Tennessee 2028s Shine at MEQ 16 Open

Welcome to Prep Dig Tennessee!  I was able to watch plenty of Tennessee talent at the Mideast Qualifier in Indianapolis where the 16 Open field was very impressive.  I don't always get to see a lot of Tennessee athletes being based out of the Upper Midwest, but I could help but notice this group.  These 2028s are sure to be on the radar as the recruiting process can officially begin June 15.  Here are five athletes to know!     Before an athlete makes contact with the volleyball, you know they are bound to do something great. [player_tooltip player_id='946607' first='Jentelle' last='McNairl'] just moves different, she glides on the court and explodes bounces off the floor, soaring on her approach. When she makes hand contact it just sounds different. She puts a hurt on the ball. The 2028 outside hitter has a huge upside to her game. She has already won championships, she has been to some top college camps already, and will be a prized recruit to come out of Tennessee. But, she still has the rest of her club season to lead Alliance 16 Ren. They will be ones to watch when they take on the Show Me Qualifier in a couple of weeks.     All it took was one jump to write down [player_tooltip player_id='946608' first='Lucy' last='Schmoke']'s number down in the notes app. The 6'2 middle blocker for Alliance 16 Ren is a problem for the opposing side. She knows how to press and get over the net to block the ball back in the court, she has the lateral quickness to go from pin to pin while still being available to transition from blocker to attacker. She is touching real high as well. Her length and athleticism allows her to change the game where the opposing attackers always need to know where she is.    <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2026/03/RG1A2409-crop-3188x2093-1774977870.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-959997" style="width:411px;height:auto"/></figure>    What an exciting Memphis squad that made some waves at MEQ. [player_tooltip player_id='958351' first='Kamryn' last='Keith'] is an outside hitter to take note of for MJVA 16 Elite Black. She is a 2028 six rotation outside hitter who can do a lot of things for her team, the big one being score points. In their match against A5 on day two gold pools at MEQ, Keith was putting points on the board from the outside and the backrow. Her teammates loved to celebrate her, each time she touches the ball there is something exciting about to happen. Her team finished 9th overall at MEQ 16 Open and could be a sneaky squad to keep tabs on in April.    <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2026/03/RG1A2479-crop-3188x2093-1774977781.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-959995" style="width:500px;height:auto"/></figure>    [player_tooltip player_id='818827' first='Shaun' last='Waller'] of TPV 16 Maverick can be big time. She changes the game with her athleticism and length as one of the top middle blockers in the Class of 2028. What is so impressive is how smooth she is with her movement, she makes it look effortless. When she approaches she can thump it on the ten foot line, use the deep court, or can be creative with her tips and throws. She is part of a really exciting [program_tooltip program_id='431559' first='Tennessee' last='Performance'] squad who has been on fire this 2026 season. Waller as well as plenty of her teammates will prep for an exciting recruiting journey on June 15.    <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2026/03/RG1A2490-crop-2513x1650-1774977677.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-959993" style="width:519px;height:auto"/></figure>    If you are picking a setter, you want one like Emerson Garner. She is the straw that stirs the drink. A 2028 setter for TPV 16 Maverick, Garner is the type of athlete who impacts the game in multiple ways. She has finesse with how she controls the court with ease from how she defends her position to how she can chuck from pin to pin. She has physicality in the front row where she knows how to lockdown and opposing outside hitter and picks her times when to attack. There are plenty of attackers on her side of the net where she can run multiple tempos in different situations to score points. TPV 16 Maverick had a tough tiebreaker on day two of MEQ which left them out of the day three gold pools. They finished 8-1 overall and are a scary matchup the rest of the season.

Welcome to Prep Dig Tennessee! I was able to watch plenty of Tennessee talent at the Mideast Qualifier in Indianapolis where the 16 Open field was very impressive. I don't always get to see a lot of Tennessee athletes being based out of the Upper Midwest, but I could help but notice this group. These 2028s are sure to be on the radar as the recruiting process can officially begin June 15. Here are five athletes to know!