Uncovered: New Names That Impressed at the LRCA Classic

Bradley is a new name on the Arkansas volleyball scene after moving from Jenks, Oklahoma, for the 2026-27 school year. The first thing that stood out to me was her energy. She is always moving, communicates well and brings a lot of athleticism to the middle.

Russellville(7-4-1) does a good job spreading the offense around between Herring, Hovis, Skiles and Bradley, so the kill numbers don't tell the entire story. Bradley has quick hands and reacts well at the net. She reads the offense, gets herself into good blocking position and is second on the Cyclones in blocks. She also gets touches on a lot of balls that may not show up in the stat book but slow the attack down enough for the back row to make a play.

Offensively, Bradley is still developing her connection with the Russellville setters and refining her game. There is plenty of room for growth, and I think she will make a big jump as the season progresses. She also has the athletic ability to slide outside and attack from the pins, giving her some versatility beyond the middle.

2026 Stats: 37 sets | 45 kills | .195 hitting | 7 aces | 19 blocks | 23 digs

Welborn is a young middle with some tools that immediately get your attention. At 6'2", she has the size you want at the position and a really good arm. When she gets to the ball on time, she contacts it at a high point and has the ability to put it down with some authority.

She is still developing the technical side of her game and needs to add strength, which is expected from a young middle. I would like to see her get a little quicker getting to the ball and continue improving her footwork and timing. Those are things that should come with reps and experience.

I got a good look at Welborn against Little Rock Central and 2028 Alabama commit Makylah Davis Makylah Davis 6'2" | MB/RS Little Rock Central | 2028 State AR . Welborn had a few kills against Davis and also blocked her at least once. Competing and having success against a 6'2" middle of Davis' caliber tells you something about Welborn's potential.

There is still plenty of development ahead, but the combination of size, a strong swing and her ability to contact the ball high makes Welborn an interesting young middle to follow.

2026 Stats: 20 sets | 50 kills | .270 hitting | 14 blocks | 7 aces

When most people talk about Bauxite, the conversation starts with do-it-all player Asa Perry Asa Perry 5'8" | S/DS/L Bauxite | 2028 State AR or the seven seniors the Miners lost from last year's team. But there are a few other names worth knowing, and sophomore middle AJ Barnes is definitely one of them.

Barnes is just fun to watch. I'm not sure she realizes yet how good she can be. She is a tremendous athlete with a strong presence at the net, something this young Bauxite team needs. Barnes was also an All-Conference soccer player for the Miners, so you know the footwork and athleticism are there. As the technical side of her game continues to catch up with those physical tools, I think she has a chance to really take off.

She has already played a big role for a Bauxite team that sits at 9-2. At the LRCA Classic, the Miners swept a pool that included Alma, Episcopal Collegiate and Little Rock Central without dropping a set. Barnes also got a chance to go head-to-head with two of the state's top 2028 middles in Alma's Josie Welborn Josie Welborn 6'2" | MB/RS Alma | 2028 State AR and Central's Makylah Davis Makylah Davis 6'2" | MB/RS Little Rock Central | 2028 State AR , and she more than held her own.

Bauxite will host the 4A-5 conference tournament this season, and you know the Miners would love nothing more than to win it on their home floor. Expect Barnes to be right in the middle of the action.

2026 Stats: 8 matches | 49 kills | .236 hitting | 20 blocks

Duncan brings some serious power to the Cabot front line, and she showed it throughout the LRCA Classic. I was able to watch her during a hotly contested match with Westside, and she hammered a couple of kills that got an immediate reaction from the crowd. When Duncan gets a clean look, she can really put the ball away.

She is an imposing presence at the net and makes opposing hitters think about their shot selection. Duncan is also an experienced player with 449 career kills and 207 career blocks, so this isn't a player just starting to find her way. She has been producing at the varsity level for a while. This season, she is second on the Panthers in kills, third in aces and leads the team in blocks.

Cabot improved to 10-4-1 and took home the LRCA Classic championship with big wins over Bentonville and St. Mary's Episcopal of Memphis. If the Panthers are going to defend their 6A-Central title, Duncan will be a big part of it.

2026 Stats: 39 sets | 66 kills | .244 hitting | 11 aces | 35 blocks

Wynn may not have the size you normally look for at the pin, but she makes up for it with quickness, tenacity and a really good understanding of how to score. The 5'6" outside has strong shot selection and doesn't have to overpower a defense to find the openings in the defense.

I thought she was especially impressive against eventual LRCA Classic champion Cabot. Westside split two sets with the Panthers, and Wynn finished with nine kills while hitting .250. She did it while going against a Cabot front line that includes one of the best blockers in the state in Olivia Ambeau Olivia Ambeau 6'0" | S/RS Cabot | 2028 State AR . Wynn didn't back away from the matchup and continued to find ways to score.

She is also much more than an undersized outside. Wynn plays excellent back-row defense and has already collected 145 digs while handling 184 serve receptions. She and Kirby Conrad Kirby Conrad 5'11" | RS/OH Westside-Jonesboro | 2027 State AR form a strong duo for Westside and give the Warriors two players capable of making an impact in multiple phases of the game.

2026 Stats: 38 sets | 119 kills | 3.1 kills/set | .280 hitting | 12 aces | 145 digs | 184 serve receptions

Miller is a solid veteran presence in the middle for Searcy and brings leadership along with her ability to impact the game on both sides of the net. I thought she played especially well at the LRCA Classic against eventual runner-up St. Mary's Episcopal and North Little Rock.

Against a very good St. Mary's team, Miller was able to get her swings down and provide some offense against a physical front line. St. Mary's took both sets 25-18, but Searcy held its own, and Miller was a big part of that. At 6'0", she gives the Lions a strong presence in the middle both offensively and as a blocker.

Miller also brings plenty of experience from the club side. She was part of the 501 Volley 16.1 team that won a national championship this past club season, so she has competed in plenty of high-level matches. That experience and leadership should be important as the 9-5 Lions make their run at a 5A-East title.

Kamryn Keith | 6'2" OH/MB | St. Mary's Episcopal

Memphis isn't normally part of my coverage area, but I wanted to mention Keith because she is a big-time talent. The 6'2" Vanderbilt commit already has 234 kills while hitting .304, along with 116 digs and 46 aces.

I watched her for a couple of sets at the LRCA Classic, and she can really put the ball down. Keith looks the part physically and has the offensive game to go with it. She can attack the line, hit the sharp cross and brings a strong presence at the net.

One of the more interesting matchups of the tournament was watching Keith go head-to-head with Cabot's Olivia Ambeau Olivia Ambeau 6'0" | S/RS Cabot | 2028 State AR , an Arizona commit. Two high-level players with size and plenty of firepower battling across the net from each other. Ambeau and the Panthers ultimately got the better of St. Mary's to take home the tournament title. I doubt Keith finds herself on the losing end very often, but it was fun watching those two compete.

2026 Stats: 234 kills | .304 hitting | 46 aces | 116 digs