Prospect Report: Nationals Wrap Up

*Probably the most surprising event of Nationals for me was having a 45 minute cnversation with Wisconsin HC Kelly Sheffield. As a life long (loser aka) Minnesota Gopher fan that was a tough step for me to go introduce myself to the leader of Badger Nation, but I’m really glad I did. Much more to come in the future, but he didn’t big-time me, didn’t seem preoccupied like he needed to go talk to someone more important, etc instead he taught me a lot, asked me about the goals of VBAdrenaline and we talked about the sport. I wish I had the volleyball IQ to hang with him, but he was OK with me not knowing anything and just being a college sports fan. What I respected the most about him is that he has built something in Madison he didn’t walk into a championship program. He’s proud of that (and she should be).

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Still, many schools finishing 2026 classes. I think it’s the perception that “everyone has committed” in the 26 class, but that simply isn’t the truth. So many Top 25 programs are still needing to add 1-3 recruits to complete their classes. Athletes stay with your process. Email, reach out, camp if you can. You could go through 90% of the Big Ten and they need at least one more prospect.

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Rumblings of change…..I heard from multiple sources that some sort of changes have been proposed to the recruiting calendar (and could go in affect for 2027). My only wish is that whoever gets to propose and make the changes actually addresses the problems that kids face.

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Ella Andrews feeling very excited for her Fall. I spent several minutes talking with Legacy 2026 MB this week as she stuck around Vegas to watch her little sister play. Andrews moved ahead of all others for our Top PPV among MB with 289. She said that academics are very important to her and now more than ever, so she really wants to focus on her grades and schoolwork this Fall along with her high school team She also told me that her high school is going to be holding a stadium match on a mini-scale to what Nebraska did last year. So I said “Oh so you are only expecting about 40,000 people”? The Legacy middle is quiet on social media so don’t expect to hear anything for a long time, but she has had a great year and was many staffs choice for #1 position in the class.

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I was also asked about Andrews’ teammate Kayla Nwabueze several times in Vegas. From everything I have been told she is an extremely high academic athlete and I would at IVY League for Kayla and thus a late, late announcement.

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Gophers add big arms to class and weapons to program. It went with little fanfare because it happened during nationals, but Minnesota landed a powerful OH and needed weapon in Cali’s Makenna Crosson PPV 250.

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Kansas State Staff advocating for on-campus: I had a chance to talk with Jason Mansfield, HC of Kansas State, a couple of times during nationals and I think he would echo what most building P4 programs would say “We benefit greatly when we get PSA’s on our campus”. But, the Wildcats have an added advantage than most since opening their brand new (Volleyball-only) facilities a little over a year ago. “I believe we are 5/5 in getting recruits that attend camp and see our facilities in person to commit. I think with us it goes beyond that, Manhattan is the definition of a college town and this program is supported, but kids can’t feel that in one phone call. We need to get them here.”

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Peyton Kubik carrying an early load for the Midwest superstar. Kansas City superstar OH Kubik plays well above her competition and carriers her team. She is transforming into that match changing forcer scouts are looking for and she should be. The talk has already started from NE fans who always live through Red colored glasses, but I just have a feeling Peyton is her own kid and will blaze her own path.

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Early enrolling trend appears to be continuing. You look at many of the top 2025 prospects and it appears many of them are doing the “Thank you Club VB posts” which would lead one to believe that they are not playing 18s and they will enroll in college in January to get a jump start on PT as a freshman.

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