June 15 Has Come and Gone

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It's a date that brings both excitement and anxiety for many athletes in this class. While some received texts and calls as the clock struck midnight or early the next morning, others may find that their recruiting process takes a little longer, and that's okay.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It's a message I share every year: your value is not determined by a date. It's not determined by how many calls you receive or how quickly they come. Don't get caught up in the comparison game; it rarely ends well. Every athlete's journey will look different, and whatever your path looks like, embrace it.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>With that said, here's a look at some of the recruiting movement already taking place in the Class of 2028. Congratulations to these athletes on their commitments.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='666872' first='Payton' last='Osegueda'] | Park Hill HS / [program_tooltip program_id='515493' first='Club' last='North'] → Iowa State</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='666872' first='Payton' last='Osegueda'] of Park Hill High School and [program_tooltip program_id='515493' first='Club' last='North'] has decided to head a few hours up I-35 to Ames to join Coach Johnson and the Iowa State Cyclones. The outside hitter has shown tremendous growth in her game, playing up this spring while embracing the challenge of becoming a six-rotation player. Her development in the back row, both defensively and in serve-receive, has been especially noticeable.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='623081' first='Rilynn' last='Wingenbach'] | Union / High Performance → Creighton</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>While one athlete is heading north on I-35, another will likely find her way west on I-70 before eventually making her way up I-29 to Omaha. St. Louis standout [player_tooltip player_id='623081' first='Rilynn' last='Wingenbach'] has committed to Creighton. The Union and High Performance middle blocker has established herself as one of the state's premier middles, consistently impacting matches with her effectiveness both offensively and defensively at the net.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='729480' first='Lauren' last='Dorey'] | Jackson/High Performance → Washington</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>High Performance had a busy day, highlighted by [player_tooltip player_id='729480' first='Lauren' last='Dorey']'s decision to head to the Pacific Northwest and join the Washington Huskies. The 6-foot-2 setter/opposite from Jackson has continued her ascent after making the move to High Performance and has emerged as one of Missouri's top players in the 2028 class.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='586613' first='Ellie' last='Bain'] | Mill Valley / [program_tooltip program_id='428889' first='Dynasty' last=''] → Kentucky</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Kentucky has enjoyed success recruiting setters from the Kansas City area, and the Wildcats are hoping to strike gold again with [program_tooltip program_id='428889' first='Dynasty' last=''] and Mill Valley standout [player_tooltip player_id='586613' first='Ellie' last='Bain']. Bain has consistently demonstrated the ability to compete above her age division and has established herself as a dynamic setter and leader on the court. She will look to continue Kentucky's tradition of developing elite setters in Lexington.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='543378' first='Olivia' last='Maciel'] | Blue Springs / Mavs KC → Omaha</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Omaha made a significant splash in Missouri's 2028 class, landing what I consider an absolute steal in Blue Springs and MAVS standout [player_tooltip player_id='543378' first='Olivia' last='Maciel']. I saw her in person for the first time earlier this club season, and she immediately stood out. Maciel possesses a lively arm and attacks with confidence, but what impressed me most was her all-around play in the back row. She impacts matches on both sides of the ball and brings a complete skill set to the court.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>With commitments from both Wingenbach and Maciel, Omaha appears to be building something special with this class.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->