We are entering our ninth season since USAV split up the Girls Junior National Championships and made the 18s a separate event. The first 18s-only championship was contested in Milwaukee in 2016 and the gold medal was brought home by MN Select. Since then, no club has repeated as national champion, keeping in mind the tournament wasn’t played in 2020.

Could this be the season the streak ends? We say that because TAV 18 Black captured the gold medal in 2019, when the three-day tourney was played in Dallas. This year’s national championship is set for Baltimore, April 26-28, and it’s a likely possibility that TAV will show up as the team to beat.

The North Texas Region club starts the season ranked No. 1 in vballrecruiter.com’s 18s Club Top 50 National Rankings. TAV is one of three Texas clubs starting off in the Top 10, joined by Hou Skyline 18 Royal and Madfrog 18 Green.

Qualifying begins next weekend, with both the Windy City 18s National Qualifier and the Asics Kansas City MLK Tournament taking place. TAV is not scheduled to play in either. In fact, only one Texas club is set to play during the opening qualifying weekend. That is TIV 18 Black in Kansas City. The field there features nine teams from the Top 50 below. As for Chicago, that field is highlighted by No. 2 1st Alliance 18 Gold and features a total of 10 clubs from the Top 50.

With three more qualifiers slated for this month, it won’t take very long for the rankings to start to shake up before they begin to shape up. Our initial rankings were put together as preseason rankings and didn’t account for any results to date, which will change with our next update. You can view the full Top 50 below.

vballrecruiter.com’S 18s TOP 50 NATIONAL RANKINGS

1. TAV 18 Black TX

2. 1st Alliance 18 Gold IL

3. NKYVC 18 Tsunami KY

4. Hou Skyline 18 Royal TX

5. Triangle 18 Black NC

6. Munciana 18 Samurai IN

7. SCVC 18 Roxy CA

8. Madfrog 18 Green TX

9. Mizuno Long Beach 18 Rockstar CA

10. KC Power 18 Black KS

***

11. Coast 18 Ozhan CA

12. Rockwood Thunder 18 Elite MO

13. Momentous 18 Dan CA

14. Pohaku 18-1 KS

15. Wave 18 Brennan CA

16. Premier Nebraska 18 Gold NE

17. Vision 18 Gold CA

18. SG Elite 18 Rosh CA

19. A5 18 Marc GA

20. AVC Cle 18 Red OH

***

21. HJV 18 Elite TX

22. Tri-State Elite 18 Blue OH

23. AJV 18 Adidas TX

24. Academy 18 Elite Rage IN

25. Skyline 18 Royal TX

26. OT 18 O Roberto FL

27. Club V 18 Reed UT

28. Miami Hype 18 Emilio FL

29. KiVA 18 Red KY

30. City 18 Gold CA

***

31. OT 18 T Caleb FL

32. Metro 18 Travel DC

33. Far Out 18 Black MI

34. Circle City 18 Purple IN

35. MKE Sting 18 Gold WI

36. Northern Lights 18-1 MN

37. FC Elite 18 Elite WI

38. Actyve 18 Black CA

39. Tribe 18 Elite Cardinal FL

40. Legacy 18-1 Adidas MI

***

41. AZ Storm 18 Thunder AZ

42. VCNebraska 18 Elite NE

43. Elevation 18 Toth OH

44. Drive Nation 18 Red TX

45. Boiler Jrs 18 Gold IN

46. AZ Rev 18 Premier AZ

47. Co Jrs 18 Sherri CO

48. MAVS KC 18-1 KS

49. Top Select 18 Elite FL

50. HPSTL 18 Royal MO

ON THE CUSP

Dynasty 18 Black KS
Rev 18-1 Avengers IN
Six Pack 18-1 IA
FC Elite 18 Navy WI
SASVBC 18-1 HI
DaKine Warriors 18 Surf WA
TAV Houston 18 Adidas TX
Sports Performance 18 Elite IL
Mintonette Sports m.81 OH
Alamo 18 Premier TX
Iowa Rockets 18R IA
OT 18 J Stephen FL
Seal Beach 18 Black CA
Ku’Ikahi 18 RSB HI