This week marks the start of 18s qualifier season, with the Kansas City Martin Luther King Day Tournament (streamed live right here on FloVolleyball) and the Girls Winter Volleyball Championship Qualifier kicking off on Saturday. 

Who will be the top teams to watch this weekend and for the remainder of the qualifier season, leading up to Girls Junior National Championships in Anaheim, April 27-29? There’s a ton of talent in this year’s 18s pool, but these are the teams we think will be most deadly.

1. Munciana 18 Samurai

The new Munciana 18 Samurai is a mix of returning players — who as underclassmen playing up in 18s helped Munciana win the 18 Open crown at AAU Nationals last year — and a group of newbies, many of whom are moving up after winning 16 Open at AAUs with the Munciana 16 Ninjas team last spring. 

The dynamic setting duo of Jonni Parker, a First-Team Under Armour All-American and Penn State commit, and Melani Shaffmaster, a 6-foot-3 sophomore who committed to Minnesota as an 8th grader, are back for their second season competing at 18s and will be key to this teams success, while the biggest challenge will be finding a pin hitter with the firepower to replace Nia Parker-Robinson, who led the 18 Samurai team last season before starting her freshman year at Northwestern. 

See Munciana 18 Samurai in action this weekend at the JVA Rock 'N Rumble, where FloVolleyball will be streaming courts 11-16.

Munciana 18 Samurai Roster

Name | Height | Position | HS Grad Yr | College Commitment

Bonnie Bostic | 6-2 | Outside Hitter | 2019 | Arizona

Lauren Gilliland | 6-0 |  Middle Blocker | 2020

Mallory Hernandez | 6-0 | Outside Hitter | 2018 | Mississippi State

Molly Hunt | 6-1 | Opposite | 2020 

MyKel Ivy | 6-1 | Middle Blocker | 2019 | Ball State

Megan Miller | 5-7 | Outside Hitter/Defensive Specialist | 2018 | Nebraska

Kylie Murr | 5-6 | Libero | 2019 | Ohio State

Jonni Parker | 6-0 | Setter/Opposite | 2018 | Penn State

Bella Rosenthall | 5-6 | Setter/Defensive Specialist | 2018 | Auburn

Melani Shaffmaster | 6-3 | Setter/Opposite | 2020 | Minnesota

Alyiah Wells | 6-2 | Middle Blocker | 2019 | Alabama

2. MN Select 18-1

Three members of the 2017 top MN Select 18s team are back — Kayla Bair, Grace Persson, and Kari Zumach — along with Brynn Paumen, a middle who played on the 17-1 team last year. Outside of those four, the remaining members of the 2018 MN Select 18-1 team are the top players from other area clubs, who with their powers combined have the potential to be one of the best teams in the country.

From MN Crossfire, Select adds setter Izzy Ashburn, libero Kaitlyn Weimerskirch, middle Evie Harrington, and outsides Lauren Clark and Emma Schmidt, and from Northern Lights comes setter Eleanor Holthaus.

As a group, all but one of these athletes are committed to Division I programs, and four are headed to powerhouse Big Ten teams. 

MN Select 18-1 Roster

Name | Height | Position | HS Grad Yr | College Commitment

Isabella Ashburn | 5-11 | Setter | 2019 | Wisconsin

Kayla Bair | 6-2 | Middle Blocker | 2018 | Michigan

Lauren Clark | 6-1 | Outside Hitter | 2019 | Penn State

Evie Harrington | 5-11 | Middle Blocker | 2019

Eleanor Holthaus | 6-2 | Outside Hitter/Opposite | 2018 | Iowa State

Brynn Paumen | 6-2 | Middle Blocker | 2018 | Missouri

Grace Persson | 6-2 | Outside Hitter | 2018 | Michigan

Emma Schmidt | 6-1 | Outside Hitter | 2019 | Northern Iowa

Kaitlyn Weimerskirch | 5-6 | Libero | 2019 | Illinois State

Kari Zumach | 6-2 | Outside Hitter/Opposite | 2018 | Creighton

3. Legacy 18 Elite

The only loss for Legacy, which finished 13th at USAV Junior Nationals last year, is setter Erin O’Leary, who has already started at Michigan. Although O’Leary was a key member of the 2017 squad, 2020 Michigan State-committed setter Celia Cullen, who played for Team D’s 16-Red team last season, is ready to step up and take her place. At 6-1, Cullen also adds some valuable height to the setter position for this Michigan-based team.

