Standout Underclassmen From The Grand Rapids Area

<!-- 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 the Grand Rapids area, a number of talented freshmen and sophomores drew the spotlight on their play last fall.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='888958' first='Ellery' last='Bieneman'], Fr. MH Lowell/FaR Out</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The 6-foot middle for Lowell made a big impact as a freshman for the Red Arrows, finishing with 250 kills while hitting .317. Bieneman went toe-to-toe with a lot of great middles and showed she can handle the pressure. She also put up over 50 blocks, earning All-State and All-Prep Dig honors in D1.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='908353' first='Kenna' last='Deters'], So. MH Byron Center/FaR Out</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Deters had a great year for Byron Center. She had nearly 250 kills while hitting over .325 on the season. The 6'1” Deters also showed good blocking ability, earning Second Team All-State honors in D1 and <a href="https://prepdig.com/2025/12/2025-michigan-hs-d1-all-prep-dig-teams/">All-Prep Dig D1 honors</a> as well.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Madi Hanko, So. MH West Ottawa/Rise Academy</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Listed as a middle, Hanko showed she can also played the outside this fall. She's got a lot of reach and can high-point the ball well while producing a consistent swing. Hanko shows promising footwork and anticipation for the ball.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='834257' first='Kiley' last='Manyen'], So OH Rockford/FaR Out</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Rams were a veteran team in 2025, but Manyen stepped up in a complementary role on the outside. She put down over 150 kills with nearly 300 digs, 60 aces and 40 blocks. Manyen should be able to handle a bigger role next fall and not miss a beat.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='881552' first='Mya' last='McKinnon'], So. MH GR Christian/Rise Academy</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>McKinnon is a real force in the middle. The 6'2” hitter had over 300 kills this fall while hitting an eye-popping .441 and piling up nearly 100 blocks. McKinnon is definitely going to be a dominant middle in the years ahead. She was First Team All-State in D2 and <a href="https://prepdig.com/2025/12/2025-michigan-hs-d2-all-prep-dig-teams/">All-Prep Dig in D2</a> as well.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='881556' first='Stella' last='Polavin'], So. OH FH Northern/Rise Academy</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A 6'2” hitter that can play on either end of the net, Polavin is going to be a handful for opponents to deal with. She's got a great wingspan to utilize, but also has the athleticism and agility to produce a lot of power in her swing.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='664290' first='Heidi' last='White'], So. S East Grand Rapids/Rise Academy</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>White is a 6-foot setter that is able to push a great pace and she helped elevate East Grand Rapids against many top teams in the state. White pushed toward 1,000 assists while earning All-State and All-Prep Dig honors in D1.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->