We begin our look at the top 2016 pre-summer club rankings for the 12U age division by spotlighting the teams ranked 50-41.

Each day this week we’ll reveal 10 teams as we march to our reveal on Friday of the Top 10!

Here’s the schedule:
Mon., May 16: No.’s 50-41
Tue., May 17: No.’s 40-31
Wed., May 18: No.’s 30-21
Thu., May 19: No.’s 20-11
Fri., May 20: No.’s 10-1
Sat., May 21: Next Teams In

Teams were selected based on performances and results in events over the last year, including this fall and winter, as well as how they project for the summer with the talent returning for the upcoming run at Nationals.

Input was also provided by dozens of top club and college coaches from around the nation.


***

50—Vienna Stars 03

The Virginia-based team just completed a Top 5 finish at the USA Elite Select Tarheel Classic Invitational and went undefeated to win the Amy Burdette Memorial Tournament. Impressively, the Stars didn’t lose a 12U game on its fall schedule and returns two standouts from the team that finished 9th at PGF Nationals last year: SS/C Kennedy Rhue and 3B Catie Hopkins. Reloading with promising young players, the Stars brought in a lot of top 2021 offensive talent to give balance from the left and right side including lefties OF Emma Enright, MIF Sydney Blake and 1B/OF Kendall Owens to complement righties OF/1B Morgan Hess, 1B/P Tori Womack, 2B/OF Abby Mills and C/OF Maddie Gayle. A promising 2022 to watch is CF/MIF/P Kaylyn Belfield.

49—Banshee's Black

The Banshee’s Black team is an up-and- coming program from Pennsylvania and has already qualified for ASA and Pony Nationals. Made up of all 2003 players, the team’s top accomplishments include winning the Pony National Qualifier in Westampton, New Jersey in early April and also winning the ASA National Qualifier last October in Collegeville, Pennsylvania. In February the team finished in the top 3 at the President’s Day Diamond9 tournament in Orlando, Florida. The Banshee’s players work out regularly with college and club coaches including accomplished coaches from St. Joseph’s University (Philadelphia) and the PA Chaos 18 Gold team. A player to watch is Dana Bell, a pitcher/clean-up hitter who pitches and leads the team in home runs and RBI. She has Hot 100 potential already.

48—Carolina Elite-Genovese/Fusetti

The Carolina Elite-Genovese/Fusetti team is based out of Greenville, South Carolina and is coached by Cary Hutto. It is a first year 12U team comprised mostly of 2004 players, but has been impressive playing in tough tourneys against top 2003 teams from Georgia, North Carolina and Virginia. The team is loaded with talented players who should be high level recruits including pitchers Kirsten Fleet, who works with Denny Tincher and throws in the mid-50’s with good placement, and Karyln Pickens, who is limiting opponents to a .180 batting average this year. The offense is led by MIF Chloe Newton, who has a .603 OBP this spring, 3B Graysen Hunter, a power hitter with a .404 average and C Haidyn Hutto, who is solid behind the plate and averages four walks to every strikeout.

47—Originals-Barber

The Originals team, comprised of a nice blend of 2021s and 2022s, is led by Coach Eddie Barber and is based out of Kansas City, Missouri. This spring the squad has gone 26-2 after a stellar fall record of 22-2. Known for its all-around athleticism, the Originals won last weekend’s USA Elite Select Top Gun tourney after previously winning USSSA and ASA tournaments. Top returners include ace pitcher Mayce Barber, lead off slapper and outfielder Ashton Maloney, 3B Sam Bertoncino, IF Lillie Filger, P/1B Olivia Bruno, C Zoe Caryl and SS Sydney Malott.

46—DTV Genies Elite

The DTV Genies Elite team is based out of Austin, Texas with athletes coming from all over Central Texas to play for Coach Joe Torres. The Genies are known for their bats (a .536 average this year) and aggressive defense plus the willingness to play top competition. The team ranked in the Top 5 at the Triple Crown Bombers Shootout this spring and then went 7-1 at the ASA St. Paddy’s Day tournament in Las Vegas to be crowned Silver Bracket champs. DTV qualified for the Gold Bracket at the Texas ASA Challenge Series and beat another FAB 50 team (Diamond Sports Hotshots South) before losing in the championship game. The team will play at the Colorado Sparkler in late June and this fall will have 11 of the 12 players returning to make the team one of the ones to watch for 2017.

