Season Recaps: Iowa 17U Club Teams

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>Get 30% off your first billing cycle with code:&nbsp;howe30&nbsp;in the coupon code area</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The club-team portion of the calendar wrapped up recently with the national tournaments. Student-athletes have turned their attention to trying out for next year's club teams and preparing for the rapidly-approaching prep season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Once again, Iowa represented itself well on the club circuits. That bodes well for this fall, when high schools march toward the state tournament in Coralville.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Here's a look at how teams in the 17U division performed this season: </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>POWERPLEX WIELAND</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Iowa Regional Finish:</strong> Champion</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>National Finish: </strong>30 out of 47 in National Division at USAV</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Recap:</strong> Wieland outlasted Six Pack, 18-16 in the third set, to claim the Iowa Regional title. It got off to a slow start at nationals, losing its first four matches. However, it bounced back to win four of its last five. Setter [player_tooltip player_id='261075' first='Kaelyn' last='Wieland'] kept the operation running smoothly. The Minnesota State commitment shared setting duties with the much-improved [player_tooltip player_id='455732' first='Tessa' last='Holtorf']. [player_tooltip player_id='261088' first='Mya' last='Lei-Butters'] ranks as one of the top liberos in Iowa, and [player_tooltip player_id='389074' first='Hailey' last='Flanders'], a Ferris State pledge, is right up there with her. <br>[player_tooltip player_id='215427' first='Ava' last='Groeteke'] has steadily become one of the state's top two-way, right-side hitters, and [player_tooltip player_id='389078' first='Norah' last='Hany'] (Florida Tech) and [player_tooltip player_id='389077' first='Brenna' last='Baumgardner'] are two of the most improved middles around.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>SIX PACK</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Iowa Regional Finish:</strong> Second</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>National Finish: </strong>26 out of 35 in USA Division at USAV, Flight 2 Champs</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Recap:</strong> Six Pack came within a few points of winning the Iowa Regional Qualifier, dropping the third set, 18-16, to PowerPlex Wieland in the title match. This group enjoyed a successful 2025, ending with a Flight 2 title in the USA Division at USAV Nationals. Twins [player_tooltip player_id='389017' first='Bailey' last='Mullihan'] and [player_tooltip player_id='389009' first='Grace' last='Mullihan'], St. Cloud State commitments, helped form a strong front row with right-side Carly Wazac and middle [player_tooltip player_id='552892' first='Lindsay' last='Kruse']. [player_tooltip player_id='389014' first='Abby' last='Jensen'] contributed through six rotations, and the setting duo of [player_tooltip player_id='261058' first='Brynn' last='Bakula'] and [player_tooltip player_id='389011' first='Alexa' last='Buhman'] was consistently productive. [player_tooltip player_id='389010' first='Annistyn' last='Wedgbury'] ranks among the top liberos in Iowa. [player_tooltip player_id='489995' first='Addison' last='Parker'] is an underrated all-court performer.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>ROCKETS 17R</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Iowa Regional Finish:</strong> Third</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>National Finish: </strong>5th out of 64 teams in American Division at USAV </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Recap:</strong> We'll never know what may have happened at the Iowa Regional Qualifier had Rockets six-rotation dynamo [player_tooltip player_id='261094' first='Reese' last='Naeve'] been healthy. The squad finished third without the Iowa State pledge and then fifth out of 64 teams in the American Division at USAV with her. This Rockets outfit was filled with well-rounded, technically-sound performers that worked well together. [player_tooltip player_id='243457' first='Emily' last='Henderson'] (South Dakota School of the Mines) is a super setter with consistency and a knack for limiting mistakes. Libero [player_tooltip player_id='373682' first='Kennedey' last='Whitford'] (South Dakota State) held down the back row, and [player_tooltip player_id='329851' first='Macie' last='Lupkes'] is developing her game nicely in the middle. [player_tooltip player_id='474884' first='Peyton' last='Nagle'] does just about everything well, and [player_tooltip player_id='261085' first='Maren' last='Ouellette'] has a ton of ability. [player_tooltip player_id='389008' first='Addison' last='Allen']'s setting his consistently on point.