Highlighting Uncommitted Iowa 2026s with Promise

It's been a memorable club season with teams developing throughout the season and claiming bids to this summer's national tournaments. Iowa's Class of 2026 gave college coaches a lot to think about after watching them perform.   Here's a look at student-athletes that raised their stock this year:    Mullihan, her twin sister, Bailey, and the rest of the Cyclones won 47 of 50 matches and the Class 2A state championship in 2024. Grace is an athletic middle hitter that swings with power. She defends at the net with well-timed blocks. Grace's skills best fit in the middle, but she's a strong overall volleyball player and could help at a pin. She still has room to grow her game after showing steady progress to this point. Grace collected 285 kills (.452) and 75.0 blocks as a junior last season.     Bailey, the twin sister of Grace, is a different player than her sibling. Bailey is athletic and explosive with good leaping ability. She can play through six rotations, which she did during the Cyclones' run to the Class 2A state championship last season. Her 473 kills (.285) were the seventh most in the state among all classes. Bailey also came up with 271 digs and 29.0 blocks. She was a key reason why Denver won 47 of 50 matches last season and why Six Pack 17U took second at the Iowa Regional Qualifier last month. Her versatility, fundamentals and high volleyball IQ make her an intriguing college prospect.     Ouellette impresses me with her willingness to do whatever's required for her team to win. She swings with power from both pins and defends all along the net. Players like that are super valuable. With Ouellette it isn't that she can't do more, she just plays on teams with a lot of talent. She produced 109 kills (.255) as a key rotational piece in Pleasant Valley's march to the 2024 Class 5A state championship. Ouellette added 59 digs and 19.0 blocks. She stood out on the right side when I scouted her at the St. Louis President's Day Classic in February for a Rockets squad that took third at the Iowa Regional Qualifier last month.     Pacha caught my attention at last August's Prep Dig Sizzle in Coralville with her swing from the pin. She'd continued sharpening that skill when scouting her at the state tournament in November. Then when I saw her with Adrenaline at the St. Louis President's Day Classic in February, she was playing six rotations and looking sharp in the back row. It's an interesting and well-rounded skill set. Pacha is committed to playing strong defense no matter where she is on the court. She produced 256 kills (.234), 73 digs and 23.0 blocks in helping the Golden Hawks make it back to state.     I first scouted Haedt in person a couple of club seasons ago. She's steadily improved throughout that time, becoming more confident and consistent. Haedt has been an integral part of a lot of wins for Select and North Scott. When I saw her in action at the St. Louis President's Classic and Quad Cities Showdown early in the club campaign, Haedt looked like a kid that can help a lot of college programs. She came up with a team-best 294 digs in helping North Scott back to the Class 4A state semifinals in November.     I hadn't watched Sander in person until seeing her at the St. Louis President's Day Classic in February. I came away impressed with her steadiness and precision. Sander is a well-rounded setter that sets up her teammates while also being a threat with her swing. She defends at the net and can hold her own in the back row. As a junior last season, Sander handed out 988 assists, 108 kills (.381), 263 digs and 28.0 blocks in helping the Raiders reach a regional final.

It's been a memorable club season with teams developing throughout the season and claiming bids to this summer's national tournaments. Iowa's Class of 2026 gave college coaches a lot to think about after watching them perform.