Nebraska 2024 Rankings Update: Commitments Starting to Roll In
We’re starting to get some college pledges from this 2024 class. After a month and a half of open recruitment for the Class of 2024, we’ve just started to see commitments from some of Nebraska’s top athletes in the class.…
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Continue ReadingWe’re starting to get some college pledges from this 2024 class.
After a month and a half of open recruitment for the Class of 2024, we’ve just started to see commitments from some of Nebraska’s top athletes in the class. Those commitments have been plugged into our player database with our latest rankings update, so this feels like a good opportunity to celebrate some big accomplishments.
Here’s a look at Nebraska’s 2024s who have already chosen a destination at the next level.
‘Yotes!
The South Dakota Coyotes are not going away from their Nebraska pipeline. How about two top-tier outside hitters in one day?
It’s not often that you see one college program land two pledges on the same day, let alone from two players in the same state. That’s what South Dakota managed to do, though, with the commitment of Lauren Medeck Lauren Medeck 5'10" | OH Papillion-La Vista South | 2024 State #31 Nation NE and Carly Ries Carly Ries 6'3" | OH Norfolk | 2024 State NE just a few days ago. It’s quite an accomplishment for the Coyotes, but this program has had no problem pulling in talent from the Cornhusker State. More on that in a moment.
First, a word on both athletes. If you’re awarding a “comeback of the year” award for the 2022 club season, Medeck would be a great candidate. We had already seen some spectacular moments from this six-rotation outside hitter, including leading Papio South to an undefeated season and a state title last fall. 2022 would present a new challenge, however, as Medeck spent most of the club season recovering from injury.
The top-ranked 2024 Nebraska prospect was not deterred. Medeck returned to the floor for GJNC and resumed her all-around dominance for Premier 16 Gold. After sitting out for almost the entire season, Medeck’s showing at USAV Nationals landed her a spot on the all-tournament team in the ultra-competitive 16 Open division. Now, she has locked in her future volleyball plans and will be one of many Nebraskans to represent the South Dakota Coyotes.
Over in the Nebraska Elite gym, the rise of Carly Ries Carly Ries 6'3" | OH Norfolk | 2024 State NE has been a joy to follow. She quickly became an offensive focal point for a 16 Lokahi team that has plenty of other strong frontcourt hitters on its roster. Ries gets on top of the ball quickly, has a fluid approach, and can hit a variety of tempos on the left pin. Her style is reminiscent of Kylen Sealock, another long, rangy outside hitter who is currently on the South Dakota roster.
That leads us right into the pipeline discussion. Aside from Sealock, South Dakota already has a solid Nebraska presence on the roster from Sidney’s Mattie Johnson and Papillion-La Vista’s Brooklyn Schram. The Coyotes also landed a big-time 2022 signee with Elkhorn South record-setting setter Madi Woodin joining the fray this fall.
The 2023 class is locked in on Nebraska talent. South Dakota pulled in Nebraska Elite standouts Samantha Laird Samantha Laird 6'0" | OH Omaha Westside | 2023 State #171 Nation NE and Amanda Loschen Amanda Loschen 6'2" | MB Omaha Marian | 2023 State NE to bolster that frontcourt and bring even more Nebraska physicality to the Summit League. In short, Medeck and Ries will likely be assured by some familiar faces by the time they arrive in Vermillion.
Two Backcourt Stars
We’ve seen a nationwide trend of elite 2024 liberos committing early in the recruiting cycle. That has extended to Nebraska, where two of the state’s best defenders have already made their future plans known.
Olivia Mauch Olivia Mauch 5'7" | DS/L Bennington | 2024 State #49 Nation NE kicked things off by announcing her intention to stay home and play for five-time national champion Nebraska. The Cornhuskers openly take pride in securing elite in-state defensive talent, and Mauch fits that bill in the 2024 class. Her exemplary work with Premier 17 Gold this year was hard to miss, as she regularly anchored the first contact and allowed that team’s frontcourt hitters to shine. Mauch was a regular participant at Nebraska’s camps and will be no stranger to the festive environment of the Devaney Center.
The Premier gym scored another high-profile commitment with 16 Gold libero Faith Frame Faith Frame 5'6" | DS/L Papillion-La Vista | 2024 State #167 Nation NE pledging to Cincinnati. The Bearcats have been recently been regular contenders for AAC titles but will move over to the Big 12 before Frame arrives on campus. Like Medeck, Frame received some big recognition on the club season’s biggest stage with 16 Open all-tournament honors at GJNC. This libero has been one of Nebraska’s biggest stock risers over the past calendar year, and that has been rewarded with an extraordinary commitment to Cincinnati.
One More for Nebraska Elite
We just mentioned Ries’ commitment for Nebraska Elite, but we have another frontcourt star for 16 Lokahi who will be staying close to home for college ball.
Nora Wurtz Nora Wurtz 6'4" | MB DC West | 2024 State #109 Nation NE adds to the in-state pipeline for Big East volleyball powerhouse Creighton. I just got done watching Wurtz perform on the Great Plains all-star team in Tulsa, and this versatile attacker certainly defines the “all-star” title. She has ample experience at opposite and middle blocker and has a chance to play either position at the next level. Her imposing length makes her a difficult player to defend, and we should see a little more of that when DC West returns to the high school stage this fall.