New names to know from the Prep Dig Expo
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One of the fun things about the expo is you get to see players you may not know as much about coming into the day. These are frankly players I don’t know much about after the high school and previous…
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Continue ReadingOne of the fun things about the expo is you get to see players you may not know as much about coming into the day. These are frankly players I don’t know much about after the high school and previous club seasons. So it’s also a practice to try to talk about players who I just don’t know. Here are some players who stood out where I had little intel about them coming into the day.
Lexi Blaine Lexi Blaine 5'3" | DS/L Mill Valley | 2027 State KS – S/DS – Mill Valley/ Dynasty – 2027
Blaine stood out to me primarily as a back-row defender. What alerted me first to her play was how vocal she was on the court. She took control of balls anywhere within her reach and kept the floor clean. She displayed some of her skills as a setter as well but could see her becoming a college prospect as a defender.
Ainsley Aten Ainsley Aten 5'6" | DS/L Spring Hill | 2027 State KS – DS/L – Spring Hill/ Dynasty 2027
I know one of my colleagues spoke about her on social media but Aten caught my eye as well. She was one of the more accurate passers on the day and also showed strong hands as a defender. You see a level of intensity in her you like to see in your libero.
Siree Ridder Siree Ridder 5'8" | OH Olathe West | 2026 State KS – OH – Olathe West/Mavs – 2026
The thing that impressed me most about Ridder was her ability to take high-quality swings from both pins in drill work and live competition. She wasn’t afraid to let it rip and found success in the attack. Her shot selection, deciding when to take something off or tooling the block shows her confidence and experience.
Shaylee Howard – MB – Bentonville/Ozark Jrs. – 2026
It’s obvious I don’t know much about Howard…she’s from Arkansas. However, her lateral movement at the net stood out as a blocker. Watching her send a block back from the middle and then quickly transitioning to a pin to get another block touch was fun to watch.
Addyson Staples Addyson Staples 5'8" | OH Park Hill | 2026 State MO – OH – Park Hill/ Dynasty – 2026
I like unselfish players. That is what drew my attention to Staples. She came in and did most of her work from the outside but had no problem jumping into 6 on 6 action in the middle when they didn’t have any middle. And because of this, I was able to watch her and admire her play. She has good arm action on her swing and takes a good approach to attack. As a pin, I thought she was consistent in the passing game and had good footwork to prepare to swing.
Cate McCullough – RS – Incarnate Word/ Rockwood Thunder – 2026
McCullough stood out with her heavy arm. She was one of the few pure opposites in the building and I was impressed with her ability to score in bunches with a variety of shots.
Alana Donoho Alana Donoho 5'4" | DS/L Junction City | 2027 State KS – DS/L – Junction City/Momentum – 2027
The littles don’t get enough love but I keep my eye out for them. Donoho jumped on my radar because her block coverage was next level. The number of balls she kept off the floor due to being in the right spot and staying low is a difference-maker.
Briella Hendrick – DS/L – Derby/Shockwave – 2027
After getting her name corrected on the roster, Hendrick followed by showing her defensive playmaking abilities along the back row. I like how she reads the hitters to position herself and see what’s going on in front of her. This allowed her to anticipate shot locations and get to tips with ease. She is a player who can easily anchor the defense behind the block for many teams.
Lucy Anderson Lucy Anderson 5'7" | OH Frontenac | 2026 State KS – OH – Frontenac/MVP – 2026
With very few true right sides and tons of pins, sometimes your best evaluations come where you didn’t expect them. That’s the case with Anderson. She caught my eye with her swings on the right side and made enough of an impact to make it in my notepad. What she displayed was she could score regardless of where she was on the court.
Zorianna Turner Zorianna Turner 5'9" | OH Wichita Heights | 2026 State KS – OH – Wichita Heights/Alpha – 2026
Turner stood out to me because she is quick off the ground. She used that to her advantage and was able to avoid the block on numerous occasions throughout the morning. She is another play who displayed power behind her attacks and has a lively arm.