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The first month of the high school season is behind us. With the calendar turning to September we are in full swing with major states like Florida, Kansas and Arizona getting their schedules underway. We recently released our updated Top 50 National HS Rankings. Below, we check in on a handful of teams from the Top 50 who have impressed so far. GRAND OAKS TX – The Houston-area school has started the season 30-1, with its lone loss to Prestonwood Christian TX in the semifinals of the Volleypalooza tournament last month. The roster is loaded with future Division 1 talent, including a trio of 5-star recruits in senior middle Jaela Auguste (Florida), junior outside Samara Coleman (Pitt) and sophomore outside Halle Thompson. The lineup also features Caelyn Emmerling, a senior 3-star Texas State commit. Grand Oaks lost in the Area playoffs to Bridgeland TX a season ago, but is among the 6A favorites this fall. Grand Oaks is currently ranked No. 11. BELLMONT IN – The Braves have been an early-season surprise, posting a 14-1 mark as of this writing. The only setback came to Hamilton Southeastern IN, which remains undefeated. It has Bellmont currently sitting at No. 19 in our latest national rankings. Helping leading the way so far is sophomore outside MaryKate Scheumann and senior outside Delaney Lawson, a 3-star Utah State commit. The pair has combined for over 300 kills to date. Senior Jackie Sutter and sophomore middle Alyssa Gumbel have also made key contributions on offense. Senior setter Hailey Cole and senior libero Sami Christen have also played vital roles in the team’s success so far. The highest class in Indiana is 4A, but Bellmont plays in 3A, making the Braves a true state contender. O’CONNOR AZ – O’Connor shot up to No. 20 in our latest Top 50 rankings based on its 11-0 start. The Eagles improved to 12-0 with a key victory Tuesday evening over previously unbeaten Corona del Sol, winning in straight sets. Junior outside Devyn Wiest – a 4-star Utah commit – currently leads the team in kills. The team has plenty of options behind her. Senior Katie Lambeth, senior Iana Loera, freshman Kristen Sheehy, sophomore Leylah Duran, junior Addison France and senior Piper Rama have all made contributions to the attack. France also sets, along with senior Shannon Sheehy while senior Kinsley Singleton leads the team in digs. O’Connor plays in Arizona’s highest division — 6A. LAKE CATHOLIC OH – The Cougars have impressed so far, starting the year 7-0 and landing at No. 35 in our latest Top 50 rankings. The squad is especially strong at the setting position with senior Hannah Pattie — a 3-star Campbell commit — and libero with junior Julia Oster — a 3-star Colgate commit. Offensively, it’s been senior outside Katie Sowko, junior Natalya Bergant and junior middle Ava Budrys Rini powering the attack. Among the team’s best victories to date have been ones over St. Joseph Academy, Gilmour Academy and St. Ursula Academy. LONE PEAK UT – The Knights are a team to watch out for and have shown as much by starting the season 5-0. They cracked the Top 50 and are currently No. 36. Among the team’s standouts is 5-star Kansas commit Zoey Burgess. Backing her is 6-3 senior pin hitter Cami Christiansen, 3-star junior outside Mckynzee Beddes and 4-star freshman pin hitter Ava Burgess. Junior Sam Pope and sophomore Nevaeh Tien have directed the attack while senior Trinidy Tien has taken care of the libero duties. Lone Peak is attending the Durango Fall Classic later this month in Las Vegas. VALOR CHRISTIAN CO – The defending 5A champions went undefeated last season and have started where they left off. The Eagles have opened the year 9-0, led by junior setter and 3-star Georgia commit Chloe Elarton. She has a strong quartet of hitters to power the attack in senior outside Delaney Russell (Montana), 6-2 senior Grace Langer, 6-2 junior pin hitter Kenzey McGatlin (LSU beach) and 6-0 senior pin Farrah Eike (Navy). Bergen Waitman, a 5-10 sophomore, has been holding it down defensively at libero. SKYRIDGE UT – The Falcons cracked the Top 50, coming in at No. 49 with their 13-0 start. One reason for the hot start is 6-1 sophomore Kylie Buttars. She leads the team to date in kills. Also helping offensively has been 6-1 senior middle Cala Cooper and senior outside Neriah Perez. Directing the attack is 6-0 senior setter Myka Christensen while junior Mary Nahinu is suiting up at libero. Skyridge and Lone Peak are set to play twice during the regular season.

