A collection of incoming Michigan freshmen, many from Oakland County, just accomplished the biggest goal possible in club volleyball.
Playing for Legacy Volleyball Club as part of the 14-1 ADIDAS squad, this group won both the AAU National Championship and USAV Junior National Championship in the 14 Open Division, the highest-level of play for the age group.
This accomplishment came over two consecutive weeks of play and is the first time a Michigan club program has won both titles in the same year at any age group, giving them the right to call themselves the best 14U volleyball team in the country.
Coaching the squad was Clarkston High School varsity volleyball coach, Ali Smith.
“It’s been an exciting couple of weeks,” Smith said. “We had been talking since December that our goal was to win both (tournaments) because no Michigan team has ever won both in the same year. We practiced and approached everything with that goal in mind and these kids were really ready to achieve the goal when it came time.”
The Legacy 14-1 ADIDAS roster consists of setters Molly Hickey (Birmingham Marian) and Amelia Kurtz (Milford); middle hitters Layla Ljajcaj (Romeo), Valerie Marx (Farmington Hills Mercy), and Marina VanDaele (HighPoint Hybrid Academy); outside hitters Cate Verkeyn (Farmington Hills Mercy), Londyn Cottrill (Milford), Laura Aubrey (Farmington Hills Mercy), Juliet Berishaj (Utica Eisenhower), and Petra Townsend (Ann Arbor Pioneer); and defensive specialists Collins Lantz (Plymouth) and Mikayla Sinadinoski (Macomb Dakota).
Jennifer Cottrill, Legacy Volleyball Club director, beamed at the accomplishment of the team, which includes her daughter, Londyn.
“We are so incredibly proud of this team on achieving the pinnacle of club volleyball, the double national championship,” Cottrill said. “Many of the players on this team have been with our club for many years, since they were 8 or 9, and we are so proud of the endless amount of hours in the gym, the commitment to each other as well as their competitive grit and spirit.
“It’s so surreal to see Londyn and her team have this level of success. Londyn has been on the sidelines or in the stands for so many of Legacy’s championships and now to see her contribute to the 14-1’s championships this season makes both Ricky (her father) and I so incredibly proud.”
Legacy 14-1 ADIDAS’ run began in Orlando, Fla. for the AAU National Championships on June 20-23. That week, Legacy went 11-0 to claim the title, including a 25-17, 29-25, 15-13 win in the championship match with A5 Volleyball, a club based out of Georgia.
Following the win, Legacy made the quick trip to Indianapolis, where it began the USAV Junior Nationals on June 25.
“These kids are so incredibly mentally tough. We were kind of waiting for a little bit of a dip on day one of the tournament, and it just never happened,” Smith said. “These kids were mentally ready. Whether they were physically tired or not, it never showed, because their mindset was so solid. They really got better every day.”
Legacy has collected a number of AAU national championships over the years, but has only won one previous USAV championship. The USAV tournament is considered a more challenging event, as only the very best of the best get in.
“This one is more difficult because you have to qualify or get an at-large bid to participate in the tournament. In AAU, anybody can register for it. USAV, you have to play in USA volleyball events and played well enough to qualify or receive an at-large bid,” Smith said. “At USAV, there are no matches off and every single match is competing against top level teams.”
Despite the quick turnaround and the step up in competition, Legacy looked even better in Indianapolis. The squad once again went 11-0 and only dropped one set. The finals saw 14-1 ADIDAS best Dallas Skyline 25-17, 25-19.
Legacy was a complete team, as each player contributed. The two setters, Hickey and Kurtz, combined for 400 assists in Indianapolis, spreading the ball out to every hitter. At least five Legacy hitters recorded at least 80 kills during the USAV Tournament.
“Their decision-making, their location, and their tempo just got even better at USA Nationals,” Smith said of her setters. “We’ve got a lot of big, tall, strong kids that are really great attackers, but without those two (setters), none of them would get to do what they can do.”
The coaching leadership of Smith, along with her Clarkston assistant Kramer Everett, also deserve a lot of credit according to Cottrill.
“To accomplish the double championship means that Ali did a tremendous job developing the players and team, and preparing them for the highest level of competition,” Cottrill said.
The two week championship run was a whirlwind for Smith and her squad, but after the joy of the success wore off, there were bittersweet feelings.
“I’m so proud and so happy for these kids and I’m a little bit sad right now that it’s over,” Smith said. “You don’t always get that feeling as a coach, but to accomplish something like this really takes a village. It takes the parents having the right conversations at home, it takes the club fully supporting you, it takes a great assistant coach, and it takes great kids that are willing to put in the time and effort outside of just practice and matches. All those things coming together can be really hard to come by, so as a coach, I am just so grateful for everyone involved and will miss this connection we all had.”
Smith’s players will now get prepared to enter their prep careers, many of them being able to contribute right away for their respective varsity programs.
Smith will also begin getting ready to lead her Clarkston program in the 2026 fall season, but she will also be rooting for her club players from afar.
“I hope they can all go to their high schools and be leaders. They have this experience that a lot of kids have not had, and won’t have, and being able to draw from that big-match experience is a great thing,” Smith said of her players. “I hope they can pour that into their teammates and help their team learn and train for those big moments. I just want them to go and be great teammates and great people and continue to grow our game.”