Impact Freshmen: Rising 2026 Stars at Nebraska’s State Tournament
Bring on the next wave of stars. With one year of high school action in the books for the Class of 2026, we can finally start to look at this group in earnest. Of course, this is just the very…
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Continue ReadingBring on the next wave of stars.
With one year of high school action in the books for the Class of 2026, we can finally start to look at this group in earnest. Of course, this is just the very beginning of our discussions on this class, as high-impact varsity freshmen are not common. This season was just the tip of the iceberg.
Still, a few freshmen managed to break through to Nebraska’s state tournament in their debut seasons. There’s surely no better venue to announce your presence on the high school stage, and these athletes took full advantage of that opportunity.
A Full Array of 2026s
The freshmen participating in this year’s state championship filled a variety of roles, so there’s something here for everyone.
It’s hard not to start this discussion with Malcolm’s Halle Dolliver, who led all Nebraska freshmen in kills this season. In fact, Dolliver was among the state’s most prolific scorers in all classes. The freshman phenom piled up over 500 kills in her debut campaign and added nearly 300 digs to her credit, too. The Clippers have a six-rotation leader to guide this history-rich program to a few more tournament appearances in the years to come.
We can stay in Class C1 to revisit the freshman campaign of Minden setter-opposite Myla Emery. Her do-it-all role allows her to generate big numbers in just about every statistical category. Emery finished the 2022 season with over 250 kills, 300+ digs, and more than 400 assists. That’s a high-impact freshman.
Up in Class B, fourth-seeded Bennington featured a similarly versatile athlete in freshman pin hitter Katherine Sebree. This newcomer can set, take swings on the pins, and play some stout floor defense for her rising Badger squad. Expect Sebree to keep contributing in all of these areas next year.
Class C2’s Southwest saw quite an influx of freshman talent this year, and it was largely thanks to the “double trouble” combo of Kyra Nelms and Anikka Nelms. With this twin tandem anchoring the Roughriders’ middle blocker spot, it almost feels like Southwest always has the same person in the frontcourt throughout the entire match. It won’t take long for the Nelms name to loom large in Nebraska’s small-town prep volleyball scene, and they’re already off to a good start after this year’s postseason. Good luck matching up against Southwest.
Elsewhere in Class C2, a freshman starting setter emerged for third-seeded Cross County. Sydney Hengelfelt Sydney Hengelfelt 5'11" | S Cross County | 2026 State NE immediately stepped in to set a 5-1 and led the Cougars to their first state tournament appearance since 2013.
We’re not done with freshman pin hitters, either. Nebraska Christian deployed first-year outside hitter Taytum Perdew to help the Eagles to yet another bracket berth. This program has thrived through its stellar ball control, and Perdew fit into that equation perfectly and tallied well over 100 digs and 200 service receptions in her debut season.
Speaking of ball control, Class D1 runner-up Norfolk Catholic featured freshman setter Sidonia Wattier in its successful two-setter offense. Wattier wasn’t just known for her setting, however, as the Knights allowed this well-rounded freshman to hit and block in the frontcourt. “True” 6-2 systems are hard to come by, but Norfolk Catholic had all the pieces needed to pull it off.
Daisy Ryan is another name that cannot be left out of this discussion. The six-rotation pin hitter was a vital component of an Overton team that rarely even used substitutions. Ryan was second on the team in total aces and third on the team in kills behind Overton’s vaunted duo of veteran middles. Expect this freshman’s role to expand even further as a sophomore.