Recapping What We Saw at 2026 Iowa Invitational

<a href="https://prepdig.com/2026/01/photo-gallery-i-2026-iowa-invitational-at-tbk/">Photo Gallery I</a>   <a href="https://prepdig.com/2026/01/photo-gallery-ii-2026-iowa-invitational-at-tbk/">Photo Gallery II</a>   Get 30% off your first billing cycle with code: howe30 in the coupon code area   BETTENDORF, Iowa - Another cold weekend around the state was warmed up by competitive club volleyball indoors. The Iowa Invitational took place Saturday and Sunday at the TBK Bank Sports Complex for the 12-18 age groups.   Rockets swept the older divisions. The club also played up, its 14s taking the 15-year-old division, its 15s winning the 16s, and its 16s winning the 17s/18s. It two of those cases, they beat another Rockets team in the championship match.   Roots Volleyball Academy (RVA) annually fields competitive teams filled with interesting college volleyball prospects. Sometimes losing kids to bigger clubs, RVA reloads by developing players that are technically sound.   My path hasn't crossed much with Roots during the last two club seasons. I've been where our daughters are playing. This year that's Rockets 15R.   I made it a point to seek out RVA teams this weekend, needing to catch up for lost time. I also watched a lot of Rockets and an Iowa Select team that's developing.   Here's a recap of what as observed:   -RVA 15 Halder recorded the club's top finish at the Iowa Invitational. It ended up fifth in the 15 Division, only dropping matches to the two Rockets teams that faced off in the championship.   [player_tooltip player_id='939119' first='Olivia' last='Thompson'] is playing outside hitter and through six rotations. The Dowling Catholic freshman jumps well and brings power when swinging. Her actions in the back row are fluid. She's one to watch moving forward.   [player_tooltip player_id='939146' first='Charlotte' last='Schaben'] is another name to remember. The Class of 2030 prospect was playing up and playing well. The eighth-grader already is 6 feet tall with long arms, leaping ability, a powerful attack and an effective block.   Middle Jacqueline Andrews, Bellemy Jorgensen, a setter, and libero Melah Kloberdanz also played well when I was watching 15 Halder.   -I was able to see both of the RVA 16Us (Inglehart and Jensen) competing at the Iowa Invitational. Each squad put together strong stretches of play. Both contained interesting volleyball players.   Jensen outside hitter [player_tooltip player_id='939209' first='Kinley' last='Kline'] was operating through six rotations, flashing ability to attack from both pins and defend in the back row. [player_tooltip player_id='939201' first='Finley' last='Rooney'] competes as a two-way middle, and [player_tooltip player_id='777365' first='Gabrielle' last='Gamblin'] brings power to the right side. Setters [player_tooltip player_id='939195' first='Ellsyn' last='Livingston'] and [player_tooltip player_id='762735' first='Elsa' last='Munkvold'] are sound as is the versatile [player_tooltip player_id='939207' first='Ella' last='Tague'].   For Inglehart, Ella Mueller is a well-rounded setter with ability to attack from the opposite pin. Outside hitter Keiara Mercer shows leaping ability and velocity in the swing.   -RVA 17 Boahen finished 4-1 on the weekend with its only loss being a competitive match against division champion Rockets 16R. That somehow landed them seventh in the final standings.   This team has a chance at more success if the parts come together. The roster features talented players all around the court.   Outside hitter [player_tooltip player_id='555799' first='[player_tooltip player_id='523167' first='Natalie' last='']' last='Marzen'] was handling six rotations when I watched Boahen in action. She's a bouncy attacker that gets on top of the ball, generating power through the swing.   [player_tooltip player_id='758781' first='Myla' last='Brown'] impacts matches as a two-way middle. She throws up an intimidating block and attacks with intention. [player_tooltip player_id='939175' first='Claire' last='Riker'] provides consistency to the setter position, and middle [player_tooltip player_id='939186' first='Aida' last='McEnroe'] and [player_tooltip player_id='939167' first='Norah' last='Mudd'] on the right side contributed offensively and defensively.   -Rockets 15R followed up last weekend's third-place finish in the open division at the UA Winter Classic in Milwaukee with a 16U title at the Iowa Invitational. It won all 10 sets it played in the event, not allowing an opponent to reach 20 points until the final one.   Again, it's our youngest daughter's team, so I watch almost every point. Objectively, the roster features multiple players at each position capable of performing at a high level.   [player_tooltip player_id='759977' first='Abbey' last='Kirk'] can take over matches from the outside pin. When she rotates through six, [player_tooltip player_id='789484' first='Avrielle' last='Ohda'] offers opponents no relief when stepping to the pin. [player_tooltip player_id='917911' first='Kaylin' last='Davis'] and [player_tooltip player_id='889863' first='Ainsley' last='Conrad'] are reliable setters, [player_tooltip player_id='890305' first='Johanna' last='Shaffer'] and [player_tooltip player_id='918377' first='Maleah' last='Wedo'] are imposing middles, [player_tooltip player_id='760983' first='Finley' last='Batchelder'] and [player_tooltip player_id='931274' first='Emerson' last='Ehrke'] provide a one-two punch on the right side, and the back row is well covered by [player_tooltip player_id='782157' first='Maggie' last='Jensen'] and [player_tooltip player_id='780596' first='Audrey' last='Howe'].   -Rockets 16R captured the 17/18 Division, displaying resiliency in winning a pair of three-setters during Sunday's gold bracket play. I saw this team at the M1 Elite Scrimmages in Rochester, Minn. to start the month, and it'd made progress since then.   Setter [player_tooltip player_id='730426' first='Hazel' last='Schluckebier'] and [player_tooltip player_id='730449' first='Kylee' last='Suhr'], a middle hitter, rank among the top players at their positions in the state's 2028 Class. Their on-court chemistry is strong.   [player_tooltip player_id='773976' first='Rachel' last='McCaulley'] impressed me in Rochester and did the same at the Iowa Invitational. She's an explosive athlete with developing volleyball skills. [player_tooltip player_id='751549' first='Katherine' last='Barickman'] continues to ascend at setter, allowing an improving Schluckebier to attack from the right side. [player_tooltip player_id='805108' first='Charleigh' last='Whitford'] is an all-around, technically-sound player that limits mistakes.   -Iowa Select 15 Mizuno jumped into the Iowa Invitational late. It worked out, as the local squad finished third playing up in the 16s division. Its lone setback came against Rockets 15R in Sunday's semifinals.   Select 15 Mizuno includes several members of the program's 14U team that won last year's Iowa Regional. Libero [player_tooltip player_id='741877' first='Tenley' last='Cewe'] and [player_tooltip player_id='765171' first='Dillynn' last='Moore'], an outside hitter, were instrumental in them taking the title. They were key players this weekend, too.   Outside hitter [player_tooltip player_id='939100' first='Ruby' last='Stevens'], a prospect on the rise, was playing six rotations this weekend. [player_tooltip player_id='764788' first='Tatum' last='Comer'] is a middle hitter on which to keep an eye. Setter Jena Laver is one to watch at Bettendorf.   This team has a distinct Illinois flavor with half of the roster filled with Land of Lincoln residents. Kerby Germann, Sarah Mitton, [player_tooltip player_id='829942' first='Ava' last='Carlson'] and Elli Mielke stand out.

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