Rising Hitters from Windy City National Qualifier

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>Get 30% off your first billing cycle with code:&nbsp;howe30&nbsp;in the coupon code area</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="https://prepdig.com/2026/04/best-day-1-photos-from-2026-windy-city-nq/">Best Day 1 Photos from 2026 Windy City NQ</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="https://prepdig.com/2026/04/more-day-1-photos-from-2026-windy-city-national-qualifier/">More Day 1 Photos from 2026 Windy City National Qualifier</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="https://prepdig.com/2026/04/photo-gallery-i-adidas-windy-city-national-qualifier/">Photo Gallery I: Adidas Windy City National Qualifier</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="https://prepdig.com/2026/04/photo-gallery-ii-adidas-windy-city-national-qualifier/">Photo Gallery II: Adidas Windy City National Qualifier</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="https://prepdig.com/2026/04/photo-gallery-iii-adidas-windy-city-national-qualifier/">Photo Gallery III: Adidas Windy City National Qualifier</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Chicago played host to the 2026 Windy City National Qualifier last weekend at McCormick Place. Clubs from Iowa took on some of the nation's top teams.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Here's a closer look at prospects from the event that are raising their level of play this club campaign :</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["775182"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-69d7ce78ad480"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Marais first popped out to Prep Dig Iowa with her play for Prairie at the Prep Dig Sizzle in August of 2024. It was a heavy swing for a freshman and a confidence that belied her age. Those strengths have only grown in the time since that encounter. Marais has raised her level of play through last club season, during her sophomore season with the Prairie Hawks in the fall and again this club year with United 16-1 Elite. The athletic outside hitter was performing well when we saw her at the 2026 Adidas Windy City National Qualifier during Easter weekend in Chicago. Marais was finding success competing against some of the country's best in the Open Division. She's explosive off of the court, flashes a big vertical and generates power in her swing. Marais has increased her efficiency during the last few years, has improved as a blocker and become more comfortable flowing with the action. She's also proficient hitting at the opposite pin, giving college coaches something else to like.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["770743"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-69d7d0c1c4583"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Dodd has steadily improved as an overall volleyball player during the last year or so. She performed well along the club circuit in 2025 and then helped Humboldt reach the Class 3A state championship match in the fall. The sophomore showed efficiency when pounding out 186 kills (.253) during the memorable and historic run. Her 167 digs ranked third on the team, and she added in 21.0 blocks. Dodd has taken another step forward in her development as evidenced by her strong play at the 2026 Adidas Windy City National Qualifier during Easter Weekend in Chicago. She was operating through six rotations, limiting mistakes in the back row and swinging away at the pin. Dodd is getting stronger and adding velocity to her attack. Improvement in reading the block is leading to more success in putting the ball down. She is solid when throwing up the block, and lateral quickness and athleticism aid her in digging up the opposing attack or keeping the team in system on serve-receive.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["555717"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-69d7d41823697"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">I'm not quite sure where Cory best fits positionally, but that's a good thing. Her versatility and capabilities at multiple spots make her an interesting prospect for the next level. She appears to have grown from the 6-foot-1 listing in her Prep Dig profile. Long arms make her play even taller. Ideally, development at setter would be the most interesting outcome with her height and skill set. Cory also could end up emerging as a right-side hitter with her increasing efficiency and power there. She was operating through six rotations, at times, when scouting her at the 2026 Adidas Windy City National Qualifier. A teammate was occupying the setter spot, for the most part, so she slid over to attack effectively from all along the net. Her consistency in the back row is improving as is her feel for the block. Cory flows well with the action and limits mistakes. The first-team all-MVC pick in 2025 could help a lot of programs on the next level. Limited roster space makes her positional flexibility that much more attractive.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["751358"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-69d7d8434ba8b"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Sager began emerging as a prospect last club season with United and stood out again during a United showcase in June. She then raised her level of play last fall for a Dike-New Hartford squad that reached the Class 2A state semifinals before falling to Hinton. The sophomore contributed 54 kills, mostly from the right-side pin, adding nine blocks and 27 digs. She was competing through six rotations as an outside hitter and doing so at a high level when watching her at the 2026 Adidas Windy City National Qualifier on Easter Weekend in Chicago. Sager makes up for being undersized at the pin with excellent bounce off of the court and a strong vertical leap. She hangs well in the air and keeps generating more velocity in the swing each time I see her. Sager is a smart player that picks up information during a match to uses it to her advantage. She's trending up as a prospect and could be ready to break out this fall for the Wolverines.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["730403"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-69d7da7d26b52"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Steele first stood out to me when watching her at Prep Dig showcase last spring. She confirmed her potential as a prospect when competing at the Prep Dig Sizzle in August of 2025. The junior then helped Norwalk reach the Class 4A state tournament in the fall. Steele cranked out 215 kills (.326) for the Warriors, mostly lining up at the opposite pin. Her 64.0 blocks were a team best. Steele was hitting from the outside pin when I saw her at the 2026 Adidas Windy City National Qualifier over Easter weekend in Chicago. Comfortable and efficient at that position, too, Steele's positional versatility make her an asset to her current teams and a potential plus for colleges seeing her value. She brings a power game to the court and is taller than the 5-foot-11 listed on her Prep Dig profile. Long arms and leaping ability lead to her playing bigger. Steele still is developing her game and packs the potential that could help out a number of college programs.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block -->