Fall Rankings Update: 2028 North Dakota Blockers

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em><strong><a href="https://prepdig.com/subscribe/">Subscribe</a>&nbsp;to Prep Dig using the discount code digdakotas30</strong></em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>Follow on Instagram@prepdigdakotas</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>The&nbsp;<a href="https://prepdig.com/dakotas/rankings/north-dakota-rankings/north-dakota-2028-rankings/">2028 fall rankings</a>&nbsp;were updated this week as we enter the fall volleyball season.</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>If defense wins championships, middle blockers are the anchors that make it happen. The role of the middle is one of the most demanding in volleyball—expected to be the fastest to close blocks, the first line of defense against powerful hitters, and a constant scoring threat in transition. It takes size, athleticism, and an instinct for reading the game, and North Dakota's 2028 class is already showing all three.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We've already highlighted <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='728596' first='Ellyssa' last='Holmberg']</strong>, who earned a spot in the overall top 10. But she's far from the only name making noise at the net. The next wave of middle blockers is here, and this group is already turning heads with their physical presence. With an average height of 5'10” as freshmen, these athletes are bringing the kind of length and athleticism that project to the next level.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>From quick first-step footwork that seals seams on the block, to fast-tempo attacks that stretch defenses, this group of middles is showing they're more than just tall—they're skilled, smart, and hungry.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Let's check out the next 10 middle blockers in North Dakota's 2028 class who are already proving they can be game-changers at the net.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>The Next Ten 2028 </strong>Middle Blockers</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>🏐 <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='828392' first='Rylee' last='Seavert']</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><br>[player_tooltip player_id='828392' first='Rylee' last='Seavert'] headlines this group of middles with the kind of athleticism and presence that makes her a must-watch every time she steps on the floor. At 6'0”+, she already plays above the net, sealing blocks and sending balls straight down with authority. Her lateral speed is elite, allowing her to close from pin to pin and take away angles that most middles can't reach. Offensively, she's a true weapon—running lightning-fast quicks, powering through with slides, and showing the touch to score with smart shots. Seavert doesn't just fill the role of a middle; she dominates it. With her combination of size, explosive jumping ability, and instinctive reads, she projects as one of the most exciting middle prospects in the 2028 class statewide.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:separator --> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" /> <!-- /wp:separator --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>🏐 <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='727621' first='Katelyn' last='Deringer']</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><br>[player_tooltip player_id='727621' first='Katelyn' last='Deringer'] is a middle who thrives in transition. She gets off the net quickly, always ready to be an option for her setter. Her ability to run fast-tempo attacks keeps blockers off balance, while defensively she times her jumps well to get consistent touches. Deringer brings a fast arm swing and competitive fire that makes her a reliable threat on both sides of the ball.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:separator --> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" /> <!-- /wp:separator --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>🏐 <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='770735' first='Brenna' last='De Vries']</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><br>[player_tooltip player_id='770735' first='Brenna' last='De Vries'] brings a physical, imposing presence to the net. She excels at pressing over on her block, taking away hitters' favorite angles. Offensively, she swings with power and isn't afraid to challenge double blocks. De Vries' length and timing allow her to cover a lot of ground, making her a difference-maker in long rallies.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:separator --> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" /> <!-- /wp:separator --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>🏐 <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='736810' first='Eleanore' last='Christianson']</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><br>[player_tooltip player_id='736810' first='Eleanore' last='Christianson'] combines size with sharp instincts. She reads setters well and reacts quickly to close seams on the block. On offense, she's developing into a versatile attacker—capable of hitting the quick with precision and mixing in slides to stretch the defense. Christianson's steady improvement and natural feel for the game make her a name to circle for the future.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:separator --> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" /> <!-- /wp:separator --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>🏐 <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='728606' first='Marie' last='Hanson']</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><br>[player_tooltip player_id='728606' first='Marie' last='Hanson'] plays with nonstop energy at the net. She has a quick first step and gets off the ground fast, making her a tough matchup for opposing hitters. Her ability to run the slide adds an extra weapon to her team's offense, while her aggressive blocking presence forces hitters to adjust. Hanson's sparkplug mentality lifts her team every time she's on the court.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:separator --> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" /> <!