2024 Top 150 – Conference Recruiting Trends, Top Classes

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The volleyball landscape is changing.&nbsp; With new conference realignment, especially with additions to the Big 12 and Big 10, we are seeing the “Power Five” conferences continuing to land the top recruits.&nbsp; Here is part one of a deep dive into the Class of 2024 and where the top athletes are heading to play their college volleyball.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Top 150 Athletes Breakdown By Conference</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:table --> <figure class="wp-block-table"><table><tbody><tr><td></td><td>Class of 2023</td><td>Class of 2024</td></tr><tr><td>Big 10</td><td>32</td><td>32</td></tr><tr><td>SEC</td><td>28</td><td>25</td></tr><tr><td>ACC</td><td>23</td><td>15</td></tr><tr><td>Big 12</td><td>21</td><td>14</td></tr><tr><td>Pac 12</td><td>21</td><td>9</td></tr></tbody></table></figure> <!-- /wp:table --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The patterns are staying the same in regards to the Class of 2023 and 2024 as to which conferences they are heading to. Here are some items to note:&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list {"type":"rich"} --> <ul type="rich"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>The Class of 2023 was most recently updated at the end of January 2023 where there were very few athletes who were not committed.&nbsp; There is still a handful of athletes in the top 150 from the Class of 2024 who are uncommitted.&nbsp;</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:list {"type":"rich"} --> <ul type="rich"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>For the Class of 2023 and 2024, I did include BYU, Cincinnati, Houston, and UCF in with the Big 12 and put the Texas and Oklahoma commits in with the SEC.&nbsp; At the time of the of the 2023 rankings the USC and UCLA deal was still up in the air.&nbsp; I included commits to UCLA and USC in the Big 10 for the Class of 2024.&nbsp; These athletes will come in as freshmen competing for these two schools in the Big Ten Conference (still wrapping my brain around that).&nbsp;</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:list {"type":"rich"} --> <ul type="rich"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>There are still 28 uncommitted athletes in the Top 150 from the Class of 2024.&nbsp;</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:list {"type":"rich"} --> <ul type="rich"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>The Class of 2024&nbsp; will head into college where it will be the last year of the “Covid Year” meaning they will be freshmen with potential 5th year players who had their freshman season in the spring of 2021.&nbsp; What I am noticing across the board is that a lot of the recruiting classes in 2024 are much smaller than those in 2023.&nbsp; There still could be coaches waiting on scholarships with current athletes opting for a fifth year or even saving them for the transfer portal.&nbsp;&nbsp;</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>What Programs Are Trending High With The Class of 2024?&nbsp;</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I will have a more indepth look into recruiting classes next week, but taking a glance at the number of athletes committed to certain schools there are definitely trends that pop out with some familiar programs, but also some new programs who are definitely going to be a force with this incoming Class of 2024.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Programs With 5 Athletes In Top 150 of 2024</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Florida</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>To see these two programs at the top when it comes to the number of athletes coming in the top 150 is not unusual.&nbsp; Florida also brought in a very talented Class in 2023 and have followed up nicely in 2024.&nbsp; The Gators will have two of the top middles in the country from this class in [player_tooltip player_id='124153' first='Jaela' last='Auguste'] from Houston Skyline and [player_tooltip player_id='139280' first='Alec' last='Rothe'] of EliteVBTC out of Columbus, OH.&nbsp; They will both train with the USA U19 group that will be looking for a spot on the team that will compete at the Pan Am Cup in Puerto Rico in May.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://x.com/PrepDigChris/status/1507769797337096204?s=20","type":"rich","providerNameSlug":"twitter","responsive":true} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://x.com/PrepDigChris/status/1507769797337096204?s=20 </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Ohio State</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"align":"right","id":306538,"width":256,"height":171,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2023/01/DSC09245.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-306538" width="256" height="171"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">[player_tooltip player_id='114599' first='Reese' last='Wuebker']</figcaption></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Ohio State is led by one of the top outsides in the county in [player_tooltip player_id='180288' first='Emerson' last='Sellman'] out of Metro (DC).&nbsp; She has a huge upside with her length on the pin and could be an early impact Big Ten player.&nbsp; The Buckeye staff went out and got a top player at each position.&nbsp; [player_tooltip player_id='108666' first='Kaia' last='Caffee'], the physical middle blocker who has been a standout at MN Select, [player_tooltip player_id='124215' first='Olivia' last='Hasbrook'] of Rockwood Thunder who is a top libero out of St. Louis, [player_tooltip player_id='114599' first='Reese' last='Wuebker'] is a high flying outside from just outside the Dayton area, and [player_tooltip player_id='139272' first='Abby' last='Yoder'] who has been the main setter for NKYVC and has always found a way to win - including the 2023 Triple Crown title.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Michigan</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>New Head Coach Erin Virtue has inherited a really talented Class of 2024 from Michigan.&nbsp; She will have two of the top outsides in the country right out of the heart of Big Ten country in [player_tooltip player_id='135954' first='Ellie' last='White'] (1st Alliance) and [player_tooltip player_id='122483' first='Ella' last='Demetrician'] (FC Elite).&nbsp; White has always been one of the top players in Illinois and won a large class state title at Mother McAuley this past fall.&nbsp; Demetrician has risen another level with her game in&nbsp; Wisconsin, she is starting to take over matches at the 18 Open level where she is scoring points from every rotation.&nbsp; FC Elite earned an 18 Open bid at MEQ where they were a final four finisher in 18 Open in 2022 where Demetrician has played 18 Open since her 15s year. The class rounds out with [player_tooltip player_id='162773' first='Jenna' last='Hanes'] from Wave, [player_tooltip player_id='124130' first='Camille' last='Edwards'] from TAV, and [player_tooltip player_id='110494' first='Lauren' last='Evans'] of Munciana.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Programs With 4 Athletes In Top 150 of 2024</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"align":"right","id":368175,"width":275,"height":183,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2023/04/DSC01351.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-368175" width="275" height="183"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">[player_tooltip player_id='135950' first='Grace' last='Nelson']</figcaption></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Kansas</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Rock Chalk Jayhawk!&nbsp; Kansas has entered the chat as having a top recruiting class with four athletes in the top 150 coming to Lawrence.&nbsp; The Big 12 is going to be loaded.&nbsp; Oklahoma and Texas are on their way out, but bringing in these new programs and Kansas bringing in a top recruiting class will make things very interesting.&nbsp; There is a ton of firepower in this group starting with [player_tooltip player_id='135950' first='Grace' last='Nelson'] who is dynamite out of Chicagoland, playing for one of the top clubs in the country in 1st Alliance.&nbsp; Middle blocking duo [player_tooltip player_id='201016' first='Zoey' last='Burgess'] (Club V) and [player_tooltip player_id='174733' first='Reese' last='Ptacek'] (Northern Lights) are extremely physical and dynamic where they can really diversify an offensive scheme.&nbsp; [player_tooltip player_id='168151' first='Kenzie' last='Dean'] out of West Des Moines will be coming in as an outside hitter who has a really high ceiling and could be a dangerous factor in her career at KU.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->