Rankings Updates: New 2028 Kansas Top 10

A new set of rankings was published this morning for the Kansas Class of 2028.   There was a significant shake-up in the Top 10. That shake-up includes a newly ranked athlete at No. 1 overall, and three new additions to the Top 10.   With this age group, the two main factors that impact the rankings are 1) player stats and 2) have I seen the athlete play in person.   I can't be everywhere, and some schools still refuse to take the time to post and share public stats, so that does have an impact.   Also, athletes ask me how they can improve their rankings. The answer to that is simple: put yourself out there to get noticed. Create a social media account for recruiting purposes, share video highlights, share your schedule with scouts, and start contacting schools you have interest in, and share when you get offers on social media. This included claiming or creating your free Prep Dig player profile and completing the information as thoroughly as possible.   College offers and verbal commitments announcements have little impact on player rankings for the sophomore and freshman classes, but do, for the junior and senior class rankings.   Also, please understand that Prep Dig tries to update each class ranking three to four times a calendar year, and I begin ranking freshman athletes during the club season before their freshman prep campaigns. The rankings are always fluid, and I like to share the love near the top. Multi-sport athletes who show more interest in playing another sport collegiately will impact where they might be ranked.   If you have questions about the rankings, feel free to reach out, but be reminded that I am on vacation until October 20, so I might not respond quickly, and I won't respond to negative emails or DMs.   Here is a look at those 10 athletes ranked at the top of the Kansas Class of 2028.    Lee moves into the No. 1 spot overall after having just a brilliant match, while I happened to be in the gym scouting. Although, to be fair, she was previously ranked No. 2 overall and has the stats and skills to back up the ranking. The element that sets her apart right now from other top-ranked players is the confidence she has in her game and her ability to take control of a match. She can carry her team on her shoulders if needed. Through 54 sets played this season, Lee has recorded 248 kills, 16 blocks, 21, aces, and 148 digs.     The biggest climber at the top of the rankings is Eudora's Miller. She moved from No. 14 to No. 2 overall. She had a solid effort at a tournament that I scouted in September. She is more of a six-rotation athlete than Lee, but not quite as physical and dominant right now. She gets more chances to attack playing for Eudora than Lee does for St. James. In 60 sets played, she has produced an eye-popping stat line that includes 299 kills, 28 aces, 15 blocks, 167 digs, and 334 serve receptions.     Hayden's Schmidtlein is ranked No. 3 overall after previously being ranked No. 1 overall. She is a multi-sport talent who is also ranked No. 2 overall by Prep Girls Hoops Kansas. She can jump out of a gym and has the ability to lead her prep and club teams in kills every match and in points during every basketball game. I have seen her multiple times over the past couple of seasons, and she is a treat to watch. Through 51 sets played, she has recorded 232 kills, 23 aces, 28 blocks, and 179 digs for the Wildcats. Her slight dip in the rankings is more about what Lee and Miller accomplished with my eyes on them for the first time.     Royal Valley's Miller arguably is the most physical athlete in the Top 10. She is ranked No. 4 overall. She is another multi-sport athlete who is an automatic double-double threat on the basketball court. She had a dominant match that I scouted in September, and I have seen her multiple times at club events. She has registered. Her stats for this season have not been updated on MaxPreps. Last year, she finished with 452 kills. She is currenlty ranked No. 28 overall in the Class of 2028 by Prep Girls Hoops.     The second new athlete in the Top 10 is Maize South's Illian. She is the rock for a Maverick's squad poised to make it to the state tournament in Salina at the end of the month. I saw her play three times in September and was impressed with her talent. She is a six-rotation athlete who is not a liability on the back or front row. South has posted stats for the first 39 sets played this season, and during that time, Illian had 89 kills, 79 digs, and 47 assists. Illian is now ranked No. 5 overall.     Beloit's Litton is arguably the most competitive athlete in these rankings. She is ranked No. 6 overall. She is listed as an outside hitter for now, but she could be a defensive specialist in college. She is a six rotation talent who, through 68 sets played, has recorded 112 kills, 16 blocks, 15 aces, 194 digs, and 266 serve receptions. She is the daughter of a coach and the sister of a Division I football player. She has a competitive edge and drive that you can't coach in kids who don't have it. She's a prospect who is easy to advocate for.     The third athlete to move into the Top 10 is Ellinwood's Maxwell. She is a "do-it-all" prospect on the volleyball court. Like Litton, she is also the daughter of a coach and the sister of a college athlete. She is a six-rotation athlete sharing the setting duties for the Eagles. In 60 sets played, she has registered 385 assists, 163 digs, 138 kills, 27 aces, and 13 blocks. Her court maturity is far past her years of age. She is a disciplined player who has a calming effect on her teammates in long rallies and tough sets. She is now ranked No. 7 overall.     Ranked No. 8 overall is Jefferson West's Dean. She epitomizes the type of athlete I described earlier as an excellent self-promoter. She does not have an ounce of shyness in her personality. She makes frequent updates on social media not just about he game, but her teammates, opponents, and the successes of other teams and athletes in Kansas. It also helps that she plays with all gas and no brakes. Her sophomore stat line to date includes 318 digs, 428 serve receptions, 188 kills, and 23 blocks. She plays for a competitive club team and makes the rounds on the college camp and combine circuit.     Walter is an athlete who has a smile wider than she is tall. She is a dynamic setter who has the chance to shatter multiple assist records in Kansas before her playing career concludes. Through 51 sets played this season, she has dished out 528 assists. She finished 1,043 assists as a freshman and is on pace to reach or eclipse that mark this season. She also has 157 digs, 32 kills, 15 aces, and six blocks for the Wildcats. She is another multi-sport talent who thrives on the basketball court and softball field. She is ranked No. 9 overall, after previously being ranked No. 6.     The only prospect in the Top 10 that I have missed seeing this season is Great Bend's Minton. I had planned to scout Minton and the Panthers in Junction City last month until "real life" got in the way. I have received reports from multiple trusted sources that she is having a fantastic season, and her stats back up those claims. Minton currenlty leads the Panthers in kills with 156 in 51 sets played. She also has registered 162 digs, 172 serve receptions, and 16 blocks. She is the fourth prospect to move into the Top 10 after previously being ranked No. 17 overall.

A new set of rankings was published this morning for the Kansas Class of 2028.