Illinois 2027 vs. Wisconsin 2027 - Which All Star Team Wins?

Wisconsin 2027s vs. Illinois 2027s.  In the sports world we love a fun, hypothetical situation.  However, in my world and event experience some of those hypotheticals have turned into reality…I digress.  What if we picked the top athletes from the Class of 2027 in Illinois and Wisconsin to go toe to toe?  Let the games begin.    *These are athletes who are included in their “HOME” state rankings.  I know some of the Wisconsin athletes play club in Minnesota and Illinois and there are some Indiana preps who come over to Illinois for club, but we'll stick to the home states.    Location of the event? This could be a rotating venue where we alternate each year and who hosts.    Wisconsin Host Venues    The Fieldhouse - Home of the Wisconsin Badgers Volleyball Team    UW-Parkside   Lake Geneva right along the WI/IL border (I'm sure we could find a gym somewhere)   Fiserv Forum - Home of the Milwaukee Bucks   Illinois Host Venues    The United Center - go big or go home   A sport court on the concourse of Six Flags Great America in Gurnee, Illinois   Navy Pier (depends on the weather we could go boardwalk or convention center)   Hammond, Indiana - home of the Chicago Bears (Sorry, too soon - light jab from a Packer Fan)   Sport Court in center field of Wrigley Field   Let's go with Wrigley Field…at night under the lights.    Wisconsin    Setters    [player_tooltip player_id='435889' first='Gigi' last='Chasco'] - MKE Sting - FGCU Commit   [player_tooltip player_id='435900' first='Payton' last='Scifres'] - [program_tooltip program_id='432009' first='Sky' last='High'] - Uncommitted   Outside HItters   [player_tooltip player_id='345274' first='Lauren' last='Sprague'] - Madtown - Notre Dame Commit   [player_tooltip player_id='459898' first='Aubrey' last='Frey'] - [program_tooltip program_id='428591' first='FC' last='Elite'] - Stephen F Austin Commit   [player_tooltip player_id='511138' first='Amelie' last='Pankonin'] - Northern Lights - Uncommitted   [player_tooltip player_id='510424' first='Ava' last='Stuebs'] - [program_tooltip program_id='428591' first='FC' last='Elite'] - Concordia-St. Paul Commit   Middle Blockers   [player_tooltip player_id='435874' first='Addison' last='Kelenic'] - MKE Sting - Wake Forest Commit   [player_tooltip player_id='435897' first='Lucy' last='Ripley'] - [program_tooltip program_id='428591' first='FC' last='Elite'] - Loyola Chicago Commit   [player_tooltip player_id='509327' first='Madelyn' last='Reesman'] - MKE Sting - St. Thomas Commit   Defensive Specialist   [player_tooltip player_id='800623' first='Ashley' last='Ray'] - [program_tooltip program_id='431479' first='Wisconsin' last='Juniors'] - Florida Gulf Coast Commit   [player_tooltip player_id='590014' first='Abby' last='Miller'] - Kokoro - St. Thomas Commit   Right Side   [player_tooltip player_id='435890' first='Greta' last='Schreiber'] - MKE Sting - St. Thomas Commit   [player_tooltip player_id='565640' first='Alexis' last='Halverson'] - Kokoro - Minnesota State Mankato Commit   The Lineup    If you are picking a lineup or a team, I was once told (and I agree) to pick the best outside hitter, and then pick the next best outside hitter.  This is a position where they are touching the first and third contact as well as the ones who are going to take the most swings.  That's just volleyball.  In this lineup, [player_tooltip player_id='345274' first='Lauren' last='Sprague'] and [player_tooltip player_id='459898' first='Aubrey' last='Frey'] are two of the top outsides in the state of Wisconsin where the thing that sets them both apart is their ability to make a variety of shots.  They know how to use the block, change speeds, and have a knack for scoring points.  [player_tooltip player_id='511138' first='Amelie' last='Pankonin'] finished the high school season with a back injury, but is now scoring points on the pin for the Northern Lights 17-1 squad.  [player_tooltip player_id='510424' first='Ava' last='Stuebs'] is the ace card, the one who can be automatic offense.  She can score from the outside and right side and if there is ever a slump, put her in and she's going to make something happen.    