Since releasing our initial Top 50 National HS Rankings in early August, it’s been a whirlwind of action. Though some schools are just getting under way and have only played a few matches, many more have been going at it for weeks. The biggest story to start the season is whether or not we would see Prestonwood Christian TX pull off a repeat of sorts accomplished by Cathedral Catholic CA last season in going wire-to-wire and winning the mythical national championship after putting together an impressive undefeated season. It didn’t take long to get an answer to that question. Prestonwood lost for the first time in its fifth outing of the season – falling to Boyd TX. Prestonwood has since lost twice more, once to Mater Dei CA in the final of the Volleypalooza tournament and to Decatur TX after that. Prestonwood did hand Grand Oaks TX its only loss on the season so far in the semifinals of Volleypalooza. Prestonwood was scheduled to travel to the Nike TOC Southeast tournament this past weekend but wasn’t able to make the trip because of the hurricane. Instead, it was Cornerstone Christian TX walking away with the tournament title. Cornerstone’s only loss on the season came to Mira Costa CA in the final of the Ann Kang Invitational in Hawaii. Mira Costa lost its first match of the season and tournament in falling to Punahou HI before coming back to capture the title. It helped land Mira Costa at the top spot in our updated Top 50. Despite the loss, it’s hard to argue against the quality of victories Mira Costa has put together so far. Not only did the Mustangs top recent Nike TOC Southeast champion Cornerstone, but Mira Costa also swept Volleypalooza champion Mater Dei, plus has victories over Sierra Canyon CA and Marymount CA. With Mira Costa returning to the Durango Fall Classic this year, the Mustangs will have a chance to show they are indeed the best team in the country when the two-day event takes place in three weeks in Las Vegas. In other happenings, both Mother McAuley IL and Notre Dame Academy KY started this week undefeated and will be participating in this weekend’s Louisville Invitational Volleyball Tournament. Other teams off to strong starts as expected are Hamilton Southeastern IN and Divine Savior Holy Angels WI. One surprise so far this season was Archbishop Mitty CA taking down St. Francis/Mountain View CA to break into the Top 50 and land at No. 10 in our latest update. Check out the full Top 50 below. vballrecruiter.com’S TOP 50 NATIONAL HS RANKINGS 1. Mira Costa CA (4 – previous ranking) 2. Mother McAuley IL (3) 3. Notre Dame Academy KY (5) 4. Papillion-La Vista South NE (9) 5. Cornerstone Christian TX (8) 6. Mater Dei CA (2) 7. St. James Academy KS (6) 8. Torrey Pines CA (26) 9. Prestonwood Christian TX (1) 10. Archbishop Mitty CA (n/r) *** 11. Grand Oaks TX (n/r) 12. Hamilton Southeastern IN (11) 13. Cathedral Catholic CA (7) 14. Divine Savior Holy Angels WI (13) 15. St. Thomas Aquinas KS (14) 16. Carrollwood Day FL (n/r) 17. Wayzata MN (20) 18. Dripping Springs TX (19) 19. Bellmont IN (n/r) 20. O’Connor AZ (n/r) *** 21. St. Francis/Mountain View CA (12) 22. Oconomowoc WI (27) 23. Marist IL (37) 24. Sierra Canyon CA (17) 25. Viera FL (n/r) 26. Corona del Sol AZ (30) 27. Calvary Christian FL (n/r) 28. Redondo Union CA (n/r) 29. Berkeley Prep FL (n/r) 30. Assumption KY (16) *** 31. St. Ursula Academy OH (n/r) 32. Pace Academy GA (n/r) 33. Lafayette MO (34) 34. Marymount CA (18) 35. Lake Catholic OH (n/r) 36. Lone Peak UT (n/r) 37. Pope GA (n/r) 38. Sacred Heart KY (n/r) 39. Los Alamitos CA (n/r) 40. Liberty North MO (32) *** 41. Horizon AZ (37) 42. Byron Nelson TX (38) 43. Punahou HI (n/r) 44. Clearwater Central Catholic FL (42) 45. Millennium AZ (45) 46. Liberty MO (47) 47. Valor Christian CO (n/r) 48. Glenbard West IL (n/r) 49. Skyridge UT (n/r) 50. Mercy McAuley OH (n/r) *** ON THE CUSP Mount St. Mary OK Northville MI Maple Mountain UT Flint Hill VA Plant FL Hagerty FL Colleyville Heritage TX Westminster Christian FL Yorktown IN Washburn Rural KS Prosper TX Benet Academy IL Brighton MI Marian MI Millbrook NC Green Level NC Middle Creek NC Cardinal Gibbons NC Green Hope NC Lovejoy TX Keller TX Bishop Gorman NV Oviedo FL Venice FL Ursuline Academy OH Mount Notre Dame OH Lake Highland Prep FL Huntington Beach CA Perry AZ

