New Top Ten: Class of 2026 Rankings Update

Prep Dig Kansas published the new Class of 2026 rankings this more and the class now includes 125 ranked athletes.   Athletes, parents, and coaches can click on the “How We Rank” story under the “Rankings” menu to learn more about the process of ranking players.   One thing that will be obvious to our subscribers when they see these rankings are the major changes at the top. The previous rankings included only two players in the Top 20 who did not play for Kansas City Area clubs or Eastern Kansas schools. That has changed.   Another area of change is that the rankings for many setters and liberos have dropped. I have continued to see a trend in the recruiting process that now leans more heavily on hitters. Pin hitters and middle hitters are what college coaches are looking for, and they are all fighting to get those athletes on campus.   While I strive for perfection, I also understand that mistakes and typos happen. If you have questions about the rankings or see a mistake please feel free to DM me on social media @KSScoutDeck or email me at deckscoutks@gmail.com.   Remember you attract more bees with honey than you do vinegar. If you send me a negative or rude email do not expect a reply. Also, keep in mind that there are elements of the technology that I cannot control. Also, we do not update rankings on a week-to-week basis. Once an athlete is ranked in a spot, they stay there until the next round of rankings. We do attempt to update the rankings three to four times a year.   Please keep in mind that all of the athletes in this class are still quite young. Many of them will decide they would rather play basketball, softball, or a different competitive sport in college. Some of them will get burned out and not want to play at the college level at all. They are teenagers and could change their minds about their futures a dozen times or more in the next couple of years. There will be athletes who see their position in the rankings rise or fall until they make their graduation walks.   Here is a look at the new top 10-ranked athletes in the Kansas Class of 2027 rankings. This is the first of multiple reports this week that will feature ranked players in Kansas.   [player_tooltip player_id='357544' first='Suttyn' last='Harris'], 5'11”, MB, Inman   Harris debuts in the top stop after proving she is healthy during this past club season. She was previously ranked at No. 59. She suffered a lower-body injury during club ball last year, but has had solid outings this season when I have seen her play. Harris' high school stats from last year are not available online, but she finished with 684 kills during her freshman season. She will make a run at 2,000 career kills when all is said and done with her high school career. I saw her play as a freshman and she has a skill set and mental game far advanced of her age.   [player_tooltip player_id='355653' first='Finley' last='Rieke'], 6'1”, MB, Tonganoxie   I saw Rieke play multiple times last fall. She played on a Lansing squad with a talented group of attackers, so her stats don't completely represent the damage she can do. She finished with 188 kills as a sophomore and has a total of 400 after two seasons of high school ball. Rieke is a blocking machine who has recorded back-to-back seasons of 80-plus total blocks. Look for her to make a run at 100 during her junior season. Rieke moved up from the No. 27 slot into the No. 2 spot overall among her peers.   [player_tooltip player_id='222092' first='Willow' last='Weninger'], 6'1”, RS, Blue Valley Southwest   Weninger is ranked No. 3 overall in the recent updates. She is long and strong. She has had back-to-back 200-plus kills seasons for the Timberwolves. She finished with 263 during her junior campaign. She played club ball with [program_tooltip program_id='515466' first='Pohaku' last=''] this season. Weninger moved up two spots in the rankings after previously being ranked No. 5 among her Kansas peers.   [player_tooltip player_id='355656' first='Leah' last='Robinson'], 6'0”, OH, St. James Academy   Robinson had a huge increase in attack production between her freshman and sophomore seasons. She recorded 277 kills in 88 sets plays as a sophomore. During her freshman campaign, she recorded 86 kills in 64 varsity sets. She is athletic enough to play six rotations. She moved one position in the rankings.   [player_tooltip player_id='222097' first='Taylor' last='Stanley'], 6'1”, OH, Blue Valley Southwest   Stanley was one of the big movers in this update. She is now ranked No. 5 overall after being previously ranked No. 23. She and Weninger give Blue Valley Southwest a tough-hitting combination to defend. She has had back-to-back seasons of 100-plus kills. In 76 sets played last fall, she collected 175 kills.   [player_tooltip player_id='222089' first='Grace' last='Martin'], 5'11”, OH, St. Thomas Aquinas   Martin is a six-rotation star in the making. Her bulked-up stat line from last fall included 256 kills, 199 digs, and 51 total blocks. She has a bounce in step and is a physical threat at the net. Prep Dig currently has Martin ranked in the No. 6 slot.   [player_tooltip player_id='240984' first='Cami' last='Sher'], 6'1”, OH, Olathe West   Sher is ranked No. 7 overall.  She had a solid season for the Olathe West Owls as a sophomore. She recorded 76 total blocks and 119 kills. Her role on the Owls squad should increase next fall and a spike in her stats should take place. Sher moved up two spots in the rankings after being previously ranked No. 9 in the Prep Dig rankings.   [player_tooltip player_id='523687' first='Olivia' last='Stein'], 6'0”, OH, Ingalls   If Stein played for a Class 6A school and played club ball in Kansas City she would be on just about all of the Big 12 coaches' radars. However, the Ingalls Bulldogs prospect for now is being closely watched by Western Kansas JUCO programs. She finished with an eye-popping 630 kills as a sophomore and already has 1,174 after two high school seasons. Stein also has back-to-back seasons of 200-plus digs and 50-plus blocks. She makes her rankings debut in No. 8 slot and don't be surprised if she continues to rise.   [player_tooltip player_id='222099' first='Ella' last='Stowell'], 5'10”, MB, Olathe West   Stowell is the second Olathe West product to crack the Top Ten. She was previously ranked No. 14 overall. She plays club ball for [program_tooltip program_id='430200' first='KC' last='Power'] and has had a solid club season. Stowell finished with 249 kills in 81 sets played for the Owls last season. Her blocking numbers took a big dip from 69 to 28 between her freshman and sophomore campaigns. Expect a return to her freshman season numbers during the 2024 season.   [player_tooltip player_id='222091' first='Avery' last='Sands'], 5'7”, OH, Lansing   Sands is an athlete I am quite familiar with and if I was coaching college ball she would be a player I would be after. She can jump out of the gym and plays with an infectious attitude. She can play six rotations as evidenced by her 271 kills, 278 digs, and 486 serve receptions. Her size could lead her to be a defensive specialist at the collegiate level, but that all depends on the programs that recruit her and their respective team needs. She rounds out the Top 10 as she moved up from the No. 12 position.

Prep Dig Kansas published the new Class of 2026 rankings this more and the class now includes 125 ranked athletes.