Future Leaders: 2026s We’d Like to See in Next Year’s Postseason

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>How about one for the juniors-to-be?</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Recently, we featured a <a href="https://prepdig.com/2023/11/next-in-line-2025s-wed-like-to-see-in-next-years-postseason/">group of 2025s</a>--or next year's seniors--that have a chance to lead their team to a breakout tournament appearance in 2024. It's only fair that we do the same for the 2026s, which will join the ranks of the upperclassmen a year from now. Time flies.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Nebraska is full of future junior leaders who are ready to elevate their high school programs to the next level. Here are a few of our picks.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["276195"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"Millard North's flashes of brilliance in 2023 could be the precursor to the program's restored contender status in Class A. It also helps to have a dominant middle blocker who is set up for multiple years of future success. Wingett has dazzled us on the club side by terminating at just about every frontcourt position imaginable. Her niche with the Mustangs was in the middle, where she tallied two-and-a-half kills per set on a solid 0.259 clip. Expect another uptick in production next year.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_player":["292243"],"_player_evaluations_1_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"Youth was a major theme of Elkhorn South's 2023 roster, so their inclusion in a Class of 2026 feature almost seems inevitable. Bartling broke out this fall and led the Storm with 2.9 kills per set. Her all-around abilities were evident during the club season, and that immediately translated to an Elkhorn South team looking for new trendsetters. This 2026 outside hitter can do even more as an upperclassman.","_player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_2_player":["349476"],"_player_evaluations_2_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_2_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_2_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"Pin hitters will do some serious heavy lifting for Crete next year. Eggerling has asserted herself into that conversation with 2.4 kills per set in her sophomore seasonu002du002da huge jump from her freshman debut. There's likely some extra motivation in play with the Cardinals barely missing out on this year's Class B bracket.","_player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_3_player":["349479"],"_player_evaluations_3_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_3_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_3_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"Surely we have to include one of Nebraska's most prolific terminators in any class. Behrns is credited with a whopping 472 total kills this year and helped David City grind out a winning record in a stacked Class C1. The physical lefty can play on either pin and excel. Now, it's time to see if Behrns and the Scouts can take the next step and challenge C1 powerhouses that return a ton of talent.","_player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_4_player":["298712"],"_player_evaluations_4_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_4_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_4_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"Columbus Lakeview has made some postseason noise in recent years, and Rowe can help get the Vikings back in that position. She exploded onto our radar this season with over three kills per set on an equally notable 0.285 hitting efficiency. This is a huge breakout for Rowe, who seized the moment after only seeing four sets of action as a freshman. Now, one of C1's most efficient hitters will hope to Lakeview's postseason presence.","_player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_5_player":["275895"],"_player_evaluations_5_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_5_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_5_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_5_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_5_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_5_evaluation":"DeJonge has been the ultimate team player during her prep career at Adams Central. She started out playing primarily as a defensive specialist and helped lock down a strong Patriot backcourt. She transitioned to a six-rotation role as a sophomore and put down 2.4 kills per set in the front row. DeJonge's defensive impact didn't waver, either. After watching DeJonge thrive during the club season, we felt like this big surge was coming. Time to bring that same energy in 2024.","_player_evaluations_5_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_6_player":["464897"],"_player_evaluations_6_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_6_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_6_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_6_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_6_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_6_evaluation":"Lubben deserves a lot more hype after a strong 2023 season for Johnson County Central. She compiled 3.1 kills per set on a 0.334 clip, one of the highest hitting efficiency in Class C2. The Thunderbirds knew how to get plenty of touches to their high-volume hitters, and that should allow Lubben to sustain her big numbers as a junior. Will it be enough to bring JCC to the tournament hunt? The pieces are certainly in place.","_player_evaluations_6_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_7_player":["219728"],"_player_evaluations_7_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_7_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_7_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_7_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_7_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_7_evaluation":"Hengelfelt has been on the championship stage before. She set the Cross County offense to a postseason trip as a freshman, making her an early standout in the Class of 2026. This fall offered a slightly different look with Hengelfelt taking a greater volume of swings as a pin hitter—similar to her dual role on the club side. Regardless of which niche Hengelfelt carries, she is bound to be a player to watch in the small-town scene.","_player_evaluations_7_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_8_player":["275965"],"_player_evaluations_8_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_8_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_8_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_8_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_8_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_8_evaluation":"We might as well bring on another player who has seen the postseason stage before. Perdew entered the spotlight as a freshman with Nebraska Christian and competed in the state tournament as one of the team's starting outside hitters. After that successful debut, Perdew elevated her attacking numbers with 2.6 kills per set on a 0.205 efficiency. Sustaining this output will be a huge factor in getting the Eagles back to the tournament, a place where they've kept showing up over the past few years.","_player_evaluations_8_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_9_player":["464782"],"_player_evaluations_9_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_9_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_9_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_9_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_9_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_9_evaluation":"Dorchester enjoyed a winning season in Class D1 this year, and this pin hitter deserves a lot of praise for her output in the breakout effort. Theis produced three-and-a-half kills per set and brought a heavy arm that few teams could stop. Her attacking range gave the Longhorns a clear outlet and sideout situations, and Theis was not afraid to become that go-to as a sophomore. It's scary to think how much stronger she could become as an upperclassman.","_player_evaluations_9_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_10_player":["464717"],"_player_evaluations_10_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_10_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_10_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_10_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_10_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_10_evaluation":"Bstandig was a recent addition to our Class of 2026 watch list, and it all starts with her soaring efficiency numbers from the 2023 season. The Humboldt-Table Rock-Steinauer middle blocker posted a 0.230 hitting efficiency on the season and coupled that with about half a block per set. The Titans were right in the Class D2 conversation all the way down to this year's district finals. Bstandig is coming back to finish the job next year.","_player_evaluations_10_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_11_player":["464723"],"_player_evaluations_11_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_11_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_11_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_11_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_11_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_11_evaluation":"Hay Springs is no stranger to volume scorers, and the Hawks have another one coming through the pipeline. Turman terminated over three times per set this fall, but her impact is not limited to frontcourt attacking. She's also a talented setter who can take command of the offense during her backcourt rotations. This gave the the Hawks a variety of lineup options that will make the team more formidable in 2024.","_player_evaluations_11_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":12,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6562e8ccde279"} /-->