San Diego WAVE club volleyball: Team takes 2nd at 2021 USA Volleyball Girls Junior National Championship

The WAVE 17 girls volleyball team placed second in their division at the 2021 USA Volleyball Girls Junior National Championship (GJNC) held June 26 -July 5 in Las Vegas.

The WAVE 17 team came in as an underdog in the 17 Open Division. They knocked off several top- seeded teams from across the U.S. to go 9-2 in matches overall, beating a top-ranked Texas Advantage Volleyball club in the semi finals that was their only loss earlier in the tournament. They took home medals for placing second in the nation in the 17 Open Division. Three players (Brooklyn Burns (Torrey Pines), Gabby McLaughlin (Temecula Valley) and Avery Tatum (La Costa Canyon) from WAVE 17 were also selected as part of the 12-player All Tournament team.

The three players selected for the All Tournament team from WAVE: Gabby McLaughlin (Temecula Valley), Avry Tatum (La Costa Canyon) and Brooklyn Burns (Torrey Pines)

(Courtesy)

The Girls Junior National Championships (GJNC) is the United States’ premier junior girls club tournament and attracts college scouts from across the country. Nearly 1,300 teams (age groups 11-17) and 13,000 athletes attended the 2019 GJNC. The 2020 GJNC was not held due to COVID.

All teams except those in the Patriot Division must qualify through USA Volleyball national or regional qualifying tournaments held across the country, or through at-large selections based on results at qualifying tournaments.

The Open Division for an age group is the highest level of competition. In the Open Division the top qualifying 36 teams in each age group compete from across the nation.