The Middle Blocker Bunches to Watch: Triple Crown NIT 2028

Breaking From the Middles "BUNCH” at Triple Crown

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How VBAdrenaline’s PPV System differs from the normal rankings and the bunch format plays into effect in recruiting. It’s like S

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Silver Bunch:

A bit more Isolated even though I think we will have movement in this group by Tuesday.  

When you start talking about Silver and Gold Level Prospects, schools are looking for “All-American” type players and dynamic, impact players.  

Programs that recruit at this level are expected to make deep December runs, and they look for athletes who can jump in EARLY and make an impact at a high level.

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So you really have to get a player (especially at MB) that can play or will get to a height of 126” 127”) and they have to make a difference somewhere. This is a pack that will truly catch your eye with elite athleticism on the court above anything else.

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Nlownna Okwura - Houston Jrs (Gold), she is easily the most physical MB in the class. Her movement will be compared this weekend vs. the other best in the Open division at the NIT. Again, her style is different from most of the others, so how does she stack up against the rest?

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Annabelle Ross - (Silver) top of the Silver list right now. *huge upside and undervalued in the ranking system, in our opinion. Loved her at the NTDP viewing and at the Vegas Prep tourney. She will be the AZ Storm breakout star.

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McKenzie Andrews - Legacy Michigan: Andrews is that SOLID prospect who will do all of the mechanical things correctly on the court. She is your player who plays on a team that makes the championship wave each weekend, gets a lot of views, and is just so fundamentally good. Where coaches have to decide on her is the upside at the next level. Great Midwest Middle, watching how dynamic and explosive she is this weekend, because you know the SKILLS are there for Andrews.

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Jordyn Blair - Circle City - maybe the exact opposite of Andrews in that she has a High Ceiling, but needs the reps on the court. She explodes and is smooth in her routes. Blair could even have position flexibility at the next level, making her even more marketable.

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Shaun Waller - (Silver) Tennessee Performance ****Beast Mode athletically

Hurt during the USA VB U17s, she could even end up at the Gold Level by the end of the tourney. Potentially the #3 middle in the class and could be the highest riser, but also has to weigh in her VB skills , which are developing (again, not nearly as important to college coaches who are projecting ABILITY not TECHNIQUE) 

USA VB loves her, so the guess is that she moves the highest if her play holds true

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Elite Red: (PPV 234-215)

**Purposely didn’t touch these the week before NTDP**

Gracie White - Dallas Skyline, Texas: White is on the verge and has to end up Silver at the end of NIT. Loved what she did at the Tour of Texas. Another of the “Andi Jackson” MB Generation, she is athletic and can move. Like Coach Lauren Plum says, “You want to just be a Middle or do you want to be a VB Player?” White is a VB Player.

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Amari Frazier - AZ Storm, Arizona: Frazier has all the invites and is highly rated across all rankings. We actually see her as more of a pin at the next level. We would love to see her have a dominant NIT as she was good, just not great, at the summer events. Love to see Amari simply cut loose, rip, and explode when she takes off. We are hoping for a breakout weekend for the Storm star.

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Julia Clarke - A5 Georgia: If you have followed us at all the last month, you should know how much we like Clarke and know what we like about her. If we had updated last week, she would already be up with the Silver Levels. Explosive beyond her TOP #s and smooth in her slide routes. She is on a deep and talented team, but deadly effective when her number is called. Watch this one.

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Majia Mortensen - Club Sand Utah, another one that we get to see stacked up with everyone else and learn more about.

Reagan Marsham - A5 Georgia: Part of the loaded talent squad at A5 Marsham is jumping through that ceiling, but already touching 127”. She is a target for P4 schools NOW.

Emily Hill - Tribe FL - Hill is another. We are on a fact-finding mission this weekend. 75”, but how to does she jump? How quickly is she off the floor, and how does she compete with the others in this Bubble?

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Mali Nyankori - A5 GA: Another piece to the A5 squad we have watched Mali on film, but don’t know her specifics, as she doesn’t have a Player Profile. Watching her in person and seeing what coaches think of her compared to others in the bubble will be an indicator of where her stock stands for the rest of her recruiting year. Is our initial PPV accurate, or do we need to adjust it up or down?

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Riling Wingenbach - HPSTL MO - The Missouri standout definitely had plenty of interest last summer and attended some initial select camps. We can’t wait to see what the off-season did for her in the weight room and training regimen. What will Wingenbach’s strength be (the block or the attack), and again, she is competing in this group for positioning against other schools. She has had a tremendous off-season to go put it on film.

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Kinsley Ables - Infinity Mississippi: Ables is one we have followed for a while and one of the few coming from a smaller club, so opportunities like this are extra large for her to make a statement.

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Red Bubble (PPV 214-195)

Stella Sanchez - Texas Skyline 

Sasha Slaughter - CA Absolute  Will be getting a bump from her early-season play and simply interest from coaches after a post we made for her. Know she was undervalued.

Amiya Bryant - TX Houston TAV: Love what she did at Tour of Texas, already does she back it up in KC?

*Another that will be moving up tothe  Elite Red bubble after a Day 1 confirmation because of what we saw in the Tour of Texas and the feedback on the long and whip of swing. Important that she shows vs other top MB, but she already has.

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Eden Knapp - FL OTVA has jumped. It is important for her to play very well, and her foot speed and jump speed will be tested against the Open MBs at NIT.

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Elite Orange Bubble:

More Crowded. A bigger group of schools and more conferences. Bigger needs. Wider range of talents. Not as much “elite athletic ability”. Solid VB players, maybe not the elite, high-ceilinged athletes. Looking for a solid skill kid with something athletic that no one else sees.

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Kendall Youmans - FL Top Select

Maggie Jewell - NC Academy has talked about her a lot. Work ethic there. When does she hit that growth spurt where strength catches height? Block is there, and she takes up space. Attitude is positive and has played in big matches.

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Chloe Frizzell - TX Austin Jrs

Loryn Piening - NE One National Champ. What does she do now in the 16s season as competition gets older?

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Hailey Tinnell - TX Houston Skyline foot speed and explosion? Strength and power are positives?

Physical/Block/Power…..foot speed and lift

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Makayla Roose - KY NKYVC: Learning about her for the first time

Gillian Pfeiffer - MO HPSTL, another new one for us to learn much more about

Milena Aebischer - MB NC Academy had a very productive nationals and has many schools interested after a solid select camp season in the summer. Needs a big weekend with many schools watching.

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Leighton Fröhlich - NE One Nebraska: Long and athletic. The thing she has is a very big upside and athletic potential for serious growth in her PPV. Not sure if that is this year or next?

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Ava Martinez - AZ Sky AZ