A Behind-the-Scenes Look at the 2026 Watchlist
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The first watchlist for the class of 2026 has been released! This has been a fun watchlist to develop because this class’s talent is next-level. Freshmen across the state had huge high school seasons and are set to make a…
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Continue ReadingThe first watchlist for the class of 2026 has been released! This has been a fun watchlist to develop because this class’s talent is next-level. Freshmen across the state had huge high school seasons and are set to make a big impact during their 15s club season. Here is a behind-the-scenes look at the building of the 2026 watchlist.
The Talent is Extensive
This group of young athletes already plays at a very high level. Pin hitter Natalie Surges Natalie Surges 6'0" | OH Brookfield East | 2026 State WI spent the week training with the National Team Development Program. Middle hitter Allie Beers Allie Beers 6'0" | MB Slinger | 2026 State WI will be playing up a year on Sting 16 Gold. Pin hitter Peyton Carlson Peyton Carlson 5'11" | OH Waupaca | 2026 State WI is on the FC Elite 18 Elite Roster and was the MVP of the USAV Girls Junior National Championships 16 National Division as a 14-year-old. These are just a few of the top athletes in this class.
They Had a Huge Impact During the High School Season
This group of athletes had a tremendous impact as freshmen during the high school season. Marlee Sivak Marlee Sivak 6'1" | OH Oconomowoc | 2026 State WI was a huge asset for Oconomowoc in their State Runner-Up title. Kennedy Tisdale Kennedy Tisdale 5'11" | MB Pewaukee | 2026 State WI also made a state appearance with Wauwatosa East. She had the highest hitting percentage on her team, hitting 0.384 in her freshman season. Delaney Stapel Delaney Stapel 5'9" | MB Wauwatosa East | 2026 State WI was also on the Wauwatosa East squad and earned playing time in 43 sets, averaging 1.3 kills per set. Melania Ganquist was the starting middle for Wittenberg-Birnamwood, who also made a state appearance in Division 3.
Other athletes had significant impacts as well. Hannah Padilla Hannah Padilla 5'6" | S Pewaukee | 2026 State WI (Pewaukee), Ruby Friess Ruby Friess 5'4" | S Waukesha West | 2026 WI (Waukesha West), Emma Duff Emma Duff 5'10" | S Brookfield Central | 2026 State WI (Brookfield Central), and Alayna Deprez Alayna Deprez 5'6" | S Luxemburg-Casco | 2026 State WI (Luxemburg-Casco) both had big years as setters for their teams. On the pins, Mia Hudson Mia Hudson 5'10" | OH Pewaukee | 2026 State WI (Pewaukee), Mia Jannazzo Mia Jannazzo 5'10" | OH Waukesha West | 2026 State WI (Waukesha West), and Zoe Wockenfus Zoe Wockenfus 5'4" | DS/L Appleton East | 2026 State WI (Appleton East) were all impact athletes from the moment they stepped on the court.
They are coming off massive success on a national level.
These athletes have played on some of the biggest stages. Last year at USAV Girl’s Junior National Championships at the 14s level, Badger Region teams that these athletes played on had big finishes. Sting 14 Gold (Open) and Midwest Penguins 14 Elite (National) placed 11th in their respective divisions. Midwest Penguins 15 Black placed 5th in the Freedom Division. Sting 14 White won the national championship in the Patriot Division, and I AM Volleyball 14 Red placed 5th. These athletes will want to continue on with their success during this upcoming club season.
The future is bright!
I had a ton of fun watching these athletes during the high school season and at the Top 250 Expo. They play with maturity, passion, and athleticism. I can’t wait to watch them continue to have an impact both on a state and national level. Tournament season for club is right around the corner, and I am sure this list will only continue to grow as we get in the gym to watch them play.