Class of 2029 Who Moved from Watch List to Ranking

Players on a watch list fall in that category for a number of reasons. They signed up for a showcase but I never got an opportunity to see them play. Parents who create a profile in Prep Dig will normally find themselves on the watch list. Perhaps a coach recommends a player to watch or a team keeps on winning but none of their players appear in the rankings. Finally, an unranked player appears on a first team All Conference. The higher the class the more significant the absence. For frosh, a number of players appear on the watch list just for making the varsity.   In between rankings I also put unranked players who impress me on the watch list. When it comes time for new rankings players who accumulate on this watch list either appear in the rankings, move to the bench or remain on the watch list because no determination has been made on their play. When the rankings go out a number of players appear on the watch list. As a rule, watch list players only stay there for one ranking period. If they fail to appear in the next rankings they will move to the bench. The possibility still exists for a benched player to later earn a ranking slot. Unfortunately, the more players ranked the more difficult it becomes to track them, otherwise I could have a top 600.   Below are frosh watch list players who earned a spot in the rankings.   WL - 35 - [player_tooltip player_id='878688' first='Mckenna' last='Homans'] Setter/MB (Millbrook) - A big influence with this ranking was her appearance on the first team Northwestern District. A total of 19 players made the first team with McKenna the lone frosh. Since I never got to see Millbrook play it forced me to watch some [program_tooltip program_id='494409' first='Blue' last='Ridge'] video. She hit right side for [program_tooltip program_id='494409' first='Blue' last='Ridge'] while for Millbrook she lists as a setter/middle/right side. This club season she will play for [program_tooltip program_id='494409' first='Blue' last='Ridge'] 15. She has game.    Avery went from watch list to 42 in the rankings, Her 6'0" height is a good start. She also buried the ball from the left side for East Coast 14 at MAPL as well as created offense with her back row attacks. Her serve had a bounce to it after it crossed the net, resulting in a number of aces.   While she did make the varsity roster most Virginia Beach high schools fill their roster with frosh since they have no frosh or junior varsity teams. However, Avery does have some video of her play for First Colonial that would indicate she is much more than a bench player. She shows tremendous potential as a player who generates significant impact in a match.   She stands out as one of those players who deserved a ranking after the club season.    WL - 52 - [player_tooltip player_id='763154' first='Kendal' last='Lacey'] middle (Jackson Reed) - Kendall played middle for the Metro 14 travel team. The first time I really noticed her play was for Jackson Reed at the Tiger Paws tournament. She played left side and showed a good serve when in the back row. With the new additions to the Metro roster it will be interesting to see where she lands. At 6'0" she brings the height to do some damage in the front row whether hitting from one of the pins or plugging up the middle.    She was just one of a number of frosh who shined for Woodbridge. When I watched her play she blocked middle. Her 5'9" height makes her undersized for the position but she used her quickness to move outside where she showed the ability to put the ball away.   Despite her size she brings the athleticism to reach high over the net to block an area of play. She also finished second on the team in blocking and fourth in kills. This club season she will play for the [program_tooltip program_id='476729' first='Paramount' last=''] second team where she will play the pins.    WL - 60 - [player_tooltip player_id='880139' first='Milena' last='Gjoni'] right side (Richard Montgomery) - She saw some time at Richard Montgomery, appearing in a little less than half their sets. The toughest challenge for a frosh is their consistency in hitting. They are prone to hitting errors because they are competing against players a couple years older than them. Milena stands 5'10" so she brings good size to the pins. She is one of four Richard Montgomery players who moved from the watch list to the rankings.   WL - 65 - [player_tooltip player_id='877850' first='Kennedi' last='Bower'] middle (James Wood) - At 5'7" her stature is undersized to block the middle. While the two main hitters are [player_tooltip player_id='181302' first='Kennedy' last='Spaid'] and [player_tooltip player_id='181280' first='Brenna' last='Corbin'], the other Kennedi, [player_tooltip player_id='877850' first='Kennedi' last='Bower'] ranks fourth on the team in kills. She falls sixth on her team in blocking. Kennedi will be joining her sometime beach teammate [player_tooltip player_id='878688' first='Mckenna' last='Homans'] on [program_tooltip program_id='494409' first='Blue' last='Ridge'] 15.   WL - 74 - [player_tooltip player_id='877848' first='Macie' last='Hewitt'] libero/ds (James Wood) - In the matches I have watched James Wood does not play with a libero. If they did the job would probably belong to Macie. She ranks third on the team in digs and lines up in serve receive when she comes in to play back row. Macie made it to the second team in the Northwestern District. Not really too sure where she will play this year for club since she does not appear on the [program_tooltip program_id='494409' first='Blue' last='Ridge'] roster, unless her focus will be on beach.   