The Nike TOC Southeast tournament wrapped up Saturday at the Wiregrass Ranch Sports Complex in Wesley Chapel with top-seeded Cornerstone Christian TX holding court and capturing the championship after sweeping Carrollwood Day FL in the final. A team from vballrecruiter.com was on hand both days and we conclude our coverage with our All Red Hat Team. This differs from any awards given by tournament officials. The All Red Hat Team features our favorite plays from the weekend selected from teams which reached the top 16 of the National Division. ALL RED HAT TEAM OUTSIDESHannah Hankerson JR Berkeley Prep FLAyanna Watson SO Bishop Gorman NVLeilia Toailoa SR Bishop Gorman NVMegan Fitch JR Cornerstone Christian TXAniya Hall JR Cornerstone Christian TXJenness Orcutt SO Hagerty FLReagan Sharp SR Keller TXSam Bowron SR Lake Brantley FLAmina N’diaye JR Lake Brantley FLRylee Yarborough JR Oviedo FLMaggie Dostic JR Plant FLAddison West SO Skutt Catholic NESummer Kohler JR Venice FLGigi Artiles SO Westminster Christian FLFallon Stewart SR Winter Park FLAmelia Mancino SO Winter Park FL MIDDLESConnore Siler-Nixon JR Calvary Christian FLSarah Dibbs-Frantz JR Carrollwood Day FLElly Stewart JR Cornerstone Christian TXAnna Boatner SR Keller TXLayla Dunn FR Mount Paran Christian GAHilary Hupp SR Venice FLIsabel Incinelli FR Winter Park FL RIGHT SIDESOlivia Burns SO Calvary Christian FLLydia Chinchar FR Carrollwood Day FLGrace Carroll SR Cornerstone Christian TXAmaya Tolentino JR Cornerstone Christian TXCarley Wright JR Keller TXHaley Beigh JR Viera FLEmily Forness JR Winter Park FL SETTER/RIGHT SIDESIzzy Starck SR Viera FL SETTERSIzzy Mogridge JR Berkeley Prep FLTaylor Parks SR Calvary Christian FLNoami Chinchar SR Carrollwood Day FLNatalia Jackson SR S Cornerstone Christian TXKaia Thiele JR S Cornerstone Christian TXAnna Flores SO Keller TXTyler Peluso JR Winter Park FL LIBEROSLily Hayes JR Berkeley Prep FLMattea Casale JR Carrollwood Day FLMayte Camacho SR Hagerty FLRyan Jomo SO Lake Brantley FLBella Lee SR Plant FLPaisley Douglas SR Skutt Catholic NEAmelia Talbott SR Viera FLZoey Matias JR Westminster Christian FLEmma Ortiz SR Winter Park FL

While we spent the opening day of the Nike TOC Southeast tournament checking out action from all three of the National, Premier and Elite divisions, we dialed in on the upper-half of the National division on Day 2. It featured the top 16 teams, including the eight in contention for the tournament title in the National Platinum bracket. Below, we highlight the players who stoodout the most to us with our Day 2 Show Stoppers. DAY 2 SHOW STOPPERS Izzy Mogridge JR S Berkeley Prep FL: The 4-star Oregon commit is an energetic setter who moves very well and does a nice job getting her feet to the ball. She’s also consistent in locating her sets and connects well with all her hitters. Lily Hayes JR L Berkeley Prep FL: Hayes – a 3-star Florida commit – was once again owning the back row. She’s a libero who doesn’t get rattled and makes tough plays look easier than they should. Ayanna Watson SO OH Bishop Gorman NV: A 5-star phenom, Watson was showing off next-level talent with the way she skies and swings. She has a fluid swing and can bounce balls down simply by going right over the top of blockers. Leilia Toailoa SR OH Bishop Gorman NV: Toailoa – a 4-star Alabama commit – has a big arm and has no trouble bringing power to the attack. She