High-Profile Commits Roll in for Nebraska’s Class of 2028

What a week!   I've been following the Class of 2028 recruiting frenzy alongside all of you. The floodgates opened Monday morning, and we expected Nebraska's prep stars to be well represented in the early headlines. Expectations were still exceeded anyway.   College recruiters have long been aware of the volleyball talent embedded within “little ol' Nebraska.” A state with these population numbers shouldn't churn out the amount of elite volleyball players that it does, but here we are. It's a testament to Nebraska's deep volleyball culture, unwavering support from parents and families, and its vast network of incredible coaches and trainers. I'm just thankful to be along for the ride!   That leads to the kind of “opening week” we saw in the 2028 recruiting sphere. We have a lot of college-bound gems to discuss, and you're bound to recognize these names.   And you'll remember them when you turn on the TV a few years from now.    Anyone could have told you that the Cornhuskers would have been keen on landing the Milford superstar. What more could you ask for? Rautenberg is a homegrown star, a legacy recruit, and our third-ranked 2028 across the entire national scene. But aside from all these accolades and storylines, Rautenberg's work ethic and desire to win have set her apart. She has been part of the Open grind with Nebraska ONE 17 Synergy, culminating in a bid breakthrough at the Northeast Qualifier. In the middle of it all, Rautenberg has also maintained her multi-sport status at Milford to help the Eagles win a basketball title, too. A highlight tape cannot encapsulate her competitive spirit, and it's the kind of attitude needed to represent the Scarlet and Cream.     I wanted to transition from one Nebraska-made college coach to another. Like Busboom Kelly, Iowa State Head Coach Christy Johnson-Lynch has always been eager to recruit her Great Plains homeland. Johnson-Lynch also launched her playing and coaching career in the Cornhusker State and understands the value of gifted athletes like Linnen. This Nebraska Elite middle blocker is among the state's most physical prospects, regardless of class. It's the kind of power and athleticism that you can't teach, but Linnen has also developed the technical skills to back it up. The Cyclones will be eager to harness Linnen's unlimited potential in the frontcourt.     Perhaps you've noticed a nationwide trend of numerous liberos making early pledges. It's a big step forward for the Justice For Liberos movement. Bridges started the wave with her big-time verbal to eight-time national champion Penn State. This VCNebraska gem had already built incredible recruiting stock before 2026, highlighted by her training experience with the USA youth national program. However, Bridges managed to raise the bar further by qualifying in 17 Open with VCNebraska 17 Elite--four times over. That's the kind of experience that primes athletes for the Big Ten gauntlet.     VCNebraska 17 Elite's magical season is even more impressive when you see how much production it gets from 2028s playing up a year. Bauer joins Bridges on the 17 Elite commitment wave and will compete with South Dakota State at the next level. The Jackrabbits are living in the best of times in their volleyball program, highlighted by back-to-back regular-season titles in the Summit League. That sustained success allows you to pursue exceptional athletes like Bauer, who has taken over as a middle blocker and an outside hitter on Nebraska's prep scene. Bauer knows all about catalyzing a volleyball renaissance for her school, as she helped Lincoln Southeast end an extended postseason drought last fall. SDSU is a perfect fit.     Good things come in pairs! And did we mention that VCN 17 Elite gets some firepower from teh Class of 2028? Zajicek will stick with Bauer at the next level, giving South Dakota State a proven, experienced combo at the net. The Omaha Skutt Catholic junior carved her own path to stardom on the Open circuit this year, producing jaw-dropping swings for 17 Elite. As we've mentioned in past spring features, Zajicek's line shots on the right side are particularly notorious. However, she has also developed the range and court vision to take her heavy heat elsewhere. The Jackrabbits are building a foundation to perpetuate their conference frontrunner status.     We return to the libero movement. Nowling has been on our radar as a top-tier defender since the early days of our Class of 2028 coverage. She thrived on the Prep Dig Circuit and turned that into immediate impact at Gretna. Premier Nebraska has brought out the best in Nowling, who provides a lot more than first-contact stability in the back row. She has flourished as a vocal leader, turning Premier Nebraska 16 Gold into a GJNC frontrunner. Nowling fittingly joins an Arizona State program whose defense currently rallies around Faith Frame, another former Gretna libero commanding the contrasting jersey at the next level. These storylines write themselves.     We're staying with the Gretna-Premier Nebraska axis for a while, so get comfortable. Dostal didn't wait to stake a claim as Nebraska's top-ranked pin prospect. She produced three kills per set as a freshman with the Dragons and was even more efficient a year later. Her work with Premier Nebraska is equally impressive, as she has become a six-rotation mainstay with 16 Gold. We could see momentum building through last year's run to a 15 USA title at GJNC. This time, Dostal has her eyes set on an Open title with her crew. It's the perfect setup for her collegiate career at Mississippi State, which will feature so many more elite matches in the SEC spotlight.     Rutgers' pursuit of Nebraska athletes is not limited to the Dyrstads. Froehlich adds to the Cornhusker State contingent in New Jersey and has capitalized on one of the most meteoric stock-rising campaigns in Nebraska's 2028 class. Her termination numbers skyrocketed in Year 2 with Gretna, which was clearly not afraid to leverage its sophomore stars in 2025. Froehlich's unstoppable offense has translated well to the club scene and helped Premier 16 Gold lock up its Open berth through MEQ. We can't wait to see how much further Froehlich can climb, even if her future plans are already settled.     Staehr has been a clear standard-bearer for Nebraska's small-town 2028s. That legacy grew to astronomical levels as this Aurora outside hitter took Kansas City by storm en route to a Show Me title. Then, Staehr raised the bar further to win the Great Plains Region Bid Tournament. At every step and at every venue, Staehr's drive to win has transformed teams and led to podium triumphs. She's ready for the leap to Nebraska-Omaha, an emerging perennial power in the Summit League.     Cain's career progression has been fascinating. She became an instant star for Lincoln Standing Bear, a brand-new school looking to establish an athletics foothold in the Star City. That's a tough position to be in, but Cain has authored some special performances through her underclassman tenure. We'd also lauded her positional versatility, flip-flopping between the left and right pins from one season to the next. Her right-side prowess takes precedence with VCNebraska 16 Elite, which locked up its GJNC plans through the Show Me Qualifier. That has provided plenty of scouting opportunities for college coaches, and Wayne State was eager to pounce on this in-state prospect.

What a week!