Top Offensive Prep Teams Entering 2026, Part 5

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>As we are now into May, the 2026 prep volleyball season isn't too far away.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Kids are wrapping up their club seasons and getting ready to put in the work to make a run at a state title come August.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Looking ahead, there's a lot of high-offensive potential around the state, with some teams returning a plethora of talent. Here's the fifth and final part of our look at some of the top returning offenses in the state for 2026.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Stoney Creek</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>One of the teams that made a big step forward last fall was Stoney Creek and the returning offensive talent should lead to more success in 2026. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='569772' first='Lauren' last='Sheldon'] </strong>is one of the strongest 2028 hitters in the state and shown she can be a dominant lead in an offense. She's got some help in the middle from 6'2” middle <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='442973' first='Brooklyn' last='Rummler'] </strong>(FIU), as well as fellow outsides <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='849248' first='Bianca' last='Micakovic']</strong> and <strong>Gabby Parrish</strong>. Parrish was a freshman last fall that showed some nice flashes. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='442997' first='Morgan' last='Bates'] </strong>and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='531680' first='Ava' last='Youhanna']</strong> are returning senior setters that will be able to put all these pieces together for a dynamite offense.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Traverse City Central</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Up North, TC Central is going to be bringing plenty of heat at the net. Leading the way will be a pair of upcoming seniors in outside <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='454377' first='Erica' last='Heffner']</strong> and middle/right side <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='787011' first='Isabella' last='Hernalsteen']</strong>. They can bring a lot of leadership and consistency to the offense. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='560553' first='Macaire' last='Kudary'] </strong>is also a strong asset to this offense and one of the shining stars in the Class of 2028. It should be a big fall for her. TC Central will also have some nice depth pieces on offense in <strong>Lillian Rucker</strong>, <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='747215' first='Lanikai' last='Richardson'], </strong>and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='779874' first='Sienna' last='Moeke']</strong>. <strong>Avery Taggart </strong>is also a returning setter that should keep this offense humming.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Ubly</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>One of the D4 programs that looks like it should be very tough again on paper is 2025 semifinalist Ubly. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='611100' first='Waverly' last='Hagen'] </strong>was one of the best in D4 last fall as a junior and should be very dominant in the middle again as a senior. She's got a great partner on the outside in 2028 prospect <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='724836' first='Addison' last='Weber']</strong>, who also comes into the fall as one of the top hitters in D4. <strong>Alaina Donnellon </strong>also had steady product on the right side as a sophomore. Ubly will have to find a new starting setter, but the hitters will be there to bring the new setter along quickly.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Valley Lutheran</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Without a single on the 2025 roster that reached the D3 semifinals, you can bet Valley Lutheran will be loaded and ready to go in 2026. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='523865' first='Kate' last='Belt'] </strong>is a preseason D3 Player of the Year contender for sure. She's an agile setter that can also hammer the ball. She spreads the ball out well to potent finishers like <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='916038' first='Braelin' last='Rodammer']</strong>, <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='807118' first='Reagan' last='Webb']</strong>, <strong>Grace Parker</strong>, and <strong>Linden Pomaville</strong>. Those four combined for over 1,400 kills last fall.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Vicksburg</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>One team to watch in Southwest Michigan will be the Bulldogs. They will need a new starting setter, but bring back three solid finishers that combined for over 1,000 kills in the 2025 season. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='523843' first='Addison' last='Naplin']</strong> led the charge for Vicksburg last year and is driven to make a big impact in her senior year. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='699957' first='Brynn' last='Swetz'] </strong>is an agile 6-footer that finishes at a strong rate from anywhere along the net. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='808183' first='Lena' last='Lancaster'] </strong>has a strong sophomore season and has added new shots to her arsenal to give Vicksburg a potent three-arm attack.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Zeeland East</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Chix may have been slightly overlooked last year, but put up a great record. This fall, Zeeland East is going to be a team that can't be ignored. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='490374' first='Elizabeth' last='Risdon'] </strong>(Ohio) was one of the most productive outsides in the state as a junior and she's will contend to be an MVP candidate this fall. She's got a great setter alongside her in <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='850734' first='Kyla' last='Kuiper']</strong>, one of the top prospects in the Class of 2028. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='809531' first='Ava' last='Geerlings']</strong> is a middle on the rise as well, while <strong>Brienna Cole</strong> has been able to come through with some big moments for the Chix as well.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->