With [player_tooltip player_id='435889' first='Gigi' last='Chasco'] and [player_tooltip player_id='435900' first='Payton' last='Scifres'], the two are very comparable players with their length and the net.  They allow a team to run a variety of options.  In this situation I like a 6-2 where we can utilize all attackers, but with those two having the physicality and athleticism at the net - just let them do their thing.  They can also be used for key substitution situations where they could set or swing.    The middle blockers have a variety of skills they bring to the court.  Kelenic is the most physical attacker in the state.  She is a force to be reckoned with and puts plenty of pressure on the other side of the net. [player_tooltip player_id='435897' first='Lucy' last='Ripley'] is a middle blocker who can play any front row position.  To have an attacker like her gives the offense multiple options.  Reesman is the middle blocker who brings athleticism and quickness and has a savvy about how to score points.    The defensive specialists bring a mature court presence and are accustomed to performing at a high level.  Another defensive option would be to include Sprague or Frey who would also be able to score points out of the backrow.    On the right side, [player_tooltip player_id='435890' first='Greta' last='Schreiber'] and [player_tooltip player_id='565640' first='Alexis' last='Halverson'] are two completely different players.  Schreiber is the long, athletic, lock it down with her block type or right side where she scores points of her own, but she will for sure be a matchup problem with her block.  Halverson is the fast twitch, heavy swing lefty who can score points on the right side as well as right back.    Illinois   Setters    [player_tooltip player_id='504014' first='Peyton' last='Heatherly'] - 1st Alliance - Coastal Carolina Commit   [player_tooltip player_id='740745' first='Amelia' last='Lamberti'] - [program_tooltip program_id='430006' first='Illini' last='Elite'] - Illinois Commit   Outside Hitters    [player_tooltip player_id='839949' first='Maizy' last='Agnello'] - [program_tooltip program_id='432009' first='Sky' last='High'] - Missouri Commit   [player_tooltip player_id='479571' first='Maggie' last='Kurpeikis'] - [program_tooltip program_id='431567' first='Adversity' last=''] - Michigan Commit   [player_tooltip player_id='839888' first='Kalia' last='Kroth'] - 1st Alliance - North Carolina Commit   Middle Blockers   [player_tooltip player_id='412536' first='Kyla' last='Mitchell'] - Michio - Virginia Commit   [player_tooltip player_id='529792' first='Ainsley' last='Wilson'] - 1st Alliance - Dayton Commit   [player_tooltip player_id='529827' first='Farryn' last='Burridge'] - 1st Alliance - American Commit   Defensive Specialist   [player_tooltip player_id='443054' first='Charlie' last='Fleegle'] - [program_tooltip program_id='432009' first='Sky' last='High'] - Illinois State Commit   Right Side     [player_tooltip player_id='496048' first='Kampbell' last='Niepagen'] - [program_tooltip program_id='430006' first='Illini' last='Elite'] - Auburn Commit   [player_tooltip player_id='435843' first='Carly' last='Dawson'] - [program_tooltip program_id='430006' first='Illini' last='Elite'] - Iowa Commit   [player_tooltip player_id='530669' first='Eden' last='Hafermann'] - [program_tooltip program_id='430006' first='Illini' last='Elite'] - Northern Iowa Commit   The outsides from Illinois are extremely deep.  There is a cupboard full of nationally ranked attackers to choose from.  [player_tooltip player_id='839949' first='Maizy' last='Agnello'] and [player_tooltip player_id='479571' first='Maggie' last='Kurpeikis'] are among the best.  Their physicality and point scoring ability is elite.  Having these two on the same side of the net would be dangerous.  [player_tooltip player_id='839888' first='Kalia' last='Kroth'] is another explosive attacker who will head to North Carolina where she could also be utilized as a defensive player who can score points out of the backrow.    The setters are dynamic.  [player_tooltip player_id='504014' first='Peyton' last='Heatherly'] plays with such a high IQ, she spent most of her career as a setter/right side combo player and knows how to win.  [player_tooltip player_id='740745' first='Amelia' last='Lamberti'] is a smash mouth style setter where she brings an alectric style of play to the court. She's going to get her hands to the ball, she's going to find a way to get her attackers an open net, and she could even come in as a serving specialist or DS to bring energy to the court.    The middle blockers are a trio of towers with plenty of length. They can move extremely well along the net, they can score points off one foot and they are going to be a major presence with their block. For the right sides, being able to use [player_tooltip player_id='496048' first='Kampbell' last='Niepagen'], [player_tooltip player_id='435843' first='Carly' last='Dawson'], and [player_tooltip player_id='530669' first='Eden' last='Hafermann'] can be exciting. These athletes could be a six rotation right side, or could be a specialist who could come in on the outside as well.   [player_tooltip player_id='443054' first='Charlie' last='Fleegle'] is going to own the libero position.  She has been a standout for Libertyville and [program_tooltip program_id='432009' first='Sky' last='High'] her entire career and is a huge instate pick up for Illinois State.    How Would This Playout?    We see a lot of Illinios vs Wisconsin matchups throughout the club season.  I think these are always exciting as this draws plenty of attention from college coaches as many are recruiting players on both sides of the net.  Our Prep Dig Gauntlet has featured many of these athletes over the past couple of years.  These girls know each other, or at least know who each other are from playing each other year after year.     Right away I see the outside hitters for Illinois and give them the nod. When you have two top 50 nationally ranked athletes on the outside, that is tough to stop.  However, the Wisconsin outsides know how to score points against high level competition, but would it be enough to slice and dice versus the power and physicality of Agnello and Kurpeikis?   The middle blockers from Wisconsin would be able to give a variety of looks for their side of the net.  Kelenic will be the most physical middle on the floor for Wisconsin while [player_tooltip player_id='435897' first='Lucy' last='Ripley'] is a middle blocker that the other side of the net has to pay attention to. She could follow her setter for a quick in the middle or can be utilized on some crossing patterns where she's scoring from the right side or left side.    I could see Illinois jumping out quickly in the first set.  The firepower is no joke.  However, the pins, the setters, and DS's can all defend at an extremely high level for Wisconsin.  If the Wisconsin team can get Illinois out of system, I think they would be able to utilize a fast tempo to string together runs.  Funny how no matter what level of volleyball even in hypothetical situations it always comes back to the serve and pass game. I'd give Wisconsin the go ahead in the serve receive and pass game.    Over the course of the match, teams would trade their string of points. However, I still look at the Illinois side and see how they can score from both pins in and out of system.    How Does This End?    Sorry Wisconsin, I'm going with Illinois by a score of 3-1.     Or wait, are we playing Illinois high school rules? Then I would go 2-1 in favor of Illinois (Illinois high schools play best of three for matches, Wisconsin is best three out of five sets).    Could This Happen?    There is a bit of timing to this article.  Wisconsin will be holding tryouts for the Badger Region High Performance All Star Team this next month in conjunction with the Badger Region Qualifier and Badger Region Championships.  The Great Lakes Region out of Illinois will hold their tryouts for the High Performance All Start team at the end of May. The USAV All Star Championships will be held July 23-26 in Columbus, Ohio.

Wisconsin 2027s vs. Illinois 2027s. In the sports world we love a fun, hypothetical situation. However, in my world and event experience some of those hypotheticals have turned into reality…I digress. What if we picked the top athletes from the Class of 2027 in Illinois and Wisconsin to go toe to toe? Let the games begin.