2017 Mizuno Sports Performance National Junior ClassicMay 25, 2017 by Megan Kaplon
11 Underclassmen Playing 18s At Sports Performance National Junior Classic
11 Underclassmen Playing 18s At Sports Performance National Junior Classic
Get to know the all-star underclassmen who are playing in the 18 Open division at the 2017 Mizuno Sports Performance National Junior Classic.
The Mizuno Sports Performance National Junior Classic is one of the last opportunities to see the nation's top 18s teams in action.
While all the teams competing in the 18 Open division are filled with elite Class of 2017 volleyball players, we're keying in on the underclassmen playing up. These juniors and sophomores have earned their spots on the top 18s teams and will be back for more next year.
Want to see these athletes and more in action this weekend in Aurora, IL? Watch Courts 1-12 from the Great Lakes Center LIVE on May 27-29.
An Iowa State-committed outside hitter, Andersen can bring the heat. The Lake Country Lutheran junior has earned first-team all-state honors the past two years and was named Midwest Classic Conference Player of the Year at the end of the 2016 high school season.
[instagram url="https://twitter.com/MilSting18Gold/status/820761179249410048" hide_caption="0"]
Braate earned a spot on the 2017 Ultra Ankle JVA Watch List and is verbally committed to Central Michigan. An all-around talent, the 6-foot Far Out 18 Black libero plays outside hitter and setter for her high school team.
[tweet url="https://twitter.com/DFFOVolleyball/status/747061840698556418" hide_media="0" hide_thread="1"]
While competing for the Rockford High School team, junior setter Delacher broke the MHSAA state record for assists in a match (67) and the school record for career assists. Volleyball is a family affair for the MaxPreps Junior All-American -- her parents both coach at Rockford and her dad, Kelly, is the head coach of the Far Out 18 Black squad.
[tweet url="https://twitter.com/RockfordVball/status/801420061554642945" hide_media="0" hide_thread="1"]
The sole junior on KIVA's top 18s team, Frederick plays libero and DS on a team heavy with defensive talent. The Western Kentucky commit tallied 21 aces and 145 digs with her Assumption High School squad this fall.
[tweet url="https://twitter.com/Paytonfred18/status/795021298313363456" hide_media="0" hide_thread="1"]
Milwaukee Sting 18 Gold, OH, 2018
Grunze earned a spot in the 2016 USA Volleyball girls' youth national team and competed at the NORCECA U18 Championship in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The three-time all-state honoree is committed to Ohio State and is a contributor on both sides of the ball, leading her Waterford High School team with 320 kills and ranking second with 269 digs in 2016.
[tweet url="https://twitter.com/MilSting18Gold/status/810325584366673920" hide_media="0" hide_thread="1"]
Heim is used to winning championships. She has three state titles with her Omaha Marian High School team under her belt, and the SMU commit won AAUs with her Nebraska Elite 16 and under squad in 2015. See her in action with the Nebraska Juniors 18-1 team at the Mizuno SPVB National Junior Classic.
[instagram url="https://www.instagram.com/p/BMxgZoHBTVW/?taken-by=lilyheim10" hide_caption="0"]
Kelley was a setter for years before moving to the libero position, and the combination of her defensive prowess and setting background made her an extra-attractive recruit for Belmont University, where the Normal Community High School junior committed only a few weeks ago.
[tweet url="https://twitter.com/kailee_bass/status/864281684920983553" hide_media="0" hide_thread="1"]
Still only a freshman, Landfair earned a spot on the SPVB 18 Elite squad midway through the spring season. The 6-foot-4 outside/opposite is incredibly athletic and will be fun for watch for years to come.
Meyer earned the Northern Buckeye Conference Player of the Year Honor in 2016 and was named to the 2016 AVCA Phenom Watch List. The 5-10 outside hitter touches 10-2 and is committed to Bowling Green.
[tweet url="https://twitter.com/EastwoodVball/status/842703305897861120" hide_media="0" hide_thread="1"]
Setter Mosher has quarterbacked Milwaukee Sting's top 18s team for two seasons now, earning a spot on the all-tournament team at USAV's Girls' Junior National Championships in 2016. The Waterloo High School junior will be joining her older sister Madeline at Marquette in the fall of 2018.
Still only a sophomore, Pehar earned a spot on the top 18s team at Wildcat Juniors. The bouncy outside hitter led her Niles West High School team in kills last fall, helping the squad reach the final four of the Illinois state tournament.
[tweet url="https://twitter.com/ChiTribAOTM/status/849348842495631361" hide_media="0" hide_thread="1"]
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While all the teams competing in the 18 Open division are filled with elite Class of 2017 volleyball players, we're keying in on the underclassmen playing up. These juniors and sophomores have earned their spots on the top 18s teams and will be back for more next year.
