Other New Additions to the Rankings

With the addition of another 30 athletes into the rankings, we wanted to introduce you to some of them. You won’t find the new middle blockers and setters in this list because they are featured elsewhere. Many of the players produced all-state seasons for their respective high school teams and will look to build on this during the club season. #23 [player_tooltip player_id="119220" first="Lily" last="Dudley"] - 5’10" - OH - Rock Bridge/Mavs KC Dudley was highlighted in our 16u team preview last week. She emerged on the scene this year as Rock Bridge had a successful season. On the same team with the top-ranked player and setter [player_tooltip player_id="101566" first="Ella" last="Swindle"], Dudley showed it’s not just a one-woman show! She is a smart and aggressive hitter with a full toolbox of shots. She is solid defensively as well. She had 291 kills to go with 152 digs this fall. #24 [player_tooltip player_id="123460" first="Grace" last="O’Reilly"] - 6’0" - RS - Springfield Catholic/417 Juniors The 6’0" sophomore had a breakout season for Springfield Catholic this fall. The southpaw showed she can score from all areas of the court and not just the right side. She has great reach and displayed great usage of the roll shot to match her power. She produced 359 kills and 252 digs in her second season and helped lead her team to a final four run. #26 [player_tooltip player_id="119224" first="Emma" last="Conrad"] - 5’0" - L - Nixa/417 Juniors Nixa had another phenomenal post-season run in which they suffered a loss to eventual state champion Liberty North. Libero [player_tooltip player_id="119224" first="Emma" last="Conrad"] was key in the success this team achieved with her tremendous back row play. She is gritty and hard-nosed and provides a spark to her team with her play. She finished her season with 347 digs and 427 receptions. #27 [player_tooltip player_id="119225" first="Abigail" last="Christian"] - 5’9" - DS - Liberty North/Dynasty Christian battled with the before-mentioned Conrad in the final four this past season and both put on solid performances. The 5’9" Christian played lights out this year in her first season of full-time action, after playing in spots her freshman year. She was clutch down the stretch, ending the year on a terrific four-match run of performances. She has great awareness and vision. Her numbers for the state title season were 340 digs and 366 receptions. #29 [player_tooltip player_id="99225" first="Maya" last="Watkins"] - 5’10" - OH - East Buchanan/Mizuno Club North Watkins saw her numbers go down in 2020, but that’s being mindful her sets were way down as well. She is still an offensive threat anytime she takes the court. She finished the season with 8 double-digit kill performances in her last 10 matches. She is another smart hitter with an array of shots to score. She plays in a smaller town but should continue to improve her visibility on the club scene this winter/spring. #32 [player_tooltip player_id="123465" first="Reese" last="Gray"] - 5’8" - OH - Lesterville Gray is another player from a small school who has put up the numbers worthy to be included in the top 50 list. She has been dominant in her two years in Lesterville, teaming up with record-breaking 2021 player [player_tooltip player_id="41797" first="Mallory" last="Polk"]. Every record Polk has set, don’t be surprised when Gray eclipsed those marks. She has 827 kills in her two seasons with 506 of them coming this past fall. #34 [player_tooltip player_id="123467" first="Adelyn" last="Bybee"] - 6’1" - RS - Grain Valley/Dynasty Grain Valley was really good in 2020. They have the talent to continue to make strides and make a deep run in the playoffs. The 6’1 Bybee was solid and was 3rd in the kill department with 181 for this 21 win team. She showed the ability to score across the net but looked best from the right side with great angle shots to score consistently. She is also a strong blocker and has the height and length to catch the eyes of coaches. #35 [player_tooltip player_id="119223" first="Shaye" last="Koski"] - 5’10" - OH - Park Hill/Mavs 816 Koski enters the rankings at number 35. The six-rotation outside hitter has had a productive two years for Park Hill and will transition into the go-to scorer the next two seasons. She hits a heavy ball but also shows awareness in utilizing the tip. She will continue to grow in her passing and defense but will be on the radar of numerous Divison II and NAIA programs over the next couple of years. She had 209 kills and 226 digs. #38 [player_tooltip player_id="123472" first="Caitlyn" last="Little"] - 5’10" - RS - Lafayette/Rockwood Lafayette was one of the programs that started late in kicking off the 2020 campaign. Little made most of her 16 matches and showed why she is among the top 50 prospects across the state with her 159 kills, almost 3 per set. Standing at 5’10", she is not afraid to attack the bigger players. She has shown to have success tooling the block at a high percentage. She will be able to contribute at the Division II level. #39 [player_tooltip player_id="123473" first="Abby" last="Holt"] - 5’10" - DS - Eureka/Rockwood Holt is one of the better defenders in the state. One thing you pick up right away is her flawless technique to get under balls. At 5’10", she uses her length effectively and moves very well laterally. She is the type of player you love on your side of the net. She doesn’t give up on balls and you can see her falling off the court or diving into the seats to make plays. #40 [player_tooltip player_id="123464" first="Anna" last="Harrold"] - 5’10" - OH - Lawson/North Storm Lawson made a final four run in 2020 and [player_tooltip player_id="123464" first="Anna" last="Harrold"] was a key piece in this success. At 5’10", she jumps well and showed the power that made her one of the top players in Class 2. She hit at a .341 clip and had 294 kills on the year. She is strong defensively, which makes her a strong prospect for a Division II or NAIA program. She will benefit from playing up on her club’s 17 premier team, as they will face stronger competition than the 16 select squad. #43 [player_tooltip player_id="123657" first="Abigail" last="Siess"] - 5’10" - OH - Westminster/Rockwood Siess showed her potential in her 12 match high school season. She finished with 99 kills and 103 digs, basically matching her numbers from her freshman season playing in almost 50% fewer sets. She is an aggressive hitter and has a tremendous line shot. She also brings a strong serve to the table to add in her scoring column. #47 [player_tooltip player_id="123658" first="Shae" last="Engelbrecht"] - 5’9" - OH - Eugene/Missouri Juniors Down in Eugene, MO, Engelbrecht had what some would consider a breakout season. Her kills number doubled and her dig numbers shot through the roof. This club season will be greatly beneficial as she faces better competition and continue to develop her game. She isn’t flashy but produces from the pin. #48 [player_tooltip player_id="123463" first="Zoe" last="Reel"] - 5’9" - OH - Crane The all-state honoree enters the rankings after another strong season for Crane. She put together a season that saw her earn 390 kills, as she was a thorn in the side of many defenses. She can score all over the court, including from the back row. Her defense is solid, evidenced by close to 300 digs on the year. A strong basketball player as well, she could potentially be a two-sport star at the right small school.