I’ve had the pleasure of scouting Gardner frequently throughout the last few years. She competes for one of the most entertaining teams on the club circuit at Ohana. Like others on that squad, her all-around volleyball skills are sharp and allow for positional versatility. I hadn’t seen her play libero, a position Ohana filled with a Drake commitment. I did see her line up with the jersey for Ballard at the Grinnell Invite early in the 2026 prep season. She handled the spot very well against heavy-swinging attackers for Solon, Clear Creek Amana, South Tama County and elsewhere. Gardner flows well with the action and positions herself to make plays. She tracks the ball well in serve-receive and does well in getting the transition game underway.

Let’s include a 2027 athlete who participated in our most recent Midwest Live Showcase. Garnder joined the fray for last month’s event and was a reliable backcourt contributor during team scrimmages. Her defensive instincts were also on display as she dimed digs during early positional work. Gardner represents Ballard High School, where she was a consistent starter last fall and racked up nearly 200 digs in her sophomore campaign. Expect another uptick in production later this year.

I’ve written reports on Gardner after watching her at regionals and on Hudl highlights, so it was good to observe her again in the Midwest Live Showcase environment at the end of May. She held up well against a standout group of hitters, and performed soundly through defensive specialist drills. Being equipped technically and possessing a good feel for match flow aids Gardner in being positioned to make plays. She limits errors and provides passes on point. Gardner has a chance to take a big leap forward in 2025.

Gardner helped Ohana exceed its seed in a big way at the Iowa Regional tournament with her play at the pin. Not boasting the traditional height of an outside, Gardner compensates for it with an impressive vertical leap and hangtime. She generates prodigious power for her size, which should increase with added strength. Gardner’s strong club campaign has followed a productive sophomore season at Ballard that saw her come up with 191 digs and 25 kills. She’s poised for a giant junior season in 2025.