SANDPOINT — Two years ago, Sandpoint Volleyball Club U18 head coach Jack Dyck’s U16 team went to the National Volleyball Festival seeded No. 39, and ended up finishing fifth.

Last year, his U17 squad came into the same tournament seeded No. 20, and once again took home a fifth place trophy.

Apparently the seeding committee finally took notice, as largely the same team is headed to Phoenix later this month as the No. 7 seed, no small feat in a U18 draw which features a whopping 222 teams. The team boasts several future Division 1 volleyball players, and recently added two players over 6-feet tall to give them size they’ve never possessed before.

Sandpoint players Koko James and Piper Wahlin are headed for Montana and Weber State, respectively, and newcomers Natalie Jones, from Missoula, and Britta Forsythe, from Coeur d’Alene, will also play in the Big Sky Confere next season. All of the talent, coupled with a strong track record at the national level, has head coach Jack Dyck optimistic in his final season at the helm.

“If we can be in the top 10, it’s hard to be disappointed. It’s always our goal to be in the finals,” said Dyck, who is calling it quits after coaching club volleyball for 26 seasons. “It’s the last tournament for most of the girls, and I want to go out with a bang.”

The team also features a trio of athletic players from Priest River in Sierra Pancho, Taylor Stewart and Melissa Hopkins, and has two 6-foot-1 bigs for a middle block in Jones and Forsythe.

“Piper said I’m so happy to play defense behind tall people,” said Dyck, adding he’s never had the luxury of size with both the U16 and U17 teams that each placed fifth. “It’s a great week of volleyball and we’re looking forward to it.”

The mammoth national tournament runs from June 28 through July 2. The team is holding two fundraisers on Friday and Saturday (see inset box).