Nebraska 2023 Rankings Update: Revisiting Dominant Pin Hitters

Nebraska's Class of 2023 has given us a lot of exciting moments over the years. If anything, this rankings update is about celebrating these dominant outgoing seniors.   And this feature accomplishes the same thing, too. We're going back through the 2023 rankings and highlighting many of the dominant pin hitters who just wrapped up their prep careers. Their impact on the Cornhusker State will not be forgotten.     Championship Royalty   Fittingly, many of Nebraska's dominant 2023 pin hitters capped off their high school careers with a state championship.   Lincoln Lutheran's [player_tooltip player_id='59212' first='Abby' last='Wachal'] was second among all Nebraska seniors in total kills this year despite the Warriors running a balanced offense with several different weapons. It's a testament to Wachal's ability to terminate at an amazing rate, and her final season was undoubtedly her finest yet. Aside from her individual accomplishments, however, Wachal is perhaps more proud of going out with a perfect 40-0 record and another state title with Lincoln Lutheran.   [player_tooltip player_id='59194' first='Morgan' last='Burke'] is another outside hitter who is leaving the high school game with a championship. Actually, she has four. I remember wondering how Omaha Skutt Catholic would go on after losing their revolutionary 2021 class a couple of years ago. Burke left no doubt that Skutt Catholic was here to stay, and she ushered in a new era of outside hitter dominance as an upperclassman. That kind of dominance has prepared the Michigan commit for the next level.   <figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2022/11/IMG_1968-edited.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-251977" width="334" height="224" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Baumert attacks for Howells-Dodge in the 2022 Class D2 state championship match.</figcaption></figure>   And it's impossible to leave [player_tooltip player_id='59193' first='Grace' last='Baumert'] out of this discussion, especially after what she did in her final high school match. Like Wachal and Burke, Baumert's senior-season championship was not the first of her career. But her final trophy with Howells-Dodge came as Baumert put down an astonishing 42 kills in the title match and was one block short of a triple-double. That legendary performance was built through Baumert's tireless work with the Jaguar program, and she will bring that same energy to Wayne State next fall.   How about another repeat champion? Papillion-La Vista South's [player_tooltip player_id='59192' first='Stella' last='Adeyemi'] was made for big moments. Adeyemi, like Wachal, has experienced the glory of an undefeated season. Even after Papio South lost a hefty group of veterans from last year's squad, Adeyemi elevated her own game to keep the Titans near the top. I particularly admire the senior's willingness to step into a backcourt role and hone the ball control skills that will be needed in the college game. Hawai'i is the destination for Adeyemi to start that journey.     Small-Town Stars   I'm proud of how many talented 2023 pin hitters in our rankings occupy places outside the big cities.   Humphrey St. Francis senior [player_tooltip player_id='152092' first='Kylee' last='Wessel'] is a good example, and she made a big jump in our latest update. The Flyers have made multiple appearances in the state tournament behind her leadership, and Wessel hits just about any gap you can ask out of a pin hitter. That yielded over five kills per set in her senior campaign, an impressive number regardless of class or location.   We can't forget about Nebraska's overall kills leader, [player_tooltip player_id='59202' first='Karli' last='Heidemann']. Piling up 2,000 career kills is a head-spinning proposition for any prep volleyball player, but Diller-Odell's superstar outside hitter is now one of the few players in the state to pull it off. Heidemann's numbers reached ridiculous proportions this year, as she had 6.6 kills per set on an equally incredible 0.474 hitting percentage. Montana State is getting a good one.   <figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2022/11/IMG_1120-crop-3562x2339-1669843216.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-251981" width="334" height="224" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Wessel swings for St. Francis in the 2022 Class D2 state championships.</figcaption></figure>   Shelton's [player_tooltip player_id='122756' first='Dru' last='Niemack'] is another dominant pin hitter who just finished showcasing her skills on the postseason stage this fall. The Bulldogs proved tough to beat throughout the year, and it helps that Niemack was putting away over five kills per set in her final season.   And, up in Class D1, Norfolk Catholic's [player_tooltip player_id='83539' first='Channatee' last='Robles'] was a huge reason for the Knights' resurgence in 2022. The Wayne State-bound outside hitter had nearly five-and-a-half kills per set and lifted her team to the #1 overall seed and an appearance in the state championship match. Robles showed off her incredible range by hitting sharp angles that few defenders can ever reach.   But the Class D1 crown eventually went to Hartington Cedar Catholic, and [player_tooltip player_id='103103' first='Laney' last='Kathol'] was the catalyst for the Trojans' underdog run from the #7 seed. Kathol has a knack for hitting up-tempo rhythm sets that seldom give opposing blockers a chance to close in on her. Combine that with Kathol's elevation and heat, and there was no denying this senior a walk-off championship.     To the Big Stage   <figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2022/11/IMG_2284-crop-3311x2174-1669843005.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-251972" width="334" height="224" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Ndam-Simpson competes in the 2022 Class A state championship match.</figcaption></figure>   We have a few more players to address here, and they might land on your television screens soon.   Our top-ranked player in the 2023 class is still [player_tooltip player_id='59201' first='Grace' last='Heaney'], the Elkhorn North opposite who helped the Wolves to a runner-up finish in Class B. Heaney will begin her collegiate career next year at Purdue, a school that has put a handful of hard-hitting opposites on the US national team. There are few better places for a dynamic lefty like Heaney to land.   [player_tooltip player_id='59208' first='Destiny' last='Ndam-Simpson'] will also have our attention when she makes the short hop to Creighton in 2023. The Bluejays will graduate some veteran pin hitters from this year's conference championship squad, and Ndam-Simpson looks poised to fill the void. She was an unstoppable force during her tenure at Omaha Westside in which she helped the Warriors reach places they had never seen in the sport of volleyball. What a trailblazer.   Look out for Ndam-Simpson's Westside counterpart on the outside, [player_tooltip player_id='103097' first='Samantha' last='Laird']. South Dakota is another nearby program that is fresh off a conference title this year, and that's where Laird is heading in 2023. We've previously discussed Laird's unprecedented success as a senior, and she has all the momentum to make an immediate splash on the collegiate stage.

Nebraska's Class of 2023 has given us a lot of exciting moments over the years. If anything, this rankings update is about celebrating these dominant outgoing seniors.