WL - 83 - [player_tooltip player_id='755848' first='Mihika' last='Mamidi'] OH (Briar Woods) - Mihika played some right side for Briar Woods. At 5'6" she is a bit undersized to continue playing the pins without some growth. Last year she played for [program_tooltip program_id='476729' first='Paramount' last=''] but this year it appears she will play a year up with DYS 16.    She plays for Brooke Point and surprisingly is listed as captain. Brooke Point had a rough going this past year finishing 3-17 but seeing a frosh listed as captain intrigued me. So I watched some of her video.   At 5'5" she is quite a bit undersized to play outside even if her approach jump is 9'2". It is in the blocking skill where it really makes a difference. However, when you watch her video she plays a mean back row. Scrappy is a good word to describe her. She digs anything within a short radius of her. She also has a very quiet platform for passing.   Kaelyn will play for Libero. While listed as an outside unless some growth occurs I expect she will eventually move to a libero role.     [player_tooltip player_id='443558' first='Emily' last='Kolas'] has played a solid libero for Heritage for a couple years. That got her ranked at 85 in our class of 2026 rankings. The 2025 season was her last as a libero. Her younger sister Chelsea appears primed to take over the spot as a libero next year. She made the team as a frosh and came in as a defensive replacement. She played a solid back row.   Chelsea will play for Virginia Elite this year. This will be a good opportunity for her to prepare for the future.    WL - 98 - Reese Cook OH/DS (Millbrook) - At 5'5" Reese lacks the size to dominate in the front row. However, her defense in the back row is impressive. It appears she contributed to the varsity success playing as a defensive specialist. Last club season she hit left side for Go Volley.    She was one of two frosh to make a strong Colonial Forge team that made it to the semifinals of the Regional playoffs. Colgan eventually knocked them out in five. Colgan reached the finals of the Class 6 state championship before losing to West Springfield.   Paige plays a solid back row and could inherit the libero position after the graduation of [player_tooltip player_id='397192' first='Kadie' last='Cardozo']. Paige will be one of the participants in the exposure event this weekend.     Makayla is a 5'10 right side who still needs more polish to complete her game. She gets good arm extension but her swing and approach still need some work. You can see the athleticism is there but fine tuning the technique will improve her results.   Gainesville had a strong season, eventually losing to Colgan in the first round of the Regional playoffs. Makayla appears to have played a significant part in that success.   Makayla will play for Virginia J.rs 15 this year. She moved from the watch list to 101 in the rankings.    WL - 102 - [player_tooltip player_id='763153' first='Jola' last='Abayomi'] middle (Richard Montgomery) - Jola made the Rockets varsity as a frosh. At 5'11 she plays middle. She did not get a lot of playing time for the Rockets appearing in less than half the sets. At 5'11" with a little more experience she could provide more offensive opportunities next year. She did finish fifth on the team in blocks.   WL - 103 - [player_tooltip player_id='880147' first='Madison' last='Shieh'] setter (Richard Montgomery) - Richard Montgomery relied on [player_tooltip player_id='749346' first='Ellyn' last='Kim'] for most of their setting. At 5'4" she appears best used as a back row setter in a 6/2. At 5'5" Madison is also a smaller setter who should fill more of a role for the Rockets next year. The Rockets secondary setter Hannah Carter, who also stands 5'5" will graduate after this year.   WL - 108 - [player_tooltip player_id='877852' first='Emiko' last='Koppers'] outside (Colgan) - She did not get a lot of playing time with the varsity this past season. At 5'10" she brings some height to the pins. When she played she still averaged a kill per set. This club season Emiko will play on the Paramount 15 second team.   WL - 109 - [player_tooltip player_id='880142' first='Maya' last='Reichling'] DS/L (Richard Montgomery) - Another Rocket frosh who made the varsity. She played in more than 1/2 the matches, finishing fifth on the team in digs with 91. She was the primary defensive specialist, although the left sides for the most part played six rotations.   High school coaches can help promote their players by inputting information into Maxpreps, especially at the frosh level. A number of players earn a spot on the rankings based on data in Maxpreps that shows they make significant contributions to a team's success.

Players on a watch list fall in that category for a number of reasons. They signed up for a showcase but I never got an opportunity to see them play. Parents who create a profile in Prep Dig will normally find themselves on the watch list. Perhaps a coach recommends a player to watch or a team keeps on winning but none of their players appear in the rankings. Finally, an unranked player appears on a first team All Conference. The higher the class the more significant the absence. For frosh, a number of players appear on the watch list just for making the varsity.