20+ IA, MN, and WI Uncommitted 26s at NLQ

The Northern Lights Qualifier for the 17s and 18s has turned into the premier event for recruiting when it comes to the juniors class.  For many of these athletes, it might be their first time competing on a big stage for the season - for the 17s this is their first chance to claim a bid for USAV Nationals to be held in Dallas come July.  Here are some 2026s athletes  from Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin to put on the radar heading into Minneapolis this weekend.     [player_tooltip player_id='504417' first='Gracie' last='Clary'] is a relatively new name on the Wisconsin scene where she is coming off a huge high school season averaging just over four kills a set. She is a pure point scorer on the pin and has quite a surrounding cast with [player_tooltip player_id='249623' first='Addie' last='Oeth'], the Wichita State commit at setter and a new addition to this crew in Campbel Drapeau out of Dubuque, Iowa who is committed to Creighton.  This team will be one to watch where they can steal a couple matches and find themselves playing for something big come day three of events.      [player_tooltip player_id='261237' first='Harper' last='Goldsmith'] is a pure gamer.  She is a setter who can run the entire show where she will find a way to get her attackers a chance to score points.  I was able to see her at Triple Crown last season where she just made plays happen where they were able to upset some top teams, which a month later they would earn an open bid at Show Me.  This Vital team has no fear and will be one to watch at NLQ in 17 Open this weekend.      Madeline Brown is a new addition to [program_tooltip program_id='428672' first='Milwaukee' last='Sting'] 17 Gold where she is an athletic and lengthy middle blocker.  She had a huge high school season for Divine Savior Holy Angels out of Milwaukee where they captured their third straight state title and were one of the top high school programs in the country.  This weekend will be one where college coaches can take note of Brown and this high powered Sting Gold squad.      [player_tooltip player_id='199400' first='Grace' last='Murphy'] will be playing close to home as an outside hitter for M1 17s which is out of Bloomington, Minnesota.  Murphy is a junior at Breck High School where she brings an all around skill set of being able to serve receive, pass, and attack.  She is a pure point scorer with great vision of the block and the court.  She will take what the defense gives her.  I'm excited to see this M1 squad take on some of the top teams in the country.      There is a certain grit to [player_tooltip player_id='496803' first='Olivia' last='Doerre'] coaches at the next level are going to enjoy.  The libero who preps at River Falls High School in Wisconsin is a dynamic athlete.  She has great command of the backrow where she is quick with her feet and efficient with her platform.  Kokoro is making a return to the USAV courts after only playing in JVA events.  NLQ will have all the top Minnesota clubs in town which will make for an exciting weekend.      [player_tooltip player_id='389019' first='Avery' last='Vogt'] really leveled up at the Iowa Girls State Tournament this past fall where she was a true QB1.  I've seen Vogt play the past two years, but this past November I saw an athlete who had such great leadership, command, and play making ability where she rallied her team to a state runner-up finish in Iowa's largest class.  There is a big upside to her game where her athleticism is just different.  This will be a fun weekend for Iowa PowerPlex 17 Mendoza who will be competing in 17 Open.      So scrappy and gritty.  [player_tooltip player_id='284066' first='Ainsley' last='Ellis'] will be a setter to watch in the 17 USA Division.  She is efficient with her feet and has great hands as well as being a dependable defense first type of setter.  This 17 Black team for Sting has a lot of 2026 talent who would be a great fit at the next level.  This is a group that has played together for years and has been so deep with the four teams they have at NLQ in the 17s competing from Sting.      Katie Wegener is a junior from St. Croix Prep just along the Mississippi River on the Minnesota side and is a dynamic six rotation outside.  She can hit for power, but also has plenty of shots in her bag of tricks where she can go line, zone four to four, and use the block to score points.  This team will be in the 17 USA Division where they are in a pool featuring a border battle with [program_tooltip program_id='428672' first='Milwaukee' last='Sting'] 17 Black.      Izzy Keaveny is so athletic.  She just celebrated scoring 1,000 points in basketball and is one of the top setters in her class for volleyball.  She will be competing for Northern Lights 17-1 this weekend in the 17 Open Division of NLQ.  She was named to the all tournament team for Mayer Lutheran who took home the Class A title. Izzy isn't the only Keaveny on the squad, she is joined by her twin sister [player_tooltip player_id='229011' first='Clara' last='Keaveny'] who is a real athletic and gritty libero.      There will be plenty of college coaches checking on [player_tooltip player_id='401559' first='Marisa' last='Michaelis'] for MN Select 17-1 who brings a heavy left handed swing to the right side.  She is 6'1, touching ten feet, and a physical force that has to be one the other side of the net recognizes as a blocking presence and a scoring threat.  She was an All State pick for New Life Academy and will be one to keep close tabs on as the 2025 season heats up.     [player_tooltip player_id='261088' first='Mya' last='Lei-Butters'] is one of the top available liberos from the Iowa Class of 2026.  She will be taking the court for Iowa PowerPlex 17 Weiland who will be a team looking to get a bid in the 17 USA division.  There is plenty of available 2026 talent on this team.  Lei-Butters has been a high school standout for Ankeny Centennial who is accustomed to playing in the Iowa large class state tournament. She is cool, calm, and collected in high pressure situations where she brings calm to the chaos as a libero.           [player_tooltip player_id='568808' first='Kaylee' last='Gunderson'] preps at Eau Claire Memorial in Wisconsin and plays club for Northern Lights 17-2 in Minnesota.  