Road to June 15: Our Favorite 2026 Stories So Far this Year
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It’s about that time. By now, you’ve probably become fully acquainted with the significance of June 15 on the volleyball calendar. It’s the first date of open contact between Division I and II college coaches and prospective athletes heading into…
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Continue ReadingIt’s about that time.
By now, you’ve probably become fully acquainted with the significance of June 15 on the volleyball calendar. It’s the first date of open contact between Division I and II college coaches and prospective athletes heading into their junior year of high school. For this cycle, the Class of 2026 enters the spotlight.
We’re committed to lifting up as many 2026s as we can during this momentous time. This is just the start of the journey, and our coverage of this group is ongoing. The grind never stops.
Let’s start with a quick retrospective on some of our favorite 2026-focused features so far this year.
Versatility is a highly coveted trait at the collegiate level. Nebraska has become known for its adaptable players who might even switch positions when moving up to the next level. Our feature on multi-position 2026s heading to GJNC addresses this trend with standouts like Evynn Olsen Evynn Olsen 5'8" | DS/L Bennington | 2026 State NE , Peyton Svendsen Peyton Svendsen 5'11" | OH Lincoln Southeast | 2026 State NE , and Lauren Kuhlmann Lauren Kuhlmann 5'11" | MB Lincoln Lutheran | 2026 State NE .
Don’t forget about the athletes “playing up” this year. The Great Plains Region has several 2026s worth watching in the 17s age group, including Kamryn Behrns Kamryn Behrns 5'11" | RS David City | 2026 State #118 Nation NE , Bailey Boeve, and Angela Berger Angela Berger 5'2" | DS/L Bellevue West | 2026 State NE .
This conversation will soon turn into new entries in our player database. The club season has revealed a long list of names that need to be added to our watch list, and this summer stretch is the right time to do it. Keep an eye on up-and-coming athletes like Audrey Fennell and Kaitlyn Topolski from this group.
We’re thrilled about Nebraska’s setter depth in the 2026 class. This group is stacked with natural leaders, state champions, and do-everything athletes. These traits define players like Bella Sjuts Bella Sjuts 5'10" | S Lincoln Lutheran | 2026 State NE , Kaitlyn Bodnar Kaitlyn Bodnar 5'8" | S Duchesne | 2026 State NE , and Taytum Perdew Taytum Perdew 5'6" | OH Nebraska Christian | 2026 State NE , all of whom are discussed in this feature.
The Show Me Qualifier is one of the Great Plains Region’s biggest venues of the year. This Kansas City event showcases dozens of Nebraska teams and always seems to reveal the next stars from around the state. Check out the link above to see more details on emerging athletes like Maddie Johnson Maddie Johnson 5'10" | OH Lincoln East | 2026 NE , Stella Neal Stella Neal 5'7" | DS/L Millard West | 2026 NE , and Chloe Rauner Chloe Rauner 5'10" | S Elkhorn South | 2026 State NE .
We’ve made several references to “athleticism” in this feature, so let’s bring back an article that uses this as a central theme. Our Easter special discusses players like Jalyn Branson Jalyn Branson 5'9" | OH Shelton | 2026 State NE , Amelia Boone Amelia Boone 5'11" | MB Omaha Skutt Catholic | 2026 State NE , and Lauren Eggerling Lauren Eggerling 5'10" | OH Lincoln Northwest | 2026 State NE , who have all been jumping out of the gym this year.
Here’s a throwback to our mid-season rankings update. We ought to include an ode to the liberos, and this one fits the bill for the 2026s. Emeline Myers Emeline Myers 5'1" | DS/L Millard South | 2026 State NE , Jane Kubat Jane Kubat 5'6" | DS/L Omaha Westside | 2026 State NE , and Alaina Kopf Alaina Kopf 5'4" | DS/L Tri-County | 2026 State NE made considerable gains the last time we refreshed our 2026 list.
February’s ASICS Presidents’ Day Classic never fails to seize our attention. High-flying attackers were a major storyline from this one, so we discussed some names to know in the link above. Lily Wohlgemuth Lily Wohlgemuth 5'8" | RS Lincoln Lutheran | 2026 State NE , Ashley Beethe Ashley Beethe 6'0" | OH Johnson County Central | 2026 State NE , and Raleigh Bowen Raleigh Bowen 6'0" | OH Lincoln North Star | 2026 State NE are among the many athletes to earn recognition here.
How about a little pre-club content? These are a few middle blockers we honed in on before all the action even started. Payton Sullivan Payton Sullivan 6'1" | MB Hastings St. Cecilia | 2026 State NE , Hunter MacLeod Hunter MacLeod 6'0" | MB Bennington | 2026 State NE , and Siena Sumner Siena Sumner 5'11" | MB Elkhorn South | 2026 State NE are featured prominently here.
It's about that time.
Access all of Prep Dig
Continue reading this article and more.
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