Girls Dream Team of the Week: Two weeks’ worth with 18s Nationals boosting the field

Each week during the club season, VolleyballMag.com recognizes a Dream Team of eight girls volleyball players (15s to 18s age groups) who were standouts the weekend before.
The team, most weeks, will consist of the following:
Setter or S/RS
Setter, S/RS or RS
OH
OH
MB
MB
Libero
DS

This week, with 18s Junior Nationals colliding with a final national qualifier for the younger high school ages and several other events, as well as nominees from last week, when we had no Dream Team; we’ve doubled our Dream Team to 16, while still including other nominees in our honorable-mention category.

Note to coaches and directors: while there is no science to how we choose members of our Dream Team, performing on bigger stages will give players an edge, as will nomination forms that describe with specificity how well a player performed the previous weekend.

VolleyballMag.com DREAM TEAM for May 3
S: Ava Martin, 5-9 junior, Pohaku 17-1 (KS) — Pohaku used Martin’s intensity, ability and determination to secure an Open bid at Far Westerns this weekend. “She is the perfect setting fit for this team,” noted coach Conan Salanoa. “She has been consistently great in her location and decision making this season. That was no different than this weekend in Reno. However she added phenomenal defense and blocking to help lead us to the 17 Open finals and the bid we have been chasing all season. Her fire and passion were contagious on Day 3 for us.”

S: Shanelle Puetz, 5-10 graduate, WAVE 18-Juliana (CA) — Puetz took heat for delaying college enrollment one year, but she had something to prove. She showed the country that she could run an elite volleyball team at a very high level and took WAVE to a national title. “She had the tournament of her career,” said coach Juliana Conn. “Now she’s going into college as a national champion.”

S/RS: Madi Maxwell, 6-1 junior, Legacy Girls 18 Elite (CA) — Maxwell was named MVP of the 18 Liberty division after leading Legacy Girls to the championship in that division. Maxwell played exceptionally in every role, said Walt Ker, the club’s director.

RS: Grace Heaney, 6-2 senior, Premier Nebraska 18 Gold (NE) — A physical lefty committed to Purdue, Heaney was the go-to hitter on a shorthanded team and took Premier all the way to the 18 Open final.

RS: Kendall Hopewell, 6-1 junior, FaR Out 18 Black (MI) — Hopewell had…