The Nemaha Central Thunder are ranked No. 2 overall in the KVA Class 3A rankings. The Thunder lost their top three attackers in terms of total kills from last year’s squad. That opens the door for Henry to be one of the team’s top attackers and primary hitting targets. She finished her junior season with 160 kills and 239 digs. Defending champion Halstead is the No. 1-ranked team in Class 3A. The Jefferson West Tigers are my pick to be the Class 3A state title winners.

It’s been awhile since I have seen Henry compete. If I make to Nemaha Central on the 16th, she will be a player to focus in on. I last saw her during the past club season, so I am interested to see how she has progressed. She is ranked No. 23 overall in the Kansas Class of 2028. Henry is a six-rotation athlete who I feel should be playing Division II ball after high school. Will see where she lands. JUCO coaches in Kansas should for sure be reaching out to her.

A team I look forward to seeing this fall is Nemaha Central. An athlete on that team I want to watch closely is Henry. Henry is ranked No. 23 overall in the Kansas Class of 2027 rankings. I feel like I have watched her grow up over the past couple of club, prep, and camp seasons. She will need to step up for the Thunder in her junior season, as they will lose a trio of college players to graduation. Henry recorded 106 kills and 239 digs during her sophomore campaign.

I will be honest, when I live so close to elite programs the likes of Seaman, Washburn Rural, Hayden, and several KC metro schools, I have to make a concerted effort to remind myself to not ignore the elite small school prospects. Henry is just one of a handful of athletes I could highlight to represent an impressive core of ranked small-school prospects. The Nemaha Central attacker is one I have seen grow as an athlete and competitor. She like Santa Fe Trail’s Quincy Cook Quincy Cook 5'11" | RS/OH Santa Fe Trail | 2027 State KS , Holton’s Tinley Wilson Tinley Wilson 5'10" | OH Holton | 2027 State KS , and Harriet Dean Harriet Dean 5'7" | S Jefferson West | 2027 State KS and Emmie Dean Emmie Dean 5'6" | OH/DS/L Jefferson West | 2028 State KS at Jefferson West, remind me of how deep the talent is in Kansas.

Henry is a prospect I have loved seeing evolve. I have seen her in club ball, summer ball, during the prep season, and at Prep Dig Showcases. She won’t turn coaches’ heads right away, because she is not a flashy player. She is a head-down, tough-as-nails, lunchbox-style athlete. The bottom line is she is a winner. She does not need to be the number one option on the offense or the need to wear the libero jersey. She can play any position on the court and will fill in at any spot when someone in the rotation is missing. The Thunder sophomore had a steady tournament for runner-up Nemaha Central in the Class 3A Tournament.