Nebraska 2026 Rankings Update: The First Top 30

It's finally here. The Nebraska Class of 2026 watch list has morphed into an <a href="https://prepdig.com/nebraska/rankings/2026-rankings/">initial ranked top 30</a>--subject to many, many updates and revisions.   We're getting the most important point of this feature out of the way first: this is just the first step of many. It's impossible to get a complete grasp of a graduating class that is still midway through its sophomore season. Countless names will be added, and others on our watch list will rocket into the rankings before long. Consider this a preliminary glimpse at a handful of athletes who have excelled early and often on high school or club stages--or both.   This group of 30 has some nice variety, too. We have representation from big metros, small towns, an assortment of clubs, and everything in between. With this first pack of ranked players revealed, let's take a wholesale look at what we have so far.     Pins on Top   <figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2023/04/IMG_7532.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-367463" style="width:501px;height:334px" width="501" height="334" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">West competes with Premier Nebraska 15 Gold during the 2023 club season.</figcaption></figure>   It's not unusual to see a collection of pin hitters atop any set of volleyball rankings. Fans are used to that by now. When we were constructing this list, it was hard not to put these impactful all-around attackers at the top.   And the small-town representation here is fascinating. David City outside hitter [player_tooltip player_id='349479' first='Kamryn' last='Behrns'] occupies the #2 spot with the lefty attacker in the midst of a head-spinning sophomore campaign. Behrns is compiling an astonishing 5.3 kills per set for the Scouts and is nearly mustering a 0.300 hitting clip despite all that volume. Our high regard toward Behrns is also bolstered by her standout 2023 club season with [program_tooltip program_id='428743' first='VCNebraska' last=''], where she demonstrated six-rotation skills and the ability to adapt to either pin position.   [player_tooltip player_id='276202' first='Ashley' last='Beethe'] carries the torch for Johnson County Central at the #3 spot. She joins Behrns in the elite company of attackers with at least five kills per set this season. And, like Behrns, we already got a glimpse of Beethe's physical dominance when she competed with Nebraska Juniors this spring.   It's no surprise to see Malcolm's [player_tooltip player_id='275894' first='Halle' last='Dolliver'] among these two, either. Dolliver announced her presence on the high school stage last year by leading almost every Nebraska athlete in the kill category, regardless of class. She's somehow putting up even better numbers this season with a shocking 6.2 kills per set. Welcome to the spotlight.   But the player who garners our initial top spot is Omaha Skutt Catholic outside hitter [player_tooltip player_id='275935' first='Addison' last='West']. West was an instrumental part of Skutt Catholic's 2022 championship march as a freshman, but she's quickly embracing her role as the go-to attacker this year. Moreover, West is rapidly developing all-around skills that we saw flourish with Premier Nebraska during the club season. We can never say the door is closed on this class's top spot, but West gets the first nod.   We should also give a shoutout to [player_tooltip player_id='253923' first='Jalyn' last='Branson'], another small-town pin hitter who resides in the top ten. She is a game-changer for Shelton, and Branson also brought that impact to South Central NE earlier this year. The high-flying outside hitter catalyzed a GJNC run for that South Central team, instantly raising Branson's stock for these initial rankings.     Middles Galore   How about these middle blockers? The talent at this position is already turning heads in the Class of 2026.   [player_tooltip player_id='275936' first='Paighton' last='Erb'] kicks it off at #6. The Columbus prep star dazzled us with her termination off of one foot with Premier Nebraska. We've seen her flex positions somewhat on the high school side, but Erb's knack for scoring never wavers.   <figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2023/07/Lauren-Kuhlmann3.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-442838" style="width:501px;height:333px" width="501" height="333" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Kuhlmann serves at the 2023 Prep Dig Nebraska Stock Up Showcase.</figcaption></figure>   [player_tooltip player_id='396732' first='Payton' last='Sullivan'] is another one of those South Central NE breakout stars who is becoming a trendsetter among small-town teams. She's finding her groove as the go-to hitter for Hastings St. Cecilia, and Sullivan's performances against top competition at GJNC played a big role in her early ranking.   We can also put [player_tooltip player_id='276195' first='Makenzie' last='Wingett'] in this conversation despite her current designation as a pin hitter. Wingett thrived as a pin hitter for Nebraska Elite but is also tearing it up in the middle for Millard North. Future position designations are subject to review here.   Premier Nebraska gets a few other middles on the board with [player_tooltip player_id='253907' first='Avery' last='White'], [player_tooltip player_id='253934' first='Scotlyn' last='Erwin'], and [player_tooltip player_id='184283' first='Alicia' last='Johansen'] joining the crew. Of course, we also see positional flexibility with White and Johansen seeing plenty of reps at opposite during their club careers. These multi-position standouts will remain a highlight of the 2026 rankings.   Small towns are back yet again with names like [player_tooltip player_id='275967' first='Taryn' last='Arbuthnot'], [player_tooltip player_id='276204' first='Laney' last='Dahlberg'], and [player_tooltip player_id='349486' first='Lauren' last='Kuhlmann'] climbing into our top 30. This group is seriously stacked.     A Few Other Trends   We'll give you a few other quick points to consider.   The Omaha metro puts two liberos in the top eleven with [player_tooltip player_id='275896' first='Kami' last='Dyrstad'] and [player_tooltip player_id='349404' first='Lily' last='Zimmerman'] heading up the position. Both of these stars also represent Premier Nebraska on the club side.   Setters will be a point of emphasis as we add to the rankings and reshuffle the order. It's hard to start as an underclassman setter, and we see that here. Still, special talents like [player_tooltip player_id='276201' first='Myla' last='Emery'] and [player_tooltip player_id='219728' first='Sydney' last='Hengelfelt'] are repping the setter spot well.   As we look to expand the numerical rankings, we have a huge pool of players to choose from already. Though it's early, we've managed to compile about 200 total names between the rankings and the watch list below. We're in awe of all the standout athletes we've watched already, and there's clearly still a lot to sort out.   Join us for that journey.

It's finally here. The Nebraska Class of 2026 watch list has morphed into an initial ranked top 30--subject to many, many updates and revisions.