Class of 2026 Heating Up – Who’s Building Recruiting Momentum?
They aren’t the little freshmen anymore, this isn’t their first time around. The Class of 2026 is finishing up their sophomore year of high school and will be looking to build some momentum heading into their 16s year for club. …
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Continue ReadingThey aren’t the little freshmen anymore, this isn’t their first time around. The Class of 2026 is finishing up their sophomore year of high school and will be looking to build some momentum heading into their 16s year for club. Let’s take a look at some top 2026 athletes and what they are up to their high school season.
Halle Thompson – Grand Oaks (TX) – Houston Skyline
Outside Hitter
Thompson was someone I first saw at the Northern Lights Qualifier last club season and was really fun to watch her and her teammates throughout the qualifier season into nationals. This high school season for Grand Oaks, she is averaging 4.2 kills per set and a hitting efficiency of .312. She’s not the only one of this team putting up big numbers for one of the top teams not only in Texas, but the entire country. The other outside on her squad is Pitt commit Samara Coleman and Jaela Auguste who spent some time with the USAV teams this summer and fall, she’s heading to Florida.
Henley Anderson – Dripping Springs (TX) – Austin Skyline
Outside Hitter
Anderson was another one I saw at Northern Lights, in fact she was going head to head with Halle Thompson. The way Anderson could move along with her physicality and athleticism was special for someone their 15s year. She attacks with a violent swing where even if the block gets a touch, its tough to contain, same with the backrow. She will be heading over to Austin Skyline for this upcoming club season where its going to be a heavy dose of Skyline from across the state of Texas at the top of the national rankings. She is averaging nearly five kills per set for Dripping Springs High School who is 41-3 with a rugged schedule.
Kayla Nwabueze – Bloomfield Hills (MI) – Legacy
Middle Blocker
Newbueze is one of the most physical middle blockers in the country. Seeing her move along the front line, she works extremely hard to close the block to then transition to be available to attack. She was a key part of a Legacy team that was one of the tops at the 15s level all of 2023. So far for her Bloomfield Hills high school squad out of the Detroit area she is averaging 4.2 kills per set and 80 total blocks – and lets give some respect to the middles and mention she is averaging just over 2 digs per set as well!
Gabby DiVita – Grosse Pt. South (MI) – Legacy
Outside Hitter
I feel like DiVita should be a graduating senior ready to head off to college. I say that with sarcasm because she was a high impact player in 2022 as a 14 year old playing up with Nebraska commit, Campbell Flynn for the Legacy 15s team. DiVita has been on the radar of college coaches the past two seasons (at least) at will be able to officially chat about recruiting June 15, 2024. Will she be the next Legacy athlete to head to Nebraska following Harper Murray and Campbell Flynn? I wouldn’t rule that out. For Grosse Pt. South in Michigan she’s putting up gaudy numbers with over five kills per set and hitting .443.
Addie Haberthy – Roncalli (Indianapolis, IN) – Circle City
Setter
I watched Circle City 15 Purple throughout the season and they continued to get better each time they took the court. One of their key players was Addie Haberthy who is a dynamic setter who can do a little bit of everything. She receives the ball high and neutral where she can go anywhere to her attackers. At Roncalli out of Indianapolis, she is the QB1 where she has nearly 700 assists, good for 8.3 assists per set. Roncalli is the second ranked team behind national power Hamilton Southeastern. One of Haberthy’s top targets is Oregon commit in Logan Bell who is one of the most dynamic athletes in the country.
Reese Resmer – Noblesville (IN) – Boiler Juniors
Middle Blocker
Watch out for the Resmer sisters. Older sister Riley Resmer is a senior and has committed to Harvard, while Reese Resmer from the Class fo 2026 is tearing it up as well on the front line. She has been part of a really stacked Boiler Juniors team who has won plenty of big events as a group. So far this high school season she is averaging 2.4 kills per set with a blistering .438 hitting percentage along with 60 blocks. What is different about Resmer’s game is that she has the length, but her speed and athleticism is just different compared to other middle blockers in the Class of 2026.
Layli Ostovar – Mater Dei (CA) – Mizuno Long Beach
Outside Hitter
Absolutely electric. Ostovar is dynamite from pin with a loose arm and quite the snap that allows her to hit high and deep. The other side of the net has to defend the whole court against her. Playing for Mater Dei is a feat in itself where they are one of the top high school programs in the country who has one of the toughest schedules out there competing against other top teams in California and even Texas. Ostovar is averaging three kills per set for a really well balanced team that is 34-2 overall.
Ayanna Watson – Bishop Gorman (NV) – Vegas Aces
Outside Hitter
Ayanna Watson will be another athlete in the conversation to be among one of the top pins in the country coming out of the Class of 2026. She is averaging over five kills per set for Bishop Gorman who much like Mater Dei plays the top teams in the country. Their losses have come to top teams in Texas, Florida, Arizona, and California. I don’t have any metrics to back this up, but from the eye test she might be touching and contacting higher than anyone in the country – she is different. I am really impressed by how smoothly she can transition from blocking or defense into an attacking approach, so fluid and well trained. She will be a high priority for any team, but with conference realignment, I’m sure the West Coast schools heading to the Big 10 would love to have her on the roster.