Following Tradition: The 2026 All-Deck Prep Team

Tradition! Tradition!   Tradition! Tradition!   If you don't have the music of Fiddler On The Roof in your head right now, then you need some continuing education.   My favorite tradition as a scout is to create my own version of an All-Madden team. I create them after the prep season and club season for Prep Dig Kansas. It's one of my favorite parts of my job, something I started working on in September, and series of reports that will be published over three days.   I will have three All-Deck teams organized by graduation year. I will begin with the Class of 2026 and finish with the Class of 2028.   I only made two rules for myself, first, I limited the roster to nine players, and secondly, for a player to be eligible, I had to see them play in person at some point during the season.   Even those basic parameters made it difficult to make choices between some gifted and talented players. While I did see several schools play this season, there were a handful that I usually watch that I missed this season, and there is never enough time to see every school I would like to.   This team is made up of players who just finished their senior seasons. Rankings and stats do not play much of a factor in the selection process. If I were to return to coaching, this is the team I would want to go to battle with.   I have featured all of them in scouting reports this season, and again, I don't want to dwell on stats or rankings, just what they bring to the court.   Congratulations to these nine athletes who just finished their prep volleyball careers. They are listed in alphabetical order.   [player_tooltip player_id='460352' first='Ella' last='Foster'], 5'4”, DS/L, Hayden   The past two seasons, Foster has served as big sister, assistant coach, and maybe even a mother figure to a young corps of talented players at Hayden. She finished her career with back-to-back final four appearances in the Class 4A State Tournament. It's unclear if she will play college ball, but she has the defensive skills to be a great one, and does has an offer from a Division II program. She is the only true libero I have on this roster, and I know she can fill that role.  I can also see her coaching at Hayden in the 2030s.   [player_tooltip player_id='357543' first='Hayden' last='Grimes'], 5'9”, OH, Andale   I did not see Grimes play until the Class 4A State Tournament, but she had an awesome tournament and helped lead the Indians to a state title. She is headed to Colorado State University after graduation. She was one of the top six rotation players I saw this season.   [player_tooltip player_id='554328' first='Ryann' last='Langvardt'], 6'0”, MB/OH, Wamego   Langvardt is one of only two athletes on this team who did not get to compete at the state tournament. I have seen the Wamego senior play at least once in the past three seasons and have really watched her grow as an athlete. She is one of the top remaining uncommitted seniors in Kansas, and a name I will be sharing with college coaches still looking to sign 2026 talent.   [player_tooltip player_id='489348' first='Kyndal' last='Moore'], 6'0”, MB, Ellinwood   The only Kansas team to finish undefeated was the Class 2A State Champion Ellinwood. Moore is a talented hitter who has verbally committed to Emporia State University. The reason she made this team was her willingness to learn and adapt. Her junior season did not end the way she wanted. She and her Ellinwood teammates were challenged to improve their game and faced a much more difficult regular season schedule this season. She improved the speed at which she plays and stepped up to answer the challenge from the Eagles' coaching staff.   [player_tooltip player_id='355646' first='Allyson' last='Orth'], 5'10”, S, Bishop Carroll   Orth will share setting duties on this squad. She is one of the taller and more experienced setters in the Kansas Class of 2026. She helped lead the Golden Eagles to the Class 5A State Tournament. She played in “my” personal favorite match of the regular season against Maize South. She battled in that match, providing me with one of those rare instant classic performances. She has verbally committed to playing for the Army Knights.   [player_tooltip player_id='830042' first='Ava' last='Romero'], 5'8”, OH/DS, McPherson   Romero earned the ninth and final spot on this team with her play in the Class 4A State Tournament. She is fast, can jump, and has a bulldog mentality. She plays six rotations for McPherson, but on this team, I need an unselfish and mature player off the bench to play a utility role. She fits that profile to a tee.   [player_tooltip player_id='222091' first='Avery' last='Sands'], 5'7”, DS/OH, Lansing   Sands would serve as the captain for this team, and her main role would be to bring her infectious energy and to keep reminding me not to be an old curmudgeon. I have long been impressed with Sands' skills on a volleyball court and was so happy that she and her Lions' teammates earned the opportunity to play on the final day of the year in the Class 5A State Tournament Final Four. Sands can hit and play defense. I will utilize her as a defensive specialist, but she will play six rotations on this All-Star Team. Sands has verbally committed to Missouri State University.   [player_tooltip player_id='551804' first='Addison' last='Schwinn'], 5'11”, MB, Jefferson West   Schwinn and Langvardt are the two true middles on this club, so they will get a ton of blocking chances. Schwinn was recently featured on Prep Dig as the “Breakout Player” from Kansas. She is still uncommitted and, like Langvardt is an athlete college coaches should kick the tires on and get her on campus for a visit.   [player_tooltip player_id='489775' first='Brynna' last='Zoeller'], 5'11”, S, Rock Creek   I wrote last week that “Zoeller reminds me of former Kansas Jayhawk Camryn Turner.” She might be last on this team because her last name starts with Z, but she was the first player written on my final roster in pen. She is a physical setter who can also hit. Her season ended a day earlier at the Class 4A State Tournament than she and Mustang teammates would have liked, but she has had an outstanding prep season and career.  She has verbally committed to Pittsburg State University.   Please see below a list of 27 athletes on my honorable mention list. I do want to give a little extra love to three players, who would be the next three up if the roster expanded to 12 or I needed fill-ins for injured players. They were three tough cuts!   [player_tooltip player_id='809618' first='Elyse' last='Haxton'], [player_tooltip player_id='355655' first='Jordyn' last='Whitfield'], and [player_tooltip player_id='524466' first='Regan' last='Widener'], it was my honor to watch you play this season.   Honorable Mention: [player_tooltip player_id='859689' first='Breckyn' last='Cawood'], Bishop Carroll; [player_tooltip player_id='349234' first='Ava' last='Deutsch'], Trinity Academy; [player_tooltip player_id='809555' first='Brooke' last='Doile'], McPherson; [player_tooltip player_id='720620' first='Brooklyn' last='Dye'], Rock Creek; [player_tooltip player_id='808439' first='Bailey' last='Hammerschmidt'], Eudora; [player_tooltip player_id='809618' first='Elyse' last='Haxton'], Ellsworth; [player_tooltip player_id='834747' first='Lexi' last='Hecht'], Wamego; [player_tooltip player_id='800407' first='Janie' last='Hilgers'], Manhattan; [player_tooltip player_id='357548' first='Reese' last='Huscher'], Hayden; [player_tooltip player_id='520311' first='Jewelia' last='Kitselman'], Osage City; [player_tooltip player_id='785347' first='Lundyn' last='Knight'], Beloit; [player_tooltip player_id='809713' first='Kelsi' last='Maier'], Hoisington; [player_tooltip player_id='809457' first='Brea' last='Martin'], Bishop Carroll; [player_tooltip player_id='553807' first='Brooke' last='McCabe'], Shawnee Heights; [player_tooltip player_id='809497' first='Alexis' last='Moore'], Ellsworth; Alexa Price, Riverton; Kelly Rodriguez, Ellsworth; [player_tooltip player_id='828161' first='Audrey' last='Smith'], Trinity Academy; [player_tooltip player_id='843690' first='Makenna' last='Stover'], Abilene; [player_tooltip player_id='828349' first='Reianna' last='Vega'], Shawnee Heights; [player_tooltip player_id='807925' first='Emerson' last='Waldren'], Buhler; [player_tooltip player_id='355655' first='Jordyn' last='Whitfield'], Trinity Academy; [player_tooltip player_id='524466' first='Regan' last='Widener'], Ellinwood; [player_tooltip player_id='518884' first='Avery' last='Willey'], Shawnee Heights; Cecelia Williams, Hesston; [player_tooltip player_id='459041' first='Jaiden' last='Wise'], Silver Lake; [player_tooltip player_id='808141' first='Jade' last='Xu'], Emporia.

Tradition! Tradition!