Closer Look at Potential Middle Hitter Breakouts

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="https://prepdig.com/2026/06/setters-with-breakout-potential-in-2026/">Setters with Breakout Potential in 2026</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="https://prepdig.com/2026/06/potential-26-breakouts-in-back-row/">Potential '26 Breakouts in Back Row</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="https://prepdig.com/2026/06/uncovering-2026-breakouts-at-outside-hitter/" id="https://prepdig.com/2026/06/uncovering-2026-breakouts-at-outside-hitter/">Uncovering 2026 Breakouts at Outside Hitter</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- 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>Life comes at you fast. So does volleyball.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>As we hit the middle of June, high school teams are conducting open gyms. The start of training camps are a month and a half away. No time like the present to look ahead at what we might go down in the fall.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Many recognizable names will be back on courts around the state. Others will emerge. That's our focus for this series. It's a rundown of student-athletes with breakout potential in the prep ranks for 2026. We'll split the players up by position.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We continue with middle hitters:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='849088' first='Chloe' last='Degroot'], 2029, Benton/CIA:</strong> The 2029 Class in Iowa is loaded at middle hitter. Degroot helps make it that way. She started as a Benton freshman in 2025, leading it in blocks and ranking fourth in kills while hitting .236. Degroot has gone on to play an important role in CIA 15U finishing third at the USAV Iowa Regional and earning a bid to next week's nationals in Indianapolis. She's a powerful two-way middle with a good feel for throwing up a block and an improving attack. Receiving important coaching at the prep and club level will help Degroot develop her significant potential. With Benton graduating other key front-row contributors, she's positioned to move into a starring role this fall.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='766797' first='Emma' last='Ryder'], 2029, Ottumwa/SCI Aces:</strong> Ryder started as an Ottumwa freshman last season, producing 141 kills in 90 sets. Her 68.0 blocks led the squad and were the most for a season in school history. One might call that a breakout but it's just the beginning of what Ryder can be as a volleyball player. It's hard to know for sure how she'll develop in her “second sport” with more time being dedicated to basketball. Prep Girls Hoops ranks her as a Top 5 player in Iowa for 2029. The explosiveness and athleticism is there for great growth in volleyball as she sharpens the game's skills and technique. We should start seeing that this fall with a season under belt. A breakout is a real possibility.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='750513' first='Caylee' last='Jensen'], 2029, North Cedar/United:</strong> Jensen broke out from a statistical standpoint as a North Cedar freshman last fall with 234 kills (.371) and 56.0 blocks, both team highs. That said, postseason recognition was modest. Expect that to change in 2026 as the sophomore establishes herself as one of the top middle hitters in the class. Jensen has the ability. She flashes it against the country's best playing for Iowa's Top 15U club team. Jensen is a difference maker in defending the net. She combines height, long arms, great timing and sound technique in making it very difficult for opponents to end points. Her attack continues improving. Jensen is reading blocks and seeing openings in the defense better. The power is increasing. She'll be one of the best players in the Tri-Rivers Conference in 2026.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='764788' first='Tatum' last='Comer'], 2029, Davenport West/Select:</strong> Like others on this list, Comer does not hail from a prep volleyball powerhouse, proving once again that there are really good players everywhere. She's really taken a step forward in her development competing against high-end club teams for Iowa Select. The performance comes on the heels of freshman season at Davenport West last fall that saw her produce 62 kills and 27.0 blocks in 68 sets. Those numbers should spike this coming campaign with a greater comfort level in place. Comer is agile and athletic in the middle of the net. Those traits along with explosiveness will open the door for great success and allow her to help at other front-row positions if the need arises.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='765334' first='Meryl' last='Sandholm'], 2028, Ankeny Centennial/United Timmerman:</strong> Sandholm spent her sophomore season of 2025 developing on the junior varsity in an Ankeny Centennial program that reached its first state championship match on its varsity level. She's displayed that growth this club season for United 16 Timmerman, helping that team finish second at the USAV Iowa Regional and qualify to this month's nationals in Indy. Sandholm has improved a great deal since last club year. She's more powerful and explosive with a better feel for match flow. Sandholm picks up good reads on the opposing attack and times blocks well. Her swing creates velocity to put the ball down to all zones and consistency in doing so is on the rise. Centennial lost a lot of talent to graduation, and Sandholm is fully capable of helping fill that void.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->