Uncommitted 2026 Players That Colleges Are Dropping The Ball On

Full disclosure, most of Prep Dig's content is shifting focus and concentrating on the girls who are in prime recruiting right now (2027/2028) and the up-and-coming kids who will be all the talk next year (2029). But it's really been bothering me lately that there are STAR-level players out here in the 2026 class that I can't believe aren't signed yet. I'm talking players that could play some level of D1, and players that are conference-winning, game-changing players in D3. I think there has been a little too much focus put on height and transfer portals, and we are missing players that are proven winners and absolute dogs in a fight. I think there are some people missing out on players that they will be looking for that exact kind of player next year, and saying I wish I had so and so. Here are a few I think colleges need to pick up the phone for ASAP.    I'm a little bit appalled that Sydney is unsigned. She doesn't even have the size penalty a lot of players deal with, as a setter, 5'9 is good height for either 5-1 or 6-2. She's a good setter, and she has done whatever her team has needed from her for years. DS/Libero, Setter, and even MB this year when her team needed it, and won a state title. She can and will do everything for you. I don't know if it's a case of clubs and schools not doing enough to educate and help in the college process, or schools just completely dropping the ball, but this is one of those players who makes it clear something is broken. Go watch her video. <a href="https://sportsrecruits.com/athlete/sydney_lawrence4">https://sportsrecruits.com/athlete/sydney_lawrence4</a>     Another setter that no one can claim height as a reason, 6-foot AnaSofia has set absolute hitting monsters in HS, at both Holy Cross and McNamara, and came from a solid MVSA club to MD Juniors. She's got experience, her blocking is solid, her sets look fluid and accurate, and she can give you some nasty one-handed offense with setter dumps. Why hasn't she signed? Here's her video, go watch and tell me what I'm missing. I've seen plenty of D3s recently that were only specifically looking for tall 5-1 setters. Well, here's a great one. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@anasofiazanellato">https://www.youtube.com/@anasofiazanellato</a>     Full disclosure, I've never talked to Avery, so I'm not sure if she even wants to play at the collegiate level, but she absolutely has the skill to do so if she wanted to. The absolute biggest thing for a hitter is that they have to get the downward plane. Hitting while you're dropping (timing) or not getting high enough is going to send balls to the back wall or in the net, and as you move up to the next level, you can't afford to make the points for your opponents. She gets that downward plane, and has what I nickname, more of a hammer-style, which might not be whip-fast as others, but generates speed from raw power. It's hard to get up because the arm speed doesn't match the ball speed; it's like a baseball player facing a change-up. She's a former setter, so she's got good court awareness and looks for spots to put the ball, vs just hitting hard and hoping. Avery is another one that a school should be spending a lot of time with right now, she could be a difference maker at the pin. Her video: <a href="https://sportsrecruits.com/athlete/avery_hubbard">https://sportsrecruits.com/athlete/avery_hubbard</a>     This is going to sound weird, saying that she gets a little overshadowed by her little sister, but when your little sister is one of the top hitters in her grad year for the whole region, it can happen. Imani is no slouch in her own right, though, so let her have her flowers. She's got a little less pure power than her sister does, but about the same height and vertical, and she picks and chooses her spots better. I actually really like a hitter that can read and place a ball vs playing whack-a-mole. I have told some extremely talented teams in warm ups if they really want to impress me, show me location and control vs power. Anyone can hit hard, but it takes some real skill to locate around a defense vs through it. This is something Imani does really well, and because of that, there should be a place for her in college if that's what she wants to do. People underestimate intelligence in sports sometimes; I do not, and she has it. College coaches, feel free to examine the video: <a href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/25474546/Imani-Thomas/about?utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQMMjU2MjgxMDQwNTU4AAGnErlVxnA4CTSAFVSNZyfGo9vbvuOtmH8kM2pYjht-YFtdMr6t0duov6r-h3k_aem_MVunJSQZaUEDyAaK2jw3Pw">https://www.hudl.com/profile/25474546/Imani-Thomas/about?utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQMMjU2MjgxMDQwNTU4AAGnErlVxnA4CTSAFVSNZyfGo9vbvuOtmH8kM2pYjht-YFtdMr6t0duov6r-h3k_aem_MVunJSQZaUEDyAaK2jw3Pw</a>    These are just a few examples I've been wondering about for weeks. I've talked to coaches here and there and given them some favorites of mine, and I always joke that I've got a shopping list if they just tell me what they need, this is just a part of that list. I know way more 2027s, so it will be interesting to see how that plays out over the next year. If you're a 2026 that wants to play in college, or a coach looking for 2026s still, reach out to me, let's see if we can make a match.

Full disclosure, most of Prep Dig's content is shifting focus and concentrating on the girls who are in prime recruiting right now (2027/2028) and the up-and-coming kids who will be all the talk next year (2029). But it's really been bothering me lately that there are STAR-level players out here in the 2026 class that I can't believe aren't signed yet. I'm talking players that could play some level of D1, and players that are conference-winning, game-changing players in D3. I think there has been a little too much focus put on height and transfer portals, and we are missing players that are proven winners and absolute dogs in a fight. I think there are some people missing out on players that they will be looking for that exact kind of player next year, and saying I wish I had so and so. Here are a few I think colleges need to pick up the phone for ASAP.