Can we just start this article off with a shout out to the McAuley Asics Challenge?! Fun fact it has been running since 1987. When I was in HS back in the early 90s this tournament and the Redondo tournament were the two “big ones” for HS volleyball. I was so excited when I got a chance to FINALLY come to the esteemed Mother McAuley High School Tournament. And let’s just say it was so much fun to watch!

The gold bracket started off with a bang and ended with host Mother McAuley IL defeating Notre Dame Prep KY in the final. Shout out to Skutt Catholic NE which dealt with two tournament injuries and still kept balling to reach the semifinals.

In the championship match, Game 1 saw Mother McAuley steam roll ahead behind outside hitters in junior and 4-star Michigan commit Ellie White and sophomore outside and 3-star recruit Sydney Buchanan. NDA didn’t go down easily though. Senior and 3-Star UNC commit Sydney Nolan was just getting warmed up but McAuley still ended up on top, 25-22.

In Game 2, Nolan started powering through on the outside steadily. Also senior libero Kamden Schrand, a Louisville commit, sophomore DS Julia Grace and senior DS Kayla Hostetler – an Eastern Michigan commit – cleaned up the backcourt with everything McAuley threw at them.

Game 3 was a battle in the beginning but both opposite hitters in senior and John Carroll commit Mary Kate Sheehan and senior Southern Indiana commit Jillian Moonan were able to slow down Nolan on the outside. That and incredible defense from senior and 4-star recruit libero Gigi Navarette, a Northwestern commit, and junior DS Sam Falk helped host Mother McAuley win 25-13 and earn the tournament title.

Semifinals
Mother McAuley d. Skutt 23-25, 26-24, 25-17
Notre Dame Academy d. Assumption 25-23, 25-19
Quarterfinals
Skutt d. Divine Savior 25-16, 25-27, 29-27
Notre Dame Academy d. Marist 25-18, 19-25, 25-16
Assumption d. Huntley 25-15, 23-25, 28-26
Mother McAuley d. Hamilton 25-18, 25-20

All Tournament Team

Morgan Burke, SR OH, Skutt

Madison Quest, SO OH, Divine Savior

Kamden Schrand, SR L, Notre Dame Academy

Sydney Nolan, SR OH, Notre Dame Academy

Gigi Navarette, SR L, Mother McAuley

Ellie White, JR OH, Mother McAuley

Whitney Woodrow, SR S, Assumption

TEAM SPOTLIGHTS

Skutt Catholic NE – I was able to watch Skutt in Tampa at the Nike Tournament of Champions Southeast Tournament last month. Senior Michigan commit and 3-star recruit Morgan Burke was playing mainly middle for this tournament. Now, I did not get to see them play on Friday night but heard about them losing senior Nebraska-Omaha commit Ivy Lueck to an injury for Saturday’s matches. When I saw them Saturday morning they had the “nothing to lose” attitude which helped them play incredibly well against teams all day. Burke was also swinging on the outside, which she owned. And I just want to give a shoutout to senior Anna Weberg who literally ran off the court onto the other court’s sideline and dove into a water cooler hitting her head. The coach in me just wanted to jump in and grab her. Her will was incredible and I hope she is doing ok!

Notre Dame Academy KY – I have seen a bunch of these kids on the club circuit so I knew the potential of this squad. Senior UNC commit and 3-star recruit Sydney Nolan and Louisville commit Kamden Schrand highlighted a squad of scrappy and explosive athletes.

Marist IL – This is another team I did not get to Friday night. They are definitely fun to watch. Senior outside Princeton commit Kamryn Chaney and sophomore outside Bella Bullington lead this squad with high flying and hard swinging. Undersized sophomore setter Maddie Berry runs a 5-1 incredibly well. Senior middles and Lehigh commit Ufuoma Omene and Emilia Batus were very effective running the quicks.

RANDOM NOTES

Every tournament always has a ton of strength and weaknesses, along with star power, which this tournament definitely had. But I just want to highlight the Class of 2025 (sophomore) pin hitter position. Can we just say WOW. Seriously. Take note of every one of them if you haven’t seen them yet.

Madison Quest – Divine Savior

Eva Finnessy – Hamilton

Georgia Watson – Huntley

Bella Bullington – Marist

Sydney Buchanan – Mother McAuley

Ava Tilden – Notre Dame Academy

Riley McCloskey – Notre Dame Academy

Abbie Hagedorn – Skutt

Emma Barrett – Assumption

UNDER THE RADAR PLAYERS

Alexis Strong, SR OH, Assumption (Abilene Christian)

Riley Angst, SR L, Brookfield Central

Sophia Wendlick, JR OH, Divine Savior Holy Savior

Bella Lipiski, SR MB, Divine Savior Holy Savior

Jennifer Buehler, SO OH, Downers Grove North

Emma Barton, SR MB, Downers Grove North

Briella Wrench, SR MB, Hamilton

Brooke Aslakson, SO MB, Hamilton

Morgan Jones, JR OH, Huntley (Indiana)

Ally Panzloff, SR OH, Huntley (Brown)

Maddie Berry, SO S, Marist

Ufuoma Omene, SR MB, Marist (Lehigh)

Olivia Klapp, SR S, Mother McAuley

Tess Hayes, SR S, Mother McAuley (Michigan Tech)

Sam Falk, JR L, Mother McAuley

Reese Butkus, JR L, Nazareth Academy

Olivia Austin, JR MB/Opp, Nazareth Academy

Julia Grace, SO DS, Notre Dame Academy

Kayla Hostetler, SR DS, Notre Dame Academy

Brooke Banker, SO S, Skutt

Keira Link, SO MB, Skutt

Anna Weberg, SR DS, Skutt

Natalee Rush, SR MB, St. Charles East

Julie Ferrandino, SR MB, St. Charles East