It's Not Where You Start; It's Where You Finish: Gray and Whitmire Hottest Prospects in America

A year ago, there were many names being thrown around for Top This and Rising That, Shooting This, and Hottest That for the Class of 2026...You didn't see Jordyn Gray or Danielle Whitmire on many of those lists.  Gray was athletic but raw and, being from a smaller club, "hadn't played against the caliber of Open Division talent to prove herself vs. some of the best in the class." Whitmire was in between positions she was a good setter and a good attacker, but was she great at either?  Often overshadowed by others at her position in the class, she just kind of got overlooked many times and in many recruiting conversations.

Well thank goodness Louisville and Penn State didn't listen to those scouting reports and you know what thank goodness Jordyn and Danielle didn't either. Fast forward a year, some development, a few killer months of training, and some confidence, and boy, how things have changed.  On multiple occasions, we have received reports from the USA Volleyball gym and NTDP circles saying that both athletes have been "killing it" in training sessions with the other top prospects in the nation.

I personally watched Gray's first NTDP training weekend last Spring, and she was nervous and timid.  That is absolutely not the case anymore.  "Your PPVs are very solid, but Jordyn's is way low; she has maybe the highest ceiling of any OH in the program and of anyone in the class of 2026."  Wow, tremendous praise goes to someone who was a virtual unknown a year ago!  "There may be several schools thinking they missed on that one in a few years; she is just blowing up right now, and it is so cool to see," said another staffer from the USA training series.

Then there is Whitmire, who I myself thought looked very good at the l myself thought looked VERY good at the Louisville training session of U17s (but my VB opinion and $7 will get you a Starbucks Frapachino, so there's that), so when I did some digging, I was pumped to hear not only was I right, but I was really right.  Paraphrasing here: "Danielle Whitmire has looked so good during the last few months of training in the USA sessions.  She's training as well as any Setter in the class with Harris right now and has been." USA staffer and another NTDP observer told m,e "Danielle has maybe surprised me more than anyone the past six months.  She has made more progress than any setter.  I'm telling you, she has really gained on some people."

This should tell athletes a few things.  One doesn't believe what all the rankings say when you are younger; keep working and training because you can get noticed and make gains as you get older.  Two, sometimes these top programs can really evaluate talent, and three, it's not where you start, ladies. It's where you finish, so never let up. Keep training, no matter how high or low you think you are.  Congrats, Jordyn and Danielle. Here is to even higher results a year from now!

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​