Sophomore Class Produces Elite Defensive Talent in Indiana

Indiana's Class of 2028 is already proving it's one to watch in all positions, but after the Stock Up Showcase, I am especially excited to see who emerges out of the back row. These sophomore defensive specialists are showing advanced skill, court awareness, and grit well beyond their years. Whether it's racking up digs, commanding serve receive, or bringing energy to the court, these young women are going to be making serious noise across the state. With the high school season officially starting Monday, fans and coaches alike should keep a close eye on this talented group as they prepare to make an even bigger impact this fall.    Kyla just has IT when it comes to the DS/L position, and she has it at a very young age. She was my favorite DS to watch all day at the Stock Up Showcase for a multitude of reasons, but the main one was her ability to play confidently, but not arrogantly or showy. She always knew where to be on defense and communicated with her teammates well and often. When passing, she was SO GOOD on every type of ball: short, deep, right at her, in the seam - this young lady can pass from anywhere on the court, even when next to players she has never passed next to before. I love how she is able to read the play on defense well in advance, allowing her to stay on her feet most of the time. It is just a pleasure to watch her play, and I am so excited to see where she goes over the next three years!     Ritchie is one of those players who could realistically play any position on the court and do it well. She clearly understands the game and has been playing it at a high level for some time now (makes sense considering she is a Yorktown and Munciana kid). Coming in I knew she was an AAU All-American, so I was excited to see what she could do in this environment with new players, and she delivered. Like Hurley, she reads the play on defense really well and stays on her feet most of the time - a skill that is missing in many players this age. Ritchie isn't okay with just getting a ball up either, she puts it right where it needs to be on every play. She is confident in everything she does and doesn't seem to get rattled easily during serve receive and game play. Lastly, I love her speed and athleticism - Chloe can cover a TON of court fast and when you pair that with her length, she is going to make a seriously good next level DS come June 15th of 2026.     Hamilton was the surprise of the afternoon for me as I had never seen her play and she isn't on our rankings yet (although I expect that to change!). Cali is FAST; she was all over the court during the entire two hours of the showcase and never seemed to slow down or get tired. She is definitely a workhorse who loves the game! Along with Mitz (below), she was the biggest hustler amongst the bunch - but it wasn't just hustling to hustle, she was moving to the right areas of the court and covering her responsibilities, not running people over and wearing herself down. Plus, at the end of a hustle play or dive, she put the ball where it needed to be and didn't settle for just getting it up. When passing, she has great angles and clearly understands how to pass outside her body and create space. The northeast part of Indiana can definitely churn out some excellent talent and Cali will certainly be a part of that tradition.     Overall, as a teammate, I would love to play with Anna and definitely coach her. She brought great energy to the court and never gave up on ANY ball. It didn't matter if that ball was in the spectator's chairs or flying into the ref stand, Mitz was going to get after it - there is nothing better than playing with a DS who is willing to give her body to keep your team in the play. What I loved about Anna's energy was that it wasn't chaotic or forced, she was very focused throughout the two hours and intentional in everything she did from passing to defense to covering on the attack. Her serve is excellent too; she has a great deep float that gave other teams fits and I can see her being a libero who serves for sure. The Evansville area sure has a defensive dandy to watch play over the next few years!     What a gift it must be for Munciana to have both Futa and Ritchie on the same squad! Reagan is a defensive stud who was all over the court during our Stock Up Showcase and she wasn't just getting balls in the air; she was getting them to target. During the dig, tip, chase drill she stood out to me the most because she never settled on any of the balls; it was clear she wanted to make every ball better. Futa clearly has a high IQ and understands the tendencies of hitters, which allows her to read early and well so she can be in position to make a play on every ball. Like all of the other DSs on this list, she is quick and can cover a ton of area whether digging high with her hands or laying out to pick up a tip. Cathedral has a dynamo in Reagan, and I am sure she will be making an immediate impact this season with her high IQ and exceptional skills.    <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" />   <h3 class="wp-block-heading">If you loved this article, please follow our Instagram page, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/abovethenetvolleyball">Prep Dig IN | Above The Net Volleyball</a> for exclusive content and behind-the-scenes action.</h3>   After following our page, take the next step and subscribe to PrepDig! By subscribing, you'll not only stay connected to the latest coverage of your favorite events, but you'll also be helping to shine a spotlight on rising volleyball talent.   Use discount code Smith30 for an exclusive discount!   Year-Round Coverage: Access all PrepDig articles nationwide.   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Indiana's Class of 2028 is already proving it's one to watch in all positions, but after the Stock Up Showcase, I am especially excited to see who emerges out of the back row. These sophomore defensive specialists are showing advanced skill, court awareness, and grit well beyond their years. Whether it's racking up digs, commanding serve receive, or bringing energy to the court, these young women are going to be making serious noise across the state. With the high school season officially starting Monday, fans and coaches alike should keep a close eye on this talented group as they prepare to make an even bigger impact this fall.