Standout Underclassmen From Oakland County, Part 1

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>As 2025 has come to a close, it's good to look at some of the underclassmen that made a big impact during the prep season and should play a big role in the upcoming season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In Oakland County, there was no shortage of elite talent. Here's the first part of our look at Oakland County's top underclassmen this year.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>So. [player_tooltip player_id='569766' first='McKenzie' last='Andrews'], MH Mercy/Legacy</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The 6'5” middle really took a big step forward in her play this past fall to help guide the Marlins to a state championship. She had over 150 kills and 75 blocks, but kept getting better and better as the season went along. Andrews hit .325 and was part of Team USA's U17 squad during the early stages of November.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>So. [player_tooltip player_id='765789' first='Vanessa' last='Artinian'], OH Notre Dame Prep/Michigan Elite</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Artinian had a breakout fall for the Irish, recording over 300 kills and 400 digs as a sophomore to earn All-State honors in Division 2. She made big steps in her development this fall, so you can expect her to look even stronger as a junior in 2026. Artinian proved she can be relied on for standout offense and defense.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>So. [player_tooltip player_id='845101' first='Alli' last='Brock'], OH Oakland Christian/High Performance</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Oakland Christian had to step up into Division 3 this fall and Brock was a big help to keep the Lancers as a top team within the state picture. Brock read her sets well to get a good swing on the ball in most situations, but also moved well defensively to be among the top defensive options.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Fr. [player_tooltip player_id='775516' first='Elizabeth' last='Burke'], DS/L St. Catherine Academy/Michigan Elite</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Burke didn't back down from the challenge of taking on the defensive lead for SCA this fall, despite going up against the best of the best the CHSL has to offer. That trial by fire only made her a better defender. In the years to come, Burke is going to be a player team's will have to game plan against.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Fr. [player_tooltip player_id='587564' first='Lexi' last='Coleman'], OH South Lyon East/Legacy</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Coleman had plenty of buzz coming into the 2025 season and she didn't disappoint in her freshman year. She was First Team All-State in D1 and <a href="https://prepdig.com/2025/12/2025-michigan-hs-d1-all-prep-dig-teams/">All-Prep Dig for D1</a> this fall. She had 634 kills while hitting .405 for the Cougars while adding 270 digs. Her season ended while she competed for Team USA U17 squad as a captain. It's clear her future is very bright.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>So. [player_tooltip player_id='728850' first='Emme' last='Dorchy'], OH Royal Oak/Michigan Elite</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Dorchy is a promising talent that may get overlooked in this crowded Oakland County talent pool. While Royal Oak hasn't had the success of other programs in this list, Dorchy is proving she can compete with the best when it comes to her play. She's got plenty of power and consistency in her finishing ability, while bringing good defensive skills to the table.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Fr. [player_tooltip player_id='709559' first='Kaelyn' last='Easton'], S Mercy/Legacy</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Easton had big shoes to fill at Mercy, starting at setter as a freshman in place of the graduating Campbell Flynn. Easton proved she could handle the challenge, leading the Marlins to a state championship, posting over 1,100 assists, 230 digs, 60 aces, and 50 blocks. She was All-State and All-Prep Dig this fall. Easton was also part of Team USA's U17 squad and is proving to be one of the best freshmen in the country.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>So. [player_tooltip player_id='569774' first='London' last='Gibson'], MH Marian/Michigan Elite</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Gibson got more reps this fall and she showed she can be a dominant middle for the Mustangs. She had 136 kills, almost three times as many as she had as a freshman. Her blocking was also a big strong point, as she had 71 on the season, averaging nearly a block per set.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>So. [player_tooltip player_id='644142' first='Ava' last='Kiernan'], S South Lyon East/Michigan Elite</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Kiernan is a 6'2” setter that split time running the offense of the Cougars, one of the top teams in Division 1 this fall. She ended up leading East in assists with 535, while adding 165 assists, 43 aces, and 39 blocks. Kiernan can impact the game in all phases and should be one of the great talents to come out of Oakland County the next few years.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->