What New Name Iowa Sophomores Are Rising?

The sophomore year is when some athletes really start to find their groove. They are in the routine of high school, they have a year of club ball at a higher level under their belt, and some are emerging to be the best on their team, in their conference, and for some they are among the best in the state. The athletes below are relatively new names where I haven't seen them play a whole lot live. What sophomores are rising as Iowa finishes up the regular season in the next two weeks?    Nora Wilhelm is next in line for great setters competing for the Regals. As a sophomore, she has tallied over 600 assists this season, many of them going to Iowa State commit, [player_tooltip player_id='261094' first='Reese' last='Naeve'] who has notched over 1500 kills and is only a junior. Regina is 15-10 overall and currently in a dog fight for the top of the conference with Wilton, Mid Prairie, and West Liberty. They picked a big win over West Liberty last week and will take on Mid Prairie tonight.       Cedar Rapids Kennedy is starting to build some momentum in their program and has some big time youth making contributions to their team. Charley Lovell is a sophomore setter who leads Class 5A in assists for sophomores. She currently has 413 assists where two other top attackers are also sophomores in Addy Phillips and [player_tooltip player_id='555707' first='Skyylan' last='Ousley']. The Cougars picked up wins this past weekend of Benton, Muscatine, and Washington. They are building some key momentum heading into the MVC Conference Tournament play in less than two weeks.       I remember watching [player_tooltip player_id='495803' first='Ava' last='Jones'] at one of our showcases this past summer and she was so explosive. With big hops and a rocket for an arm, it comes at no surprise she is one of the top sophomore attackers in Class 5A for Waterloo West. She has 171 kills and over 120 digs on the season where West is looking to get above .500 for the season. They have a key MVC matchup with Cedar Rapids Jefferson before heading to the Center Point Urbana tournament this upcoming weekend.       Grinnell is a new team in the WAMAC that has been turning heads all season where they have seen some time in the rankings. One of the reasons for the success is upstart sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='555788' first='Kendra' last='Nolton'] who is nearing the 200 kill mark on the season. Her upside is scary for the other side of the net where she has plenty of length, athleticism, and a high contact point that allows her to go line, cross, or use the hands of the opposing block. They have a big matchup tonight against Clear Creek-Amana who is also in their regional which will start in a few weeks.       Shout out Spencer Tigers! My first teaching job was for Spencer Schools where I taught 6th grade and 8th grade :) Kiera Brown has been a huge spark for the Tigers where she is one of the top kill leaders for sophomores in Class 4A. She currently has 154 kills and nearly 200 digs on the season. The Tigers take on their rival to the North in Spirit Lake tonight.       When Cherokee qualified for the state tournament last season, I was able to see this freshman middle blocker who I knew would be an impact player with her time for the Braves. [player_tooltip player_id='493982' first='Deidra' last='Doeden'] played a big role as a freshman and is now one of the best in blocking in Class 3A where she leads all sophomores. Cherokee is having another stellar season where they sit at 19-2, but have quite the schedule the next couple of weeks with tournaments at Western Christian and Heelan and a dual at Western Christian as well.       Keely Jones of Red Oak (Great RAGBRAI town) has been having a stellar sophomore season for the Tigers who are in the middle of the pack for a talented Hawkeye Ten Conference. She is a six rotation standout where she has tallied 178 kills, 162 digs, and 17 aces. A total all around game. The Tigers have a big matchup with Lewis Central, one of the top teams in the conference and Class 4A. This challenging schedule for Red Oak throughout the season will have them well prepared for regional play.       Another athlete I saw at the state tournament last year, but for Ryanne Brubaker it was in warm ups. The sophomore from Grundy Center was a year away from her time. She has 218 kills and is hitting .408 this season while also tallying 61 blocks. Oh, and she is 6'7. There is plenty of upside for Brubaker who continues to improve each time she steps on the court. There is more in store for Brubaker and the Spartans.

The sophomore year is when some athletes really start to find their groove. They are in the routine of high school, they have a year of club ball at a higher level under their belt, and some are emerging to be the best on their team, in their conference, and for some they are among the best in the state. The athletes below are relatively new names where I haven't seen them play a whole lot live. What sophomores are rising as Iowa finishes up the regular season in the next two weeks?