MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. (June 30, 2017) – Rylee Unruh is only 12 years old, but she already has claim to three USA Volleyball Girls Junior National Championship gold medals while playing within the Olathe, Kansas-based Dynasty Volleyball Club. And she, herself, is creating a little dynasty of her own.
Sport Court is the official athletic flooring for the USA Volleyball Girls Junior National Championships.
Dynasty 12 Black (Heart of America) captured the USA Volleyball Girls Junior National Championships 12 National Division title and Gainesville 12 Elite (Florida) won the 12 American Division title as the 12-and-Under age group concluded Friday at the Minneapolis Convention Center. The GJNC continues through July 4.
12 National
Dynasty 12 Black swept Boiler Juniors 12U (Hoosiers) 25-20, 25-11 in the 12 National Division gold-medal match. Dynasty, a young but very experienced juniors team with several players with multiple national championships already, went undefeated in the tournament with 11 victories and was extended to three sets just once. Dynasty reached the championship match by defeating A5 Mizuno 12-1 Jing (Southern) 25-21, 25-16 in the quarterfinals, followed by a 26-24, 25-18 win over TAV 12 Black (North Texas) in the semifinals.
“It is a big thing for us,” said Unruh, the Dynasty 12 Black captain. “Nearly my whole team has won (the national championship) two times, and this is my third championship.”
Unruh has previously won national championships with Dynasty twice in the 11 Patriot Division, and this is her first experience winning gold in the 12 National Division. She said having the majority of her team stick together from last year’s 11 Patriot Division title to this year has been great.
“Most of us are playing together for the second year,” Unruh said. “We have three new players, and they have contributed big to this team. It is cool now to win twice together with team.”
Ava Testrake, the Dynasty 12 Black co-captain, agreed with Unruh on the satisfaction of repeating as champions in the higher age classification.
“It was so amazing,” Testrake said. “I am glad that I could win a national championship twice now.”
Boiler Juniors, which was undefeated in 10 matches heading into the final, advanced to the gold-medal match by defeating Wave 12 Juliana (Southern California) 25-23, 25-23 in the quarterfinals and Madfrog 12s N Blue (North Texas) 21-25, 25-16, 18-16 in the semifinals. By reaching the semifinals, TAV 12 Black and Madfrogs 12s N Blue were awarded the bronze medals.
12 American
Gainesville 12 Elite eased past ASICS MAVS 12-1 (Heart of America) 25-14, 25-20 in the American Division gold-medal match. Gainesville 12 Elite, which went undefeated in 11 matches and lost just two of 33 sets played, reached the championship match by defeating Miami Elite 12 Kevin (Florida) 25-23, 25-18 in the quarterfinals and Tstreet 12-Taylor (Southern California) 23-25, 27-25, 15-11 in the semifinals. ASICS MAVS 12-1, which came back from an early 3-2 pool play record to reach the title match, topped WPVC 12 Elite Black (Florida) 25-15, 25-16 in the quarterfinals and Skyline 11 Royal (North Texas) 25-16, 25-23 in the semifinals. Tstreet 12-Taylor and Skyline 11 Royal captured the bronze medals by reaching the semifinals.
USA Volleyball Girls Junior National Championships Results
11 Patriot: Championship on July 1
12 National: Gold – Dynasty 12 Black (Heart of America); Silver – Boiler Juniors 12U (Hoosiers); Bronze – TAV 12 Black (North Texas) and Madfrogs 12s N Blue (North Texas)
12 American: Gold – Gainesville 12 Elite (Florida); Silver – ASICS MAVS 12-1; Bronze – Tstreet 12-Taylor (Southern California) and Skyline 11 Royal (North Texas)
13 Open: Championship on July 1
13 National: Championship on July 1
13 American: Championship on July 1
14 Open: Gold – Tstreet 14-Carson (Southern California); Silver – TAV 14 Black (North Texas); Bronze – Rockwood Thunder 14 Mizuno (Gateway) and OT 14 S. Rox Red (Florida)
14 National: Gold – A5 Mizuno 14-2 Karen (Southern); Silver – A5 South 14-1 Trina (Silver); Bronze – Wildfire 14 Nike Albert (Florida) and AZ Sky 14 Gold Allegiance (Arizona)
14 USA: Gold – Mizuno Long Beach Rockstar M (Southern California); Silver – PVA 14 Elite (Heart of America); Bronze – Instinct 14 Leopards Wild GP (North Texas) and Mintonette Sports – m.42O (Ohio Valley
14 American: Gold – Tampa Elite U14 Columbia (Florida); Silver – Forza1 North 14 UA (Southern California); Bronze – HJV 14 Elite (Lone Stat) and Texas Pistols 14 Black (North Texas)
14 Patriot: Gold – Saddleback Valley Volleyball Club 14 Lisa (Southern California); Silver – Rancho Valley 14 Premier (Southern California); Bronze – Forza1 14 UA (Southern California) and Sunshine 14 Elite (Southern California)
15 Open: Gold – TAV 14 Black (North Texas); Silver – ASICS MAVS 15-1 (Heart of America); Bronze – Mintonette Sports – m.51 (Ohio Valley) and AVC Cleveland Rox 15N Harvey (Ohio Valley)
15 National: Gold – Kokoro Volleyball 15-1 (North Country); Silver – HPSTL 15 Royal (Gateway); Bronze – CC Force 151 Crossfire and Ka Ulukoa Black 15-1 (Aloha)
15 USA: Gold – LIVEWIRE 15 Adidas (Arizona); Silver – OP2 15-1 EP (Oklahoma); Bronze – SA Magic 15 Elite (Lone Star) and Rockwood Thunder 15 Navy (Gateway)
15 American: Gold – A4 Volley 15-Purple (Southern California); Silver – OT 15 T. Rox Red (Florida); Bronze – Tstreet 15-Curtis (Southern California) and A2 15 Green (Ohio Valley)
15 Patriot: Gold – Momentum 15 Elsa (Rocky Mountain); Silver – Forza1 15 UA (Southern California); Bronze – Forza1 North 15 UA (Southern California) and Wave 15 Dave (Southern California)
16 Open: Championship on July 4
16 National: Championship on July 4
16 USA: Championship on July 4
16 American: Championship on July 4
16 Patriot: Championship on July 4
17 Open: Championship on July 3
17 National: Championship on July 3
17 USA: Championship on July 3
17 American: Championship on July 3
17 Patriot: Championship on July 3