Road to June 15th: Revisiting NE's Sophomore Stat Leaders (Pt. 1)

Before we glance at the road ahead, let's look back at where we've been.   Nebraska's Class of 2028 has grown, developed, and flourished over the past several months. This year's club campaign has reshaped our perspective on the state's top prospects, especially as we approach the start of open recruiting contact on June 15th. However, the spring season is not the only venue where Nebraska's recruitable gems make their mark.   2028s are a couple of short months away from rising to upperclassman status. Unsurprisingly, we've seen many of the same Great Plains Region heavyweights put up big numbers for their respective high schools. This lens also allows us to revisit some names we haven't discussed in a while.   So, let's cover all those bases here. Which high-volume scorers, diggers, or helpers can we expect to generate some recruiting buzz this year and beyond?    Remember last year's eighth-seeded Cinderella? The Holdrege Dusters took the Class C1 tournament by storm in 2025, and Johnson was at the center of it all--literally. This game-changing middle blocker set the pace for Nebraska sophomores in multiple statistical categories, finishing with 330 total kills on a 0.285 clip. Johnson's postseason run was the perfect lead-in to another transformative spring with South Central NE 16 Black. She lit up the front row during 16 Black's Show Me championship, and Johnson followed up the feat at the Great Plains Region Bid Tournament. Another podium finish at GJNC is the next target.     We've seen plenty of exceptional setter-hitter hybrids on Nebraska's prep scene, but Jacobson does her multi-position damage a little differently. Millard South enjoyed a historic season last fall, culminating in a No. 2 seed and a trip to the Class A semifinals. Jacobson led the Patriots' scoring ledger with 2.7 kills per set, oscillating between both pins for her team. However, we've watched Jacobson's distribution skills soar with Club Legacy 16 Alpha, which will make a GJNC return after an NLQ title. Jacobson's smooth setting has been a highlight, but she's still tearing it up as a frontcourt weapon, too. 16 Alpha has solved the puzzle of getting Jacobson involved in as many ways as possible.     As our intro mentioned, this series will allow us to catch up with some small-town stars we haven't discussed in a while. Propp deserves this return to the spotlight after putting up some of Nebraska's most staggering scoring numbers among last year's sophomores. She compiled nearly five kills per set in the front row, backing up a 300-plus-kill debut season in 2024. The Cozad terminator is on pace to put up some impressive career tallies, but her versatility is perhaps most impressive of all. Propp can work with any tempo at the net and could be considered a middle-pin "crossover" player. As long as she's at the net, Propp is a go-to setting target.     Wellensiek has provided consistent proof of how well rural standouts can compete on the biggest club stages. The Johnson County Central junior has been soaring since climbing to the USAV Nationals podium with last year's Premier Nebraska 15 Gold group. Elite players know how to apply that high-level experience to their next on-court opportunity, and that's exactly what Wellensiek did with JCC last fall. She piloted the Thunderbird offense with a colossal 10.8 assists per set, helping her crew clinch Class C2's No. 1 postseason seed. The postseason beckons again with Premier Nebraska 16 Gold in the coveted 16 Open division.     Brandt has brought a new influx of ball control and pinpoint distribution to this year's Nebraska ONE 16 Titanium crew. Before that, she climbed the sophomore hierarchy by dishing out 7.8 assists per set for Fremont on the ever-challenging Class A gauntlet. These underclassman reps primed Brandt for her transition to the Nebraska ONE gym, where she has become one of the club's many all-around signal-callers. Brandt's floor defense is just as impactful as her second-contact distribution, and we wouldn't expect anything less from a Fremont prep athlete.     Guardian Angels Central Catholic has seen plenty of stat-stuffing stars lately, and Kreikemeier has ushered in the next wave of double-double machines. We're not talking about an individual stat line when covering Kreikemeier's on-court influence. Rather, this 2028 outside hitter covers every quadrant of the box score with her six-rotation excellence. Kreikemeier tabbed over 200 kills and a whopping 4.2 digs per set last fall, helping the Bluejays make their triumphant state tournament return. The run continues on the club side with Nebraska D-League's top 16s lineup.     Clearly, we have dig leaders all over the map in the Cornhusker State. Beller joins Kreikemeier on the small-town leaderboard as one of last year's most prolific backcourt defenders. She tallied nearly five digs per set last fall, but don't let that distract you from Beller's laundry list of other contributions. The multi-sport star also chipped in with over 200 kills, adding to her extensive scouting report with the Bulldogs. It's no surprise that Beller has emerged as a year-round standout for Humphrey-Lindsay athletics, and she'll have plenty of next-level options in various avenues.

Before we glance at the road ahead, let's look back at where we've been.