Solei Thomas, Abbey Malinowski, and Chandlar Duff — key hitters from the 2017 team — are back, and Northwestern-committed outside hitter Abryanna Cannon, who played for Michigan Elite in 2017, adds some depth to the Legacy roster.

Of course, don’t forget defensive returners Madeline Appleton and Maria Mallon, and the addition of Michigan State recruit Hannah Grant, who previously played for Team D. 

Legacy 18 Elite Roster

Name | Height | Position | HS Grad Yr | College Commitment

Madeline Appleton | 5-8 | Libero | 2018 | Hofstra

Abryanna Cannon | 6-1 | Outside Hitter | 2018 | Northwestern

Celia Cullen | 6-1 | Setter | 2020 | Michigan State

Chandlar Duff | 6-2 | Middle Blocker | 2018 | Oregon

Hannah Grant | 5-8 | Libero | 2019 | Michigan State

Abbey Malinowski | 6-1 | Outside Hitter | 2018 | Michigan

Maria Mallon | 5-8 | Outside Hitter | 2018 | Cincinnati 

Danielle Sargent | 6-2 | Opposite/Middle Blocker | 2018 | Michigan State (for rowing)

Olivia Smith | 6-1 | Middle Blocker/Opposite | 2018

Solei Thomas | 5-10 | Opposite | 2018 | Clemson

Lauren Wenzel | 6-1 | Middle Blocker | 2018 | Notre Dame

4. Drive Nation 18 Red

A brand-new club out of Dallas is going to make things interesting in 18 Open. Drive Nation is a sports facility founded by former NBA player Jermaine O’Neal that features programs for volleyball, basketball, football, and soccer. O’Neal’s daughter Asjia, a Texas recruit, will be a key member of Drive Nation’s top 18s team that also features First-Team Under Armour All-American and Nebraska recruit Capri Davis, former TAV 17 Black setter Alina Lam, San Diego-bound libero Annie Benbow, and state champion high jumper Sanaa Barnes. Former Arizona State head coach Stevie Mussie is the director of volleyball for Drive Nation and the coach of this loaded team.

Drive Nation 18 Red Roster

Name | Height | Position | HS Grad Yr | College Commitment

Sanaa Barnes | 5-9 | Outside/Opposite | 2018 | Villanova

Annie Benbow | 5-3 | Libero | 2018 | San Diego

Hannah Boyd | 6-2 | Middle Blocker | 2018 | Northeastern

Capri Davis | 6-3 | Middle Blocker/Outside Hitter | 2018 | Nebraska

Alexis James | 2019 | Outside Hitter

Alina Lam | 5-8 | Setter | 2018 | Lehigh

Jessica Langridge | 6-2 | Middle Blocker | 2018 | Texas Tech

Emily Merrick | 6-3 | 2019

Asjia O’Neal | 6-3 | Middle Blocker | 2018 | Texas

Emma Riethman | 5-6 | Libero | 2019 

Ryleigh Taylor | 5-10 Setter | 2018 

Jordan Terrell | 5-7 | Libero | 2019 

5. KC Power 18-1

All but one member of the 2017 KC Power top 17s team is moving up to the 18s squad, and the lone addition to the group is 6-4 Nebraska commit Callie Schwarzenbach, who helped KC Power’s 18s win Open at Junior Nationals last spring. 

In addition to Schwarzenbach, KC Power 18-1 has two other hitters taller than 6-2 — Logan Gish and Annika Welty — not to mention athletic 6-1 outside hitter Anna Dixon, 5-11 opposite Sadie Limback, and 5-9 Illinois commit Taylor Kuper.

In 17s, this group finished 30th at nationals, but finished in the top five at three different qualifiers. As 18s, this KC Power squad will be dangerous.

See KC Power 18-1 in action this weekend at the KC MLK Day Tournament, streaming Courts 15-18 live right here on FloVolleyball.

