Nebraska Title Contenders in New Classes for 2025 Season

Classes change, but goals remain the same.   We've just published our preseason Top 10 for all six of Nebraska's high school classifications. Compiling these team rankings is always complicated given the considerable number of impactful graduations and returning stars. But another yearly occurrence adds a further layer of complexity to the process: classification changes.   School enrollment numbers oscillate from year to year, especially among Nebraska's smaller programs. This gives us a handful of reclassifications to process every season, and these changes often alter the complexity of a championship race. That's the case again this fall.   Here's a glimpse at some teams we'll be watching as they take on a new field of competitors in 2025.     Lincoln Lutheran   This year's title defense goes through Class C1.   Lincoln Lutheran is on a historic, dominant run, winning four consecutive state titles and five of the last six. The Warriors have accomplished this feat while bouncing around the demarcation line between Class C1 and Class C2. Last year's triumph came in C2 after a title victory over Thayer Central, but C1 will be the venue for Lincoln Lutheran's next journey.   Of course, the Warriors need to replace an incredible senior class that never lost a postseason match. This transition will be aided by the return of veteran stars like [player_tooltip player_id='349457' first='Bella' last='Sjuts'], [player_tooltip player_id='808241' first='Lily' last='Wohlgemuth'], and [player_tooltip player_id='349486' first='Lauren' last='Kuhlmann'], among many others.   <figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/08/IMG_4593-edited.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-868020" style="width:414px;height:auto" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Lincoln Lutheran competes in the 2024 Class C2 tournament.</figcaption></figure>     Superior   Another defending champion is on the move.   Last year's Class D1 tournament had its share of chaos and dramatic moments, giving us a title matchup between the No. 3 and No. 5 seeds. That No. 3 seed was Superior, which reached the mountaintop after a three-set win over Exeter-Milligan/Friend in the Devaney Center.   The Wildcats are climbing to Class C2 and hope to remain a postseason threat. We're anxiously awaiting the return of [player_tooltip player_id='458060' first='Reagan' last='Meyers'], the unstoppable Superior junior who put up a mind-numbing 839 kills during last fall's championship campaign. She sat out most of this year's club campaign with an injury, but would make Superior an instant competitor if she sees the court. Elsewhere, the Wildcats will lean on [player_tooltip player_id='831280' first='Cora' last='Schnakenberg'] and [player_tooltip player_id='811396' first='Ava' last='Kirchhoff'] to provide balance and scoring in the frontcourt.     Shelton   We're still not done with the defending champions.   Shelton was identified as one of our preseason title favorites in Class D2 last fall, and the Bulldogs delivered on the hype.   The wicked junior duo of [player_tooltip player_id='253923' first='Jalyn' last='Branson'] and [player_tooltip player_id='809627' first='Erin' last='Gegg'] brought some postseason magic to Lincoln and roared through the D2 bracket without dropping a set. Like Meyers, Branson has been out of action for a while but could make a big splash once she's fully recuperated. Gegg will gladly carry the load in the meantime, and standout upperclassmen like [player_tooltip player_id='800390' first='Gracie' last='Willis'] and [player_tooltip player_id='773436' first='Parker' last='Lowe'] will also step up.   Speaking of steps up, Shelton finds itself in Class D1 for this year's fall gauntlet.  <blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Shelton takes the Class D2 title in straight sets over undefeated Leyton. [player_tooltip player_id='809627' first='Erin' last='Gegg'] with 24 kills in a sweep for @SPSBulldogs. [player_tooltip player_id='253923' first='Jalyn' last='Branson'] added 16 in a double-double effort. <a href="https://t.co/1TJlZPiv1G">pic.twitter.com/1TJlZPiv1G</a>— Austin Kingsley (@KingsleyATK) <a href="https://twitter.com/KingsleyATK/status/1855285472060395760?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 9, 2024</a></blockquote>    Overton   We're covering another game-changing D2-to-D1 move.   You would have been excused for thinking that Overton would drop off in 2024. The Eagles won the 2023 championship but graduated a laundry list of generational seniors from that squad. Overton brushed it off and remained a title contender, earning Class D2's No. 2 seed and reaching the semifinal round.   A large chunk of that team is back for more in 2025. We can't wait to see dynamic attackers like [player_tooltip player_id='275971' first='Daisy' last='Ryan'] and [player_tooltip player_id='813620' first='Gracen' last='Hughes'] lock in for another postseason pursuit. We'll also have our eye on ball control gems like [player_tooltip player_id='801441' first='Chloe' last='Svarvari'] and [player_tooltip player_id='498987' first='Kyla' last='Elfgren'].     Diller-Odell   This fall's Class D2 race is wide open.   With powerhouses like Shelton and Overton moving up to Class D1, we're expecting a D2 race with plenty of new competitors. Perhaps this opens an opportunity for Diller-Odell, which made an upset run to the No. 8 seed in last year's Class D1 bracket.   The Griffins lose a handful of veterans from last year's squad but can lean on familiar names like [player_tooltip player_id='275969' first='Berkelee' last='Beekman'], [player_tooltip player_id='592183' first='Josie' last='Hennerberg'], and Madi Dendinger. We're accustomed to this program stepping up when the stakes are highest.

Classes change, but goals remain the same.