Tri-State Elite 16 Blue won’t be in Indianapolis competing at USAV Junior Nationals. The club opts to stay away from the qualifying stuff to play a mostly JVA schedule and then head to AAUs in Orlando for the summer.

However, it’s easy to think Tri-State Elite, ranked No. 20 nationally, would have earned an Open bid had it sought one this spring. That notion was backed up even further this past weekend as Tri-State Elite swept No. 19 Mintonette Sports m.61, 25-23, 25-16, to take home the 16 Open gold medal at the JVA SummerFest in Columbus.