KC Power 18-1 Roster

Name | Height | Position | HS Grad Yr | College Commitment

Jaiden Chase | 5-9 | Libero | 2018 | Wyoming

Anna Dixon | 6-1 | Outside Hitter | 2019 | Kansas State

Hannah Engelken | 6-1 | Middle Blocker/Opposite | 2018 | Central Missouri

Logan Gish | 6-2 | Opposite/Outside Hitter | 2018 | Lipscomb

Marissa Hines | 6-0 | Setter/Opposite | 2018 | Wyoming

Taylor Kuper | 5-9 | Outside Hitter/Libero | 2018 | Illinois

Sadie Limback | 5-11 | Setter/Opposite | 2018 | Nebraska-Omaha

Callie Schwarzenbach | 6-4 | Middle Blocker/Opposite | 2018 | Nebraska

Rachel Sturdevant | 5-11 | Middle Blocker/Opposite | 2018 | Northwest Missouri State

Annika Welty | 6-3 | Middle Blocker | 2018 | Creighton

6. SG Elite 18 Roshambo

As 17s, SG Elite’s top group made it to the semifinals of USAV Girls Junior National Championships. With only two players gone from that roster (Makayla Bradford and Rachel Reedy, both of whom graduated high school in 2017), and four top-notch newcomers, SG Elite 18 Roshambo looks deadly.

There’s no lack of height on this roster, with 6-4 Penn State-bound middle Serena Gray, 6-4 Washington-bound middle Marin Grote, and 6-3 Harvard-bound lefty opposite Jaimie Rao. Oregon-committed setter Kylie Robinson is one of the top setters in the entire Class of 2018. Watch out also for libero duo Kelli Barry (San Diego) and Brooklynn Hill (Penn State).

SG Elite 18 Roshambo Roster

Name | Height | Position | HS Grad Yr | College Commitment

Kelli Barry | 5-6 | Libero | 2018 | San Diego

Ellis DeJardin | 5-8 | Outside Hitter | 2018 | Yale

Serena Gray | 6-4 | Middle Blocker | 2018 | Penn State

Marin Grote | 6-4 | Middle Blocker | 2018 | Washington 

Brooklynn Hill | 5-8 | Libero | 2018 | Penn State

Payton Jensen | 5-9 | Setter | 2018 | San Francisco State

Allison Martinez | 6-0 | Outside Hitter | 2018 | Long Beach State

Makana Meyer | 6-1 | Opposite/Outside Hitter | 2018 

Jaimie Rao | 6-3 | Opposite | 2018 | Harvard

S’mara Riley | 5-10 | Outside Hitter | 2018 | East Carolina

Kylie Robinson | 5-10 | Setter/Opposite | 2018 | Oregon

Bella Urena | 6-0 | Outside Hitter | 2018 | Fordham

7. Austin Juniors 18 Mizuno

At the 17s level, this Austin Juniors group really ramped it up toward the end of the 2017 season, finishing runner-up in 17 Open at the 2017 USAV Girls Junior National Championships with a five-set loss to TAV 17 Black in the final. 

From that roster, only one player isn’t returning for the 2018 season, but it’s a big loss. First-Team Under Armour All-American outside hitter elan McCall has already started at TCU, so Abby Cheek, who played on the 17 Molten team in 2017, has moved up to the Mizuno team to help fill the gap.

Already AJV 18 Mizuno has shown how lethal it has the potential to be this year, going undefeated at the Tour of Texas Warm Up.

Austin Juniors 18 Mizuno Roster

Name | Height | Position | HS Grad Yr | College Commitment

Bella Almanza | 6-1 | Setter | 2018 | Harvard

Madison Baptiste | 5-8 | Outside Hitter | 2018 | Cornell

Sabrina Bianco | 5-7 | Setter | 2018 | New Mexico

Sam Bray | 6-1 | Opposite/Middle Blocker | 2018 | Yale

Holly Campbell | 6-4 | Middle Blocker | 2018 | Stanford

Alexis Cheatum | 5-11 | Opposite/Outside Hitter | 2018 | Houston

Dani Cole | 6-2 | Opposite | 2018 | Washington

Kayla Granado | 5-6 | Libero | 2018 | Texas State

Katy Northcut | 5-5 | Libero | 2018 | Texas Tech

Ryan Palmieri | 6-1 | Outside Hitter | 2018 | SMU

Ava Pritchard | 6-1 | Middle Blocker | 2018 | Clemson

Abby Cheek | 6-1 | Outside Hitter | 2018