Who’s Next? Moving Past The Top Five Middles In ’26

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We spend a lot of time---a LOT of time---talking about the best of the best in each and every class by position. But there are WAY more athletes that are more than capable of finding a home in the fall of their graduating year. Here are five more middles from the class of 2026 from five different clubs that are crushing it right now from around the Hoosier State.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='301135' first='Karen' last='Dutro'], 6-1, Columbus North, Rev</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Fiery and explosive, Karen is a full-go, no-quit middle that could play either position at the next level. Her length allows her to defend from pin to pin well, while those long strides of hers make her transition quick and springy. I like her game-time fire---you don't see much of that on the court anymore these days, especially from a middle. Karen's positive attitude and 100% effort is refreshing to see.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='301137' first='Samantha' last='Adams'], 6-3, Carmel, Academy</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Long and lean, Miss Adams has "future M2" written all over her. Her transition is quick, and coupled with those long arms, makes most blocks look small. Her length is her strength, and even <em>if</em> she's not completely perfect in her defense, her switch to offense is quick for someone her size and length. Her attack point is very high as well, tooling a lot of blocks regularly.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='261044' first='Natalie' last='Vance'], 6-0, Center Grove, Team Indiana</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Strong and multi positional, Natalie has split her time playing both M2 and right side for TI's top 16s team. Her physicality is obvious---she will hammer the line on the right side while taking up space on the block with her strong hands. I like her relentlessness despite (1) what the score is, and (2) regardless of where the ball is being set. Always finding a way to score points, Natalie is a hybrid front row player that can play many roles for whomever needs her.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='394127' first='Ella' last='Vandermark'], 6-1, Danville, Circle City</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>From well west of Indianapolis, Ella is the M2 for Circle's 16 Black squad that can sprinkle in a little M1 for good measure if you need it. Having plenty of length and skill, Ella's attack point is high and hard, which many net and floor defenders have had a hard time of controlling. Unassuming and workmanlike, Ella has mastered her transitional footwork, and is getting stronger and better every time I see her play.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='254826' first='Makenzie' last='Creviston'], 5-10, Greencastle, COA</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Although I don't normally write about left-handed kids playing middle, I've seen it happen at the collegiate level, so let's go for it. With her length and volleyball acuity, she can give fits to "traditional" defensive tactics by showing different angles to defenses. Hitting hard is her thing, and her long arms make her look taller than her frame might otherwise indicate. I've also seen her play right side from time to time, so having that in her arsenal is an option.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->