Leveling Up: Five Risers in Florida's 2028 Class

The Work Between the Updates Is Showing   Rankings capture where an athlete stands at a particular moment. What they cannot fully show is everything that happened to reach that point. Behind every move sits another practice, another strength session, another tournament, another college camp, and another opportunity to absorb information and put it into action. For Florida's Class of 2028, those accumulated experiences are starting to create noticeable separation.   The latest PrepDig rankings update now features 179 athletes, making this class deeper while increasing the competition for movement. Physical gains are certainly part of the equation, but development at this stage reaches much further. Players are processing the court differently. Technical habits are becoming more polished. Confidence is being supported by preparation. Mental toughness is growing through difficult matches, demanding training sessions, mistakes, corrections, and the expectation of doing it all again on the next point.   For the latest group of ranking risers, progression has arrived in several forms. Their paths aren't identical. Their games shouldn't be either.That's what makes this group worth watching.    There is fast, and then there is [player_tooltip player_id='792891' first='Caroline' last='Hayes'] operating with a purpose behind the speed. The UCF commit doesn't burn movement unnecessarily. Hayes recognizes seams and uncovered areas early, then accelerates into position before those spaces become problems. That awareness translates seamlessly between serve receive and floor defense. Her starting posture keeps Hayes prepared to move in any direction, while a cushioned platform takes pace off the ball and creates a controlled finish toward target. What adds another dimension is her willingness to become part of the offense when the rally loses structure. If the setter handles first contact or cannot reach the second ball, Hayes wastes little time taking ownership. She steps in and delivers a hittable second contact rather than simply keeping the rally alive. That distinction matters. Hayes isn't satisfied with survival; she gives teammates an opportunity to remain dangerous. For a libero, preserving offensive possibilities from broken situations can change the complexion of a rally, and Hayes continues developing that ability alongside an already active defensive game. ~Sophia Jeanpierre @prepdig_fl     The evolution of [player_tooltip player_id='764139' first='Adrienne' last='Willis'] might be one of the more interesting positional transformations among this group. Once utilized primarily as an attacker, Willis has expanded into a setter/right-side role, and pieces of her previous experience are now enhancing how she directs an offense. She understands the attacker's perspective because she has lived it. That knowledge shows in the intent behind her distribution. Rather than treating location as the only objective, Willis considers timing, spacing, available court, and the matchup developing across the net. The result is a setter who looks to create favorable opportunities instead of merely completing the second contact. Her awareness allows her to identify movement on the opposite side and deliver into areas where her hitters have room to work. When Willis rotates to the front, opponents face another complication. Her blocking discipline gives the defense structure at the antenna, while the ability to attack from the right side prevents the setter position from becoming predictable. Willis' progression is becoming less about learning a new role and more about discovering how all the pieces of her volleyball background can work together. ~Sophia Jeanpierre @prepdig_fl     There is a noticeable progression taking place in [player_tooltip player_id='782514' first='Emery' last='Townsend']'s setting game, particularly in the way preparation is beginning to support execution. Townsend brings considerable natural ability to the position, but the next stage has been about giving that talent more structure. Her commitment to defense remains an important piece. Instead of disconnecting from the rally while waiting to run the offense, Townsend completes her defensive responsibility and works aggressively toward the net. The goal is to arrive early enough to establish a setter-ready posture rather than chase the ball from behind. That preparation shows on her jump set. Townsend gets underneath the contact, extends through the movement, and works to beat the ball to its destination. Her tempo allows attackers to continue through their approach without unnecessary pauses, creating a smoother connection between setter and hitter. Just as encouraging is the response to instruction. Townsend presents an approachable, receptive demeanor and carries corrections back onto the floor with composure. The talent has always created possibilities. Increasing discipline, defensive investment, and technical refinement are now giving those possibilities a stronger foundation. ~Sophia Jeanpierre @prepdig_fl     A recent addition to the Winter Park High School varsity volleyball squad, [player_tooltip player_id='770723' first='Flavia' last='Sportelli'] brings a crafty presence to the setting position. At 5-foot-7, Sportelli's effectiveness begins with how efficiently she navigates the floor. She covers distance without appearing rushed, yet there is an important discipline within that movement: she does not abandon defensive base prematurely just to reach setting target. Sportelli completes the responsibility in front of her, then releases. Once there, the feet settle underneath the ball and establish a consistent setting cadence that helps the offense maintain continuity. The fun really begins when Sportelli rotates into the front row of a 5-1. Blockers cannot simply turn their attention toward the available attackers. Her ability to disguise the release makes the setter dump a legitimate concern, forcing defenders to account for another scoring possibility. Sportelli also does a strong job involving the full attacking lineup rather than becoming dependent on one option. Middles, pins, and available outlets remain part of the conversation, while clean delivery into usable hitting windows gives each a chance to terminate. That combination of movement, deception, and distribution makes Sportelli an intriguing riser as her varsity experience continues to grow. ~Sophia Jeanpierre @prepdig_fl     You can learn plenty about [player_tooltip player_id='752346' first='Rylie' last='Marino'] by watching what happens after the first plan falls apart. That's where the setter's persistence becomes valuable. Marino plays rallies through their messy moments, using active feet and quick recognition to turn difficult situations into another offensive opportunity. Her defensive pursuit isn't separate from her setting responsibilities; one feeds directly into the other. Marino reads developing action efficiently, moves into coverage, then redirects toward the second contact when possession changes. Once the ball reaches her hands, distribution becomes the priority. Marino is willing to use the entire offensive menu, which prevents opposing blockers from settling comfortably onto one attacker or zone. The delivery arrives with timing that allows hitters to maintain their approach pattern and attack with options. That balance is becoming an important part of Marino's progression. The hustle has always made her noticeable. Now the effectiveness surrounding that effort is becoming increasingly significant. Defensive range extends rallies, setting choices create opportunities, and balanced distribution forces opponents to keep searching for answers. Marino isn't simply working hard within points; she's learning how to make that work produce something. ~Sophia Jeanpierre @prepdig_fl    Progress Isn't Always Loud   Ranking movement tends to attract attention to the result. The more revealing story, however, is usually found in the process and those changes don't happen accidentally.   They are built through physical training when nobody is keeping score. They come from thousands of contacts that make a difficult movement feel natural. Live competition exposes weaknesses that practice cannot always recreate. College camps introduce new terminology, expectations, and coaching voices. Mental toughness is forged through the points that don't go according to plan and the decision to respond differently on the next one.   That's why a ranking should never be viewed as a finish line.   With 179 athletes now represented in Florida's Class of 2028 rankings, there is talent pushing from every direction. Players already on the board are changing. Others are fighting their way upward. Every new evaluation creates another opportunity for movement.

The Work Between the Updates Is Showing

University of Central Florida