2025 Club Assessments: Top 10 Highest Ceilings

You may notice the term "high ceiling" when reading my scouting reports. For those folks who aren't familiar with the reference, it equates to a student-athletes' potential. A player with a high ceiling has flashed potential to produce at an advanced level. Evaluating it can be tricky, however, because it's a guess based on experience and observations in scouting.   There also are various points at which volleyballers reside along their development arc. All that is to say, a high-ceiling label means I believe you have a chance to be a lot better than you already are through more hard work. It's my opinion, again, formulated from scouting student-athletes for a long time.   Here's a closer look at 10 uncommitted players from this club season who are packed with potential:   [player_tooltip player_id='360642' first='Sophia' last='Austen'], OH, United 16-1 Elite   Austen, the top-ranked player in the state's 2027 Class according to Prep Dig Iowa, has grown her game like you'd hope for a player that established herself as a prime prospect several years ago. She's getting taller, stronger and sharpening her volleyball skills by identifying areas where improvement was needed and attacking them. A problem for opponents at the pin for some time, Austen is more consistent there and ending more points as a result. The progress she's made in the back row and defending at the net has her tracking even higher as a high-major college target.   [player_tooltip player_id='490013' first='Logan' last='Vogt'], OH, PowerPlex 16   Vogt is comfortably in the top tier of Iowa's 2027 prospects along with Austen. Much of what I wrote about Austen above applies to Vogt as well. She proved her prowess as a pin years ago and has steadily improved that aspect of her game. That's where she'll play on the next level, and there's no doubt she's a high-major recruit there. To her credit, Vogt hasn't focused all of her attention on her greatest strength. She's worked hard to become an asset in the back row. This club season, Vogt has progressed greatly in that area and should be a top contributor this season when Waukee Northwest pursues its second 5A title in three years.   [player_tooltip player_id='493601' first='Piper' last='Ladwig'], OH/RS, PowerPlex 16   Vogt's teammate in club and high school, Ladwig also resides among the most improved players during the last year. She popped out to me at the state tournament, smashing kills and blocking attacks from the right side. This club campaign, she's built on that by expanding her game to the outside and taking a step forward in the back row. Ladwig boasts the height, long arms and explosive athleticism we usually see in a Power 4 prospect. It will be interesting to see what type of prep season she can put together, because it feels like she has a good chance to raise her stock even more.   [player_tooltip player_id='560368' first='Elle' last='Hatlevig'], OH, Premier 15-1   One of the top players for the state's 15U regional champs, Hatlevig has a strong case to be the Top 2028 in Iowa when the Prep Dig Iowa rankings for that class are released. Serving notice as a freshman at Norwalk last year that'd she'd be a problem for opponents moving forward, she pounded out 403 kills (.219) with 160 digs and 25.0 blocks. Hatlevig keeps improving her power and consistency at the pin, and she's really taken a step forward in the back row and with her all-around game. On June 15, 2026, expect college coaches to be blowing up her phone.   [player_tooltip player_id='545971' first='Avery' last='Cordes'], RS/MH, Premier 15-1   A club teammate of Hatlevig's and another key piece of the Waukee Northwest machine, Cordes is a tremendous prospect in her own right and one of the top players for each of those outfits. She racked up 190 kills (.242) and 101.0 blocks as a freshman on a squad that reached the Class 5A state championship match. I've seen her shine as a middle hitter for the Wolves last season and do the same at the opposite pin this club campaign. It's hard to say which position best suites her because she's equally impressive at each one. That, in and of itself, is special.   [player_tooltip player_id='316419' first='Edie' last='Miller'], DS/L, Rockets 16R   Prep opponents stopped testing Miller after she proved to be a wall as a freshman in 2023. She's experienced similar avoidance on the club circuit this season. Even if her reputation does proceed her in most instances, unaware opponents quckly figure out they're best served to serve to someone else. Still, the ball ends of finding her enough because she covers a lot of the court. Miller usually gets the ball up in the air and turns most those digs into excellent passes. High-major college programs have been on her for awhile. Miller will be busy on Sunday when they're first able to start contacting her directly.   [player_tooltip player_id='443092' first='Malia' last='Rogers'], OH, Six Pack 16   Rogers is in the top tier of hitters in Iowa's impressive 2027 Class with Austen and Vogt. The race is on to see who emerges as No. 1 during the next two years. Rogers more closely resembles Vogt in that her arms are really long and that, to a degree, they're still growing into their bodies and games. Rogers helped a young Waukee squad reach the state tournament last season by collecting a team-best 215 kills (.186) with 119 digs and 31.0 blocks, statistics that should spike in 2025. When I scouted Rogers at the Windy City Qualifier in late April, her power had improved since seeing her at state. She's adding strength and strategy to her attack. Rogers is another one who'll be receiving a lot of attention on Sunday.   [player_tooltip player_id='730426' first='Hazel' last='Schluckebier'], S, Rockets 15R   Evaluating setters can be like judging beauty pageants, choices are in the eyes of the beholders, and many factors go into it. Obviously the person must set up teammates. It's in the position's name. Beyond that, can she serve-receive, dump into the donut, block, swing? Schluckebier is here because she's been adding to her toolbox since I first scouted her last summer. Then, she had a good handle on the setting part and found holes in the defense. During an impressive freshman season, Schluckebier became more consistent in those areas and began showing more feel for hitting and blocking. This club season, she's taken a significant step forward in those latter two skills. Schluckebier already is one of the state's top players at the position, regardless of class, and she might have the highest ceiling.   [player_tooltip player_id='754657' first='Cyan' last='Blommer'], OH, United 14-1 Elite   I've scouted Blommer the last two club seasons and the improvement is notable. She's taken major steps forward in all of the skills in her complete set of them. An advanced attacker for her age, Blommer has grown taller and added inches to her vertical leap. She's also become stronger, which is increasing the power in her swing. Blommer is contributing more on the block and getting a better feel for reading the opponent's attack. Perhaps she's made her greatest strides in playing the back row. Her future is pounding away at the pin on the next level, but she'll be a six-rotation headache for Iowa City West opponents the four seasons.   [player_tooltip player_id='754551' first='Zane' last='Ehler'], S, United 14-1 Elite   There's a lot to choose from when it comes to talent on United 14-1 Elite, and Ehler has a chance to be big time. Some of it will depend on how she develops physically, but she's already far ahead of older peers in stature already. From a technical standpoint, Ehler is an advanced setter capable of impacting the match beyond her acumen at the position. Her swing is already dangerous and her block is solid. Holes in the defense are exposed by Ehler, and her serve can be lethal. She'll be an impact player for Tipton in the River Valley Conference as a freshman in 2025 and among the state's top recruits by the time she's done.

You may notice the term "high ceiling" when reading my scouting reports. For those folks who aren't familiar with the reference, it equates to a student-athletes' potential. A player with a high ceiling has flashed potential to produce at an advanced level. Evaluating it can be tricky, however, because it's a guess based on experience and observations in scouting.