New (To Us) Additions To The Class Of ’26

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>With 30+ additions to the class of 2026 rankings, there are quite a few that we could have fit in to this article. Here are five that had a solid club campaign last spring and are trying to make a lasting impact on varsity in the early part of this fall.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='550519' first='Alyssa' last='Gumbel'], 5-9 OH, Bellmont, Purdue Fort Wayne commit</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Staying close to home for her college choice, Alyssa is part of the volleyball machine that is Bellmont. Runners-up last fall, Alyssa is a major part of the outside hitting stable that the Braves seemingly always have full. A primary passing, six-rotation outside is what the Mastodons are getting, along with a solid work ethic that makes this squad go.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='534556' first='Aubry' last='Dowling'], 5-3 DS/L, Mt. Vernon</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The libero for the Marauders, Aubry is a fiery and athletic libero that just pulled off the upset of 3A powerhouse Cathedral last night in a reverse sweep. She anticipates well, is accustomed to open-level ball, and will make someone happy to have her for the fall of '26. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='534878' first='Samantha' last='Gooding'], 5-10 S, New Palestine</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The primary setter for the Dragons, Samantha is a long and lean quarterback of the offense that does more than set. She's tough at net defense, uses her length to defend her position on the floor, and is a perfect candidate for captaincy because of her maturity and leadership qualities. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='515404' first='Ava' last='Boals'], 5-10 MB/RS, Northridge</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Ava was a physical force for her NIVA squad last summer at AAUs, playing mostly middle. Her length makes her look taller than she is, and is fully capable of also playing right side because of her long arms and blocking ability. Her future probably puts her on the right pin, but for now, her experience in the middle is what got her here.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='489970' first='Grace' last='Bowers'], 5-4 DS, Warsaw</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Part of a slew of solid defenders from Warsaw High School, Grace is a master of playing left-back for any open-level team she's a part of. She's got great anticipation, is light on her feet, and is willing to do the dirty work to get the job done, from hitting the floor on off-speed shots to block coverage that's second to none.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->