Athletes Number 6-20 In The First 2029 Rankings

I have to admit – there is something special about creating brand new rankings for a group of Kansas Student-Athletes.

Prep Dig Kansas was launched in the summer of 2020 and the first class I ranked was the graduating class of 2021. All these years later, I still enjoy welcoming a new class of athletes to Prep Dig Nation.

I am proud to release the first set of rankings for the Kansas Class of 2029. This initial set of rankings includes a total of 110 athletes. They just graduated from middle school or junior high and will begin their freshman year of high school in August.

The majority of the athletes in this list I saw play club ball in 2025, or their information was sent to me by their respective club coaches or soon-to-be prep coaches.

Some will play for their varsity high school teams next season, while others may have to wait a year or two. Some may decide before their high school years are over that they no longer want to play competitive volleyball. Some may very well win a state title, or a national club championship. While others will choose to play college volleyball or a different college sport.

Prep Dig Profiles have been created for each of the 110 ranked athletes. Those profiles can be claimed for free by using the following link https://prepdig.com/prospect-index/#claim-profile-anchor

Athletes are encouraged to claim their profiles and add contact information and video highlights. Athletes with claimed profiles will get a slight advantage in the rankings at the onset.

Many more athletes will be added to the rankings before graduation is upon them four years from now. The Kansas Class of 2025 had a total of 264 ranked athletes, with close to half committed to playing college sports.

There were a few factors that played into these first rankings. The main factor was, did I see the athlete play in person. Also, what position they play and their height. As a former coach I understand that being six-foot or taller can go along ways, but also still realize that a kid at 5-foot-5 might be able to outjump those six-footers. My time as a scout I also know that elite middle blockers and setters are in higher demand at the college level than a defensive specialist or libero. Hence the reason there are more hitters in the rankings than defensive specialists.

Stats and college offers will play a big role in where these athletes end up in the rankings by the time they are juniors and seniors. However, those two factors were not considered at all in the making of these rankings.

My goal since becoming a Prep Network scout, has always been to fill in the coverage gap that has been lost by the decline of the newspaper industry, and to help students at smaller schools and less elite club teams gain exposure.

I try hard to cover the entire state, but that's a ton of ground to cover. It is easier to evaluate players I see in person, who have public stats on sites like Max Preps, have video available, and who are already passionate about getting recruited.

Athletes are encouraged to reach out via X or email in order to get on my radar, which will get you on the radar of the network of coaches who subscribe to Prep Dig Kansas and value my insight. My email is deckscoutks@gmail.com and my X account is @KSScoutDeck.

This if the second of two “free reports” about the Kansas Class of 2028. Athletes, parents, and coaches, who are interested in purchasing a subscription to Prep Dig Kansas can use the coupon code Deckard30 to save 30 percent off a new subscription. That code will also work on new subscriptions to Prep Redzone Kansas and Prep Girls Hoop Kansas.

Here is a look at the athletes ranked numbers 6-10 in the first rankings for the Kansas Class of 2029.

Alice Mae Patterson Alice Mae Patterson 5'9" | MB/OH Blue Valley North | 2029 State KS , 5'9”, MB/OH, Blue Valley North, '29

Patterson debuts in the rankings at No. 6 overall. Patterson is the only athlete in this group I did not see play this past club season. She does however have a solid video package on HUDL from her club season. She is a powerful net monster who can crush a ball and make a block. She also created her own profile on Prep Dig which shows me she is serious about playing at the next level.

Emma Davee Emma Davee 6'3" | OH Maize South | 2029 State KS , 6'3”, OH, Maize South, '29

Maize South's Davee begins her Prep Dig journey ranked No. 7 overall. I saw her play in a regional club match and was impressed by her combination of power and gracefulness. She was playing up in that event on a 16U team and showed no signs of intimidation by playing against older athletes.

Fiona Pauly Fiona Pauly 5'11" | MB Kapaun Mt. Carmel | 2029 State KS , 5'11”, MB, Kapaun Mt. Carmel, '29

Pauly starts off ranked No. 8 overall in the Kansas Class of 2029. I scouted Pauly during the Keeper of the Plains tournament back in February. She has a long reach and could grow and evolve into a dominating player at the net. She is headed to a talented high school program so it will be interesting to see if she plays varsity right away or will need to wait a year.

Grace Hargrove Grace Hargrove 5'8" | OH/S Maize South | 2029 State KS , 5'8”, OH/S, Maize South, '29

Another future Maize South Maverick is ranked in the Top 10. Hargrove enters the rankings in the No. 9 position. Hargrove was my favorite athlete to see compete at the Keeper of the Plains tournament. She is a six-rotation athlete in the making and plays with high energy. She will be a stat monster and an athlete who could climb the rankings quickly.

Mila Simic Mila Simic 5'11" | MB Hoisington | 2029 State KS , 5'11”, MB, Hoisington, '29

Hoisington's Simic will be joining her older sister in high school next fall. She rounds out the Top Ten members of this new set of rankings. I watched Simic play a club match in Lawrence early in the club season. She is a strong athlete who is from a family where volleyball is almost a religion. She will work hard to continue to refine her skills at the net.