Stock Risers In The Class Of 2026

To raise your stock in the recruiting game, you have to go above and beyond. Whether it's attending a college summer camp, extra training in the club gym, attending a showcase, or all of the above, extra work has to be done to prove that you've not only improved your game, but set yourself apart from the rest of the recruits in your class. Here are five athletes who have put in the work when no one was watching.    We've got a new #1 in the class, and she's from two-time defending 4A champ Carroll. Her ability to make pass-to-attack look easy and do it all without the “look at me” attitude so many other players carry with them on social media is refreshing. Not only did she finish this season as the leader of an undefeated state champ, but also turned her accolades into two postseason honors—-the IHSVCA Indiana Miss Volleyball award and the MaxPreps Indiana Player Of The Year. She's done everything possible on a volleyball court—-and is keeping her skill set in Indiana by signing with IU Indianapolis.     This PHP big brought Manchester to new heights this fall, which also earned her a commitment to D3 Case Western Reserve and the uber-tough UAA conference. Able to do all the heavy lifting a middle needs to do, Ava's ability to terminate at multiple angles from in front of the setter has slowly improved to the point of being (at times) indefensible. Length is her strength, as her block is just as developed as her attack.     Greenwood Christian is one of the smallest schools in all of Indiana, let alone a small blip on the volleyball radar. Arguments about school size being incapable of competing statewide were greatly exaggerated, as Aiva was the leader on a solid 1A program that saw new heights in the postseason. Her 1600+ assists over her four year career will carry her to current NAIA three-time defending champ Indiana Wesleyan in the fall, a HUGE accomplishment for a kid from GCA.     Full disclosure—prior to this calendar year, I hadn't heard much of Grace and her ability to play at the next level. Her libero play this past club season, coupled with her anchoring of the defense at Chatard in the fall, moved Grace into our top 100 recruits in the class in our final rankings release. Committed to D3 Earlham, Grace keeps her talents in-state to continue her rapid rise in talent.     High-flying and springy, Cecelia will also be keeping her talents in the state of Indiana by signing with D2 up-and-comer Purdue-Northwest. As a full-go and no-quit six-rotation outside, she led the Tigers to a 29-win season and added 600+ kills and 400+ digs in her time at Warsaw. Compact and explosive, she showed out this fall when she was needed most, and should carry some strong momentum into her first collegiate season.

To raise your stock in the recruiting game, you have to go above and beyond. Whether it's attending a college summer camp, extra training in the club gym, attending a showcase, or all of the above, extra work has to be done to prove that you've not only improved your game, but set yourself apart from the rest of the recruits in your class. Here are five athletes who have put in the work when no one was watching.