There’s a lot of credit to go around for VCNebraska 17 Elite’s incredible early-season achievements. Eilenstine has earned her share of that praise with her ever-expanding influence at the left-side hitter spot. 17 Elite’s six-rotation outside hitters have become a cornerstone of the team’s success, both through exceptional termination and serve-receive prowess. These phases get a huge upgrade with Eilenstine running the show.

We have vivid memories of Eilenstine’s showcase outing, especially because it gave us our first look at her rocket arm and natural explosiveness. She joined us two years ago as an incoming freshman and has grown into an upperclassman leader for Elkhorn South. Eilenstine matched up well against second-seeded Millard South, producing ten kills and handful of clutch digs in the quarterfinal showdown. Continuity will be a big plus for the Storm in 2026, and Eilenstine paves the way for the rising senior class.

VCNebraska 16 Elite’s Gold bracket breakthrough in 16 Open has transformed the bigger picture for Nebraska’s Class of 2027. Eilenstine capitalized on her time in the spotlight and played a major role in 16 Elite’s Dallas triumph. The Elkhorn South standout found every way imaginable to score on the outside, even with formidable blockers in her face. Eilenstine is a perfect fit for 16 Elite’s up-tempo offense and showcased a little extra explosiveness at GJNC. It’s a perfect launching point to another high-profile campaign on the Class A circuit.

Eilenstine has enjoyed a smooth transition to this year’s VCNebraska 16 Elite squad, and NIT was perhaps her best outing yet. We saw this Elkhorn South sophomore’s full repertoire of six-rotation skills in Kansas City. She was a go-to left-side attacker in the front row, but Eilenstine was also not afraid to dig in and play tough middle-back defense. 16 Elite’s aggressive, up-tempo style is a perfect match for Eilenstine’s ability to make quick reads in any rotation. That combination should flourish as the 2025 season progresses.

Eilenstine was an indispensable contributor to Elkhorn South’s 2024 resurgence. She had an exceptional freshman season and backed that up with another triple-digit kill output this fall. The high-flying sophomore also proved her willingness to adapt to a variety of roles as the Storm experimented with different lineups. Even if she was coming in as a serving specialist or a backcourt sub, Eilenstine provided plenty of positive impact as the Storm rolled to the championship match. We’re ready to see more in 2025.

Eilenstine was an indispensable contributor to Elkhorn South’s 2024 resurgence. She had an exceptional freshman season and backed that up with another triple-digit kill output this fall. The high-flying sophomore also proved her willingness to adapt to a variety of roles as the Storm experimented with different lineups. Even if she was coming in as a serving specialist or a backcourt sub, Eilenstine provided plenty of positive impact as the Storm rolled to the championship match. We’re ready to see more in 2025.

Of course, we don’t have to go back very far to find the last time Elkhorn South reached the state tournament mountaintop. The 2020 Class A champions have been eager to claw back into the postseason picture, and this year’s squad looks like the one to do it. Eilenstine has returned to her familiar form after a strong debut campaign last fall. She’s putting down 2.6 kills per set in Elkhorn South’s balanced offense and also takes care of several serve-receive touches. The Storm are ready for the late-season gauntlet after hovering around Class A’s top tier throughout 2024.

This is a perfect prelude to the Nebraska Freshman Showcase. Our first look at Eilenstine came at last year’s summer showcase, and that impression has persisted. She hadn’t entered the high school spotlight yet but proved her readiness as a game-changing outside hitter. Eilenstine quickly made a varsity impact with Elkhorn South and has been extraordinary with Premier 15 Gold. We’re ready to see the next wave of freshmen who can follow this path. Your turn, 2028s.