Tournament Recaps - Week 15

On the road again! Some teams head down to Louisville, KY while others stay in Wisconsin. See how they did!

12 RED - POWER LEAGUE CHAMPS! 3/28/26

The previous weekend was the third and final weekend of Badger Region Power League for I AM 12 Red.  The team went into the weekend at 6-0, giving us the top seed in bracket A.  Saturday started with a match-up against our very own 11 Red.  A huge shout-out to coach Neala and her athletes for leaving everything they had on the floor.  They played with so much hustle and heart! 12 Red won both games 26-24 in a very fun and exciting battle.  After the close victory, the team moved on to play JAG 12-1 and this is when we really came alive.  Serving was strong, and kills came from all over the net.  The day ended with meeting 414 12 Blue.  As usual, play was competitive, and the score stayed close for the first two sets.  We are proud of the players for staying focused, calm, and taking care of business in the 26-24, 23-25, and 15-5 win.  

Sunday in bracket A brought matches against Sting 12 Silver and Sting 12 White.  Play-by-play, the team got it done in both matches.  We celebrated when our middles ran some quicker gap sets and when our servers nailed spot serves.  These victories put I AM in the championship match versus 414 12 Blue again. This close match went to three sets again as we struggled a bit in the first set to read the 414 hitters and serve receive hard-paced serves.  The team found their stride in set two and didn’t look back. 

Congrats to the team for the championship win and 12-0 overall Power League record.  

This weekend, the team demonstrated how versatile our players are with athletes moving positions and switching between offensive systems flawlessly as we handled availability and injuries.  We have so many talented options to work with, and it is fun to continue to watch our offensive confidence grow.  Lastly, great job to Mia (2), Ady, Maddy, Kara, and Lexi for earning serving pins this weekend. 

14 RED

14 Red traveled to Kentucky to compete in the Open Division at JVA.

The girls started a bit slow on Friday. Competing in the Open Division-after a long day of travel and a time change-proved to be a challenge. In our first match, we lost in three sets, but it was a match that could have easily gone our way. Fortunately, we’d have another shot at Metro later in the weekend. We finished the day 1-2, and the girls all agreed they had more to give.

Saturday was a different story. The team left Friday behind and came out strong. We went 2-1, with our only loss coming against a solid team with tall, powerful hitters.

On Sunday, we competed in the Bronze Division and continued to play hard. In our first match, we got our rematch against Metro-and the girls took care of business with a decisive win. The next match was a battle that went to three sets. Down in the third, the girls dug deep and fought through fatigue to earn the win with pure determination and heart.

The final match of the day was a rematch against the team we lost to Saturday afternoon. Our girls gave everything they had, leaving it all on the court, but ultimately fell just short against a strong offensive team.

Finishing 2nd in the Bronze Division was a great accomplishment, but more importantly, we saw some of the most growth from this team all season. Every single player gave everything she had-and more. We are incredibly proud of their continued development.

We’d like to highlight each player and the growth we saw this weekend:

• Eden K – Her blocking was the best we’ve seen all season. She stepped up in big moments, shutting down opposing hitters, and added some key kills.

• Emery – Showed major growth at the net with her blocking. Her serving continues to be a huge strength, delivering aces at critical moments.

• Chloe – Brought great energy and enthusiasm all weekend. She especially stood out on Sunday with strong passing, relentless defense, and a run of tough serves that led to multiple aces.

• Charlee – Stepped outside her comfort zone by setting more balls with her hands, served more aggressively, and delivered consistent, high-quality sets to our hitters.

• Eden M – The birthday girl had a standout performance, playing aggressive defense and refusing to let balls drop. She continues to improve her serve receive and serve tough.

• Aubrey – Continues to excel in shot selection, consistently finding open spots on the court when we needed points. She also had a strong weekend in serve receive.

• Olive – Did a great job setting hitters in rhythm and in their windows. She also contributed with strong serving and timely aces.

• Londyn – Took on a leadership role on defense, making key adjustments and bringing an aggressive energy that lifted the entire team.

• Haylee – Mixed up her hitting effectively and delivered big kills when it mattered most. She also showed improvement in serve receive against tough servers.

• Maddie – Played both smart and aggressive, delivering key kills and competing with grit on defense. She continues to take risks and give everything she has on the court.

Overall, an incredible weekend of growth, effort, and heart from this team.

15 RED

Open division at a large tournament??? This has not been done by this age group far as long as I can remember. I didn't know what to expect and my guess based on our seeding going in was that we were going to be the 30th best team in that division and it's going to be long and educational weekend...

Day one we were slotted with Alabama Performance, Munciana, and Stars. Our first set we seemed hesitant and Munciana didn't have to do much to take a big lead early. We did find our footing and crawled back to tie it up but falling short 24-26. Unfortunately we did not get over 18 points the rest of the day. BUT we did have fun at night and had high spirits going into Saturday!

