2017 Mizuno Sports Performance National Junior ClassicMay 24, 2017 by FloVolleyball Staff
Top Six 18s Teams At The Mizuno Sports Performance National Jr Classic
Top Six 18s Teams At The Mizuno Sports Performance National Jr Classic
The Mizuno Sports Performance National Junior Classic will draw some of the top 18s teams in the country as they prepare for AAU nationals.
The Midwest is a hotbed for girls' volleyball, and this weekend, the top 18s teams in the region are heading to the Great Lakes Center in Aurora, IL, to compete in the 2017 Mizuno Sports Performance National Junior Classic.
You can watch all the matches from courts 1-12 at the Great Lakes Center, which will feature the 18 Open, 16 Premier, and 16 Club divisions, LIVE on FloVolleyball on Saturday, May 27, to Monday, May 29.
Tuning in? Here are some of the top 18 Open teams you'll want to watch.
Fusion's top 18s team has a good track record inside the Great Lakes Center. In February, the team went undefeated on the way to winning the Mizuno Sports Performance Presidents Day Challenge. With a talent-packed roster, Fusion 18 Red went on to win the 2017 JVA World Challenge. The Mizuno Sports Performance National Junior Classic will be the second-to-last tournament 18 Red will compete in before heading to Orlando for AAU Nationals.
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KIVA 18 Red has been oh-so-close to first-place finishes a number of times this season but have so far had to settle for sevenths, fifths, and third. The National Junior Classic could be this Louisville squad's opportunity to get a confidence-boosting victory before heading to AAUs.
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With a number of injuries to key players throughout the season, Sports Performance's top 18s team has fielded a variety of different rosters. This weekend, key players will include Texas-bound setter Ashley Shook, Illinois-committed opposite Marijke Van Dyke, and Marquette recruit libero Martha Konovodoff. Also keep an eye out for 2020 outside hitter Taylor Landfair.
The last time 18 Cardinal played at the Great Lakes Center, it snagged a fourth-place finish at the Mizuno Sports Performance Presidents Day Challenge. Since then, the team has posted a third-place finish at the JVA Challenge Series Showcase, a 17th at the Ultra Ankle Bluegrass Tournament, and a ninth at the JVA World Challenge.
Sting 18 Gold went 5-3 at USA Volleyball's Girls' 18s Junior National Championships, earning a 17th-place finish. The team earned its bid with a runner-up finish at the Winter Championships and also posted a 16th-place finish at Triple Crown and a fifth at Northern Lights. Key players to watch are 2018 Iowa State-committed outside Brooke Anderson, 2018 Ohio State-committed outside Mia Grunze, 2017 Wisconsin recruit Nicole Shanahan, and Marquette-bound setter Claire Mosher.
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Metro finished fifth at the Northeast Qualifier, seventh at the Ohio Valley Qualifier, and second at the Beast of the Southeast Qualifier, but the team struggled at GJNCs, going 1-6 and finishing 21st. The Mizuno Sports Performance National Junior Classic could be an opportunity for redemption and a chance to finish the season on a high note.
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You can watch all the matches from courts 1-12 at the Great Lakes Center, which will feature the 18 Open, 16 Premier, and 16 Club divisions, LIVE on FloVolleyball on Saturday, May 27, to Monday, May 29.
Tuning in? Here are some of the top 18 Open teams you'll want to watch.
Fusion 18 Red
Batavia, Illinois
Fusion's top 18s team has a good track record inside the Great Lakes Center. In February, the team went undefeated on the way to winning the Mizuno Sports Performance Presidents Day Challenge. With a talent-packed roster, Fusion 18 Red went on to win the 2017 JVA World Challenge. The Mizuno Sports Performance National Junior Classic will be the second-to-last tournament 18 Red will compete in before heading to Orlando for AAU Nationals.
[instagram url="https://www.instagram.com/p/BSrkc-YhMfz/?taken-by=clubfusionvb" hide_caption="0"]
Asics KIVA 18 Red
Louisville, Kentucky
KIVA 18 Red has been oh-so-close to first-place finishes a number of times this season but have so far had to settle for sevenths, fifths, and third. The National Junior Classic could be this Louisville squad's opportunity to get a confidence-boosting victory before heading to AAUs.
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Sports Performance 18 Elite
Aurora, Illinois
With a number of injuries to key players throughout the season, Sports Performance's top 18s team has fielded a variety of different rosters. This weekend, key players will include Texas-bound setter Ashley Shook, Illinois-committed opposite Marijke Van Dyke, and Marquette recruit libero Martha Konovodoff. Also keep an eye out for 2020 outside hitter Taylor Landfair.
Illini Elite 18 Cardinal
Bloomington, Illinois
The last time 18 Cardinal played at the Great Lakes Center, it snagged a fourth-place finish at the Mizuno Sports Performance Presidents Day Challenge. Since then, the team has posted a third-place finish at the JVA Challenge Series Showcase, a 17th at the Ultra Ankle Bluegrass Tournament, and a ninth at the JVA World Challenge.
Milwaukee Sting 18 Gold
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Sting 18 Gold went 5-3 at USA Volleyball's Girls' 18s Junior National Championships, earning a 17th-place finish. The team earned its bid with a runner-up finish at the Winter Championships and also posted a 16th-place finish at Triple Crown and a fifth at Northern Lights. Key players to watch are 2018 Iowa State-committed outside Brooke Anderson, 2018 Ohio State-committed outside Mia Grunze, 2017 Wisconsin recruit Nicole Shanahan, and Marquette-bound setter Claire Mosher.
[tweet url="https://twitter.com/elleybelley3/status/865746848916668416" hide_media="0" hide_thread="1"]
Metro 18 Travel
Washington D.C.
Metro finished fifth at the Northeast Qualifier, seventh at the Ohio Valley Qualifier, and second at the Beast of the Southeast Qualifier, but the team struggled at GJNCs, going 1-6 and finishing 21st. The Mizuno Sports Performance National Junior Classic could be an opportunity for redemption and a chance to finish the season on a high note.
[instagram url="https://www.instagram.com/p/BTnEjphlw38/?taken-by=metrovbc" hide_caption="0"]
How to Watch
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