will actually get a chance to play against her former club in Pgh Elite on Friday.  </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":488867,"width":"411px","height":"auto","sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2023/12/284-Bella-Potempa.jpg?w=798" alt="" class="wp-image-488867" style="width:411px;height:auto"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Bella Potempa</figcaption></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Pool 7</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This pool will only have three teams with REV 16-1 Fury out of Indianapolis who made quite a statement at MEQ where they were in a day three gold pool.  The third seed in this pool is Adversity 16 Adidas out of Chicagoland.  They will have a 1-2 punch in two outside hitters with <strong>Bella Potempa</strong> and <strong>Katherine Day</strong>.  Potempa is a six rotation high flyer who can score on the outside, the right side out of serve receive or from the backrow down the pipe. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->