Prospect Report: Lonestar Qualifier

Prospect Report Lonestar Qualifier

Who is #1?

Four names have been tossed around as Top Prospect in the Class of 2026 as the offer season nears.

Henley Anderson and Halle Thompson have long been linked for the title and both of them did nothing to hurt their stock at Thursday’s UA Next Camp.  There was no stopping either of them in competitive play scenarios.  One thing that did stand out was just how polished Anderson is in the back row.  Impressive for an athlete her size.

Ayanna Watson:  We haven’t seen the Vegas star live lately, but we hear her name a lot and by numerous people.  She has worked her way into the #1 Convo from consistent dominance this club season.  That same dynamic game that Thompson possesses and Watson has been proving it to coaches on the court each tourney this year.

Sarah Hickman:  Following UA Next yesterday in Dallas, The 6’5” OPP from Houston earned some comments for #1.  “She just keeps growing and has been so much more aggressive.  That kid might be the #1 player in this class.  She held her own with Thompson and Anderson yesterday all were USA U19 Team impressive.

Attitudes Matter:

I talked to a coach on Thursday and asked them about attitude and effort and how much it matters in recruiting.  “We want someone with as little negative energy/emotion as possible.  We took two kids off our list the other night because their effort and body language were so poor at their club practice.  Kids don’t get it that people are always watching and if the player is competing with many others for an offer then we are moving on from the one with the negative body language, effort etc.”

Northwest Prospects having some big visitors:

Word has it that some Top 10 programs have headed to the Northwestern USA to closely watch a couple of prospects maybe not talked about on the national scene very often.

Kaitlyn Nguyen-Libero Sudden Impact Volleyball and one of our favorite personalities in the entire USA and one of the best liberos you may have never watched play.  There was talk of her decision on beach/indoor, but looks like she may get some huge indoor offers.

Laura Eichert-OH Washington Volleyball Academy is the state’s top recruit and hits “one of the hardest balls in the class”.

Sounds like some Final Four programs have paid close attention recently.

Big News Coming for College Volleyball:

Heard a rumor that there will soon be an announcement to unveil a big-time NCAA Volleyball event that will be a must-see TV for sure.  Stay tuned you will know it as soon as you read about it.

Prospects run deep with AZ Storm:

The Storm 16s squad may have gathered the most total college coaches of any team on day 1.  Look for 6-7 of them to play D1 volleyball (including their 3 DS/Libero crew that can all play D1).

The never-ending Setter Discussion:

Heard some really good things about Houston Skyline Setter Blair Thiebaud today and she played like it.  Strong, confident, and accurate.  Also one of the taller setters in the class has her on the shortlist of several Top 20 programs.  

There seems to be a group of 8-10 Setters that are very close in skill and size and many coaches are still evaluating and trying to decide their priority order for June.

Caught Up with a two of the Class of 2026 this weekend to ask a few questions:

Sarah Hickman:

On the craziness of this past few months:  “I try not to look at any media on game days so I can focus, but it’s been great really.  Kind of a honor for all of the hardwork I have put in.”

On how well she has played this season: “Before the year I wrote down a bunch of goals and I’ve been in the gym every day working hard on my game.  All that has come with it is a great compliment for all of the time I have put in.”

Will She Attend Any Select Camps:  “Yeah I will as I want to see some campuses before my decision.  I want to learn about the coaches and academics.  So I’ll try and attend camps of my favorites.”

How She is Feeling With the Process:  “I feel good and am excited for the 15th.  I have a pretty good idea of my favorites and where I want to look at.”

Taylor Stanley:

On coming back from injury: “The timing was devastating right before Triple Crown and it was hard to have to sit and watch, but I had a great support system and so fortunate to be back”

What are you happy about with your game right now:  “I have a really good connection with my setter so I’ve really worked on that.  I’m working on my backrow passing all the time to improve that part of my game and also working to be able to hit from anywhere on the court.”

What are you doing to prepare yourself for June 15th:  “Yeah I’ve just had a few conversations with my coach to prepare me for questions I may get asked.  Also, my dad has been asking me random questions so I get used to thinking on the spot and being able to answer tough questions.

So where is your head at with committing right away or taking your time:  “Yes I do want to take my time, because I want to make a thorough and thought-out decision.  Many people think of June 15th as the day you get to commit, but I want to think of it as another day and one where I can start communicating with them and getting to know them.

Let’s talk about your camp process a little bit:  “Yes I’m attending four camps in early June (Kansas, SMU, Creighton and Vanderbilt) but I’m keeping my options open and seeing what happens with those.  I may end up going to others in July we will see.”

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