The Wisconsin Class of 2018 Awards: Most Likely To…

This could be possibly the most anticipated day at the end of Senior year.  What yearbook awards have been dealt out?  Who won most likely to succeed, best smile, most fashionable, most likely to walk in late with Starbucks, the lists and awards go on.  With graduations occurring in the next couple of weeks for most high schools in Wisconsin it is only fitting that at Prep Dig Wisconsin we come up with our own “Most Likely To…” awards on the Class of 2018.  There were plenty of considerations for players as well as creativity for the name of awards, but here is to the Class of 2018. 

Most Likely To Have The Most Frequent Flyer Miles

Katie Hoeffner – Appleton North – Committed to UAA ( Alaska-Anchorage )

The most recent search for a flight from Appleton, WI to Anchorage Alaska was a 12 hour and 21 minute flight going from Appleton to Minneapolis to Portland to Anchorage.  Hoeffner will bring fire, intensity, and a solid set of all around skill to the Sea Wolves which are one of the top Division 2 teams on the West Coast. The two time All Conference athlete from Appleton North will be heading to the land of the midnight sun.  The frequent flier miles for Hoeffner and family will come in handy for a nice vacation or to see her play along the West Coast. What a treat it would be to have some Midwest teams head up to Alaska or for UAA come down to Minnesota to play against some of the top D2 teams in the Northern Sun Conference.

Most Likely To Be An All American

Morgan Wardall – Merrill – Committed To UW-Whitewater

Cori Meyers – Nicolet – Committed To Winona State

This is an extremely bold statement and by no means a Sports Illustrated jinx, but these two I see having great success at the next level.  Wardall has led her Merrill High School team to multiple state tournaments and is an incredibly athletic and dynamic player. She is going to a system at UW-Whitewater that has a championship culture and always a power in the WIAC and nationally at the NCAA D3 level.  

Meyers had a sensational club season for Milwaukee Sting 18 Black on the outside. With a high reach and explosive swing, she will be one who can step in and be a force for the Warriors at Winona State.  Winona State is always one of the top contenders in the ever so competitive Northern Sun Conference which is NCAA Division 2. With continued training, Meyers has the tools to be one of the best in Winona.

Most Likely To Pull Double Duty

Emily Scott – Kimberly – Committed to Louisville

Grace Baumann – West Bend West – Committed To St. Norbert

Emily Scott is 6’2, fast, athletic, and has all the tools to be a Power 5 Middle Blocker for Louisville, but could also be a high jumper for the Cardinals.  Scott has won two state high jump titles and will be looking for her third this season.

Baumann is a solid all around athlete who led West Bend West to the Sectional Final this past season and is also looking to make a return to the state track meet this spring after a few top ten finishes, specializing in hurdles.  Baumann has the potential to have an instant impact for St. Norbert on the volleyball court as well as on the track.

Most Likely To Coach a Team To State

Izzy Barr – River Falls – Committed to Augsburg

Four years ago, River Falls wasn’t on the map for high school volleyball.  Not well known, the school in Western Wisconsin was in the process of building something special with Barr as one of the key cogs to the rise to the top.  This past season River Falls made it to the state title game behind the setting of Barr and a well balanced line up of athletes of all ages. River Falls is now in the conversation to be a competitor for Division 1, but it started behind Barr and the rest of her classmates.  Barr will take her talents to Augsburg College in Minneapolis, MN after being an essential part of the River Falls rise to the top.

Most Likely To Be Rivals

Rylie Vaughn – Newman Catholic – UW-Milwaukee

Jessica Grabowski – Greendale – UW-Milwaukee

Abby Koenen – Burlington – UW-Milwaukee

Lauren Spaulding – Sheboygan North – UW-Milwaukee

Miranda Wucherer – Brookfield Central – Northern Kentucky

Alexis Dorner – Luxemburg-Casco – Green Bay

Abby Neidinger – Slinger – Oakland

All of these players have faced each other for years on the club circuit as well as the high school volleyball season.  Now they will again face each other in Horizon League play. This past club season Vaughn, Grabowski, and Koenen were all part of Milwaukee Sting while Lauren Spaulding was a late addition to the Panthers.  Wucherer is another member of Milwaukee Sting and has been to committed to Northern Kentucky for a couple years. Wucherer has the ability to take the Norse to the next level with her ability to score points from the service line and set.  Dorner will play for new head coach Abbey Sutherland at Green Bay which is coming off of back to back runner-up finishes in the Horizon League Tournament. Neidinger played her club ball for Wisconsin Premier and will be a physical front row player for Oakland which is in Michigan.

