Small-Town Nebraska Club Spotlight: South Central NE 16 Black

We're dipping into the small-town scene.   One of our stops during last weekend's volleyball travels was Nebraska Elite, where an assortment of 15s and 16s teams participated in another iteration of the Nebraska Elite Classic. We were drawn to the opportunity to cover a handful of small-town club teams that have found increasing success in the Great Plains Region. Sunday's event gave us a perfect example: South Central NE 16 Black.   It's a perfect time to catch up with this talent-rich group before the pace quickens in the 2025 season.     A Strong Track Record   Last weekend was not our first encounter with this South Central NE group.   In 2024, this team clinched a GJNC bid after a dramatic run through the Great Plains Region Bid Tournament. That event offered a glimpse of some of South Central NE's future stars in the 15s age group, but 15 Black wasn't done. Another successful outing at USAV Nationals put this soon-to-be 16s group on our radar heading into 2025.   A new year has offered more of the same. 16 Black started the season with a 4-0 outing in the [program_tooltip program_id='428728' first='River' last='City Jrs'] gym in early February. The team compiled a 3-1 record in the Nebraska Elite gym last weekend, setting up South Central NE for further success heading into the GPR Bid Tournament and the Show Me Qualifier.     Year-Round Cohesion   The South Central NE 16 Black roster has plenty of high school connections from the small-town prep scene. 16 Black wield a trio of St. Paul athletes and a pair from Adams Central and Sutton each. Standouts from Central Valley and Centura round of the nine-player lineup.   The St. Paul influence is felt across the starting rotation. [player_tooltip player_id='591600' first='Zaya' last='Lewis'] has demonstrated exceptional command of the setter spot for 16 Black, but that's not her only role with the squad. She was also a go-to right-side attacker in the front row when South Central NE battled through the Nebraska Elite Classic.   <figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/03/IMG_6904-edited.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-758881" style="width:461px;height:auto" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">16 Black competes at Sunday's Nebraska Elite Classic.</figcaption></figure>   Fellow Wildcat [player_tooltip player_id='773368' first='Aubree' last='Fitzgerald'] is a do-everything frontcourt force for 16 Black. The St. Paul sophomore took some aggressive swings on the left side and was a worthy option in out-of-system situations. Fitzgerald also has some experience as a middle blocker, expanding 16 Black's lineup possibilities.   This high school trio is complete with [player_tooltip player_id='591548' first='Keislyn' last='Poss'] carrying a major role in the back row. She proved she could don the libero jersey and make clutch passes along the end line. If 16 Black needs a backup setter option, Poss can do that, too. Versatility is a huge strength with this tight-knit group, and we're only scratching the surface of 16 Black's talent pool.   [player_tooltip player_id='591554' first='Cayle' last='Grossart'] has already become a household name in the central Nebraska volleyball circuit. Her hard-hitting style was key to South Central NE's GJNC breakthrough a year ago, and Grossart took one step further on the high school side. Her Central Valley squad made serious waves in the state tournament, setting up this left-side hitter for an even bigger 2025 campaign. Grossart's momentum persisted last weekend.   South Central NE also boasts a pair of lethal options in the middle with [player_tooltip player_id='591561' first='Kennedy' last='Davis'] and [player_tooltip player_id='591597' first='Katie' last='Baldwin'] anchoring the position. Baldwin makes up half of the Sutton duo, while Davis is the lone ranger from Centura High School. Each athlete provides overwhelming physicality at the net and the ability to spread the offense behind the setter.   [player_tooltip player_id='591602' first='Kamryn' last='Steinhauer'] is the other Sutton High School star on the roster. She is an incredibly skilled libero who put up lofty numbers on the high school stage last fall. Her defensive leadership allows all this frontcourt talent to flourish, so Steinhauer's contributions should never be overlooked.   [player_tooltip player_id='591592' first='Peighton' last='Hinton'] and [player_tooltip player_id='591588' first='Ava' last='Katzberg'] join the fray from Adams Central. Hinton added to the team's depth at the setter spot and seamlessly took over for Lewis at Sunday's event. Katzberg locks down the right-side hitter position and has an uncanny connection with her high school teammate. This setter-opposite duo embodies what has already made 16 Black so exceptional: tight connections and a little of that small-town grit.

We're dipping into the small-town scene.