Emerging Recruiting Classes to Watch at Triple Crown

I get excited to watch future recruiting classes come together at some of these mega events.  I can see what could potentially be when some of these athletes on different clubs are wearing the same jersey in a few years when they take the college courts.  At Prep Dig, we updated our 2023 national rankings  in January, will post our 2024s late  March, and release the initial 2025 national rankings in May prior to the opening of the summer live period and when coaches can talk to 2025s prior to the the June 15 date of when they can “officially” start the recruiting process.    Here are some up and coming recruiting classes who could be generating a lot of momentum heading into the 2023 live period.    <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://x.com/a5volleyball/status/1558581749143244800?s=20 </div></figure>   Michigan State.    Yes, the Green and White have a really solid start to their 2023 class where they have a little bit of everything as they look to make waves as a program on the rise in the Big Ten.  [player_tooltip player_id='201006' first='Mia' last='Hood'] headlines this Class of 2024 as a 6'6 middle blocker for A5 17 Jing, she is one of the top middle blockers with Dana Rettke like attributes.  Her team will be one of the favorites heading into the 17s Division this weekend.  [player_tooltip player_id='119694' first='Mya' last='Bolton'] of KC Power will be the hometown kid this weekend looking to help lead her squad to some important matches on day three.  With the 2024 Class that Michigan State has been building, they will be looking at some high level 2025s from their backyard with FaR Out, Legacy, and Michigan all having really strong classes.    <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://x.com/PrepDigTX/status/1495458647375294470?s=20 </div></figure>   USC    USC and UCLA moving into the Big Ten will make things very interesting where they can have conversations with these top athletes in the Midwest, knowing they will get to come back “home” to play in front of friends and families multiple times a season.  6'4 middle blocker Leah Ford will be playing for Drive Nation 18 Red who was second in this tournament in 2022.  They have already started building a dangerous class of 2024 commits that include [player_tooltip player_id='206148' first='Brooklyn' last='Tealer'] (Gainesville Juniors), [player_tooltip player_id='109597' first='Paisley' last='Douglas'] (VCN Nebraska), [player_tooltip player_id='142220' first='Favor' last='Anyanwu'] (TAV), and [player_tooltip player_id='142201' first='Jadyn' last='Livings'] (TAV).  These are high level athletes that have so much physicality.    <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://x.com/KingsleyATK/status/1495866502809100295?s=20 </div></figure>   LSU    The Tigers are trending way up with what they have picked up in the portal (Jade Demps from Wisconsin) along with some crazy good talent from the 2023 and 2024 classes.  [player_tooltip player_id='195475' first='Jurnee' last='Robinson'] of A5 is one of the most exciting athletes that will take the floor this weekend.  She can do some special things from the pin and could be an instant impact player in Baton Rouge. This comes at no surprise that the Texas connections will run strong for LSU.  They have two Drive Nation athletes coming in with [player_tooltip player_id='178685' first='Jessica' last='Jones'] and Brianna Watson along with [player_tooltip player_id='124144' first='Lainee' last='Pyles'] from Madfrog.  [player_tooltip player_id='171362' first='Aly' last='Kirkhoff'], one of the top liberos out of Indiana will head to LSU as well.    Oregon    What is interesting about Oregon is how they have a great blend of athletes from the West Coast and some of the best of the Midwest coming to play.  In the Class of 2023, there will be a really fun athlete for MN Select in [player_tooltip player_id='73495' first='Kate' last='Thibault'], one of the top liberos in the country.  [player_tooltip player_id='201009' first='Alex' last='Acevedo'] has been a Duck since junior high.  She will be a key player on an electric NPJ 18 Forefront team where they could eventually go head to head with another future Duck in [player_tooltip player_id='161450' first='Noemie' last='Glover'] from Coast who is a dominant 6'2 right side.  In the Class of 2024, find a way to watch [player_tooltip player_id='109603' first='Mia' last='Tvrdy'] out of Nebraska Premier 17 Gold - really athletic and springy where she will fit really well into the high tempo scheme of the Ducks along with another middle from 2024 in Anaya Thrower from Absolute.    <figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2023/02/DSC09231.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-321683" width="324" height="216"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Musick</figcaption></figure>   Florida International.    Yes, Florida International out of South Beach and Conference USA.  This program is picking up a ton of recruiting momentum and when your campus is on the beach, why not? [player_tooltip player_id='119724' first='Jillian' last='Huckabey'] is one of the top players out of the Kansas City area and could be an instant impact at FIU, same goes for another Midwest commit in setter [player_tooltip player_id='139283' first='Kaylee' last='Musick'] out of Mintonette.  Throw in gritty libero, [player_tooltip player_id='162766' first='Dakota' last='Conway'] and this team is going to be a perennial NCAA/Top 25 contender.    Auburn   For those in the Auburn locker room, the success was probably no surprise with the belief they had in their teams, but this has been a quick turn around for the Tigers and Coach Brent Crouch.  They were able to build plenty of momentum this past year where they had some very successful additions from the transfer portal and will be eager to get their 2024 class on campus.  At Triple Crown, they will have S/RS [player_tooltip player_id='187840' first='Kalei' last='Edson'] (HPSTL 17 Royal), [player_tooltip player_id='201023' first='Lauren' last='Dreves'] (OJVA), and [player_tooltip player_id='110524' first='Isabella' last='Humphrey'].     Notre Dame    The Fighting Irish at this time last year was in the process of filling a roster, establishing a staff, and getting their own team together to prep for the 2022 season.  They have a really solid Class of 2024 that will bring some size and physicality to South Bend starting with a middle blocking duo of [player_tooltip player_id='122475' first='Anna' last='Bjork'] (Milwaukee Sting) and [player_tooltip player_id='110282' first='Mallory' last='Bohl'] (Legacy).  Bjork has been a standout since she first stepped on the court where she has a great blend of athleticism, physicality, and finesse.  She knows how to be efficient while scoring a lot of points.  A huge addition will be local prospect [player_tooltip player_id='110486' first='Morgan' last='Gaerte'] who plays for Team Pineapple in Fort Wayne, Indiana.  Gaerter is a 6'5 outside hitter who could be an immediate impact player.  Notre Dame might be taking a look at another outside hitter in Team Pineapple in Addison Tindall who is a standout 2025 on the 16s squad.    <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://x.com/KingsleyATK/status/1619387728810094597?s=20 </div></figure>   Kansas   The Jayhawk stuff won't have far to go to see the top talent in the country this weekend going from Lawrence to Kansas City. They have a really strong 2024 class that will be competing in town that includes [player_tooltip player_id='150067' first='Heidi' last='Devers'] (Dynasty), [player_tooltip player_id='135950' first='Grace' last='Nelson'] (1st Alliance), [player_tooltip player_id='174733' first='Reese' last='Ptacek'] (Northern Lights), and [player_tooltip player_id='201016' first='Zoey' last='Burgess'] (Club V). Devers was a quick commit to Kansas last year right around June 15 while Nelson and Ptacek come from strong, traditional clubs out of Chicago and Minneapolis. Nelson is a solid six rotation athlete who can just hammer, she's looking to break fingers on the block. Ptacek has a blend of power and finesse where she finds a way to get it done offensively and defensively. Burgess will be a solid middle combo with Ptacek where she has a lot of length and power out of the middle. Club V always has tough teams who are going to compete come day two and three of national events.

I get excited to watch future recruiting classes come together at some of these mega events. I can see what could potentially be when some of these athletes on different clubs are wearing the same jersey in a few years when they take the college courts. At Prep Dig, we updated our 2023 national rankings in January, will post our 2024s late March, and release the initial 2025 national rankings in May prior to the opening of the summer live period and when coaches can talk to 2025s prior to the the June 15 date of when they can “officially” start the recruiting process.