Arkansas’ Small School Athletes With Big-Time Talent

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>When it comes to volleyball in Arkansas, it's easy to focus on powerhouse schools with deep rosters and historic runs. But tucked away in smaller programs across the state are athletes who are anything but under the radar in terms of skill and potential. These girls might play at smaller schools, but their game is big-time.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Layni Birkes – Outside Hitter, Lincoln CSD (Senior)</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Do not sleep on Layni Birkes. She's athletic, highly effective on both offense and defense, and seems to be involved in every play. Her serve is tough and strategic, her swing is clean and productive, and her motor never stops. Named Lincoln's 2023 and 2024 Player of the Year, Birkes is the type of athlete who fills a stat sheet and a highlight reel. She is definitely on our radar for this upcoming season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Hannah Remington – Outside Hitter, Lincoln CSD (Senior)</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Another force out of Lincoln, Remington plays with explosiveness and confidence. She has a quick, powerful armswing and a vertical that catches attention immediately. Combine that with a strong serve and natural athleticism, and you've got one of the most productive hitters in small-school volleyball. She earned Lincoln's 2024 Offensive Player of the Year honors and it's easy to see why.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='825020' first='Ella' last='Drown'] – Middle Blocker, Pottsville (Junior)</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='825020' first='Ella' last='Drown'] doesn't just hold down the middle, she dominates it. With a fast armswing and good decision-making at the net, Drown brings a high volleyball IQ and great energy to every play. She's strong in transition, quick off the ground, and never takes a rep off. Drown's blocking is solid and she is capable of putting balls down from all areas of the net. Pottsville can lean heavily on her this upcoming season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='835054' first='Londyn' last='Jackson'] – Outside Hitter, Thaden (Junior)</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>One of the most exciting players in the state right now, regardless of classification. [player_tooltip player_id='835054' first='Londyn' last='Jackson'] is a 6-rotation threat who plays with force. Her vertical is insane. Her armswing is aggressive. And her court presence is unshakable. Whether it's swinging from the pin, terminating in the back row, or flying through serve receive, Londyn brings next-level talent that would thrive in any gym.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>These girls prove you don't need to play in front of thousands to have a game that turns heads. College coaches looking for athletes who bring grit, skill, and impact should spend some time in the smaller gyms across Arkansas because talent like this doesn't go unnoticed for long.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:separator --> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" /> <!-- /wp:separator --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>- Hannah Watkins, Prep Dig Arkansas Lead Scout, @prepdighannah on IG/X.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->