gives Gorman a legit 1-2 punch as the Nevada school finished in the top eight. Connore Siler-Nixon JR MB Calvary Christian FL: Siler-Nixon, a 3-star recruit, is an undersized middle but was bringing the highlight kills nonetheless. She’s a quick jumper and gets up in a hurry. It allows her to unload before the block is set up and led to plenty of impressive kills. Taylor Parks SR S Calvary Christian FL: A 5-star Florida commit, Parks’ hands are butter-smooth. There’s not a set she can’t make and is rarely off with her location. Olivia Burns SO RS Calvary Christian FL: Burns was an undersized attacker who really impressed. She has a knack for scoring and putting away balls, be it by tooling or finding gaps in the block to exploit. Either way, she was providing steady offense. Lydia Chinchar FR RS Carrollwood Day FL: Chinchar – a 4-star recruit – shined on Day 1 and was just as remarkable on Day 2. In club playing up two age groups in the 16, she both set and hit. In high school, she just hits as a six-rotation right side who also passes. She’s a physical attacker who can score from anywhere on the court. Naomi Chinchar SR S/OH Carrollwood Day FL: Chinchar was dishing well and putting up a hittable ball. She could also shift to the outside and swing at times to introduce a different look. Sarah Dibbs-Frantz JR MB Carrollwood Day FL: A 6-2 VCU commit, Dibbs-Frantz was getting it done in the middle. She was providing reliable offense as she made herself available and delivered regularly when called upon. *** Mattea Casale JR L Carrollwood Day FL: Casale – a 3-star Purdue commit – was fun to watch get after it in the back row. She does a fine job reading and reacting and putting herself in position to make plays other liberos weren’t. Grace Carroll SR RS Cornerstone Christian FL: Carroll – a 4-star Baylor commit – was bringing the thunder on the right side. She’s a strong, physical attacker who doesn’t tip or go off speed often. She simply loads up and puts tons of pressure on the defense to make a play on the ball. Kaia Thiele JR S Cornerstone Christian FL: Thiele – a 3-star UNLV commit – is a quick setter who was doing a nice job distributing the ball and mixing up her sets. In a pinch, she could also stay in across the front row and swing from time to time. Amaya Tolentino JR RS Cornerstone Christian FL: Tolentino played a critical role once more on Day 2. She brought steady offense to the lineup when she checked in and helped keep defenses honest. Megan Fitch JR OH Cornerstone Christian FL: The 5-star Texas AM commit was spectacular once more. She’s the go-to hitter who Cornerstone relies on to power the attack. She’s another hitter who is physical and keeps coming at defenses with big swings. Mayte Camacho SR L Hagerty FL: A 3-star Georgia Southern commit, Camacho was playing sound defense and doing well out of serve receive when the ball came her way. Jenness Orcutt SO OH Hagerty FL: Orcutt – a 3-star recruit – plays on the right side in club but is a six-rotation outside for her high school team. She has a strong arm and was one of the main offensive threats for Hagerty. Reagan Sharp SR OH Keller TX: A 3-star Wyoming commit, Sharp plays a key role on the left side as one of the main offensive weapons. She has a solid arm and stays aggressive on the attack. Anna Boatner SR MB Keller TX: Boatner – a 4-star UCSB commit – brings a lot of size and length to the front row. She’s able to make plays on both sides of the ball with her blocking and scoring to have an impact. Anna Flores SO S Keller TX: A 4-star commit, Flores is a confident setter who does well directing the offense. She locates consistently and does a nice job moving the ball around and setting against the flow. *** Carley Wright JR RS Keller TX: Wright has a loose arm and can let it fly. When she’s front row defenses need to be ready because Keller will get her the ball often, as she can deliver. Ryan Jomo SO L Lake Brantley FL: Jomo was getting after it defensively and doing a nice job of keeping rallies alive as well as passing well out of serve receive. Samantha Bowron SR OH Lake Brantley FL: Bowron – a 4-star Georgia Southern

