Nebraska Class of 2023 College Commitment Update

<p>This feels like a good time to recognize this year’s new college commitments in Nebraska’s Class of 2023.</p> <p>Indeed, the excitement of this year’s club season hasn’t just come on the court. Many of Nebraska’s 2023s have produced standout performances that have yielded commitments to play at the next level. We’ve got a variety of in-state and out-of-state pledges to discuss, and these are all athletes that have made a lasting impact on the Nebraska prep scene.</p> <p>Here’s a little recruiting refresh for the 2023s.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Close to Home</strong></p> <p>Nebraska colleges have done a great job securing in-state prep stars, and that trend isn’t changing with the Class of 2023.</p> <p>One of those big in-state splashes came in mid-February, with high-flying outside hitter [player_tooltip player_id="59208" first="Destiny" last="Ndam-Simpson"] choosing to stay in the Cornhusker State and represent perennial Big East power Creighton. After leading Omaha Westside to an incredible run to the Class A semifinals last fall, Ndam-Simpson has continued to flourish with Premier 17 Gold this year and will bring plenty of firepower to another Omaha squad in 2023.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">[player_tooltip player_id="59208" first="Destiny" last="Ndam-Simpson"] on the 2 ball.<br /> <br /> Sheeeesh. 😬 <a href="https://x.com/premier17gold?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@premier17gold</a> <a href="https://t.co/HWihUKpPPe">pic.x.com/HWihUKpPPe</a></p> — Austin Kingsley (@KingsleyATK) <a href="https://x.com/KingsleyATK/status/1512809556115693572?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 9, 2022</a></blockquote> <p><script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Ndam-Simpson is not the only 17 Gold athlete who has announced their intention to stay in the Omaha metro for college ball. Standout setter [player_tooltip player_id="104586" first="Ivy" last="Leuck"] recently gave a pledge to Omaha, a team that is rapidly rising up the Summit League ranks. Head Coach Matt Buttermore has built a UNO roster that has more native Nebraskan influence than any other Division I team, and Leuck brings some awesome versatility as a setter, opposite, or backcourt specialist.</p> [caption id="attachment_194655" align="alignright" width="400"]<img class="wp-image-194655" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2021/11/IMG_5415-crop-2676x1757-1651983796-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="400" height="263" /> Baumert attacks for Howells-Dodge in the 2021 Class D1 state championship match.[/caption] <p>Premier 17 Black can also claim an in-state commitment during the 2022 club season. [player_tooltip player_id="59193" first="Grace" last="Baumert"] is another talented outside hitter that has moved over to the Premier gym this spring and has recently committed to play at Wayne State. Before heading out to one of Nebraska’s consistent competitors in Division II, though, Baumert will look to win back-to-back state championships this fall with Howells-Dodge.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Branching Out</strong></p> <p>Of course, not everyone stays in Nebraska. Have no doubt, though, that I’ll be keeping a close eye on some out-of-state commits from this class.</p> <p>The good times just keep rolling for Premier 17 Gold, as middle blocker [player_tooltip player_id="112002" first="Brooklyn" last="Fuchs"] is fresh off a commitment to play at Lipscomb. The Bison are regularly contending for championships in the ultra-competitive ASUN Conference and recently made a trip to Omaha for the 2020-2021 NCAA Tournament. A piece of Nebraska is now coming back to Lipscomb, and Fuchs’ big-match experience will certainly be welcomed in Nashville.</p> <p>Fuchs’ 17 Gold counterpart in the middle, [player_tooltip player_id="171631" first="Kailey" last="Hrbek"], is also heading out east and will play for Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Florida. One of the most formidable competitors in Division II’s Sunshine State Conference will get even better with Hrbek anchoring the middle blocker spot in the years to come.</p> [caption id="attachment_194657" align="alignright" width="400"]<img class="wp-image-194657" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2021/12/IMG_5618-crop-2119x1392-1651983953-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="400" height="263" /> Wachal (24) puts up a block for Lincoln Lutheran in the 2021 Class C1 state championship match.[/caption] <p>We’ve got more new DII commits to talk about, too, and many of these players will be facing off across the net as conference rivals in the college ranks. We previously mentioned Baumert’s pledge to Wayne State, but that’s not the only Nebraska addition coming to the Northern Sun in 2023. Lincoln High prep star [player_tooltip player_id="152111" first="Faith" last="Van Eck"] gave a verbal commitment to the University of Sioux Falls and will bring a wealth of defensive skills to that roster. Also joining the fold in the NSIC is hard-hitting state champion [player_tooltip player_id="59212" first="Abby" last="Wachal"], who will play for St. Cloud State at the next level after already putting together a storied high school career with Lincoln Lutheran. Her commitment also maintains St. Cloud’s pipeline of Nebraska outside hitters, with Millard West’s [player_tooltip player_id="37555" first="Maddie" last="MacTaggart"] giving the Huskies a pledge from the 2022 class.</p> <p>There are also plenty of future faceoffs to follow in DII’s MIAA Conference. Just this week, Premier 17 Black defensive specialist <strong>Anna Weberg</strong> announced her commitment to Missouri Western State University, a school that is certainly not afraid to recruit Nebraska volleyball talent. The same can be said of Northwest Missouri State, an MIAA powerhouse that just picked up a commitment from GICC standout [player_tooltip player_id="59214" first="Gracie" last="Woods"]. There’s obviously going to be some Nebraska ties to follow in these conferences for a while, and this is the kind of stuff that I just love to see.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>One for the Hoops</strong></p> <p>I can’t leave this out.</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="152091" first="Ruthie" last="Loomis-Goltl"] has been an amazing representative for the small-town Nebraska prep scene. Her on-court dominance with Bridgeport has truly been something to behold. That dominance wasn’t just on the volleyball court, though, as Loomis-Goltl has put up some incredible basketball numbers on big stages. Last week, she revealed that she would continue her hoops career at Colorado, and I can’t wait to see her carry on a strong tradition of Nebraska "hidden gems" in the basketball world.</p>