She is a tough athlete to defend, I coached against her with my high school team in a Prep Dig Summer Event and she is one who can do it all.  She is rock solid in serve receive, a consistent defender, and a terminal yet efficient attacker.  She is well trained and fundamentally so polished.  This NL 17-2 team is going to be a big threat in the 17 USA Division.      I saw [player_tooltip player_id='504427' first='Ella' last='Nigl'] play for Neenah High School in the Appleton, Wisconsin area during the high school season and saw her again at the Prep Dig Wisconsin Top 250.  She brings a really dynamic skillset to the court where she is a powerhouse on the right side who can play six rotations.  Her arm swing is violent where she is sure to create problems for the other side of the net.  [program_tooltip program_id='428591' first='FC' last='Elite'] 17 Navy will be in the 17 USA Division where they have some sneaky good athletes who are looking to make a statement this season.      [player_tooltip player_id='455741' first='Leighton' last='Messinger'] is a bouncy outside hitter from Washington High School in Washington, Iowa who can pack a punch on the outside. She is coming off a successful high school season and will be a new member of [program_tooltip program_id='431948' first='Iowa' last='Rockets'] 17R. They will be competing in the 17 USA Division where Iowa will be well represented in this division.     [player_tooltip player_id='249692' first='Zoe' last='Wockenfus'] is a 2026 outside hitter/defensive specialist who brings a high IQ and court savvy to her [program_tooltip program_id='428591' first='FC' last='Elite'] 17 White squad.  During the high school season she is a bouncy outside hitter with plenty of shots to score points.  For the club season she will be a defensive specialist/libero or outside hitter.  As a DS, she is always an option to score points out of the backrow, being a swiss army knife type player.        [player_tooltip player_id='389942' first='Katie' last='Scheckel'] is carrying a lot of momentum from her high school season where she was the Iowa Class 4A Player of the Year, leading Pella High School to a Class 4A runner up finish.  She is a triple double machine with setting, attacking, and her defense.  Her skill set is very unique in her ability to positively contribute to every part of the game.  She is still new to the club volleyball world and this could be a breakout season for her. IPVA 17 Black will be in the 17 USA Division.      [player_tooltip player_id='249645' first='Callie' last='Carr'] is another one who has a really unique skill set where she can score points on both pins and is a lethal attacker on the right side.  She provides a problem for the other side of the net in her ability to score as well as set a big block.  This past high school season she was part of one of the top high school teams in the country in Divine Savior Holy Angels out of Milwaukee. She will be a key piece to the success of [program_tooltip program_id='428672' first='Milwaukee' last='Sting'] 17 White this season and a steal at the next level.      [player_tooltip player_id='551847' first='Averi' last='Nielsen'] will be a key setter for [program_tooltip program_id='431948' first='Iowa' last='Rockets'] 17-1 squad coming out of the Iowa City area. She is a junior at Williamsburg High School and was a key contributor for her high school squad this fall.  She knows how to defend her position and find favorable matchups for her attackers.  They will kick off play in the 17 Liberty Division Friday morning with a matchup against Seattle Juniors.      [player_tooltip player_id='249633' first='Anya' last='Mikhailenko'] has a dynamic skill set where she can score points as an attacker as well as set for her side of the net.  She had nearly 500 assists and 150 kills for Homestead High School out of the North suburbs of Milwaukee.  She is a new addition to I AM VBC 17 Red who has been on the rise in the Badger Region and will be ones to have on the radar in 2025.      [player_tooltip player_id='261083' first='Maegan' last='Cheeseman'] was a key piece to the success of Ankeny Centennial High School in their final four finish in Iowa's largest class this past fall.  She has length, athleticism, and physicality at the net she can do a lot of different things to benefit her team.  Iowa [program_tooltip program_id='431954' first='Impact' last=''] is in their second year of competition out of the Ankeny/Central Iowa area where they will have a competitive 17s squad in the 17 Liberty division with plenty of 2026 talent.        This [program_tooltip program_id='428672' first='Milwaukee' last='Sting'] 17 Silver team is going to be one to watch all season where many of these players are back from a strong finish at 16 Club AAU Nationals.  On player to keep an eye on will be [player_tooltip player_id='277428' first='Ireland' last='Zyzo'] who is coming off a strong season at Waukesha West in suburban Milwaukee.  Zyzo had nearly 350 kills in her junior season where she was one of the top attackers for the Wolverines.  Look for Zyzo in the 17 American Division where they take on Ohana 17 National out of Des Moines in round one of pool play.        I was able to see [player_tooltip player_id='299942' first='Sophia' last='Olson'] at our Prep Dig Resolution a few weeks ago where she continues to impress out of the middle for [program_tooltip program_id='428662' first='Wisconsin' last='Ice'] 17 National out of the Wausau area.  She has length, athleticism and physicality that poses a problem for her opponents.  She is a defensive force that can also get out of her block to transition quickly to score points for her team as well.

The Northern Lights Qualifier for the 17s and 18s has turned into the premier event for recruiting when it comes to the juniors class. For many of these athletes, it might be their first time competing on a big stage for the season - for the 17s this is their first chance to claim a bid for USAV Nationals to be held in Dallas come July. Here are some 2026s athletes from Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin to put on the radar heading into Minneapolis this weekend.