-- /wp:separator --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>🏐 <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='746537' first='Emilie' last='Zinke']</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><br>[player_tooltip player_id='746537' first='Emilie' last='Zinke'] is a middle who thrives under pressure. She's confident in tight moments, often delivering clutch blocks or kills when her team needs them most. Zinke transitions quickly from defense to offense, keeping herself available as a constant scoring option. With her mix of size and determination, she's already showing flashes of a high-impact middle.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:separator --> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" /> <!-- /wp:separator --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>🏐 <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='741833' first='Sophia' last='Krush']</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><br>[player_tooltip player_id='741833' first='Sophia' last='Krush'] brings length and upside to the middle blocker position. Her reach allows her to cover more space than most, and she's learning to use her height to dominate at the net. Krush is developing her quick attack, showing promise as a fast-tempo scorer who can beat blockers with timing. Her ceiling is high, and she's a name that will keep trending upward.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:separator --> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" /> <!-- /wp:separator --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>🏐 <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='809788' first='Maren' last='Gothberg']</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><br>[player_tooltip player_id='809788' first='Maren' last='Gothberg'] is a fundamentally sound middle with excellent footwork. She moves fluidly pin to pin, closing blocks with precision. Offensively, she times her approaches well and connects cleanly on quick sets, giving her team a reliable scoring option in the middle. Gothberg's consistency and discipline make her one of the steadiest defenders in this group.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:separator --> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" /> <!-- /wp:separator --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>🏐 <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='742906' first='Aryn' last='Torgerson']</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><br>[player_tooltip player_id='742906' first='Aryn' last='Torgerson'] is an explosive athlete with a strong vertical jump. She challenges hitters at the peak of their swing, making her a tough wall to get past. On offense, her fast arm swing and ability to run the quick make her a natural fit for tempo play. Torgerson's athleticism and energy give her huge potential as she develops.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:separator --> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" /> <!-- /wp:separator --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>🏐 <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='752494' first='Michaela' last='McGrath']</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><br>[player_tooltip player_id='752494' first='Michaela' last='McGrath'] is a competitor who brings toughness and grit to the middle blocker spot. She reads the game well, anticipating tips and off-speed shots while still getting big touches on powerful swings. Offensively, she mixes power with smart shot placement, making her hard to defend. McGrath's scrappy style and work ethic set her apart as a middle who simply refuses to be outworked.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Others to Note</strong>:</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="https://prepdig.com/player/nyjah-owens-lee/">[player_tooltip player_id='828407' first='Nyjah' last='Owens-Lee']</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="https://prepdig.com/player/annaclaire-bugbee/">[player_tooltip player_id='879515' first='Annaclaire' last='Bugbee']</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="https://prepdig.com/player/alexus-villarreal/">[player_tooltip player_id='782893' first='Alexus' last='Villarreal']</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="https://prepdig.com/player/andrea-grijalva-delgado/">[player_tooltip player_id='883395' first='Andrea' last='Grijalva Delgado']</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="https://prepdig.com/player/berkley-schettler/">[player_tooltip player_id='883398' first='Berkley' last='Schettler']</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="https://prepdig.com/player/bella-herzog/">[player_tooltip player_id='744842' first='Bella' last='Herzog']</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="https://prepdig.com/player/olivia-burrer/">[player_tooltip player_id='874842' first='Olivia' last='Burrer']</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="https://prepdig.com/player/sophie-sinkler/">[player_tooltip player_id='743118' first='Sophie' last='sinkler']</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="https://prepdig.com/player/merit-hanson/">[player_tooltip player_id='810006' first='Merit' last='Hanson']</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:separator --> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" /> <!-- /wp:separator --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong><em>Thank you to all my readers for making this journey possible. My goal has always been simple—to shine a light on athletes at every level, from Division I to NAIA, and give them a platform to keep chasing their love for the game. Every player deserves a shot, and I'm honored to help tell their stories.</em></strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong><em>Please help us continue to grow this positive platform for players by spreading the word and encouraging your friends to subscribe at&nbsp;<a href="https://prepdig.com/">PrepDig.com.</a>&nbsp;With your support, we can create unforgettable memories and experiences!</em></strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>This journey is created by the village—athletes, coaches, families, and subscribers.</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>Thank you for making it all possible! ~ Theresa Hickman</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>Follow on Instagram@prepdigdakotas</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->