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>POWERPLEX MENDOZA</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Iowa Regional Finish:</strong> Fourth</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>National Finish: </strong>17th out of 48 teams in Freedom Division at USAV</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Recap:</strong> When a club's second team is better than some other notable clubs' top teams, that's a strong club. PowerPlex certainly can make that claim. Operating alongside the Iowa Regional champion in their own practice facility, Mendoza qualified for nationals and accounted well for itself while there. Drake commitment [player_tooltip player_id='389019' first='Avery' last='Vogt'] and [player_tooltip player_id='389060' first='Tatem' last='Schmidt'], two of Iowa's top setters, kept the operation running smoothly. [player_tooltip player_id='517919' first='Brooklyn' last='Brown'], [player_tooltip player_id='500115' first='Maggie' last='Craig'], Sydney Light and [player_tooltip player_id='500116' first='Alexa' last='Weber'] helped provide a strong net presence.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>SELECT MIZUNO</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Iowa Regional Finish:</strong> Fifth </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>National Finish: </strong>Ninth out of 36 teams in USA Division at USAV</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Recap:</strong> Like other teams in this rundown, I saw Select play multiple times this season, and its core group of kids the last several years in club and high school. In a very balanced 17U landscape in 2025, this squad showed it was real good at its best. It started in the middle with the one-two punch of Kansas State pledge [player_tooltip player_id='230661' first='Ellah' last='Derrer'] and [player_tooltip player_id='630696' first='Erin' last='Robbins'] giving opponents no relief. Fresno State commitment [player_tooltip player_id='455710' first='Kiley' last='Devery'] was a hammer at the opposite pin, and the same could be said about [player_tooltip player_id='389818' first='Hanley' last='Schmidt'] on the outside. [player_tooltip player_id='389006' first='Carsyn' last='Kelley'], an Evansville commitment, was consistently excellent at setter, [player_tooltip player_id='261052' first='Ainsley' last='Haedt'] held down the back row and McKenzie Moeller's six-rotation contributions were key.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>IMPACT 17-1 ELITE</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Iowa Regional Finish:</strong> Sixth</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>National Finish: </strong>DNP</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Recap:</strong> This was a sound team with members that played well off of each other. Sioux Falls commitment [player_tooltip player_id='261083' first='Maegan' last='Cheeseman'] enjoyed an excellent season at setter. [player_tooltip player_id='753905' first='Brooke' last='Schulte'] and [player_tooltip player_id='753974' first='Brynn' last='Roozeboom'] are two of the most well-rounded players in Iowa. [player_tooltip player_id='490014' first='Maliya' last='Cobb'], [player_tooltip player_id='443091' first='Jillian' last='Hammond'] and [player_tooltip player_id='753978' first='Chloe' last='Koch'] were important front-row performers, and [player_tooltip player_id='552904' first='Madison' last='Anselme'] was a sound libero. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>ADRENALINE MARTY</strong> </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Iowa Regional Finish:</strong> Seventh</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>National Finish: </strong> Ninth out of 125 in Patriot Division at USAV</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Recap:</strong> Adrenaline Marty reached the Patriot Gold Bracket in Dallas and finished the season on a high note. [player_tooltip player_id='389012' first='Channing' last='Johnson'] is one of the better setters in the state, and [player_tooltip player_id='215390' first='Jovi' last='Evans'] and [player_tooltip player_id='447581' first='Grace' last='Knock'] are a fine pair in back-row. [player_tooltip player_id='517585' first='Sariah' last='Sherman'], [player_tooltip player_id='389069' first='Sophie' last='Sander'] and [player_tooltip player_id='389068' first='Miley' last='Manternach'] were steady two-way contributors at the net.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>MIDWEST ELITE </strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Iowa Regional Finish:</strong> DNP</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>National Finish:</strong> 35th out of 48 in National Division at USAV</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Recap:</strong> The National Division at USAV is rugged. This squad won four matches and 12 sets against the stiff competition thanks to a talented roster that included Iowa standouts [player_tooltip player_id='389079' first='Bailey' last='Boeve'] (Creighton), [player_tooltip player_id='389844' first='Bre' last='VanDenTop'] (Sioux Falls), [player_tooltip player_id='389834' first='Ava' last='Lloyd'], [player_tooltip player_id='552898' first='Karlyn' last='Kovarna'], Dara Mollet, [player_tooltip player_id='389843' first='Jaylee' last='Jackson'] and [player_tooltip player_id='389835' first='Kinslee' last='Walrod']. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>KAIROS BETA</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Iowa Regional Finish:</strong> DNP</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>National Finish: </strong> First out of 24 in Liberty Division at USAV</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Recap:</strong> I added Kairos into this writeup after it was first published. While chiefly comprised of student-athletes outside of the state and not playing in the Iowa Regional Qualifier, it won a national championship with contributions from Central Lyon standout, Ellianna Hoefert, who was playing up. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->