Emerging Nebraska 2028s to Watch for Defending State Champs

Wearing the crown is a heavy burden, but these rising juniors will gladly bear it.   The high school volleyball season beckons. The yearly prep cycle has no shortage of exciting times, but it's hard not to be partial to the start of a new fall campaign. Nebraska has unrivaled pageantry and dedication to the high school season, and I feel privileged to be part of another journey to November.   Of course, November will also give us six new champions. But perhaps "new" is an erroneous qualifier here, as Nebraska has seen its share of dynasties and repeat champions. We could see more this fall.   And our latest wave of upperclassmen is full of battle-tested standouts. As we peruse the rosters of our six defending title winners, we find a group of 2028s eager to make an impression during a crucial stage of their recruiting journey. Most importantly, it's a chance to hoist more hardware alongside their teammates.   Here are a few juniors prepping to take the next step while pursuing back-to-back tournament triumphs.    We're incredibly excited about Gigstead's impact potential with Papio South. The Titans have leveraged plenty of firepower at the middle and opposite positions while racking up titles in the 2020s. Gigstead can fill either niche in the front row, and she enjoyed a breakout season with this spring's Premier Nebraska 16 Gold crew. Her explosiveness on 'gap' sets in front of the setter will be particularly eye-popping this fall.     The Dyrstad dynasty persists. This latest iteration brings all of the same ball control prowess as her three predecessors, too. Dyrstad's positive momentum is soaring since contributing to Premier Nebraska 16 Red's runner-up finish at the Show Me Qualifier. She proved she could don the libero jersey or play a key DS role in the middle-back area. Dyrstad even logged some clutch kills on the pipe to expand her ever-growing toolbox. We wouldn't expect anything less.     Norris certainly doesn't have a large 2028 presence on its varsity roster, but Piening makes sure to embody the mantra of "quality over quantity." This dominant middle blocker, who will compete with East Tennessee State at the D1 level, has an uncanny ability to stretch the Titan offense and become an unstoppable weapon in the front row. She does this by being equally effective in front of the setter and behind, making Piening difficult for opposing blockers to track. As if Piening didn't have enough momentum from last year's repeat Class B championship, she helped Nebraska ONE 17 Synergy reach the USAV Nationals podium in 17 Open. That's a good prelude to a three-peat bid with Norris.     Milford's strength in the Class of 2028 is no mystery. However, Muller deserves a large share of the credit for her dynamic role in the Eagles' huddle. This year's club season offered a reminder of how effectively Muller can dish out a smooth offense, but her niche looks a little different on the prep side. Muller morphs into a hard-hitting pin attacker with Milford, and her 230 kills ranked second on last year's title-winning tab. Let's see what Year 3 brings.     Cisneros keeps finding her way into the coverage spotlight. She has been a past star on the Prep Dig Circuit, and her list of accomplishments spans far beyond her high school work with Milford. Her command in the libero jersey has been particularly notable with South Central NE 16 Black, a group building upon a streak of GJNC trips. This year's Milford backcourt should be just as stacked as the 2025 version, and Cisneros will loom large within it.     It all came together for Freeman last fall after a few near-misses in late-season action. Otto pushed the Falcons past the finish line by providing some valuable scoring when it mattered most. This springy outside hitter was especially effective in the C2 semifinals, racking up four kills per set on a 0.550 clip against Yutan. Another fruitful season with Nebraska ONE leaves Otto seeking more success with her Adams crew.     The Falcons have to love the breakout potential that Borrenpohl brings to the 2028 class. She has proven herself as an all-around ball control asset who can anchor first or second contacts. We received another testament to Borrenpohl's adaptability through her spring basketball season, so small-town Nebraska is not relinquishing its multi-sport stars anytime soon.     State tournament viewers have grown accustomed to Amherst's red-and-black attire. The bright lights of Pinnacle Bank Arena have brought out the best in Simmons, who guided her team to a long-awaited D1 title last fall. Her influence is seen all over the stat sheet, with 300 kills and 300 digs to her credit as a sophomore. Simmons also aids in the success of others through her secondary sets in out-of-system situations. This selflessness will make Amherst a title frontrunner once more.     Lockdown defense has to accompany any postseason push. Amherst had plenty of prolific scorers last fall, but we can't overlook Mitchell's key role in the Bronco brigade. She eclipsed three digs per set last fall, but Mitchell's trip around the dial wasn't limited to the back row. Her occasional forays as an outside hitter demonstrated her do-everything mentality when suiting up with Amherst. That will continue into Mitchell's upperclassman tenure.     This is a new one! Stewart spent her past two prep seasons at Hartington Cedar Catholic, one of northeast Nebraska's many rural powerhouses. Her production exploded in Year 2 with the Trojans, culminating in over 150 kills and an escalating multi-position role along the net. This fall brings a change of venue as Stewart makes the short hop to join last year's Class D2 champs. Wynot won its gold medals through a physical, balanced offense, so Stewart should have no problem fitting into that operation.

Wearing the crown is a heavy burden, but these rising juniors will gladly bear it.