With power leagues beginning this weekend and the first qualifier for 18's in Winter Volleyball Championship Qualifier (Chicago) next weekend, top teams I am seeing based on last years results at 17's and available rosters. Please add in any others I am overlooking.
Top 10 finishes in 17-open 2017 at USAV
1 TAV 17 Black (NT)
2 AJV 17 Mizuno (LS)
3 SG ELITE 17Roshambo (SC)
3 TX Tornados 17 Mizuno (LS)
5 HPSTL 17 Royal (GW)
5 Sunshine 17-1 (SC)
5 SA Magic 17 ELITE (LS)
5 ASPIRE 17 ROX (AZ)
9 WAVE 17 Kevin (SC)
Top 3 (4) finishes in 17-National at USAV
1 Miz LB 17 Rockstar (SC)
2 EXCEL 17 National Red (NT)
3 OT 17 T. Rox Red (FL)
3 Michio Chicago 17Natl (GL)
Top 10 finishes in 17 open at AAU
1 Illini Elite 17 Cardinal
2 Asics KIVA 17 Red
3 MEVBA 17 Mizuno
3 A5 Mizuno 171 Jing
5 Mizuno Northern Lights 17-1
6 OT 17 S. Rox Red
7 Milwaukee Sting 17 Gold
8 Team Academy
8 Legacy 17-Elite
10 Club V 17 Black EP
Top 3(4) finishes in 17 Premier at AAU
1 EliteVBTC 17 Black
2 MVA 17 National Black
3 Asics KIVA 17 White
3 A4 Volley 17 Purple
TAV 18 black returns 5 players from it's 17's team last year with Rachel Langs (MB, Kansas) and Katie Clark (MB, TCU) being ranked top 100 Sr Aces. Not returning are Asjia O'Neal (Texas) and Addana Rollins (Minnesota). Setting will be a big concern for this team with only one setter on the roster (Analise Lucio, 5'8", uncommitted). Never sleep on a TAV team though, their 2017 18's were not as strong as past 18's but still went to the USAV championship match where they lost in the 3rd set 16-14 to Madison Lilley's KC-Power.
Austin Jr's (AJV) returns their entire team except TCU's Elan McCall and will be anchored by Stanford recruit and top 20 Sr Ace Holly Campbell in the middle. Washington commit Dani Cole will again be on the outside and is AJV's other top 100 ace. Outsides Madison Baptiste (Cornell) and Ryan Palmieri (SMU) were named to All Texas State team lead to a potent attack from any direction.
San Gabriel Elite Comes in with four senior aces, 2 in the top 10 and is strong at every single position. LBSU commit Allison Martinez at outside, middle has PSU commit Serena Gray and Washington commit Marin Grote with Oregon commit Kylie Robinson setting. In the backrow will be another PSU commit Brooklynn Hill at Libero or San Diego commit Kelli Barry.
Texas Tornados return 2 top 100 aces in LSU commit MB Whitney Foreman and Rice's Carly Graham setting along with 9 total players from last years team, only OH Regan Wright is new to the team (Holy Cross). TT took down previously unbeaten TAV during the 2017 Lone Star classic in large part due to the play of MB AJ Koele before beating SA Magic for the open bid.
Milwaukee Sting does not compete for bids until 18's but will send one of their strongest teams in recent memory this year. With 3 top aces in Iowa State's Brooke Anderson (OH), Ohio State's Mia Grunze (OH) and Marquette's Claire Mosher (S) along with Setter Miranda Wucherer and MB Karli Graham Sting should be in contention for gold. Mosher and Wucherer are 2 of only 4 girls in Wisconsin history to pick up 1,000 kills, digs and assists in their HS careers, Wucherer and Anderson both have lethal serves as well. This team is a combination of last years 18's and 17's as half the team played 18's and has picked up Dayton's Mikaylah Van Lanen on the outside who can hit around the best formed blocks with ease.
Aspire returns 8 players from last year squad who finished 5th at USAV and won the SCVA qualifier over SG Elite, TStreet and Wave. They will be led by top 100 Sr Aces Brooke Nuneviller (Oregon, OH) and 6'5" Abby Hansen (USC, MB)
Legacy returns a solid team with 3 top 100 sr aces and one who just missed. A very strong front row will be there behind OH's Maria Mallon (Cincy) and Abbey Malinowski (Michigan) next to MB's Lauren Wenzel (Notre Dame) and Chandlar Duff (Oregon). However, how the hitters do will be completely dependent on the setting as Erin O'Leary has graduated early and Legacy will have Mich State recruit Celia Cullen who is only a sophomore. Legacy finished 8th at AAU last year and will be playing USAV and AAU this year.
Teams I do not have a great feel for:
HPSTL finished 5th at USAV. Duke recruit Lily Cooper (6'5" MB) is no longer on the team (early enrollee at Duke?) but returns 7 players.
Sunshine also finished 5th at USAV and return 10 players from last years team. Three middles at 6'1 and 6'2. They finished 4th at Colorado Crossroads and then 1st at Windy City.
Long Beach - Top 20 Sr Ace Brooklyn Schirmer (USC, OH) has returned but will she be enough? This team finished last year 62nd according to AES rankings but took 1st at USAV in National going 10-1 losing only to Michio Chicago. They took 14th of 26 at SCVA, 11th at Windy City and 33rd at Triple Crown. On a roster of 14, only 6 players from last year return.
A5 returns 9 of 12 players from last years team that finished 3rd at AAU but only 26th at USAV. Top 100 Sr Aces Tatum Shipes (OH, Auburn) and Riley Fischer (Libero, Florida) will lead the team with a strong cast behind them. This team took 13th at Big South, won Northeast and finished 11th at Triple Crown.
Sports Performance - Gone are Shook, Welsh, Nielsen and Carlini, in their place are two talented but untested setters in Allison Van Eekeren (Creighton) and Mckenna Slavik (Clemson) with both being juniors. Taylor Landfair will have help from top 100 Sr Ace Hanna Lesiak (Northwestern) but this team only returns 3 players from last years team that surprisingly finished 2nd to Munciana at AAU in 18 Open. If SPVB has proven anything in their history, it is how to produce top quality setters.
Teams that do not have rosters yet but could be in contention:
OTVA (Both South and Tampa Rox Red) -
Munciana - Is Jonni Parker still in? Will Kenzie Knuckles return? They will still have Melanie Shaffmaster (Minnesota S/RS) and Alyiah Wells (Alabama MH).