Kansas Stars to Watch from 2025's Tourney Contenders (Pt. 2)

The list expands.   Our preseason coverage of Kansas' high school campaign has reviewed many of last year's top squads. We've visited with some high-profile <a href="https://prepdig.com/2026/08/returning-champs-on-our-kansas-coverage-radar-this-fall/" data-type="link" data-id="https://prepdig.com/2026/08/returning-champs-on-our-kansas-coverage-radar-this-fall/">state champs</a> and expanded our reach to the state's <a href="https://prepdig.com/2026/08/kansas-stars-to-watch-from-2025s-tourney-contenders-pt-1/" data-type="link" data-id="https://prepdig.com/2026/08/kansas-stars-to-watch-from-2025s-tourney-contenders-pt-1/">2025 semifinalists</a>. And we're not done with the semifinalists, either.   Part 2 is due, so let's bring a few more gems into the picture. Big gains are looming for this crew, and that might lead to even bigger team accomplishments as we approach November.    Look out for this Ivy League-bound middle blocker. Igbenebor has pledged to represent Brown University at the next level, and she brings ample athleticism to spar with D1 competitors. Blue Valley Southwest's offense featured plenty of high-octane scorers last fall, and Igbenebor carried that banner well with a 0.321 hitting percentage. Recent reps in the PVA gym have placed this rising senior on our radar as the Timberwolves lean on new leaders in 2026.     Wilson has accomplished so much over her prep career, both with Holton High and her Mizuno Club North crew. Perhaps this long-standing success can be attributed to Wilson's knack for influencing matches in any way possible. She's a true six-rotation threat who puts as much effort into her floor defense as her front-row attacks. Some of her best backcourt plays came as Holton earned a runner-up finish in last year's Class 3A bracket. The stars align for more postseason drama as Wilson rejoins many of her 2025 teammates in the Wildcats' gym.     The senior class is rising up for today's feature. Miller is an ideal torchbearer for the setters after she averaged ten assists per set for last year's Class 2A silver medalists. Her stats only tell part of the story, as Miller's quickness and agility allow her to track down errant passes and deliver smooth out-of-system sets. Valley Heights has leaned on that hustle for a while en route to nearly 2,000 total assists over the past three seasons. Miller's swan song season should add to that tally.     We're returning to that "do-everything outside hitter" niche we discussed with Wilson and Holton High. Blackwill levied that same impact with Quinter last fall, leading the team in scoring and notching an eye-catching 4.4 digs per set in the backcourt. Best of all, this rising junior proved she could log standout performances when it mattered most. Blackwill averaged well over three kills per set in October's final matches, propelling Quinter into the Class 1A D1 semifinals. That's something to build upon as Blackwill begins her upperclassman tenure.     Like Quinter, Axtell High used a late-season charge to break into last fall's semifinals. Strathman engineered this breakthrough by putting down about four kills per set during Halloween's pre-bracket pool play. The 2028 terminator also found her stride during a six-match winning streak in October, demonstrating Strathman's growing comfort in the Axtell system. This is a classic change-up hitter who occupies the middle but takes plenty of attacking volume on the pin, too. The Eagles will gladly move her around to open up big windows.     This is a "wildcard" choice unlike any other athlete featured on this series. Deeter rose to prominence as one of Kansas' most impactful first-year terminators last fall. She racked up nearly three kills per set in her debut, but Deeter's Jefferson West squad came up just short of a tournament berth. However, this hard-hitting middle blocker joins our feature after moving to Hayden High, last year's Class 4A runner-up. We can't wait to see how this new combination pans out for Deeter, who has cemented her status as a can't-miss 2029 prospect.     Another elite 2029 athlete is emerging on the Class 6A scene. Allen did not shy away from the big-city gauntlet in her first prep campaign with Olathe West. Her explosiveness on the pin has led to some highlight-worthy swings, but Allen's influence goes beyond the third contacts. She also ranked second in the Owls' dig tally and was a vital anchor in the serve-receive pattern. All of these skills flourished as Allen competed with KC Power 15-1 this spring, so expectations are peaking before Year 2 with Olathe West.

The list expands.