What to Expect from First Kansas 2030 Watch List

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Kansas' future stars have arrived.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Wow, time flies. I still have fond memories of my early days covering the Nebraska circuit for Prep Network, raving about the future collegiate stars from the Class of 2021. We've clicked off a few years since then, and now we're releasing a 2030 watch list. The beat goes on.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Every new release deserves an introductory feature. Our Kansas 2030 watch list is set to drop tomorrow, and we have plenty of freshman gems to discuss from this group. But it's also worth rehashing a few important reminders and observations before diving into the details.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Let's do a little of everything in this one.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">The First Small Step</span></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Once again, we'll emphasize that this release is merely an unranked list of players who have captured our attention.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We have a long way to go before we stew over a ranked hierarchy for the 2030s. Our coverage spotlight for club prospects usually starts at the 15s level, so we're mostly limited to high school observations for this first update. But, as we'll cover later in this feature, we aren't precluded from looking ahead to which clubs might be stacking Class of 2030 stars.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>So, while players will merely be listed alphabetically, this release is a way of giving a nod to the select few freshmen making an early impression in Kansas' prep ranks. That's the first step in the journey.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">Coast to Coast</span></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>With this initial emphasis on high school standouts, let's give a quick preview of where these players are coming from.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Here's a non-comprehensive list of the schools that should loom large in our first 2030 list:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Russell</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Garden City</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Marais des Cygnes Valley</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Troy</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Olathe Northwest</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>St. Thomas Aquinas</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Lakin</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Andover</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Bishop Carroll Catholic</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Trinity Academy</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Perry-Lecompton</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Jefferson County North</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>And we have so many more to bring into the fray. Our post-release coverage should have plenty of prep intrigue.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">Looking Ahead</span></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Next year's club season will introduce us to so many more spotlight-worthy athletes from the Class of 2030, but we'll already have some prominent clubs appearing on this watch list.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Of course, the powerhouses are well represented. Dynasty, MAVS KC, PVA, and Shockwave will all have a big foothold in our database. Fast-rising clubs like Manhattan Mayhem and Southwest Pursuit will also get their due credit. Even though our club coverage scope on the Class of 2030 is still limited, many of Kansas' top freshman standouts are ready to make waves next spring.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We can't wait to join the qualifier journey with them.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">Year of the Terminator?</span></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Finally, we'll offer a glimpse at the positional distribution for this release.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>You can expect pin hitters to dominate any watch list or set of rankings. It's the most plentiful position on any volleyball roster, giving more opportunities for freshmen to break into the varsity fold. But we're also seeing an even higher concentration of standout attackers than you'd normally expect.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>As we assembled our first list, we had no problem finding first-year gems atop Kansas' attacking leaderboards. We alluded to pin hitters having a major influence among this group, but expect some middle blockers to enter the conversation, too. This is already emerging as an early trend to follow in the Sunflower State.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">Elsewhere</span></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>How about a quick word on our other rankings?</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We're likely not done with midseason releases after this 2030 list drops. Our discussions over the summer had referenced our changing approach to the frequency of rankings updates. We're opening up the opportunity for smaller, more frequent refreshes, and it already seems warranted for the Kansas crowd.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Stay tuned. We're not solely focused on the freshmen as we charge into October.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->