On the biggest volleyball platform in the world, Lauren Knieriem and Hannah Sabotin shined.

The two Trinity Lutheran High School athletes recently traveled to ESPN’s Wide World of Sports in Orlando, Florida, to compete with their teams at the AAU Nationals.

Both left with All-American honors by the tourney’s end, being voted in above hundreds of their peers from across the country.

To be considered an All-American, players’ teams needed to place within the top five of their division tournament.

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“As you advance further in the tournament, coaches have the opportunity to nominate players,” Knieriem said. “Once you get to fifth place, you can nominate one player. After that, it’s two players, and if you make it to the championship, three can be nominated.”

Knieriem, who will be a freshman at TLHS this school year, played for Union 15 Quenichet, a club based out of New Albany.

Union, which was seeded 20th going into nationals, placed fifth overall of 161 teams in the 15-and-under club division.

Knieriem, an outside hitter, said the team shocked some of the competition once the tourney was in full swing.

“The team really bonds well,” Knieriem said. “Sometimes, it doesn’t always show on the court, but we really played together. We just had fun, which made us play so much better.”

While Knieriem isn’t a stranger to the big show, she said it was the first time she earned All-American status.

“This was actually my fifth year going to a national tournament,” Knieriem said. “I’m pretty used to playing in big tournaments and facilities, but there are some nerves. I love the big tournaments. You just get to see teams that you don’t see in local tournaments. The competition is a lot harder, and it’s a bigger deal if you get a win.”

Brownstown Central High School’s Chloe Carlin and Trinity’s Chloe Criswell competed with Knieriem on Union 15.

Sabotin, a sophomore at TLHS, is well-known by her peers.

This year’s All-American trophy was her third straight at AAU Nationals.

The East Columbus Volleyball Club placed third out of 123 teams in the Classic Division of U15 by winning 12 of 13 games over a four-day span.

While it didn’t match last year’s runner-up finish, the team got a big payback win over a club from Orlando that denied last year’s championship.

Sabotin teamed with with a handful of athletes that are or will be on teams in Jackson County this fall.

Players included Brownstown Central’s Riley Nuss and Maggie Connell, Trinity Lutheran’s Sydney Jaynes, Ashley Goecker and Bailey Reynolds and Seymour’s Abby Schmidt.

“We all bonded very well,” Sabotin said. “We could lift each other up and be encouraging.”

While she had done it before, Sabotin, a middle hitter, said it’s a big honor to be named an All-American.

“It’s humbling every single time,” Sabotin said. “You hope you’re going to get it, but it’s not just about me. If I get the award, it’s because everyone pitched in. I was very excited to go up there and just hear my name.”

Sabotin said the players look forward to the big tournament every season.

“You know that you’re playing some of the best of the best,” Sabotin said. “We beat the team that we lost to in the championship last year this year. We were so happy about it.”