Happy New Year! Welcome to our first article of 2023. We are into January and the official start of the club season. We’ll be releasing our preseason rankings in the next couple of weeks. Until then, we’ve been testing the waters to see where teams might stack up. We’ve checked in on some 18s and 17s squads and now below we take a look at some 16s teams. We’ve highlighted a few top contenders, some teams on the rise or looking to rise and a team looking to crack Open this coming spring.

ARIZONA STORM 16 THUNDER: Gold medalists two years ago in 14 Open and silver medalist last season in 15 Open, Storm remains largely intact and that points toward another go around as one of the nation’s top teams led by 5-star outside Teraya Sigler. She’s a big-hitter who can overpower defenses and leads a cast of returners that also features setter Avery Lim (2026), 3-star right side Reagan Richardson, 3-star outside Devyn Wiest and 3-star L/DS Izabella Mahaffey. Back and providing height in the middle is 4-star recruit Kenna Cogill and 3-star recruit Kiana Landers, two other stalwarts from last year’s rotation. One change comes with adding depth on the pins. Storm brought aboard 3-star recruit Alyssa Aguayo and SaMya Dorsey. It should help keep players fresher over the course of a weekend tournament.

DRIVE NATION 16 RED: What a story Drive Nation was in 15 Open in Indy this past summer. After a so-so qualifying season, Drive Nation surprised mightily and rose to a bronze-medal showing with a short-handed roster. The roster has been reworked for the 2023 campaign. For one, 5-star outside Suli Davis and 5-star middle Zoe Gillen-Malveaux played up an age group on Drive Nation 16 Red last year and will remain on the 16s this season. That instantly changes the dynamic of the team, as Davis is a terminal hitter with lots of power and Gillen-Malveaux is one of the top prospects at her position in the nation. Among the newcomers to the roster ares 4-star outsides Sophia Thornburg and Alex Richter and 4-star RS/MB Taryn Morris. Richter and Thornburg add much-needed height on the pin and Morris brings physicality along the net. The team also beefed up defensively adding 3-star L/DS Blue Anderson with returning 4-star L/DS Sarah Mendoza. Mendoza joins 4-star S/RS Hannah Beauford and 3-star middle Keirstyn Carlton as the only members back from last year’s JN’s roster.

TAV 16 BLACK: We stay in the state of Texas to look at another expected medal contender in TAV. Coming off a bronze in 15 Open in Indy, this group has been retooled and will look different as it gives it a go this spring. Kennedy Washington – a 4-star middle from the Class of 2024 – is among the returning players which also includes 4-star pin Sydnee Peterson, 4-star setter Hannah Pfiffner and 4-star middle Reese Jackson. Libero/DS Sophia Armstrong is the only other member back from last year’s team. Among the key additions is 3-star outside Lauryn Mack and setter Jordan Turner (2026).

HOU SKYLINE 16 ROYAL: We move from the North Texas Region to the Lone Star Region to check in on Hou Skyline, which was in medal contention and finished tied for fifth in 15 Open in Indy. The core of the team returns, including 5-star outside Bailey Warren, 5-star middle Bayleigh Minor and 5-star setter Kassidy O’Brien. All are 6-0 or taller and are joined by another returner in 4-star and 6-2 middle Rebekah Pfefferkorn, as well as newcomers and 6-2 middle Carly Paugh and 6-1 outside Haley Herndon. Taylor Porter and Ella Lewis are returning players who add versatility with their ability to play on the pins or in the back row. Defensively, 4-star L/DS Morgan Madison returns, as does L/DS Megan Morello.

SURFSIDE 16 PV LEGENDS: We watched the top So Cal teams in action a few weeks ago and wrote about them here. It included Surfside, as well as Coast 16-1 and Wave 16 Kevin.

MI ELITE 16 MIZUNO: This bunch was a victory away from making the 15 Open quarterfinals in Indy and took home bronze in 15 Open at AAUs. While the roster will look different many of the key components are back as MI Elite looks to keep progressing upward in 2023. Part of that is 3-star outside Izzy Busignani, who is coming off a terrific high school season with Marian MI and was among our Player of the Year candidates. Joining her in returning is 3-star setter Ella Craggs, 3-star L/DS McKenna Payne, 3-star middle Jessica Costlow and 3-star right side Gabriella Babinski. MI Elite added to the middle by bringing on 6-2 Kennedi Miller, 6-1 Lauren Johnson and 6-0 Shelby Ignash.

NORTHERN LIGHTS 16-1: When 15s teams finish off the season really strong, it creates intrigue for the 16s year. That’s the case with Northern Lights, which came on at the end by finishing ninth at AAUs and tied for 13th at JNs. The roster shrunk by one, with Northern Lights carrying nine players. Six were part of last year’s team, including 4-star pin hitter Mesaiya Bettis, 3-star middle Keira Schmidt, 3-star outside Ava Ball and 3-star L/DS McKenna Garr. Among the newcomers is S/OH Katherine Holthaus and 6-1 middle Carly Susser.

AZ SKY 16 GOLD: Sky flew under the radar much of the season but shined during 15 Open in Indy, where the club came in tied for ninth. It was an impressive showing as Sky went 7-3. What’s in store for 2023? We are about to find out but the roster is mostly the same. Among those back are pins Laney Wilson, Georgi Stein and Gabriella Kucinski, as well as setter Tlame Dsamou and S/RS Addison France.

LEGACY 16-1 ADIDAS: We are in wait and see mode with this group. As a 15s team, Legacy finished the year winning 15 Open at AAU and tying for ninth at JNs after falling in challenge play. The roster is a bit different this year though with one key change being 5-star outside Gabi Divita staying with her age group this season and playing 15s again. Other pieces remain the same though, including 5-star setter and 6-2 Campbell Flynn running the offense. She’s backed by 3-star middles Olivia Grenadier and Addison Williams, plus pin hitters Mallory and Molly Reck. Back at L/DS is 3-star recruit Devin Dzienny.

ROCKWOOD THUNDER 16 ELITE: The majority of the group that captured the 15 National gold medal in Indy is back. We’ll see if Rockwood Thunder can breakthrough and qualify for Open this season but they’ll certainly be in the mix at the very least. Among the cast back is 3-star setter Brytn Lyon, MB/OH Jenna Cubbage, right side Danielle Moore, middle Audrey Mueller, and MB/RS Kira Dufner.