The Captain Returns: Kansas Coverage Club

The Captain's been missing in action for quite some time now, but he has dusted off his cape and his sword and is ready, willing, and able to provide coverage to Prep Dig Kansas prospects.   For those of you not familiar with the Captain, he's a combination of an imaginary friend and an alter ego. Inspired by two of my childhood icons, Captain Caveman and Conan the Barbarian.   When I need to cover random athletes or when my organizational hat is not working, I release the Captain.   In this current market and society, there are several reasons why a ranked athlete might not get the kind of coverage that they or I would like them to have.   Some of those factors include, but are not limited to, the location of their school, the club events they participate in, the possibility they are focusing on other sports, whether their prep program shares public stats, the intensity of their recruiting presence on social media, and ultimately, have I seen them play recently?   Prep Dig Kansas currently has more than 1,000 players ranked in the 2026-2029 classes, and I am starting to work on the Class of 2030 rankings. With that many athletes, naturally, more than just a few will fall through the cracks. That's where the Captain helps out.   On the other hand, a college athlete was recently named an All-American, and I first featured in a report because she used to chase after the loose balls during club season when no one else on her team would. There are several ways to set yourself apart from other prospects, as you will also see by the final player featured in this report.   Here is warranted coverage for six ranked Kansas athletes. Notice the not-so-subtle hint that all six have completed Prep Dig Profiles. Just another way to set yourself apart from other prospects is by claiming and completing your Free profiles.    I recently was informed that Broson has verbally committed to the University of Northern Iowa. That commitment is now public on her Prep Dig Profile, but the news came after our most recent rankings update. She is currently ranked No. 30 overall and is now the tenth member of the Kansas Class of 2027 verbally committed to a Division I program. Or at least the 10 I know of. Her junior season stat line included 392 kills, 262 digs, and 47 blocks. She will be playing on the [program_tooltip program_id='430200' first='KC' last='Power'] 17-1 club team, which is loaded for bear and one that national scouts will want to watch play this season.     Noel can get overlooked since she plays for a small program and on a team with a wealth of ranked talent. She is currently ranked No. 94 overall by Prep Dig, is uncommitted to my knowledge, and is an athlete who could play a utility role or a leading hitting role for JUCO or NAIA programs. She finished her senior season with 78 kills in 59 sets played. She had more than 300 career kills for the Tigers. She also plays basketball for Jeff West. In two games this season, she is averaging 4.5 rebounds per game after averaging 6.5 boards per game as a junior.     Heiland goes unnoticed at times becuase she plays way out in Northwest Kansas. She has participated in Prep Dig Showcases in the past, and I first noticed her playing club ball during her sophomore season. One junior college coach recently reached out looking for libero suggestions, and she was a name I shared. She finished her senior season with a team-high 694 digs for Smith Center. She finished with over 1,000-career digs and played a key role in Smith Center's 25-13 winning season.     The Kansas City Metro is loaded with talent, but not all of that talent gets enough coverage. Steele was the leading attacker for the 9-24 Falcons. Despite the losing record, South has some girls who can play, and Steele is one of them. She finished with 220 kills and 32 blocks during her junior campaign. She is quick and can jump. She is currently ranked No. 51 overall in the Kansas Class of 2027. She is another under-the-radar prospect JUCO and NAIA coaches should watch closely.     Even with a 20-12 record, a team like North can get overlooked with perennial powers Blue Valley West, Mill Valley, Olathe West, and Blue Valley Northwest in its region. Weinert has posted back-to-back seasons with at least 100 kills. She tallied 189 kills and 56 blocks in 94 sets played. She was primarily used only in the front row by the Eagles' coaching staff. She has a big reach and two years of prep ball ahead of her. She is ranked No. 11 overall in the Kansas Class of 2028 and has 130 total blocks in two seasons.     Elliott was an athlete I was looking forward to seeing at this weekend's Prep Dig Exposure Tour stop in Kansas City. A schedule in her club season has created a conflict, so she will be unable to attend. She pulled off a classy move by emailing me to let me know she would miss the event. That's one example of how a high school athlete can network, build relationships, and increase their chances of getting exposure. Elliott finished her freshman season with 476 assists, 59 kills, and 20 blocks in 65 varsity sets. I did not see her play this past fall, and I hope to track her down this club season.

The Captain's been missing in action for quite some time now, but he has dusted off his cape and his sword and is ready, willing, and able to provide coverage to Prep Dig Kansas prospects.