Which Sophomores Surprised Us at 2024 State Tournament?

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>These athletes are ready to become upperclassman leaders.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We still have a lot of angles to cover from last week's NSAA State Volleyball Championships. Prior features have jumped around from <a href="https://prepdig.com/2024/11/senior-sendoff-top-2025-performers-going-out-with-state-title/">seniors</a> to <a href="https://prepdig.com/2024/11/freshman-phenoms-from-nebraskas-2024-state-tournament/">freshmen</a> and <a href="https://prepdig.com/2024/11/dominant-middles-from-nebraskas-2024-state-tournament/">middles</a> to <a href="https://prepdig.com/2024/11/impact-liberos-from-nebraskas-2024-state-tournament/">liberos</a>. Let's address a major void in that list: sophomores.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Class of 2027 will be a major discussion topic for the next several months as we pivot toward the club season. Before we get there, we have a lot to break down from the 2024 fall season, including the lasting impressions from Nebraska's biggest prep stage.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Which sophomores jumped into the 2027 conversation at this year's tournament?</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["458167"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-67390cae746c6"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Volkmer willed her Lincoln North Star squad to a tournament bid with an upset win over Grand Island in the district finals. That triumph has put this sophomore outside hitter in a great spot to climb in the Class of 2027 hierarchy. Volkmer led the Navigators with 330 kills heading into the tournament and was also a staple in the team's serve-receive pattern. Her wide-ranging impact will reappear when she competes with [program_tooltip program_id='428743' first='VCNebraska' last=''] next spring.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["458126"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-67390cae7472f"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Waters concluded her exceptional debut season with Millard West in the Class A semifinals. It's a worthy return trip for a program looking to bounce back from its 2023 anomaly. Waters guided the Wildcat resurgence with nearly 800 total assists and a team-leading 37 aces in the regular season. Her ability to stretch the ball from pin to pin was a huge factor in Millard West's quarterfinal win over defending champion Lincoln Southwest. Load up another fascinating club season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["458169"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-67390cae74773"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Bornschlegl seemed to have something extra on her swings during the postseason. Perhaps it's a sign of this sophomore pin hitter rising to the occasion, but Bornschlegl has also exhibited steady improvement throughout her tenure with Norris. She delivered 15 kills on a 0.282 clip as the Titans ended Omaha Skutt Catholic's Class B title streak in the Devaney Center. After injuries shook up the 2024 lineup, players like Bornschlegl stepped up when it was needed most.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"[player_tooltip player_id='735080' first='Daley' last='Pelican']","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2027","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'6u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"32564","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Johnson-Brock","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-67390cae74813"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Johnson-Brock generated plenty of headlines with its five-set takedown of No. 2 Oakland-Craig in the Class C2 quarterfinals. Pelican was right in the middle of the upset with one of the tournament's most impressive all-around stat lines. This dynamic pin hitter generated 13 kills and 26 digs in the hard-hitting battle and was vital to Johnson-Brock's scrappy, physical style. Pelican is poised to join our 2027 watch list after this year's postseason breakthrough.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"[player_tooltip player_id='735216' first='Paige' last='Tietjen']","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2027","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'5u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"32926","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Thayer Central","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-67390cae74896"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Speaking of scrappy teams, Thayer Central dug its way to the Class C2 championship match with a sophomore libero leading the charge. Tietjen's postseason journey started with a 25-dig performance in a quarterfinal win over Freeman. She then delivered several clutch passes to lift the Titans to a three-set Friday victory over Johnson-Brock. The state tournament was our first opportunity to see Thayer Central's lockdown defense firsthand, and Tietjen's backcourt prowess exceeded expectations.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"[player_tooltip player_id='735200' first='Brooklyn' last='Holtze']","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2027","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'9u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"32564","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Cambridge","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-67390cae74916"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Holtze is another name that's new to our radar after postseason play. She exceeded 300 kills for a Cambridge squad building off a runner-up finish in 2023. The Trojans also leaned on their star underclassman to deliver in the back row, and she accumulated double-digit digs in the quarterfinal showdown with Exeter-Milligan/Friend. Look for Holtze to make subsequent postseason appearances with Cambridge bringing back an experienced squad next year.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["591554"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-67390cae749d8"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Grossart captured our attention when she competed with South Central NE on the club side. She earned a trip to Junior Nationals over the summer, and now she has some postseason accolades on the high stage, too. Grossart notched double-digit kills in both Central Valley matches in Lincoln, adding to her 250-kill total through the regular season. This go-to pin attacker will continue her upward climb in next year's club season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["498987"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-67390cae74a1a"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">We knew that Elfgren had big shoes to fill in 2024 following the graduation of record-breaking setter Ashlyn Florell. This sophomore embraced that challenge and has become a leader for the next era of Overton volleyball. She tallied over 700 assists in the regular season and added 38 more in a straight-set quarterfinal win over Wynot. The Eagles are showing remarkable year-over-year consistency, and Elfgren is a new catalyst to keep the postseason streak going.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block -->