AAU Wave 3: Early Standouts from the 16 Club Division

Join Prep Dig using code “AVG30” for a discount on your initial membership.   The third wave of AAU kicked off this morning and I spent some time checking in on the North Country teams (these are programs based out of Minnesota and the Dakotas). There are a number of teams from our region in attendance, which is no surprise given how strong and popular volleyball is our area. Because I couldn't get to all of the games in a single morning, I focused my time and attention on the 16u club division today. Below are a few of the standouts I came across early this morning during pool play.   Remember to follow me on Instagram @Prepdigamy and Facebook @PrepDig Amy for up to date event coverage, stories, and more.     Huston is an extremely athletic middle, that has the ability to exercise a ton of control. If a set is too tight or too low, she finds a way to make a play while staying out of the net and avoiding errors. I also appreciate that she doesn't force bad swings. Instead, she works with what she's given, makes smart decisions, and usually finds away to score or keep the ball in play. That balance of athleticism and control makes her a really effective middle and someone that you want to feed the ball to in close situations.     I hadn't seen Raedel in quite a while as she has been focused on recovering from an ACL injury and working her way through rehab. I wanted to check in on her and see how both she and her team were doing. Based on what I saw in the first match this morning, things appear to be progressing really well. Playing out of the middle, Raedel was a strong presence at the net, consistently making opponents alter their shots as she puts up a big block. What stood out most, though, was how well she moved. Even coming off the injury, she looked fluid, moved well laterally, and moved good in transition. If there were any concerns about whether the injury had slowed her down, she definitely didn't show that today.     I thought Melgaard was outstanding on the court today. She did a terrific job early this morning in handling errant passes, tracking down ball after ball and still being able to deliver hittable sets for her attackers. She was especially impressive around the net, showing great body control as she adjusted to tight passes, turned her body, and still able to put up quality sets while avoiding net violations. She also contributed with strong right back defense, making plays all over the court. Sometimes, in a 6-2 offense, one or both setters can get overlooked. Melgaard is one that shouldn't be. Melgaard's hustle and ability to create opportunities for her hitters make her a huge asset for this team.     I hadn't seen Dannen play before today, but she definitely left an impression. The right side pin has a super quick, powerful swing that left more than a few defenders dazed. Numerous times, she unloaded from the pin and left defenders stunned with the speed and quickness of her attacks. She also made her presence known at the net as she provided a strong block and made life difficult for the opposing attackers. Dannen proved to be a tough match up on the day and will be one to keep an eye in Minnesota.     Playing up two age levels with a strong [program_tooltip program_id='449749' first='Northern' last='Revival'] team, House had a really solid day from the pin. She showcased her versatility by being effective on both left and right pins by consistently finding ways to score from both. Whether she was attacking the seam, banging it off the block, jousting at the net, or firing cross court shots, she was contributing. House is one to watch as she continues to grow and develops her game.     Zeis had a solid day running the offense. She reads the court well, sees openings, and isn't afraid to dump the ball to pick up points or create a chaos on the other side. She also does a nice job finding and leading her middles, while delivering consistent balls with tempo to her pins. She knows how to connect with each attacker and keep the offense running smoothly. Overall, it was just a strong performance from a really strong setter.     Stoner is a fiery pin hitter with a wicked arm swing. She has a strong vertical and a big physical swing that allows her to go up, around, or through the block. Where she really stands out is in out of system situations. Where most players would just drive the ball over or throw in an off speed shot, Stoner can still deliver those big swings with a ton of heat that routinely catch defenses off guard. Overall, she is a solid attacker that comes through in big moments for her team.     Williams took over from the right pin. She's super athletic and quick, which allows her to get to just about anything sent her way. She also has a quick swing which lets her deliver kills with some heat on it. She also showcased good court vision and did a nice job adjusting her shots to work around the block rather than forcing swings into it. She also mixed in some well placed off speed shots that turned into kills for her team. Williams is basically everything you need in a right side and she delivers.     McGee is an outside hitter who brings a ton of power to the floor. She can really hammer the ball whether she is in system or working with out of system sets. She also showed the ability to chuck shots down the line which caught both right back and middle back defenders off guard more than once. Being a highly effective outside, she really showed how to clean up the court and be a solid "go to" attacker for her team.

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