Checking In on the Class of 2025 Watch List
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This week’s tour of Nebraska’s talent-rich classes continues! We’ve taken stock reports of uncommitted 2023s, 2024s, and now it’s time to revisit our Class of 2025 Watch List. Nebraska’s 2025 class will soon receive its first numerical rankings here on…
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Continue ReadingThis week’s tour of Nebraska’s talent-rich classes continues! We’ve taken stock reports of uncommitted 2023s, 2024s, and now it’s time to revisit our Class of 2025 Watch List.
Nebraska’s 2025 class will soon receive its first numerical rankings here on the Prep Dig site. Before we get to that point, though, we’re keeping a close eye on the state’s 2025s in club competition. This season will certainly let us get a better feel for our initial rankings, but it will also introduce us to new names that ought to be added to our list!
Bountiful Ball Control
This class is absolutely stacked on the defensive end.
We just discussed a few of Nebraska’s best 2025 liberos when we featured Nebraska ONE 15 Synergy earlier this week. Check out that article if you haven’t already, and keep an eye out for players like Keri Leimbach Keri Leimbach 5'4" | DS/L Lincoln Lutheran | 2025 State #40 Nation NE , Anna Jelinek Anna Jelinek 5'9" | DS/L Norris | 2025 State NE , and Zoe Rademacher Zoe Rademacher 5'6" | DS/L Norris | 2025 State NE as the club season moves along.
Of course, the wealth of ball control talent is spread out across the club landscape. Isabel Junior Isabel Junior 5'8" | DS/L Elkhorn South | 2025 State NE , for example, has had a fantastic opening to the 2022 season for Nebraska Elite. She made plenty of standout plays as she flew around the court at January Thaw. Her defensive instincts are tremendous for a player that still has so much time left in her prep career. Not only is Junior one to watch this spring, but keep an eye on her backcourt counterpart on that Nebraska Elite team, Melody Mayer Melody Mayer 5'7" | DS/L Omaha Marian | 2025 State NE . She’s another Omaha Marian athlete who is poised to rise through the ranks in 2022.
Isabel Campie Isabel Campie 5'7" | S Omaha Marian | 2025 State NE is another all-purpose ball control player that is poised to have a big club campaign. She’s primarily a setter but can easily slot into the back row and play some outstanding defense. Campie has the Premier Nebraska 15 Gold offense rolling early on this year, so we’ll surely mention her name more in successive months. 15 Gold also boasts several skilled ball handlers that we’ll surely be adding in our next 2025 update, including Rya Borer.
Forces of the Frontcourt
Now, it’s time to take a look back at some of the watch list’s attackers.
While we’re on a discussion of Premier 15 Gold, outside hitter Shay Heaney Shay Heaney 6'2" | OH Elkhorn North | 2025 State NE has kept building on her big debut with Elkhorn North last fall. She’s constantly improving her six-rotation skills on the club court and is a scoring threat from anywhere on the court. Fellow 15 Gold athlete Elle Heckenlively Elle Heckenlively 5'10" | OH Gretna | 2025 State NE was another one of the top-performing high school freshmen in 2021, and she continues to dominate at middle blocker. Meanwhile, on the left pin, Abbie Hagedorn Abbie Hagedorn 5'11" | RS Omaha Skutt Catholic | 2025 State NE has been backing up her placement on our watch list with some impressive moments in early-season action.
Tia Traudt Tia Traudt 6'0" | OH Grand Island | 2025 State NE continues to thrive and is doing so in the 16s age group. I caught a glimpse of her VCNebraska team at January Thaw as they scrapped their way to a runner-up finish at the event. Traudt has the athleticism to match up well against older players, so her presence on VCN 16 Elite is a natural fit.
Nebraska Elite also has plenty of frontcourt attackers to know from our watch list. Ashlyn Paymal Ashlyn Paymal 6'2" | RS Omaha Westside | 2025 State NE is developing into a physical force that can play on either the left or the right. Over in the middle, Kiya Johnson Kiya Johnson 6'1" | MB DC West | 2025 State NE has been diversifying her game with some nice one-footed attacks behind the setter. She’ll certainly be one to follow as she continues to develop that slide. Her fellow Elite middle, Ava Stone Ava Stone 6'0" | MB Elkhorn South | 2025 State NE , will also make a name for herself before the season is done.