Updated 2028 Rankings Released; What To Expect This Week

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>Want a subscription to PrepDig? Use code Kyp30 for a deep discount off of our national subscription!</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We've moved on from this year's juniors and switch our focus on the incoming sophomores. This group will have plenty of athletes earning collegiate commitments next summer, and we're here to tell you who has the best opportunity to do just that. Here are the answers to some of the normal questions we get:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">What do these rankings mean?</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In short, our rankings are based on “college readiness”, not necessarily how these athletes are playing right NOW. A 5'4” setter at a 1A school might be setting all of the records at that school, but would not be an immediate fit for a collegiate program—-ANY collegiate program—-right now. Additionally, a 6' outside that <em>only</em> hits hard and has very few (if any) solid reps in any other part of their game isn't college ready either; there are PLENTY of attackers who hit hard, but can they pass? Block? Serve tough? Defend from the floor? Receive serve at an elite level? The skill sets, as the ranking number next to the name get smaller, have shown us as a scouting cadre that they can do something elite and “extra” for their own volleyball futures. Are we off occasionally? Sure. Do we place someone too high or too low? Happens all the time. But, more often than not, we have kids where they might be, as these are predictive values we're giving.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">So now what?</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>So, with the above paragraph in mind, we'll spend the entirety of this week breaking down who these athletes are with individualized analyses in each category. Tomorrow, we introduce the new (to us) additions to the class of 2028 rankings. The next few days work out to be Stock Risers (Wednesday), pin attackers (Thursday), middles (Friday), setters (Saturday) and defensive specialists (Sunday). Each day will have five athletes featured from five different clubs, totaling 30 unique players with an individual breakdown of their own skill sets.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">MYTH: Your college future is guaranteed/stunted because of these rankings.</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Nothing could be further from the truth. This is only a tool we use to talk about athletes and the unique skills they can bring to the court. Some athletes rose in the rankings because we saw something special in them. Some dropped because other athletes are doing more to improve their future marketability. To be fair, these rankings are used as entertainment, and are clearly an opinion piece. Nothing more. Keep in mind, however, that we do get input from college coaches who subscribe to us to help guide some of our decisions. Trust me, their opinions mean a lot to scouts like me.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">FACT: Choosing to be unprofessional, rude or outright mean in a response to these rankings will get your email ignored and possibly discarded.</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Yes, we make errors….all the time, in fact. We're human, just like these kids. That being said, there are ways to answer any and all forms of opinion. Having emotional maturity about the process is one way to answer. Choosing to be mean and hurtful is another. Trust me when I say that the latter will earn far LESS attention, and is unwarranted. Be kind, be mature, and be mindful that this process is tough enough as it is, let alone with armchair adults being nasty and hurling insults toward my family (true story!) because of a number in a list. Be nice in a world where nice isn't as common, and you'd be surprised at how much positive attention you'll receive from us.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">After all, this is supposed to be fun, so make it fun for the kids.</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>After years of playing and coaching, and now reffing and scouting, I've seen a ton of stuff in my 40 years around this sport. I've seen every rule change, every scoring change, and every format change to every match in high school, club and college. Nothing makes me happier than watching kids grow up to fulfill their dreams by finding a home in the fall they leave home for the first time. It is my duty, and my honor, to help any and every kid that needs help. I want everyone to enjoy this sport as much as I have, and as much as I currently love it. Let's work together to make that happen for these amazing athletes.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->