45—Tulsa Elite 03

The Tulsa Elite organization out of Oklahoma has had some impressive finishes at the 18U and 16U levels and now is filling the younger age divisions with top talent. The 12U team is rapidly improving and has played primarily 14U tournaments this spring in Oklahoma with one event played in North Texas. Not afraid to play top competition, the Elite will be challenged this summer at events like Hustle City in St. Louis, the USA Elite Select World Championship in Kansas City and its own Tulsa Elite Summer Invite, where it will play at the 14U level again. One top player to watch is Aerin Tally, a 2021 catcher who is already having Big 12 programs watch her.

44—Iowa Premier Black

The Iowa Premier Black team, coached by Marty Maynes, has won the last two PGF Iowa State Championships at the 12U level and from last fall to now has gone 60-9- 2 with six of the losses coming against 14U teams. Based out of Des Moines, the Premier squad has won five tournaments including two at the 14U level playing up. In April, the Black team finished 2nd at the PGF Midwest Best of the Best Invite losing to the Beverly Bandits Premier team on a runs allowed tie breaker. Key players includes one of the top pitches in the Midwest, Josey Maron, who throws close to 60 mph and averages eight Ks per game. The offense is sparked by two speedy slappers in Heidi Wheeler and Margaret Tobias, both who have .500+ batting averages. The Black team has averaged eight runs per game while giving up just 1.7 since the fall and this summer will be at the USA Elite Select World Championship and the Ohio Outlaws Summer Invite among other top events.

43—NC Lady Tigers

The NC Lady Tigers 12U team has been one of the strongest in the Southeast over the last year with a fall 2015 record of 22-5 and a 30-4 mark so far this spring. Coached by Andy Herring, the Lady Tigers have won three events this year already including the USSSA Carrollton Classic in Georgia where the team went 10-0. The North Carolina team is balanced with pitching (16 shutouts this year so far), defense (.911 fielding percentage and 12 double players) and power at the plate (12 home runs in four of the six tourneys). Key returners include pitcher Alex Stabler, who has gone 18-3 with a 1.30 ERA this spring, P/1B Brianna Herring, a lefty who hit .519 last year, catcher Cloie Burris, who is hitting .438 this spring with five home runs.

42—Lil Rebels 03

The Nevada-based Lil Rebels team led by Coach Jeff Lehr has won 75 percent of its games over the fall and winter which is more impressive factoring in the team almost always plays up. And in almost every tournament or qualifier, the Rebels lost to the team that qualified or won the event. The squad did finish 3rd at the Valentine’s Day Blast and at the St. Paddy’s Day Blast in the 14U division. The Lil Rebels is led by one of the top shortstops at 12U in Hayley Morrow and also has four bashers who can hit the ball over a 200-foot fence at any time: 1B Taylor Day, C Tatum Huntley, MIF Bella Mir and 3B Sophia Rueles.

41—Texas Glory RWB

The Texas Glory RWB team was formed in September 2015 and was originally led by Kenny Graf. After performing exceptionally well during the fall, Bill Wark took over the reigns and the success has continued as the Glory has gone 52-20- 2 since last summer including playing in three 14U tourneys this spring. The McKinney-based Texas team has a strong pitching staff and a solid core of defensive players, but the strength of Glory is the batting line-up doesn’t have a weak spot. Already qualified for PGF Nationals, Glory has talent up and down the line-up including ace pitcher Jaycie Hall, who throws hard and also is a power hitter, MIF Toni McInnis, a slap-power hitter with speed, C Gabby Coffey, who can also play several infield spots, and P/3B/1B Micky Wark and MIF Belle Frost, who have been selected by USA Elite Select as Future All-Americans and will represent the South Region at the Futures All-American Games in Orlando, Florida this summer.