Given the number of overall matches played and the caliber of schedule faced compared to other schools in the field, top-seeded Cornerstone Christian TX was a clear-cut favorite to capture the Nike TOC Southeast title over the weekend at the Wiregrass Ranch Sports Complex in Wesley Chapel. However, the Warriors not only needed to navigate through this year’s 32-team National Division, they also had to deal with recent history after entering last year’s event in the same position and winding up in second place with an upset loss to Westminster Christian FL in the championship match. It ended up being Cornerstone’s only loss on the season and prevented Cornerstone from ending undefeated. There was no underlying plot of a perfect season though this go around as Cornerstone looked to earn redemption of sorts. The Warriors already had suffered their first loss of 2023 when they finished runner up to Mira Costa CA at the Ann Kang Invitational last month in Honolulu. It was looking like Cornerstone wouldn’t even get that far Saturday and miss out on playing for another title after dropping the opening set against upstart Winter Park FL in the semifinals of the National Platinum bracket. However, it served to be a wake-up call as Cornerstone came alive and rallied for the three-set victory, 17-25, 25-20, 15-7. After that, the Warriors closed their weekend with a dominant victory over surprise Carrollwood Day FL in the final, sweeping, 25-16, 25-17. It was Carrollwood’s first loss on the young season as the Patriots dropped to 6-1. Cornerstone improved to 18-1 and has six matches on its schedule before traveling to Las Vegas in two weeks for the Durango Fall Classic. Cornerstone opened its title run by earning a tight sweep over Berkeley Prep FL, 25-23, 28-26, to start pool play Friday afternoon. Cornerstone followed with straight-set victories over Pace Academy GA and Saint Andrews FL. Cornerstone made it through Saturday’s quarterfinals by handling Bishop Gorman NV, 25-13, 25-16, before running into a streaking Winter Park squad. Winter Park scored a key victory in its pool opener Friday morning by edging Keller TX in three, 8-25, 25-23, 15-11, that propelled Winter Park to a 3-0 day and a spot in the quarters. There, Winter Park swept Oviedo FL, 25-19, 25-15, before falling to Cornerstone. Winter Park finished in fourth place after going down against Viera FL, 25-22, 25-22, in the third-place match. Viera, boosted by the addition of transfer Izzy Starck (Penn State) from Colorado, lost its season-opener in straight sets to Osceola FL the week prior but had a strong showing over the weekend by beating Westminster Christian to win its pool Friday and then taking out Venice FL in the quarterfinals. Viera lost to Carrollwood Day in three in the semis, 25-20, 22-25, 15-5. Meanwhile, Carrollwood Day, led by stud freshman Lydia Chinchar, had a great opening day in sweeping Skutt Catholic NE, King’s Academy FL and Tampa Prep FL to win its pool. Carrollwood then rolled past Hagerty FL in the quarters, 25-13, 25-19. In the Premier Platinum bracket, it was Ransom Everglades FL sweeping Olympia FL, 26-24, 25-21, to finish on top in that division. Gulliver Prep FL took third while Lourdes Academy FL finished in fourth. Ransom Everglades was originally placed in the Elite Division but was moved up to the Premier Division when a handful of teams withdrew from the tournament because of weather-related issues. As for the Elite Platinum bracket, Lakewood Ranch FL beat Davenport FL, 25-13, 25-21, in straight sets.

