Small Schools, Big Talent: Hidden Gems in 4A

One thing I have learned covering volleyball across Arkansas is that talent isn't limited to the biggest schools or the programs we talk about every week. There are really good volleyball players scattered throughout the smaller classifications, and sometimes you have to look a little harder to find them. We are going to be looking at Class 4A, 3A, and 2A over the next few days. There were just too many players to try and cram into one article. I have written about some of the top players that are well known in these conferences, this will cover some lesser known, but just as talented players.   Here are some hidden gems in 4A.    Drown has been putting together a strong season for Pottsville and is exactly the type of player I wanted to find for this article. At 5'10", she gives the Apaches some versatility across the front row and has been their most productive offensive option.   Through 33 sets, Drown has 123 kills while averaging 3.7 kills per set and hitting .293. She isn't just a front-row player either. With 112 digs and 104 serve receptions, she is handling a significant role in the back row as well.   Some of her best performances have come against good competition. Drown put down 17 kills while hitting .556 against both Baptist Prep and Alma, despite Pottsville dropping both matches. She added 16 kills in a 3-1 win over Morrilton and 14 in a 3-1 win at Episcopal Collegiate.   2026 Stats: 33 sets | 123 kills | 3.7 kills/set | .293 hitting | 14 aces | 6 blocks | 112 digs | 104 serve receptions   Coach Kacie Stabler on Ella: Ella has been a part of our offense since her sophomore year. As a junior and now a senior; she has pivoted into a key role for our success. This year we have her playing outside and she has thrived. She has matured a lot as a player and a person which has earned respect from her peers. They look to her as a leader. She is a calm force out there and trust her with the ball. Really proud of her.    2026 Stats: 33 sets | 123 kills | 3.7 kills/set | .293 hitting | 14 aces | 6 blocks | 112 digs | 104 serve receptions     Reynolds has been a big part of Clarksville's offense and is putting together a strong season on both sides of the ball. Through 37 sets, she has 105 kills while averaging 2.8 kills per set. She also carries a big load in the back row with 102 digs and 162 serve receptions.   What stands out is that some of her best performances have come when Clarksville has needed them. Reynolds put down 20 kills in a 3-1 win over Pea Ridge, followed that with 17 kills in a 3-1 win over Booneville, and had 14 kills in a five-set thriller against Prairie Grove. Those are the type of performances that get my attention. Reynolds is producing, handling six-rotation responsibilities and helping Clarksville win matches.   Coach Wes Davis on Aaliyah: Aaliyah carries a bulk of our swings and is a 6 rotation outside for us where she really shines is in Serve receive and defense. As a sophomore she's done a good job of handling a workload.  We have been experimenting with her serve this season and hoping to get it to the same level as the rest of her game. We hope to see big things as the year progresses    2026 Stats: 37 sets | 105 kills | 2.8 kills/set | 16 aces | 102 digs | 162 serve receptions     Renfrow may not have the size of some of the other outside hitters on this list, but the three-year varsity contributor continues to produce for Gravette. She is averaging 2.9 kills per set while hitting a solid .250, and she has been especially effective from the service line with 27 aces in just 28 sets. She also stays involved in the back row with 77 digs and 121 serve receptions.   Renfrow has shown she can take on a bigger offensive role when Gravette needs it. She put down 17 kills in a 3-0 win over Ozark and had 11 in a 3-1 win over Huntsville. She has also reached double-digit kills on three other occasions with 10 kills in each match. At 5'6", she has to find different ways to score, and her production shows she is doing just that.   Coach Addison Duke on Emma: [player_tooltip player_id='749915' first='Emma' last='Renfrow'] has really stepped up this year as our six-rotation outside hitter. She has continued to improve her consistency and expand her shot range, giving us more options offensively. When we need someone to step up and put the ball away, Emma has become one of our go-to hitters. She also continues to be a force in the back row, where she works alongside our libero, [player_tooltip player_id='834106' first='Kennedy' last='Flynt'], to help anchor our defense. Her ability to contribute in every rotation makes her such an important part of our team.   2026 Stats: 28 sets | 82 kills | 2.9 kills/set | .250 hitting | 27 aces | 77 digs | 121 serve receptions     Brown is the type of player who can easily get overlooked if you are only watching the players putting down kills. The 5'3" defensive specialist has become an important part of the Harmony Grove back row, contributing as a defender, passer and secondary option when the ball needs to be set.   