Breaking Down the Top 5 in the Illinois 2026 Rankings

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I am so excited that the 2026 rankings are FINALLY live. This has been a long process, and I am amped that they are finally out into the world. Here is a break down of the Top 5 ranked athletes in Illinois!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["323932"],"_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":"Carolyn is an absolute beast of an athlete. She is aggressive at the net, has a lot of experience playing at a high level, and executes consistently. She can terminate at the net and swing over most blockers. Carolyn is going to be an absolutely incredible player and I can only see her continuing to elevate her game. She is a regular at the USAV NTDP and was the only 2026 named 4A 1st Team All-State.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_player":["323925"],"_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":"Nikolija is another athlete who has regularly played with the USAV NTDP. Historically, she has run a 5-1 on this talented 1st Alliance squad. Nikolija is a savvy setter who is hard to read, puts an incredibly fast tempo on the ball, and is not afraid to be aggressive. She does all of the little things right and runs the court like a pro. The more she plays, the more her volleyball IQ develops. She is incredibly smart with the ball and makes great connections with her hitters.","_player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_2_player":["328144"],"_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":"Haley is reliable, explosive, and competitive as a pin. She is clean in pass-to-attack and has the potential to be a very high-level 6-rotation player. She has great court awareness and a high volleyball IQ. Last season she played up an age division for Sports Performance 16 Elite. She has one of the most powerful cut shots I have seen at this level and can just as easily rip a ball down the line. Haley can also play on both pins making her absolutely lethal in a variety of positions.","_player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_3_player":["251333"],"_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":"Ellie can dish out absolute dime sets from anywhere on the court. She ran a 5-1 for Benet, who was 4A State Runner-Up this year. Ellie feeds her hitters incredibly well. She is fast, athletic, and has amazing court awareness. She sees the other side of the court well and holds a lot of blockers with her jump set. Ellie is a player to watch - she is already very talented and still has a deep well of potential to tap into as she continues to play.","_player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_4_player":["394615"],"_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":"Madison is an absolutely electric pin to watch. Her power is unmatched, and she seems to be able to place the ball with pinpoint precision. Madison elevates the game of everyone around her and she is an all-around athlete. This is a player who is only going to continue to impress. She has near-infinite potential and I cannot wait to see what she does this club season.","_player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":5,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-657de2c5b7c51"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->