What 2026s Could Have Unique Recruiting Journey?

The high school season is finishing up and the club season is on the deck. Teams are being finalized and college coaches will start to keep an eye on the Class of 2026 athletes who will be able to officially start their recruiting process June 15, 2024. The athletes below are ones who could be used in a variety of ways at the college level. They might play multiple positions where they are a standout attacker for their high school team, but a different position for their club team. Their skill set is versatile. How will they be utilized? Let's take a look at some athletes who have a unique skill set.   <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/1724153732844105997?s=20 </div></figure>    [player_tooltip player_id='277430' first='Peyton' last='Carlson'] of Waupaca, WI came into high school with plenty of anticipation where she was coming off being named MVP of the 16 National Division playing two age groups up.  She was most recently named D2 1st Team All State, averaging nearly six kills per set while hitting over .300.  She is one of the top attackers in the state.  However, she is also one of the top liberos.  She was the libero for [program_tooltip program_id='428591' first='FC' last='Elite'] 18 Elite out of Appleton as a freshman.  She will be in the same position for [program_tooltip program_id='428591' first='FC' last='Elite'] 18 Elite who will head into the 2024 club season with a lot of promise with a team full of highly talented D1 commits.  It is hard to believe Carlson is only a sophomore.  In her recruiting process there will be plenty of schools interested in her where she could be a libero or outside hitter.  She would probably do really well if she wanted to pursue the beach route as well.     The top prospect in the Class of 2026 in Iowa is [player_tooltip player_id='389079' first='Bailey' last='Boeve'] from Hinton High School outside of Sioux City.  She won a 16 USA national championship with MVP United 16s where she was the top player, playing on a age group above.  This past high school season, she led Hinton to a Class 2A Runner Up finish while being the only sophomore on the Elite All State Team for all classes.  What makes Boeve unique?  She is a six rotation middle blocker who does everything.  She can serve receive, pass, and is terminal from everywhere (including the backrow).  I saw Boeve as a freshman and again this summer, but seeing her live at the Iowa State Tournament, she was different.  The ball sounded different when she swung and she was contacting at another level.  In college, does she move to the pin?  A six rotation right side?  There are so many possibilities.     [player_tooltip player_id='261075' first='Kaelyn' last='Wieland'] is a top five prospect in the Class of 2026 from West Des Moines Valley.  As a freshman, I saw her take on the state tournament as a setter/right side.  At our Iowa Top 250, she was a pure playmaker who did a little bit of everything. She can set, score, and make positive things happen.  This past state tournament, she was a six rotation outside for West Des Moines Valley and I was really impressed with her defense from passing to serve receive.  The game flows so naturally to her.  She will have an interesting process at the next level because she is well skilled in plenty of positions.  I can assume she will be a setter this upcoming club season for PowerPlex, but she's an athlete who is going to make a lot of programs better.     A triple double machine, [player_tooltip player_id='247272' first='Sari' last='Marks'] is one of the more dynamic players in Wisconsin.  She plays for Sting United out of the Madison area where her squad was a gold bracket team.  At 6'0, Marks can swing on the outside, right side, and set.  She has plenty of length and physicality where she makes it happen. This past high school season at Sun Prairie West she had 230 kills, over 200 digs, and over 250 assists.  This Sting United team will be really exciting this season with some top Madison area athletes. Marks will be a key part of this squad where she can be used in multiple ways. Another athlete who is a dynamic player is [player_tooltip player_id='249623' first='Addie' last='Oeth'] who sets and swings as well.     6'2, long, dynamic - Christianson out of Lakeville North High School in the south suburbs of Minneapolis can help her team in plenty of ways.  When I saw her play live last July at USAV nationals, Christianson was setting for her Northern Lights 15s team.  This past high school season she was a 1st Team AAAA All State pick.  I am really excited to see her take the club courts in 2024, leading up to what will be an exciting recruiting process.     Naeve is another one who could go multiple routes at the next level.  This past season, Naeve had 600 kills, being named Class 2A 3rd Team All State.  She was third overall for total kills in all classes in Iowa.  Naeve could pursue the libero route at the next level where she has seen success for the Iowa All Star program as well.  She's extremely athletic, she is gritty, and the state schools in Iowa love to take the small school Iowa athletes and mold them into big time college players.

The high school season is finishing up and the club season is on the deck. Teams are being finalized and college coaches will start to keep an eye on the Class of 2026 athletes who will be able to officially start their recruiting process June 15, 2024. The athletes below are ones who could be used in a variety of ways at the college level. They might play multiple positions where they are a standout attacker for their high school team, but a different position for their club team. Their skill set is versatile. How will they be utilized? Let's take a look at some athletes who have a unique skill set.