She has shown up against good competition as well. Brown recorded 15 digs against Westside and 14 against Baptist Prep, then added 12 digs in a win over Malvern. For a Harmony Grove team with some offensive weapons, having a player like Brown doing the work in the back row is an important piece of the puzzle.   Coach Bailey Korte on Kinlynn: She's a competitor and always looking to get better. She holds herself and teammates to high standards and is very coachable, not much more a coach could ask for out of a kid. She is a sophomore DS/Lib and makes plays happen. She's fundamentally sound and has some speed to keep balls alive that not all kids can. Her serve has come alive this season as well, she had 10 aces in our match vs. Malvern this past Tuesday. Her defense and serve receive are consistent and she communicates well for our team for only being a sophomore.   2026 Stats: 29 sets | 16 aces | 78 digs | 78 serve receptions | 11 assists     Watkins is one of the younger players on this list, but she is already being asked to run the offense for Westside. The 2029 setter has handed out 443(leads 4A) assists through 47 sets, averaging an impressive 9.4 assists per set. She has also contributed 19 aces and 77 digs while adding 31 kills of her own.   What gets my attention is the production against good competition. Watkins dished out 48 assists in a five-set battle with Mountain Home and had 37 in a 3-1 win over Harmony Grove. She added another 37 against Brookland and recorded 33 assists in wins over both Nettleton and Southside. Running an offense and putting up those numbers as a sophomore is worth noticing. Watkins is a young setter I want to continue watching as she develops.   Coach Codie Zeigler on Violet: She is a very hard worker who has stepped up to the challenge of filling some big shoes that our setter from last year left. Violet mixes it up well and spreads our offensive reps out across our four main hitters very consistently. She is constantly putting in work to improve all aspects of her game.   2026 Stats: 47 sets | 443 assists | 9.4 assists/set | 31 kills | 19 aces | 77 digs     Abulawi has taken on the responsibility of running the Ozark offense and has been productive in several different areas. Through 35 sets, she has handed out 249 assists at 7.1 assists per set while also contributing 33 kills, 35 aces and 93 digs. Those numbers show a setter who is doing more than just distributing the ball.   She has put together some of her best performances in competitive matches. Abulawi had 40 assists in a five-set win over Elkins and recorded 31 assists against both Prairie Grove and Dover. She added 30 assists in a 3-1 win over Paris. Her serving and defense add another dimension to what she brings to Ozark, making Abulawi another small-school setter worth getting to know.   Coach Jazzlyn Richards on Sara: Absolutely! Sara is such a critical part of our team. She's someone we can count on, both on and off the court. Her competitive mindset drives her to never settle for less than excellence. She works incredibly hard, cares about her teammates, and brings so much confidence and energy to our gym. Her presence on the court is essential to the overall success of the team.   2026 Stats: 35 sets | 249 assists | 7.1 assists/set | 33 kills | 35 aces | 93 digs    -Robert Birch, Lead Scout-Prep Dig Arkansas. Reach out to me at <a href="mailto:bdsrecruiting10@gmail.com">bdsrecruiting10@gmail.com</a> or connect with me on X (@predigRob) and Instagram(@prepdigarrob)

One thing I have learned covering volleyball across Arkansas is that talent isn't limited to the biggest schools or the programs we talk about every week. There are really good volleyball players scattered throughout the smaller classifications, and sometimes you have to look a little harder to find them. We are going to be looking at Class 4A, 3A, and 2A over the next few days. There were just too many players to try and cram into one article. I have written about some of the top players that are well known in these conferences, this will cover some lesser known, but just as talented players.