Class of 2022 - Who Committed? Who Is Next?

As we head into labor day, wrapping up the summer and entering a new world of volleyball this fall, there was plenty to celebrate with athletes from the Class of 2022 making their verbal commits. Some staying close to home, playing for power programs in big conferences, and others going across the country to find their next place for school and athletics. Here is a quick breakdown of athletes who committed this summer from Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. Iowa [caption id="attachment_107420" align="alignright" width="241"]<img class=" wp-image-107420" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2020/09/Kiersten-Schmitt-169x300.jpg" alt="" width="241" height="428" /> Schmitt[/caption] Iowa started out with a bang this summer with one of the top recruits in the country in [player_tooltip player_id="17322" first="Hayden" last="Kubik"] (WDM Valley/Club Ignit Select) giving her verbal to play at Nebraska. Kubik brings a thunderous swing from the pin and so solid all six rotations offensively and defensively. She will join her older sister, Madi who was the Big Ten Freshman of the Year in 2019. Her club teammate, [player_tooltip player_id="79234" first="Ava" last="Reynolds"] (Ankeny/Club Ignit Select) gave her verbal to perennial power in the Summit League in Denver. Plenty of connections abound with Denver where her setter for Club Ignit Select, [player_tooltip player_id="79232" first="Lauren" last="Carter"] gave her verbal to the Pioneers in 2019. Sticking with the Summit League, Six Pack outside hitter [player_tooltip player_id="79237" first="Avery" last="Beckett"] gave her verbal to play for South Dakota, a team that is really asserting itself as a Summit League power bringing in some of the top players form South Dakota, Minnesota, Nebraska, and Iowa. [player_tooltip player_id="79256" first="Alivia" last="Bronner"] of Six Pack is going to stay close to home as the Cedar Falls prep will head to Northern Iowa, the first recruit for the Panthers from the Class of 2022. Most Recently [player_tooltip player_id="79239" first="Kiersten" last="Schmitt"] of Dyersville Beckman and DBQ Elite National recently gave her verbal to be a Cyclone. She will be part of the Class of 2022 who will head to Iowa State. Schmitt was a key part in the Blazers run to the Class 2A state runner up finish where very versatility is the biggest strength to her game. At 6’0 tall, extremely long and athlete, I’ve seen Schmitt attack from anywhere in the front row and set as well. She will fit in extremely well with the training style of the Iowa State staff led by Christy Johnson who have had great success in developing all around athletes with a variety of skill sets. Who Could Be Next? Iowa Rockets and Club Ignit Select have quote the combination of athletes who will be ready for the next level. [player_tooltip player_id="17325" first="Kora" last="Ruff"] of Rockets has some of the best hands in the state as a setter and her favorite target is [player_tooltip player_id="17332" first="Calia" last="Clubb"] who is a six rotation right side, and such an athlete that is also a standout on the basketball court. [player_tooltip player_id="17324" first="Faith" last="DeRonde"] has always played up an age group for Club Ignit Select, but she is a solid six rotation pin. [player_tooltip player_id="79242" first="Alayna" last="Finucan"] was having a huge club season prior to quarantine for Clug Ignit Select. One athlete a little under the radar is Brrynlee Arnold out of Glenwood who plays for Nebraska Premier. She is 6’3, left handed, and has an extremely high ceiling. Illinois <img class=" wp-image-107419" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2020/09/DSC06027.jpg" alt="" width="374" height="249" /> Never a shortage of Division 1 athletes in Illinois, especially in the heart of Big 10 Country. Kara Erdman of VC United was one of the first to commit this summer and will head to Michigan State as a libero. Staying in the Big Ten is [player_tooltip player_id="61623" first="Ella" last="Wrobel"] who will head to Wisconsin to continue the Sports Performance connection where current outside for the Badgers, Molly Haggerty, is a SPVB alum. [player_tooltip player_id="61730" first="Chelsea" last="Thorpe"] of 1st Alliance has a major physical presence on the right side and has her best volleyball ahead of her. She is a gamechanger with her block and will be heading to Ohio State. Two setters to know are [player_tooltip player_id="61696" first="Rian" last="Baker"] from Sky High and [player_tooltip player_id="61703" first="Caroline" last="Kerr"] from Sky High. Baker is a floor general and is always finding the best matchup for her attackers. Kerr is electric, she does it al, she makes it happen and can even attack to score points when needed. Who Could Be Next? VC United had quite the loaded 16-1 Elite squad this past club season who will be highly recruited. Savannah Brandt in the middle and [player_tooltip player_id="61652" first="Sylvia" last="Hasz"] as a setter bring size and physicality with Hasz being the type who can make her presence known as a setter in the front line with her ability to attack, locate, and block. She really stood out at the Prep Dig Summer Showcase in August. [player_tooltip player_id="61694" first="Rylen" last="Reid"] is a lethal attacker and tabs on libero, [player_tooltip player_id="61653" first="Gillian" last="Grimes"] from will will join forces with Indiana commit [player_tooltip player_id="61622" first="Katie" last="Hurta"] and play for Adversity 17s. