Early ’25 All-Grade Position Rankings: DS/L

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><a href="https://prepdig.com/2025/02/early-25-all-grade-position-rankings-setters/">Setters</a></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="https://prepdig.com/2025/02/early-25-all-grade-position-rankings-middle-hitters/"><strong>Middle Hitters</strong></a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><a href="https://prepdig.com/2025/03/early-25-all-grade-position-rankings-right-side-hitters/">Right-Side Hitter</a></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="https://prepdig.com/2025/03/early-25-all-grade-position-rankings-outside-hitters/"><strong>Outside Hitter</strong></a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We saved the best for last in the Early '25 All-Grade Position Rankings. Time to talk about liberos and defensive specialists. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Just kidding. Even though my daughters play in the back row, favoritism is a bad look. There is a special place him my heart for the last line of defense, however, which makes it harder to rank this position.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Iowa currently boasts a strong crop of back-row performers. Here's how they stack up at this point: </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>1. [player_tooltip player_id='316419' first='Edie' last='Miller'], '27, Liberty/Rockets</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>2. [player_tooltip player_id='261088' first='Mya' last='Lei-Butters'], '26, Centennial/PowerPlex</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>As a refresher or if you haven't read the other position rankings in this series, it helps to add context to the rundown. That's done through tiering it. The tiers include student-athletes of comparable ability. At this position, the first tier is made up of Miller and Lei-Butters. Most coaches would go to battle with either of these two talented back-row performers. They're quick, skilled and limit mistakes.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>3. [player_tooltip player_id='389010' first='Annistyn' last='Wedgbury'], '26, Cedar Falls/Six Pack</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>4. [player_tooltip player_id='389836' first='Ireland' last='Jackson'], '26, Heelan/MVP</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>5. [player_tooltip player_id='555820' first='London' last='Taylor'], '27, Northwest/RVA</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>6. [player_tooltip player_id='389014' first='Abby' last='Jensen'], '26, Dike-New Hartford/Six Pack</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>7. [player_tooltip player_id='490011' first='Leah' last='Janulewicz'], '27, Northwest/PowerPlex</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>8. [player_tooltip player_id='215390' first='Jovi' last='Evans'], '26, Mid-Prairie/Adrenaline</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>9. [player_tooltip player_id='261052' first='Ainsley' last='Haedt'], '26, North Scott/Select</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>10. [player_tooltip player_id='412719' first='Jenna' last='Harbour'], '27, Ankeny/PowerPlex</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>11. [player_tooltip player_id='373682' first='Kennedey' last='Whitford'], '26, Solon/Rockets</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The second tier includes nine names. Wedgbury has improved so much in the last few years, and it feels like she has plenty more room to grow. She could push her way into the top tier. Jackson helped Heelan win a 4A title, and Taylor and Janulewicz held it down for the Wolves on the way to the 5A championship match. I put Jensen here because that's likely her position in college. She can swing, though. Evans is a versatile high-schooler with a high ceiling in the back row. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>12. [player_tooltip player_id='729146' first='Anna' last='Jackson'], '28, DCG/PowerPlex</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>13. [player_tooltip player_id='572668' first='Jacey' last='Young'], '28, Lewis Central/SWI Third Degree</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>14. [player_tooltip player_id='490001' first='Elizabeth' last='Greenfield'], '26, Ames/PowerPlex</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>15. [player_tooltip player_id='488579' first='Mavrik' last='Schweer'], '27, Mount Vernon/United</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>16. [player_tooltip player_id='403543' first='Addie' last='Bollier'], '27, Regina/United</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>17. [player_tooltip player_id='447581' first='Grace' last='Knock'], '26, Prairie/Adrenaline</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It's a six pack for Tier 3. I scouted freshmen Jackson and Young last season. They're advanced for ninth-graders with bright futures. You can say the same about Bollier and Schweer, who have two seasons of high school left. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>18. [player_tooltip player_id='573313' first='Deviryn' last='McCarty'], '28, MOC-Floyd Valley/Kairos Elite</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>19. [player_tooltip player_id='569671' first='Logan' last='Ramstack'], '27, Bettendorf/Six Pack</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>20. [player_tooltip player_id='555692' first='Gabrielle' last='Demmer'], '27, Western Dubuque/Six Pack</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>21. [player_tooltip player_id='498752' first='Allie' last='Ruddy'], '28, Waukee/RVA</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>22. [player_tooltip player_id='621326' first='Dylan' last='Amling'], '28, Kennedy</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>23. [player_tooltip player_id='775157' first='Jeorgia' last='Evans'], '28, Mid-Prairie</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>24. Myla Rude, '28, Valley</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>25. [player_tooltip player_id='389065' first='Anna' last='Pelds'], '26, Northwest/PowerPlex</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It's an eight-player Tier 4. McCarty leads a youthful group that will steadily rise up this list in the coming seasons. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>26. Reagan Pitts, '27, Johnston</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>27. [player_tooltip player_id='493652' first='Kaitlyn' last='Hardie'], '27, Sergeant Bluff-Luton/Kairos</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>28. [player_tooltip player_id='500113' first='Kaylie' last='Simons'], '26, Kuemper</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>29. [player_tooltip player_id='789788' first='Emily' last='Anton'], '26, Union</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>30. [player_tooltip player_id='523159' first='Macy' last=''] Knapp, '26, Algona/[program_tooltip program_id='505305' first='Lakes' last='Elite']</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>31. [player_tooltip player_id='493967' first='Abbie' last='Keitges'], '27, Knoxville/IPVA</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>32. Delilah Kroymann, '26, Waverly-Shell Rock/Adrenaline</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>33. Olivia Wolven, '26, DM Christian</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->