Among the Elite: How Top Athletes Prepare for Triple Crown

<a href="https://prepdig.com/subscribe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">This article is made possible by PrepDig subscribers. Thank you! ~ You can join with 30% off using code: TripleCrown</a>   <h3 class="wp-block-heading">Countdown to Triple Crown</h3>   Triple Crown NIT is one of the most important weekends on the recruiting calendar. What began as a small gathering of elite club directors over a decade ago has evolved into one of the most competitive stages in the sport. This President's Day Weekend, February 13–16, 2026, more than 550 teams and 7,000 athletes will descend on Kansas City with over 500 college coaches watching closely. In my opinion, there is no other event where preparation, mindset, and execution are tested at this level, all at once.   As the nation's top athletes get ready for this moment, I connected with several elite prospects to hear how they are preparing, what they are focused on, and the advice they believe matters most. Their words offer a real look into how high-level athletes approach one of the biggest weekends of the year. This series is written for athletes, by athletes, with lessons that extend far beyond a single tournament.    [player_tooltip player_id='482047' first='Westley' last='Matavao']'s preparation for Triple Crown is intentional and holistic. She shared that she is preparing every day through prayer, workouts, recovery, and rest, while staying disciplined with nutrition and focused training. On the court, she is most excited to showcase her hitting, while keeping her goals simple and competitive, winning and passing consistently. Her advice reflects maturity beyond her years, emphasizing the importance of sleep, hydration, and recovery. Westley also shared that journaling and listening to 90's music helps her stay grounded and mentally prepared, while remembering to enjoy the experience with her team.   ~ Michelle Bamford @Coachable247     For Shaye Witherspoon, preparation happens on multiple levels. Physically, she is pushing herself in every workout and practice. Mentally, she is visualizing herself competing at Triple Crown and building confidence in stressful situations. As a team, Rockwood Thunder is focused on mastering the little things in practice so the harder moments feel more manageable. Shaye is excited to showcase her improved defense, along with her hitting, court awareness, and volleyball IQ. Her goals center on leadership, being a better teammate, and giving herself grace when mistakes happen. Her advice is rooted in balance, prioritizing sleep, hydration, fueling properly, listening to your body, and keeping the focus on the team, because success is never achieved alone.   ~ Michelle Bamford @Coachable247     Mesa Jameson's approach to Triple Crown is built on effort and resilience. She shared that she is preparing by going all in during practices and in the weight room, maintaining a positive attitude, and never giving up on a play. Mesa is especially excited to showcase her back-row skills, an area she has worked on consistently through both her high school and club seasons. Her goal for the tournament is to show that Northern Lights is a different team than last year, one that is competitive and not an easy out. Her advice is straightforward and athlete-centered, focusing on healthy nutrition, hydration, strong sportsmanship, and getting plenty of sleep to be ready for game day.   ~ Michelle Bamford @Coachable247     Evelyn Shirk enters her second Triple Crown NIT with both experience and perspective. Since her school season ended, she has committed to consistent training with her personal trainer and club trainers, focusing on increasing her vertical and improving her conditioning. Mentally, she feels prepared knowing what the level of competition will be like and is focused on improving on what she did well last year. Evelyn is excited to be back at Triple Crown and proud of the growth in her game, especially as she expands her role from setter and opposite to also playing outside. Her goals include improving her overall performance, becoming more effective as a setter by drawing blockers, and continuing to bond with her team. Her advice to other athletes is thoughtful and specific, reminding them to stay focused even after tough losses, take time to watch other high-level matches, and plan meals around the game schedule to feel their best throughout the weekend.   ~ Michelle Bamford @Coachable247     Kari Knotts' preparation for Triple Crown is built on consistency and intention. She has been putting in extra reps with her team, training weekly in strength and conditioning, and prioritizing stretching and recovery. Kari shared that before every tournament she creates a list of goals and uses visualization each night to mentally prepare. On the court, she is focused on hitting smart shots, improving her blocking, maintaining strong serve receive, staying low and stopped on defense, and bringing constant energy to her team. Her advice speaks directly to growth and resilience, reminding athletes not to let mistakes define them, to take recovery seriously, fuel their bodies properly, and use visualization to step onto the court confident and prepared.   ~ Michelle Bamford @Coachable247    With 15 days to go until Triple Crown, the Among the Elite series is just getting started. These athletes will be interviewed onsite at the NIT, where we'll continue highlighting their preparation, mindset, and tournament experience. Stay tuned for more coverage as the countdown continues and the nation's best take the court.   <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">If You Enjoyed This Article, Help Us Keep the Momentum Going</h2>   🔥 Players Use this article to grow. Take notes, study what makes others stand out, and apply it to your own journey. Want to take the next step? Reach out to a featured athlete and introduce yourself. 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