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Class of 2022 ✨ We are proud of our player, [player_tooltip player_id="31585" first="Kendal" last="Kemp"], on her commitment to play at Auburn University! 💙🎓 <a href="https://x.com/hashtag/MNLproud?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MNLproud</a> <a href="https://t.co/juN0sExVQ7">pic.x.com/juN0sExVQ7</a> — Northern Lights (@nlightsvball) <a href="https://x.com/nlightsvball/status/1290392752568643584?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 3, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> Minnesota Northern Lights 16-1 squad from this past club season had the makings of a special season that was cut short. Plenty of athletes and very little weakness to be exposed. However, two athletes from the Class of 2022 were able to make their verbal commit. Middle blocker, [player_tooltip player_id="31585" first="Kendal" last="Kemp"], was one of the first from the class to commit this summer and will be heading to the SEC to play at Auburn. The 6’5 middle is strong and physical and will look to make an immediate impact. Another member of the NL 16-1 squad is 6’3 right side [player_tooltip player_id="31583" first="Sienna" last="Ifill"]. Long, athletic, left handed and electric - she made her verbal commit to play at Marquette. Ifill has a huge upside and will add to Marquettes nationally strong recruiting classes from 2021 and 2022. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Class of 2022 ✨ Congratulations to our player, [player_tooltip player_id="31583" first="Sienna" last="Ifill"], on her commitment to play at Marquette University! 💙🎓 <a href="https://x.com/hashtag/MNLproud?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MNLproud</a> <a href="https://t.co/FSRW4Sh5Vp">pic.x.com/FSRW4Sh5Vp</a> — Northern Lights (@nlightsvball) <a href="https://x.com/nlightsvball/status/1299780036468379653?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 29, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> Who Could Be Next? One of the top attackers in this class who has always played up an age group is [player_tooltip player_id="72767" first="Britt" last="Carlson"], she has families ties to K-State volleyball with her sister Brynn there and her brother will Ben who will be a Freshman on the Wisconsin basketball team. Carlson has a ton of pop in her swing and is extremely physical and athletic on the front line which will translate well to the collegiate game. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Future <a href="https://x.com/MarquetteVB?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MarquetteVB</a> commits in [player_tooltip player_id="12970" first="Ella" last="Foti"] and [player_tooltip player_id="81254" first="Natalie" last="Ring"] showing their power for <a href="https://x.com/EdgewoodGVB?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EdgewoodGVB</a> <a href="https://t.co/2UA8OKBm55">pic.x.com/2UA8OKBm55</a> — Chris Fitzgerald (@PrepDigChris) <a href="https://x.com/PrepDigChris/status/1290079427720654848?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 3, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> Wisconsin Wisconsin hasn’t had a lot of shakedowns quite yet for the Class of 2022. [player_tooltip player_id="81254" first="Natalie" last="Ring"] of Edgewood High School and Capital Volleyball Academy has committed to Marquette. Her club and high school teammate [player_tooltip player_id="12970" first="Ella" last="Foti"] has committed to the Golden Eagles as well as a Class of 2021 setter. Ring has a booming swing and physicality to really score from the pin. [player_tooltip player_id="57245" first="Haley" last="Koch"] of Milwaukee Sting committed to Cedarville, a Division 2 school out of Ohio. Koch has played out of the middle, but is showing huge promise playing on the pin this summer. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> [player_tooltip player_id="57241" first="Brianna" last="Cantrell"] firing away as one of the top pins from the Class of 2022 <a href="https://t.co/y0CO82zaQC">pic.x.com/y0CO82zaQC</a> — Chris Fitzgerald (@PrepDigChris) <a href="https://x.com/PrepDigChris/status/1298779759875436545?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 27, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> Who Could Be Next? The Milwaukee Sting 16 Gold team has plenty who are in high demand with middle blocker [player_tooltip player_id="81253" first="Morgan" last="Daugherty"], libero [player_tooltip player_id="81255" first="Adriana" last="Studer"], and outside hitters [player_tooltip player_id="81252" first="Maleah" last="Howe"] and [player_tooltip player_id="22404" first="Madison" last="Tolzman"]. [player_tooltip player_id="57241" first="Brianna" last="Cantrell"] of FC Elite is the top available outside who can fly high and has really set herself apart being able to score points out of system and in the backrow. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Prep Dig will have four independent HS tournaments this fall: 🍁 <a href="https://x.com/ChampionCtr?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ChampionCtr</a> 12 courts in a top notch facility 🎃 Competitive pools/brackets 📸 Coverage, video, social media, pictures 🤩 Limited Spectators per team 🥳 College coaches attend in person!<a href="https://t.co/mSVSjGxFWK">https://t.co/mSVSjGxFWK</a> <a href="https://t.co/ArZbXIuXtV">pic.x.com/ArZbXIuXtV</a> — Prep Dig Events (@PrepDigEvents) <a href="https://x.com/PrepDigEvents/status/1301184347811262464?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 2, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>