Debuting Athletes: Class of 2026 Rankings Update

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Prep Dig Kansas published the new Class of 2026 rankings this morning and the class now includes 125 ranked athletes.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Athletes, parents, and coaches can click on the “How We Rank” story under the “Rankings” menu to learn more about the rankings process, and can reference an earlier article published today on the new Top 10 for this class.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Here is the third report featuring players from the Class of 2026. This one features five athletes making their debuts in the Kansas rankings. All five are currently ranked in the top 50 and will look to produce big junior seasons.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='516241' first='Audrey' last='Smith']</strong>, 6'3”, MB, Trinity Academy</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Smith is tall and a physically dangerous middle blocker. The Knight sophomore debuts at No. 17 overall. She started her high school career with back-to-back seasons of 80-plus total blocks. She recorded 91 total blocks in 87 sets played during her sophomore campaign. She also had a significant increase in kills between her freshman and sophomore seasons increasing her total from 105 to 222.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='516235' first='Lynelle' last='Gengler']</strong>, 5'9”, RS, St. John's/Tipton/Beloit</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Gengler is a six-rotation prospect from a small school. She debuts at No. 25 after recording 179 kills in 92 sets played as a sophomore. Her stat line with the Blujays included 78 total blocks, 128 digs, and 449 serve receptions.  </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='523621' first='Lexi' last='Hecht'], </strong>5'8”, OH, Wamego</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Hecht is a special two-sport talent who is a college prospect in both volleyball and basketball. The Wamego prospect debuts at No. 40. She would be ranked higher if I had a better feel for which sport she will get recruited for the most. Hecht is currently ranked No.4 overall by Prep Girls Hoops Kansas. She suffered a season-shortening injury during the basketball season. She finished with 323 kills and 311 digs during her sophomore season. The bottom line with her is she can jump out of the gym and is a Division I or Division II level prospect in both sports.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='523672' first='Chloe' last='Kmiecik']</strong>, 6'1”, MB, De Soto</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>De Soto is a tough-noshed middle who debuts at No. 47 overall in the Prep Dig rankings. In 71 sets played during her sophomore season, she recorded 167 kills and 59 total blocks. She is a bouncy talent with plus size.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='516244' first='Audrey' last='Bina']</strong>, 6'0”, S, Northern Valley</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>&nbsp;A second small school prospect debuts at No. 48. Northern Valley's Bina is a six-rotation under-the-radar talent. She can set and attack. The Huskies' prospect finished with an eye-popping stat line of 433 kills, 224 assists, 166 digs, 76 total blocks, and 48 aces during her sophomore season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->