Want to see these athletes and more in action this weekend in Aurora, IL? Watch Courts 1-12 from the Great Lakes Center LIVE on May 27-29.
Brooke Andersen
Milwaukee Sting 18 Gold, OH, 2018
An Iowa State-committed outside hitter, Andersen can bring the heat. The Lake Country Lutheran junior has earned first-team all-state honors the past two years and was named Midwest Classic Conference Player of the Year at the end of the 2016 high school season.
[instagram url="https://twitter.com/MilSting18Gold/status/820761179249410048" hide_caption="0"]
Kendall Braate
Far Out 18 Black, L, 2018
Braate earned a spot on the 2017 Ultra Ankle JVA Watch List and is verbally committed to Central Michigan. An all-around talent, the 6-foot Far Out 18 Black libero plays outside hitter and setter for her high school team.
[tweet url="https://twitter.com/DFFOVolleyball/status/747061840698556418" hide_media="0" hide_thread="1"]
Hailey Delacher
Far Out 18 Black, S, 2018
While competing for the Rockford High School team, junior setter Delacher broke the MHSAA state record for assists in a match (67) and the school record for career assists. Volleyball is a family affair for the MaxPreps Junior All-American -- her parents both coach at Rockford and her dad, Kelly, is the head coach of the Far Out 18 Black squad.
[tweet url="https://twitter.com/RockfordVball/status/801420061554642945" hide_media="0" hide_thread="1"]
Payton Frederick
KIVA 18 Red, DS, 2018
The sole junior on KIVA's top 18s team, Frederick plays libero and DS on a team heavy with defensive talent. The Western Kentucky commit tallied 21 aces and 145 digs with her Assumption High School squad this fall.
[tweet url="https://twitter.com/Paytonfred18/status/795021298313363456" hide_media="0" hide_thread="1"]
Mia Grunze
Milwaukee Sting 18 Gold, OH, 2018
Grunze earned a spot in the 2016 USA Volleyball girls' youth national team and competed at the NORCECA U18 Championship in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The three-time all-state honoree is committed to Ohio State and is a contributor on both sides of the ball, leading her Waterford High School team with 320 kills and ranking second with 269 digs in 2016.
[tweet url="https://twitter.com/MilSting18Gold/status/810325584366673920" hide_media="0" hide_thread="1"]
Lily Heim
Nebraska Juniors 18-1, S, 2018
Heim is used to winning championships. She has three state titles with her Omaha Marian High School team under her belt, and the SMU commit won AAUs with her Nebraska Elite 16 and under squad in 2015. See her in action with the Nebraska Juniors 18-1 team at the Mizuno SPVB National Junior Classic.
[instagram url="https://www.instagram.com/p/BMxgZoHBTVW/?taken-by=lilyheim10" hide_caption="0"]
Peyton Kelley
Illini Elite 18 Cardinal, L, 2018
Kelley was a setter for years before moving to the libero position, and the combination of her defensive prowess and setting background made her an extra-attractive recruit for Belmont University, where the Normal Community High School junior committed only a few weeks ago.
[tweet url="https://twitter.com/kailee_bass/status/864281684920983553" hide_media="0" hide_thread="1"]
Taylor Landfair
Sports Performance 18 Elite, OH/OPP, 2020
Still only a freshman, Landfair earned a spot on the SPVB 18 Elite squad midway through the spring season. The 6-foot-4 outside/opposite is incredibly athletic and will be fun for watch for years to come.
Katelyn Meyer
Premier 18 Onitsuka, OH, 2018
Meyer earned the Northern Buckeye Conference Player of the Year Honor in 2016 and was named to the 2016 AVCA Phenom Watch List. The 5-10 outside hitter touches 10-2 and is committed to Bowling Green.
[tweet url="https://twitter.com/EastwoodVball/status/842703305897861120" hide_media="0" hide_thread="1"]
Claire Mosher
Milwaukee Sting 18 Gold, S, 2018
Setter Mosher has quarterbacked Milwaukee Sting's top 18s team for two seasons now, earning a spot on the all-tournament team at USAV's Girls' Junior National Championships in 2016. The Waterloo High School junior will be joining her older sister Madeline at Marquette in the fall of 2018.
Natalia Pehar
Wildcat Juniors 18 Black, OH, 2019
Still only a sophomore, Pehar earned a spot on the top 18s team at Wildcat Juniors. The bouncy outside hitter led her Niles West High School team in kills last fall, helping the squad reach the final four of the Illinois state tournament.
[tweet url="https://twitter.com/ChiTribAOTM/status/849348842495631361" hide_media="0" hide_thread="1"]
How to Watch
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