We had CHiX, Epic United, and MVP from WI in our pool! We felt confident against CHiX and won in 2 sets. Our send match against Epic United was a great win! We won in 3 going down the first set and the next two we had to dig deep for next two winning 26-24 and 17-15.

Both sets end with HUGE kills from Olivia Thompson

MVP was a fun match and we were able to go undefeated for the day. That sent us to the Copper Bracket on Sunday.

We got to play a max of 2 matches on Sunday. We got lined up with Metro VBC and our offense was too strong and we overpowered them winning in two. The last match was against a talent Sports Performance team from IL. They had a 6'4" setter and a hard hitting OH. We got to scout the their match before we played and new what we had to do defensively to slow them done and to get into our offense. Tough serving helped too! Game one we won 25-13. We could not miss! Game two we lost 9-25... They couldn't miss!

Even Stevens across the two sets, now we get to prove who is really better. We battle the whole time and got some distance at the end winning 15-11! COPPER CHAMPS!

5-3 overall and came home with a plaque. Great thing about this weekend is knowing that the Open Division is not as scary as it sounds. In a few years, we will be right in the mix for Gold! :)

16 RED

The 16 Red team had an outstanding weekend this weekend at Prep Dig Milltown Madness!! The girls delivered an impressive performance this weekend, finishing 2nd place in the 17s/18s open division! The girls showed resilience, teamwork, and grit throughout the whole tournament, highlighted by an unforgettable win over 18 Red in one of the most exciting matches of the season! A true testament to the talent with the club with both sets going into extra points! The girls battled point-for-point, staying composed under pressure and coming up with clutch plays to finish the game! This momentum carried them into the championship match, where they faced Madtown 18-1 National, a powerhouse team with 8 Division I commits. Despite the tough competition, the team competed with intensity and confidence, taking this team to extra points in set one and rising up to the challenge. Our blocking was a huge highlight of the weekend, shutting teams down! We are excited to get back after it after the break!

18 RED

18 Red seniors just finished their last club tournament before Nationals, and it was a bittersweet one.

This season asked a lot of them. Between college visits, applications, jobs, scholarship deadlines, and all the emotions that come with senior year and so many lasts, there was a great deal to carry at once. Even so, this team kept showing up for each other, kept competing, and kept finding ways to stay connected through it all. That says a great deal about who 18 Red Class of 2026 is and always will be.

What makes me most proud is how much growth took place over the course of this season, not only on the court, but away from it as well. There was more maturity, more resilience, and a stronger ability to handle a time that came with both pressure and emotion.

After two weeks of senior spring break, we were a little rusty, and the PrepDig tournament was not the way we wanted to close that part of the season. We had hoped for more from the weekend. Still, I do not think those scores will be what stays with us. What will last are the friendships, the memories, and the experience of going through it all together. That feels especially meaningful knowing how much I AM has been part of this group’s journey, and I am really glad they got one more season in an I AM jersey.

Watching 18 Red seniors finish this chapter at I AM is something I will always be grateful for. I am very proud of this team, and it has been special to watch girls grow together. I am also genuinely excited for everything that lies ahead. This group includes a future veterinarian, psychologist, pharmacist, nurse, architect, engineer, and CPA, and I have no doubt they will go on to do meaningful and impressive things in the years ahead. I also hope their love for volleyball stays with them long after this chapter is over.

I also want to recognize our two junior middles. Stepping into an older team is not always easy, and we truly appreciated the trust, humility, and heart they brought from the beginning. Their presence meant a great deal to all of us, and I know they will be strong leaders next year when it is their turn to help lead the Class of 2027.

I also cannot speak about this group without recognizing the backbone behind each and every player: the families. Thank you for everything you gave to this season. The driving, the support, the flexibility, the encouragement, and all the sacrifices behind the scenes made more of a difference than words can fully capture. You made it possible for this team to keep showing up, growing, competing, and sharing this experience together. We are deeply grateful for the care, energy, and love you poured into the journey.

We felt that same care from our wonderful team mom, whose kindness, thoughtfulness, and attention to detail added so much to this season. From booking hotels to organizing team dinners and team-building events, she did so much behind the scenes to make the experience smoother, warmer, and more memorable for everyone. Her efforts meant more than words can say.

Now there is one more trip ahead: Nationals, and with it, one more chance to do what this team has done all season – compete together. One last tournament in Reno means one more opportunity to fight for each other, enjoy every moment, and create the kind of memories that will stay with us for a lifetime. I could not be more proud of this group and all we have given to each other, to this season, and to I AM.

Please make sure to wish 18 Red the best of luck in Reno, May 1–3.