Cal Stars' Aquira DeCosta

Not only does Battle in the Boro host some of the top teams in the country, but the event is also a stop on the Nike Girls' EYBL tour.

Cal Stars is one EYBL team that decided to play in Nashville this year. Aquira DeCosta, a rising junior from Stockton, California, is one of only three returning players on this year's Cal Stars team. DeCosta says their road has not been easy. "There are three returning players and the rest are all new," she says. "We are still trying to get used to one another."

As the defending national champions, the Cal Stars know the games they play in Nashville are very important. They are determined to repeat their success from last year, but they have a target on their backs. "In the EYBL, a lot of teams are aiming for us. There is a lot of competition," DeCosta says. She also says the Cal Stars are not shaken by the pressures of trying to repeat a championship. "We are just focusing on us and getting better," DeCosta says.

DeCosta says she likes playing in the Music City Center because she can keep an eye on their competition. "I really like how you can watch the other teams when we aren't playing," she says.