Southwest Michigan’s 2026 Game Changers, Part 2

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>*Prep Dig Michigan will be hosting two Showcase events on Sunday, Aug. 3. You can now register for the </em><a href="https://events.prepdig.com/e/1540/register/michigan-freshman-showcase"><em>Michigan Freshman Showcase</em></a><em> or the </em><a href="https://events.prepdig.com/e/1521/register/michigan-stock-up-showcase"><em>Michigan Stock Up Showcase</em></a><em>. Use code “EllisDig2025” to get $10 off your registration.*</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Southwest Michigan is continuing to build steam as one of the hotbeds for volleyball talent in the state.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Class of 2026 is loaded with players that can be among the best in the state heading into the 2025 prep season. Here's part two of our two-part look at Southwest Michigan's top soon-to-be-senior talent.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='478074' first='Sarah' last='Pippin'], OH Edwardsburg/NIVA</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Playing her club ball in Indiana, Pippin is having a great season with NIVA as she preps to be a dominant force in Southwest Michigan this fall. She's been mixing up her locations and speeds well, while also being able to deliver kills from anywhere on the court. The Valparaiso commit plays with feel and is trusting in her instincts.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='462081' first='Jadyn' last='Samson'], DS/L Mendon/Dead Frog</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>An injury prevented Samson from club season, but she was on top of her game prior to that and had proven to be one of the best defenders in the entire Class of 2026. Samson is a great all-around athlete that applies her agility and quickness to being an elite defender. Look for a big senior year for Samson.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='454063' first='Miley' last='Southland'], S Three Rivers/FaR Out</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The 5'10” Southland is playing up an age level this club season, which has been a good experience for her to come into the fall with added leadership skills. Already with plenty of experience running the Three Rivers offense, she continues to sharpen her skillset and working on her accuracy and speed.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='464695' first='Gracie' last='Schultz'], OH Mendon/Next Level</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Schultz is another talented outside coming through the Mendon program. She proved to be one of the top outsides in Division 4 this past season and she brings a top-level defensive game to the floor as well. Schutlz performed her best in high-pressure matches, which bodes well for the Hornets in her senior season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='371873' first='Brooke' last='Steeves'], S Mattawan/USA Volleyball</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Steeves is getting good reps this club season with USA Volleyball, as she's made good strides in her decision-making and confidence on the court. Steeves is taking more chances offensively and bringing good energy to the floor. It will be exciting to see how that plays out for Mattawan this fall.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='226938' first='Kylee' last='Sykes'], S Hopkins/MVA</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sykes is looking more and more natural running a fast-paced offense and she has improved on her defensive play to become a stronger overall asset for her teams. She doesn't show much hesitation in her play and puts a nice touch on the ball, giving her hitters an opportunity to put the ball down with force.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Reagan Zuiderveen, S Kalamazoo Christian</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Zuiderveen stepped up this fall and ran the Kalamazoo Christian offense, helping establish some new hitters to the lineup that allowed the Comets to get back to Kellogg Arena. On top of being consistent with her touch and location, Zuiderveen also played very efficiently on defense. She backed up hitters well and stayed alert for anything that came her way.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->