Summer Evaluation Updates for Iowa’s 2029 Class

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="https://prepdig.com/2026/07/tiered-player-rankings-of-iowas-2029-class/" id="https://prepdig.com/2026/07/tiered-player-rankings-of-iowas-2029-class/">Tiered rankings of my Top 25 players</a> in Iowa's 2029 Class (not the official Prep Dig Rankings) posted recently. It confirmed that this recruiting cycle features a lot of talent.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The prospect pool is deep beyond that group, too. If you peruse our <a href="https://prepdig.com/iowa/rankings/2029-rankings/" id="https://prepdig.com/iowa/rankings/2029-rankings/">watch list on the site</a>, there are scouting reports on many of the student-athletes from this club season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Now, it's time to catch up with folks we haven't written about in awhile or at all. We're about to tip off an important prep campaign followed by a club season that will lead to direct contact with colleges on June 15.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["956716"],"_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-6a53caf4d1c4c"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">If you're looking for a breakout prospect from Iowa's 2029 Class for the prep season, Woody would be an excellent candidate. The young middle hitter is coming off of a club season in which she helped River City Juniors win the Elite Division with a 13-0 record at the AAU National Tournament in Orlando. The St. Albert sophomore showed she could impact matches as a two-way player in the middle of the net. She's quick off the ground and in getting through her swing on quicks, while also being able to rise up above the net and power down traditional sets. Long arms, keen timing and athleticism lead to being a good defender at the net. She feels the block well and alters attacks out of her reach.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["891609"],"_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-6a53e09c53c9d"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Fink got her feet wet as part of the Dubuque Senior varsity rotation during 2025. The freshman came up with 38 kills and 20.0 blocks in 58 sets. Fink followed up that effort with a strong club campaign for Fearless. There's a force in the middle of the net when we watch <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1P9qJEFDPYM" id="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1P9qJEFDPYM">her highlights</a>. Tall with long arms, she gets on top of the ball and follows through with the heavy swing. There's an aptitude for hitting at the outside pin and a skill set that also would work on the right side. Fink is a sound defender with a chance to grow in that area. There's also further upside to her attack with more reps. A breakout could very well be loading for Fink this fall.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["769009"],"_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-6a53e434788be"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Friessen is in the discussion when we're talking top players in Iowa's 2029 Class. I watched as she helped Hinton push defending champion Denver to five sets the state title match as a freshman. She was calm, cool and collected delivering on the big stage en route to all-state recognition as a ninth-grader. It was time to check in on this talented sophomore-to-be and her club campaign with Midwest Elite. It's confirmed. She's continued on the trajectory to be a big-time college prospect. And the positions listed aren't a mistake. She's a middle hitter and setter, as you can see during a <a href="https://www.fieldlevel.com/app/profile/ellie.friessen/volleyballwomen/videos/3141668" id="https://www.fieldlevel.com/app/profile/ellie.friessen/volleyballwomen/videos/3141668">recent highlight video</a>. It's a bit of a unicorn profile and a whole lot of potential at a pair of premium positions.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["782282"],"_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-6a53e9fc908ca"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Goldsmith followed up a fabulous freshman season at Ottumwa with a strong showing during the recent club year. As a ninth-grader, she paced the Bulldogs with 206 kills in 95 sets. It's a heavy swing from the pin with bounce off the floor and explosion into a strong vertical that allows her to get on top of the ball and power through it. She's a fluid and smooth athlete that can pass when targeted in serve-receive and recover back to the pin. Goldsmith will be a force to be reckoned with at Ottumwa in 2026 and has shown she's a prospect to track moving forward.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["889855"],"_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-6a5439ab460e8"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Harlan enjoyed a fantastic freshman season of 2025, collecting 279 kills (.220) and 284 digs in 93 sets. She flashed that six-rotation ability when I saw her competing for PowerPlex at the 2026 USAV Iowa Regional. A quick-twitch athlete, Harlan covers a lot of ground in the back row with quickness and sharp reflexes. She tracks the ball well in serve-receive and when she's lining up at the pin. Harlan bounces off of the court into an impressive vertical leap leading to a powerful swing. She has room to add more there when becoming stronger through weight training. Harlan will be one of the better sophomores in the state this season and a big-time problem for Atlantic opponents. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block -->