COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (April 6, 2017) – The USA Volleyball Girls 18s Junior National Championships (GJNC18s) will bring in 260 teams and approximately 2,600 athletes vying for a chance to win one of five titles April 21-23 at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center Dallas.
The 18-and-under age group event is in its second year as a standalone championship outside of the USA Volleyball Girls Junior National Championships, which will be held later this summer in Minneapolis for age groups from 11-and-under to 17-and-under.
The premier 18 Open Division will have a 36-team field which earned their spot at nationals through one of 16 national qualifiers held across the country since early January. The 18 USA and 18 American Divisions also placed 48 and 64 teams into the GJNC18s, respectively, through the national qualifier tournaments.
The 18 National Division has a 48-team field based on results from USA Volleyball’s Regional Volleyball Association championship events, at-large bids and re-allocation spots. The 18 Patriot Division has a 64-team field for clubs who elected to have a season-ending tournament but without having to qualify for the event.
The 18 Open Division had 12 different winners at the 16 national qualifying event with four teams winning two tournaments. Sky High-Adidas 18 Black of the Great Lakes Region won the Grils’ Winter Volleyball Championship and Colorado Crossroads. Top Select 18 Elite Blake from the Florida Region captured both the Ohio Valley 18s Qualifier and Mideast Qualifier. Skyline 18 Royal from the North Texas Region claimed titles at NEQ and Pacific Northwest Qualifier. A4 Volley 18 Purple from the Southern California Region won the Golden State National Qualifier and the SCVA Junior National Qualifier 18s.
Minnesota Select Volleyball Club from the North Country Region, the defending 18 Open champions, won the Northern Lights Qualifier and will look to repeat its title. Other defending champions are Houston Juniors from the Lone Star Region in the 18 USA Division, Mavericks 900 18 Black from the Southern California Region in the 18 National Division and Michio Chicago Volleyball Academy from the Great Lakes Region in the 18 Patriot Division. Last year the 18 American Division was played at the GJNC event, but has been brought into the GJNC18 event in 2017. Xcel 18X Select from the Chesapeake Region won the 18 American Division in 2016.
In the 18 USA Division, Topeka Impact 18-1 from the Heart of America Region is the only club to win two national qualifier events this season. They won the KC Martin Luther King Day Tournament and the Mideast Qualifier.
Players and families are encouraged to follow and engage in social media detailing their tournament experience by using the hashtag #GJNC18. USA Volleyball will be posting social media content to its Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat platforms under the handle @USAVolleyball.
18 Open Qualifier Winners
Girls Winter Volleyball Championships: Sky High-Adidas 18 Black (Great Lakes)
KC Martin Luther King Day Tournament: KC Power (Heart of America)
NEQ: Skyline 18 Royal (North Texas)
Northern Lights: Minnesota Select Volleyball Club (North Country)
Ohio Valley 18s Qualifier: Top Select 18 Elite Blake (Florida)
AVC 18s Qualifier: Aspire 18 Rox (Arizona)
Florida Girls National 18Q: EC Power 18-Royal (Keystone)
Beast of the Southeast: Rockwood Thunder 18Mizuno (Gateway)
Boston Volleyball Festival: NE Elite 18 1 (Great Plains)
Golden State National Qualifier: A4 Volley 18-Purple (Southern California)
Lone Star Classic 18s Qualifier: TAV 18 Black (North Texas)
SCVA Junior National Qualifier 18s: A4 Volley 18 Purple (Southern California)
Colorado Crossroads: Sky High-Adidas 18 Black (Great Lakes)
Music City Volleyball Championships: OT 18 S. Rox Red (Florida)
Pacific Northwest Qualifier: Skyline 18 Royal (Lone Star)
Mideast Qualifier: Top Select 18 Elite Blake (Florida)
18 USA Qualifier Winners
Girls Winter Volleyball Championships: Ignite 18 Elite (Hoosier)
KC Martin Luther King Day Tournament: Topeka Impact 18-1 (Heart of America)
NEQ: Pgh Elite 18 Premier 1 (Keystone)
Northern Lights: Mizuno Northern Lights 18-2 (North Country) – declined bid
Ohio Valley 18s Qualifier: Palm Beach Juniors 18 E (Florida)
AVC 18s Qualifier: Texas Tornados 18 Mizuno (Lone Star)
Florida Girls National 18Q: Ocala Power United 18 Rox (Florida)
Beast of the Southeast: Rockwood Thunder 18 Navy (Gateway)
Boston Volleyball Festival: EC Power 18-Diamond (Keystone)
Golden State National Qualifier: SSVC 18 Mizuno (Northern California)
Lone Star Classic 18s Qualifier: AP 18 Asics (Lone Star)
SCVA Junior National Qualifier 18s: Temecula Viper 18 Rafu (Southern California)
Colorado Crossroads: CVA 18 Roshambo (Rocky Mountain)
Music City Volleyball Championships: GA5 18-1 April (Southern)
Pacific Northwest Qualifier: Rocky Select 18 Black (Rocky Mountain)
Mideast Qualifier: Topeka Impact 18-1 (Heart of America)
18 American Qualifier Winners
Girls Winter Volleyball Championships: Michio Chicago 18 National (Great Lakes)
KC Martin Luther King Day Tournament: Iowa Rockets 18R (Iowa)
NEQ: Delaware United 18 Navy (Chesapeake)
Northern Lights: Mizuno Northern Lights 18-B (North Country) – declined bid
Ohio Valley 18s Qualifier: Legacy 18-North (Lakeshore)
AVC 18s Qualifier: Catalyst 18 Green (Lone Star)
Florida Girls National 18Q: Top Select 18 Elite Amanda (Florida)
Beast of the Southeast: TJVBC 18 Elite (Florida)
Boston Volleyball Festival: JVC Elite 18 (Florida)
Golden State National Qualifier: Jamba 18 Tom (Southern California)
Lone Star Classic 18s Qualifier: North Point 18-1 (North Texas)
SCVA Junior National Qualifier 18s: PAC18-Sean (Southern California)
Colorado Crossroads: Flatrock Volleyball Club 18 (Great Plains)
Music City Volleyball Championships: Tallahassee Jrs VBC 18 Nike Elite (Florida)
Pacific Northwest Qualifier: Actyve 18-Mizuno (Southern California)
Mideast Qualifier: Valley Venom – 181 Red (Lone Star)