Stat-Stuffing Sophomores to Watch in Nebraska's 2024 HS Season

Let's give a nod to the youth movement.   Nebraska has no shortage of players who can fill up a stat sheet with eye-popping numbers. As you'd expect, many of these athletes are seasoned veterans who have been on the prep scene for a while. However, we have several underclassmen who can run the show, too.   The Class of 2027 is entering its second season in the high school spotlight. So many surging sophomores are ready to climb Nebraska's statistical leaderboards. These were transformative freshmen a year ago, but they're about to change the game in Year 2.    We might as well start with our top-ranked player in the Class of 2027. Wallraff's debut season featured numbers that rivaled all Nebraska athletes regardless of class. Her 4.3 kills per set on a 0.422 clip were head-spinning numbers for a middle blocker, but Wallraff could also showcase her positional versatility this fall. The Elkhorn North star is a game-changer on the pin and could see reps at outside hitter for the Wolves this fall. Wallraff's attacking volume will increase, and we can only imagine what kind of numbers she will produce.     No statistical category is off-limits for Schuerman. She was primarily an outside hitter during her freshman year with Wilber-Clatonia, and Schuerman quickly proved to be a good fit for the role. The Wolverines leaned on their first-year star for 2.2 kills per set last fall, but that was just the beginning. Schuerman is also an incredibly productive defender who churned out nearly 300 digs a year ago. This was a good precursor to Schuerman's stint at libero with [program_tooltip program_id='428717' first='Nebraska' last='ONE'] 15 Black, so multi-position adaptability is a huge plus here. We'll see which position prevails in Year 2 at Wilber-Clatonia.     Piling up digs in the hard-hitting Class B gauntlet is a difficult task. It's even harder for first-year players, but Ferguson handled the pressure well last fall. She accumulated about three digs per set in a DS role with the Antlers last fall. Ferguson's influence will likely increase as she builds off an impressive club campaign with Premier Nebraska. Look for her 2024 numbers to escalate.     Gering High School underwent a freshman revolution last fall. We've recently covered [player_tooltip player_id='443104' first='Jacey' last='Cochran']'s extraordinary debut season, but John was not far behind. Cochran and John finished 1-2 in Gering's kill tally with the latter producing 3.6 kills per set. John was also an extraordinary contributor in the ball control phase and amassed four digs per set for the Bulldogs. Gering is set up for years of future success, and 2024 should bring another uptick in the win column.     Morris did a lot of heavy lifting for last year's Millard West squad. She notched two kills per set while also carrying a major role in the serve-receive pattern. The versatile outside hitter had a strong club season at Premier Nebraska and is preparing for the next step in her prep journey. That step includes an all-around presence as an attacker, defender, and everything in between. Morris is ready to make that jump.     Seward High School climbed the Class B hierarchy as soon as Eberspacher arrived. This dynamic pin hitter produced nearly two and a half kills per set as the Bluejays clawed into last year's tournament bracket. Eberspacher has shown her willingness to play any of the three positions along the net, particularly during this year's club season at [program_tooltip program_id='428717' first='Nebraska' last='ONE']. We can't forget about Eberspacher and her team in the crowded field of Class B contenders.     This feature needs a small-town setter shoutout. Kvols fits the bill perfectly after racking up nearly nine assists per set with Laurel-Concord-Coleridge in 2023. Nebraska didn't see many first-year starters at the setter spot last year, but the ones who broke through made a lasting impression. We're eager to see how the Bears perform with Kvols gaining more valuable experience at the helm.     Beatrice had a compelling medley of youth and experience at its pin positions last fall. Meints was part of the new wave of talent and immediately seized a starting outside hitter spot. She capitalized on that opportunity with over two kills per set on a solid hitting percentage. Meints has kept rolling through her club campaign with Nebraska Juniors and her recent appearance at the Prep Dig Stock Up Showcase. This builds the foundation for a sophomore surge.

Let's give a nod to the youth movement.