The Updated ’26 Rankings Are Here! What To Expect This Week

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>Want a subscription to PrepDig? Use code <strong>Kyp30</strong> for a discount on your annual subscription!</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We've officially moved on from the class of 2025, so we'll spend this week with our focus on the "new top" recruiting class, the class of 2026. With over twenty new names added, plus a handful of commitments earned and a bunch of movement among those that are ranked, there's a ton to talk about.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">So what <em>will</em> you talk about?</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Good question. With an updated release to the class of '26 rankings, there will be a series of articles this week that will emphasize new additions, stock risers, and three separate positional breakdowns (pins, middles and setters). Each new article will talk about different athletes from different clubs, and each article covers the entire state. In all, 25 unique athletes will be talked about this week.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Wait, how do these rankings work?</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Another great question. We pride ourselves on ranking according to <em>future college prospects</em>, not current skill sets. Of course, a 5'4" setter who has won a ton of high school accolades at her little 1A school is great NOW, but how does that translate to future collegiate play? Most of the time, that same 5'4" setter will see three rotations of a 6-2 offense in college, far from the full-time 5-1 setting they see in high school. Additionally, that big kid who hits hard but does nothing else might not see the top 30 in our rankings. Keep in mind, we talk with college coaches as well as high-level club coaches about athletes and their prospects, and their guide and evaluation of those kids are unbiased and realistic.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">But that doesn't explain why my ranking went down.</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Please keep in mind that this is a subjective list, and can change at any time. We take time every week to tweak the rankings here and there, and officially update them every quarter. In some cases, kids returned from injury with a vengeance and are outperforming their evaluation from just a few months ago. Others have done well, but haven't done much to "be better than" the collegiate futures that they're projecting. There is an ebb and flow to this process, and that's what makes this fun for us.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Why aren't you mentioning the kids that have already received a commitment?</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Another thing we do well here at PrepDig is give attention to kids that might fly under the radar. EVERYONE knows the big time players around the state. Why repeat what others already know? It is in our (and your kids') best interests to shine a spotlight on those still looking for a place to play when they graduate from high school and move on to the next level. Our goal, as always, is for everyone looking for a place to play will find one. Will we ever get there? Probably not. But it's worth our while to try.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">So now what?</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>As a reader and a subscriber, you should expect to see five articles this week of 25 unique athletes and what they've done to gain attention from us. As always, being nice and professional in your suggestions to us are always read and sometimes responded to in kind. Being mean, insulting or flat-out rude to us is an opinion of yours, and in no way will earn a response from us. Bottom line? This is all for the kids and making sure they have a home in the fall of 2026.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->