Myla Rude Myla Rude 5'8" | DS/L Valley | 2028 State IA played a big part in the Tigers’ success on Thursday by keeping the defense on lockdown. Rude got it done in the back row, behind the service line. The junior led her team in aces and digs, ending the night with two aces and eleven digs.

I admit it. I’ve been a Rude stan since watching her compete as a Valley freshman. Her play for the Tigers and on one of the funnest club teams to watch on the circuit has done nothing but increase that admiration. Rude is a gamer, in sports vernacular. She doesn’t mind getting dirty, metaphorically speaking, and hustles at a high rate. Rude is more than a high-motor player, however. The Drake commitment is technically sound and skilled in the back row. There’s athleticism, lateral quickness and sharp reflexes. Serve-receive is sound and positioning against the attack is precise. Rude is an excellent vocal leader and brings great energy to the court. All of it plays into her rising 21 spots to No. 20 in the recent Prep Dig Iowa Class of 2028 rankings update.

Playing up a year has not slowed Rude’s development. If anything, this Ohana 17U National libero has faced as many explosive hitters as any defender in Iowa’s Class of 2028. That track record expanded at the Midwest National Tune-Up, where Rude dug a ton of heat en route to Ohana’s bracket breakthrough in Des Moines. The West Des Moines Valley junior also primed her team’s offense for success through consistent passes placed right on the setter’s head.

There is a reason why Myla is so highly talked about is not that she makes the flashiest plays. It’s actually quite the opposite; she finds a way to stay scrappy, but also play clean and calm, even in those stressful situations. She leaves little to no room for error on serve receive, doing a phenomenal job of running the back row. Defensively, Rude truly makes it look easy, even when she is going up against D1 commits. She does a great job of reading her opponents and getting herself in the best position to get the dig, making it easy for her setter to run the offense.

I’ve frequently written about Rude during the last few years because she puts on a show every time she competes. I watched her at the state tournament, holding down the back row in helping Valley reach the Class 5A state semifinals with an upset of defending champion Pleasant Valley in the quarterfinals. Rude was at it again when I saw her at the 2026 Impact Invite in early March. Playing up, she led Ohana 17 National to a third-place finish in the Gold Bracket. Rude combines the qualities you like to see in someone wearing the jersey. Her high volleyball IQ meshes nicely with her quickness and keen feel for the game. Rude is almost always in position, limits mistakes and delivers unlikely passes off of difficult digs. The sophomore communicates well and is a leader on the floor.

Following a freshman season at Valley that saw her come up with 249 digs, one behind the team leader, Rude has raised her game even more this club campaign. I saw her shine at the Iowa Regional Qualifier, when she helped Ohana reach the gold bracket. Rude displayed that same take-charge game at the Midwest Live Showcase in late May. She’s a good athlete that moves smoothly and efficiently around the court. With anticipation and a feel for the flow of the match, Rude keeps a lot of plays alive when others might come up short. She’s part of a core returning for the Tigers that should make them formidable in 2025.