Early-Season Check-in with Nebraska’s 2025 Defenders
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We’re starting to see the 2025s start to make some real noise in the high school scene. The upward trajectory we usually see from sophomore athletes is present once again with many of Nebraska’s top 2025 prospects. So, with the…
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Continue ReadingWe’re starting to see the 2025s start to make some real noise in the high school scene.
The upward trajectory we usually see from sophomore athletes is present once again with many of Nebraska’s top 2025 prospects. So, with the high school season now in full swing, this feels like a good time to check in on the state’s best sophomores and revisit the 2025 rankings we released before the season.
First up: liberos…and other skilled defenders!
Defense Still Dominant
The main takeaway from our latest 2025 rankings release was that this class was stacked with talented defensive specialists. That trend is holding firm a few weeks into the high school season.
Keri Leimbach Keri Leimbach 5'4" | DS/L Lincoln Lutheran | 2025 State #40 Nation NE swiped the #1 overall spot in our initial rankings–quite an accomplishment for a libero. Unsurprisingly, the Lincoln Lutheran sophomore has had a productive start to the 2022 season and has held firm at nearly four kills per set. Not all of her excellence can be captured by a box score, however, as Leimbach locks down serve receive and out-of-system setting better than just about any prep player her age. It’s no wonder why the Warriors are still undefeated.
We’ve also mentioned Sierra Pokharel Sierra Pokharel 5'4" | DS/L Millard West | 2025 State NE ‘s move to Millard West this year, and it’s working well for both parties so far. Pokharel has been no stranger to big matches on the club side, and she has an opportunity to steal the spotlight in similar environments with the Wildcats.
Our introduction just mentioned that athletes often see expanded roles during sophomore year, and that’s what we’ve seen with many of these 2025 defensive specialists. Isabel Junior Isabel Junior 5'8" | DS/L Elkhorn South | 2025 State NE is a good example, as she has helped anchor the Elkhorn South backcourt as a primary defensive specialist. As part of a youthful Elkhorn South roster, Junior will undoubtedly get more reps throughout the 2022 season.
Melody Mayer Melody Mayer 5'7" | DS/L Omaha Marian | 2025 State NE is another player who is already taking a big step forward this fall. The Omaha Marian defender really impressed us during this spring’s breakout club campaign for 15 Matrix, and that positive momentum has carried into the prep season. Behind Mayer’s strong defense, Marian is well-positioned to make a big postseason return.
Not Just Liberos!
It should be noted that a lot of Nebraska’s most prolific 2025 defenders are not even full-time liberos this year. In fact, a lot of the state’s most talented setters have been putting up monster dig numbers in the first few weeks of competition. Oakland-Craig’s Adi Rennerfeldt Adi Rennerfeldt 5'7" | S Oakland-Craig | 2025 State NE is a good example, as is Brylee Nelsen Brylee Nelsen 5'9" | S Millard North | 2025 State NE from Millard North. Isabel Campie Isabel Campie 5'7" | S Omaha Marian | 2025 State NE brings a lot of club experience as both a setter and a defensive specialist, so it should be no surprise that she can hold down the end line in her backcourt rotations.
And let’s give a shoutout to a few hitters who are still strong in the defensive department. Kenzie Kucks Kenzie Kucks 5'5" | DS/L Millard North | 2025 State NE has repeatedly demonstrated her ability to adapt to either a left-side hitter role or wear the libero jersey. The same can be said of Norris’ Anna Jelinek Anna Jelinek 5'8" | DS/L Norris | 2025 State NE , who has recently given up the contrasting jersey to wield her powerful right arm in all six rotations.
The list of solid defenders in six-rotation hitter roles just keeps growing, too. We mentioned the wicked right arm of Matthea Dalton after the Heartland Crossroads Invite, but Dalton’s stat-stuffing start has not been limited to kills. She can pass and dig with the state’s best. Likewise, Shay Heaney Shay Heaney 6'2" | OH Elkhorn North | 2025 State NE and Hayden Osmera Hayden Osmera 5'11" | OH Lincoln Northeast | 2025 State NE are two more frontcourt talents who have embraced the all-around skills needed to be reliable backcourt players.
This class is clearly stacked, and we’re starting to add more names to our list. Stay tuned for another 2025 rankings refresh.