Nebraska 2026 Rankings Update: New Additions (Part 3)
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We have one more wave of new additions to cover. It has been quite a journey. Over the past few weeks, we have added dozens of Nebraska athletes to our database across multiple classes. That includes the athletes mentioned in…
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Continue ReadingWe have one more wave of new additions to cover. It has been quite a journey.
Over the past few weeks, we have added dozens of Nebraska athletes to our database across multiple classes. That includes the athletes mentioned in Part 1 and Part 2 of our feature series on the 2026 rankings, which will bookend our mid-season updates. However, there are still a few more players to cover, so we’re back to finish the trilogy.
Sauser has certainly demonstrated her readiness for the varsity stage this year. Her savvy distribution at the setter spot has yielded over eight assists per set for her 22-2 Wildcat team. Wallace High School has been particularly strong against its Class D2 district rivals, which bodes well for Sauser’s potential postseason appearance.
Time to go on a run of liberos. Schmidt starts us off as she’s in the midst of another stat-stuffing season with Silver Lake. She’s racking up five digs per set, which is on par with Schmidt’s output in last year’s freshman campaign. That kind of consistent excellence will likely give rise to some impressive career totals when Schmidt becomes an upperclassman.
We’re going all the way to Gordon-Rushville for our next libero. Slama is another athlete who has been churning out big numbers since 2022, so it was only a matter of time until she entered our watch list. She has a career average over five digs per set and has anchored the Mustang backcourt en route to a winning effort this year. There’s still plenty of room to grow, and Slama will keep progressing in the coming years.
Battle Creek is having a strong 2023 season, and Smutny’s production at libero has a lot to do with it. The sophomore stands out on film right away for her ability to take up a large chunk of the court in serve receive. And, when the Braves need some quality defensive touches, Smutny always seems to know where opposing hitters are targeting their attacks. Everything has come together for Battle Creek to have a lethal first-ball offense with Smutny locking down the initial touch.
Svoboda has done a little bit of everything for Aquinas High this year. That includes setting, attacking, and accumulating her share of digs in the backcourt. All-around contributions will remain a storyline as Aquinas looks for a foundation to build around for future seasons.