Right Sides are the Bright Sides in the Class of 2026

The Class of 2026 comes loaded with right side hitters who bring impressive length to the game. In club ball right sides are more prevalent because teams prefer to run 6'2"'s and rotate them in with the setters. This gives playing time to four players covering just two positions. Most colleges and some high schools run a 5/1 and may have just one right side, who remains in the game for all six rotations to create additional offense in the back row.   Below are some of the more talented right sides from the class of 2026 who definitely should appear on the radar.    [player_tooltip player_id='210539' first='Emma' last='Gardner'], [player_tooltip player_id='301696' first='Nadiya' last='Johnson'] and [player_tooltip player_id='220923' first='Soleil' last='Rancourt'] (Metro - pictured above) - All three of these players stand 6'1" or greater. It doesn't matter who they put at the position, the hitting will be powerful and the blocking strong. Without a doubt any of the three can play left side, although Metro fills that position with two talented players as well. Finding playing time for five players for four positions is always a challenge.   Emma at 6'2" provides the greatest length. She hit right and left side for Woodson High, performing well enough to earn second team honors in the Patriot League as a frosh. She played all six rotations when lined up to play left side. The Capitol Hill Classic also voted her the top blocker in the 15 Open Division. Soleil played for Patriot high school, earning honors on the second team for the Cedar Run District. For Patriot she played right side while her older sister hit from the left side.   Finally, Nadiya plays for North Point High in Waldorf. This is her first year of playing travel ball. Last year she played club for Southern Maryland. As with most 15s her hitting can be a little inconsistent, but when she makes good contact with the ball it can find the floor fast. She also brings a 10'4" reach at the net, making it difficult for hitters to spike balls past her block. More importantly, she brings powerful athleticism to the position.    [player_tooltip player_id='238341' first='Teodora' last='Stamenkovic'] and [player_tooltip player_id='238851' first='Piper' last='Xeller'] (Paramount) - Both play middle for their high schools, Tea for Bishop O'Connell and Piper for Herndon High. For Paramount the duo slide to the right side.   Tea has incredible wrist snap that allows her to hit balls in front of the three meter line. Her 6'1" height and long arm span allow her to reach close to 10 feet. Piper stands just under 6 feet. Her hitting does yet reach the explosiveness of Tea, but she can still find the court with regularity. She stands just under 6 foot and has a reach of 9'2". Both bring a strong block to the right side and are still developing their pin skills.   [player_tooltip player_id='320813' first='Callie' last='Hose'] and [player_tooltip player_id='309032' first='Samantha' last='Stephens'] (Blue Ridge) - The 5'8" Callie plays for Clear Springs High, the Class 1 Maryland State champion for 2022. She plays six rotations and is considered the top passer on the Blue Ridge team. Samantha swings lefthanded and at 6'3" carries great length. She mixes in a little middle and right side play depending on the needs of the team. As with many players who go from middle to outside her hits from the middle remain more consistent, perhaps due to the lower height of the sets. Timing from the pins remains one of the hardest skills to master.   [player_tooltip player_id='325601' first='Sydnee' last='Peters'] and Fallen Gyapong (MVSA Charge) - MVSA Charge has opened some eyes with their strong play in tournaments this year. Their two right sides take a lot of credit for that. Sydnee brings the left handed swing to the position. At 5'8" and 5'9" both would be considered small for the position, especially when you consider this list. Good verticals get them high over the net where their arm extensions allow them to hit the ball to the floor. Additionally, they seem to do a good job of finding the open area of the court and avoiding the block.   [player_tooltip player_id='249294' first='Teagan' last='Emdadi'] (East Coast) - She hit right side for First Colonial. In the finals of the Class 5 Virginia State championships she stood out as one of the key attackers for First Colonial. They ultimately lost to Midlothian but Teagan proved to be a force from the right side. East Coast lists her as outside/opposite. In high school she brings a powerful swing to the right side. For East Coast I have yet to see her play. Video shows her hitting mostly left side, but regardless of the position she brings a strong swing to the pin. Lastly, her 5'8" height would need to spike to improve her effectiveness at either pin.   [player_tooltip player_id='238857' first='Julie' last='Xu'] (VAVA) - For Oakton Julie played right side. She shined at the position, consistently putting balls to the floor. VAVA lists her as a setter. That may be her future position. At 5'11" she carries the height to put up a good block on the right side. She also can put the ball away.

The Class of 2026 comes loaded with right side hitters who bring impressive length to the game. In club ball right sides are more prevalent because teams prefer to run 6'2"'s and rotate them in with the setters. This gives playing time to four players covering just two positions. Most colleges and some high schools run a 5/1 and may have just one right side, who remains in the game for all six rotations to create additional offense in the back row.