Most Likely To Be On The Beach

Amber Rowoldt – Lakeside Lutheran – Palm Beach Atlantic

The campus of Palm Beach Atlantic is literally on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean in West Palm Beach, Florida.  Rowoldt was an All-State outside hitter and state champion while at Lakeside Lutheran and also is one of the state’s top triple jumpers in track.  West Palm Beach made it to the NCAA Division 2 National Tournament last year. The Sailfish are part of the Sunshine State Conference. They did have one tournament cancelled last year due to Hurricane Irma.

Most Likely To Change, Create, or Fix Something

Grace Novotny – DSHA – Michigan Tech

Briana Sharkey – Madison Edgewood – Michigan Tech

Quinn Borchert – Lake Mills – MSOE

The academic requirements of Michigan Tech and Milwaukee School of Engineering are very demanding.  The student-athlete label is very heavy on the student part, requiring discipline, time management, and a good set of STEM skills to be successful at this level.  Novotny was part of multiple state tournament runs for DSHA and will be one of the top players out of the state heading to a Division 2 school.

Most Likely To Graduate With Highest Honors

Sophia Paul – Cedarburg – Bowdoin

Paul played for Motion 18 Blue this past club season with the ability to play on either pin.  She will be going to college in Brunsewick, Maine at Bowdoin College which has an acceptance rate of 15% (in 2016), the average ACT score is 32 (speaking of high IQ).  Extremely prestigious and gorgeous campus, Bowdoin is considered a “Little Ivy”, which is a NCAA Division 3 school part of the New England Small College Athletic Conference. This school is highly successful academically and in athletics competing against some of the top schools at the Division 3 level along the East coast.

Most Likely To Turn Around a Program

Kaitlyn Gehler – Lakeside Lutheran – Memphis

Gehler was an original commit to Green Bay, but followed head coach Sean Burdette when he took the job at Memphis in the offseason.  Gehler is a fierce competitor, a constant communicator on the court, has a state title under her belt, and a successful high school career at Lakeside Lutheran as well as a club career at Capital.  Gehler is the type of player to change a culture and a program and with Memphis being part of the AAC with the likes of Wichita State and Cincinnati she will provide a solid first contact for the Tigers who will be looking to rebuild.

Most Likely To See Each Other In the NCAA Tournament

Brooke Anderson – Lake Country Lutheran – Iowa State

Claire Mosher – Waterloo – Marquette

Katie Shoessow – Mukwonago – Marquette

All of these players were on Milwaukee Sting Gold this past year for the 18s and with the way the NCAA lines up Regionals due to proximity it would not be a surprise if these two teams had to play each other in the next four years.  Iowa State and Marquette have made it a tradition of playing in the NCAA Tournament with both teams continuing to improve with Iowa State being a close second behind Texas in the Big 12 and Marquette being at the top of the Big East Conference.  Iowa State has ties to Wisconsin with head coach, Christy Johnson-Lynch having coached at Wisconsin as well as plenty of players such as Debbie Stadick, Ciara Capezio, and currently Hannah Bailey on the roster for the Cyclones.

Mikaylah Van Lanen – Appleton North – Dayton

Mariah Grunze – Waterford – Ohio State

Claire Chaussee – Sun Prairie – Louisville

Emily Scott – Kimberly – Louisville

This has the making of a regional with the rise of Louisville in the ACC and the consistency of Ohio State and Dayton being in close proximity to Louisville.  Van Lanen and Grunze played for Milwaukee Sting Gold together this past year. Van Lanen was a two time All-State player for Appleton North and has faced Emily Scott plenty of times between the North/Kimberly rivalry in volleyball.  Claire Chaussee is a high flying outside who has an incredibly high contact point and is a solid defender as well. All four of these players have seen each other in the high school ranks or through club and a reunion for an NCAA Tournament Regional would be quite the matchup.