Nebraska’s Standout 2026 Attackers at Triple Crown NIT
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We’re starting to see what the Class of 2026 is made of. When we traveled to last month’s Northern Lights Qualifier, the 16s age group was the odd one out in the Minneapolis bid race. That left us wondering what…
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Continue ReadingWe’re starting to see what the Class of 2026 is made of.
When we traveled to last month’s Northern Lights Qualifier, the 16s age group was the odd one out in the Minneapolis bid race. That left us wondering what many of Nebraska’s top 2026s would bring to the national stage this year. A few of those lingering questions were answered at Triple Crown NIT.
The Class of 2026 proved its readiness to handle the big stage. That’s especially true with Nebraska’s high-flying attackers, and we’re ready to highlight a few of them here.
Even after all that talk about the 16s in the intro, we’re starting with the 17s. We’ve documented Behrns’ move up to VCNebraska 17 Elite, and her role with the team keeps expanding. Most notably, the lefty pin hitter has seemed to find her niche at opposite after playing on both pins a year ago. Behrns bolsters what is already a stacked frontcourt full of talented 2025s, so keep an eye on 17 Elite at future qualifiers.
Of course, we have so many more talented 2026s to address with the 16s. We’ll start with Scheer, who has also displayed her multi-pin flexibility with VCNebraska . Her quick arm was lethal on crosscourt swings last weekend, giving VCN 16 Elite a worthy scoring weapon in any situation. The GINW product adds to a fascinating small-town theme with this team, as we’ll see with our next featured player.
Highlights
It’s hard not to put Haase in the spotlight with this 16 Elite group. Her consistency with Exeter/Milligan-Friend on the high school side has given way to more headlining performances on the club stage. Haase offers a steady six-rotation presence that provides VCN with a lot more than just a terminal arm. Look for Haase to command the backcourt as 16 Elite flexes their ball control strength in 2024.
Highlights
While we’re on the topic of small-town prep stars, let’s give a shoutout to Columbus Lakeview’s star middle blocker. Rowe is the kind of athlete who can thrive at either M1 or M2. VCNebraska loves to run ‘gap’ plays away from the setter, and Rowe is already finding her stride in this tough attacking pattern. Moreover, her tough serve grants 16 Elite another opportunity to run points in Rotation 6. Rowe and her team have so much still to gain as we hit the midseason grind.
West is the outside hitter you have to keep track of at all times. 16 Gold will find their leading scorer in any rotation, whether they’re in system or in scramble mode. Being a six-rotation pin hitter in a 6-2 is a tough role with a lot of responsibilities, but West is built to handle it all. She’s already a two-time state champion with Omaha Skutt Catholic and is looking to notch a second-consecutive Open bid with Premier Nebraska. We can’t wait to see it all unfold.
Attacking range isn’t always a heralded trait among middle blockers, but Sumner has it. 16 Gold often feeds Sumner some slower tempos to allow her reach to take over. She’s a difficult hitter to read, as Sumner can go cross-body or chop it away from her midline. That shot selection is turning the Elkhorn South prep star into a top-tier 2026 prospect.
Highlights
Taylor Elsasser Taylor Elsasser 5'10" | OH Millard North | 2026 State NE
Taylor Elsasser Taylor Elsasser 5'10" | OH Millard North | 2026 State NE
Premier 16 Black tested its mettle against some of the nation’s best, and Elsasser was ready for the challenge. She has the kind of heavy arm that makes digging balls a tough task, even when defenders are in the right spot. Elsasser can also get on top of quick tempos with easy, allowing her to terminate in the seams between blockers. 16 Black’s pin depth will be an extraordinary advantage as the team looks for more gains ahead of the next big event.
Rogokos remains a “glue” player for her Premier Nebraska group. We saw her vital role materialize last year as Premier 15 Black battled toward a bid at NLQ. The same narrative applies in 2024, and Rogokos brings rare all-around skills for a right-side hitter. She can embrace any niche regardless of whether 16 Black rolls out in a 5-1 or a 6-2. This squad stress teams from pin to pin, and a lot of that has to do with Rogokos’ dominance behind the setter.