One of the attractions about the Nike TOC Southeast tournament being held at the Wiregrass Ranch Sports Complex in Wesley Chapel just outside of Tampa is that even though the field features plenty of teams from the Sunshine State, it also draws its share of teams outside of Florida. Texas, California, Nevada, Nebraska, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Missouri and Virginia were all represented as the two-day event kicked off Friday with both AM and PM pools. However, when it came to the National division – the top of the three that also includes Premier and Elite – the home state held firm and advanced six teams to Saturday’s quarterfinals and is guaranteed to have at least one school playing for the tournament championship. The exceptions were Cornerstone Christian TX and Bishop Gorman NV. The two squads actually play each other in the quarterfinals, meaning one will be eliminated from contention before the semis. Cornerstone – the top seed which finished runner-up a season ago – finished second last month at the Ann Kang Invitational in Hawaii after falling to Mira Costa CA in the final. Cornerstone did not play in last week’s Volleypalooza event in Texas, where Mater Dei CA topped Prestonwood Christian TX in the final. Prestonwood, meanwhile, was scheduled to travel to the event here in Florida but canceled because of the hurricane impacting the area. Cornerstone held its seed by sweeping Berkeley Prep FL, Pace GA and Saint Andrews FL. As for Bishop Gorman, the Nevada school arguably has its best team ever and opened as the No. 8 seed overall. Though Bishop Gorman made it through by going 3-0, it was a fight as Bishop Gorman defeated Mt. Paran Christian GA, St. Henry KY and Trinity Catholic FL each in three sets. Both Cornerstone and Bishop Gorman are scheduled to play at the Durango Fall Classic in Las Vegas later this month. Bishop Gorman is also set to travel to Southern California in early October for the Redondo Power Classic featuring Redondo Union CA and Mira Costa. The quarterfinals could have featured another Texas school in Keller but Winter Park FL survived a three-set thriller Friday morning to go 3-0 and make it out of the pool instead. Another team which impressed was Carrollwood Day FL, which also went 3-0 after sweeping past Skutt Catholic NE, Tampa Prep Fl and King’s Academy FL. Both Venice FL and Viera FL were surprises in going 3-0 and reaching the quarterfinal as well. Venice swept Lake Brantley FL, Gainesville FL and Bishop Kenny. Viera, boosted by the addition of 5-star Penn State commit Izzy Starck to the roster, downed defending champion Westminster Christian FL, Sandy Creek GA and North Allegheny PA in straight sets. Oviedo FL and Hagerty FL both advanced despite dropping matches. Oviedo finished tied with Plant FL at 2-1 but owned the head-to-head tiebreaker to move on. Hagerty finished in a three-way tie with Calvary Christian FL and Timber Creek FL at 2-1 and advanced based on having the best set percentage of the trio. Here’s how the quarterfinals line up for Saturday:   *** DAY 1 SHOW STOPPERS Isabelle Bardin JR S/RS Flint Hill VA: A 3-star recruit, Bardin plays a vital role as a setter and hitter. She’s lanky and it allows her to make plays at the net attacking, blocking or playing tight balls while setting in the back row. Ryla Jones SR MB Flint Hill VA: Jones – a 4-star Pitt commit – is a difference maker in the middle. At 6-3, she’s a presence on both sides of the ball with her hitting and blocking and is one of the team’s emotional leaders. Talia Johnson SO OH Richmond Hill FL: Johnson is a 6-1 six-rotation outside with lots of upside. She’s a bit raw but is athletic and jumps well. Carson Reeves SR MB Richmond Hill FL: At 6-3, Reeves brings height to the front row. She did well putting up a solid block and getting touches.   Olivia Guzman JR RS Lourdes Academy FL: A 4-star recruit, Guzman has shifted to the right side for high school after playing on the left during the club season. She has a lively arm and can bounce balls when given the chance. Ella Garcia JR OH Lourdes Academy FL: Garcia is a six-rotation outside who carries a lot of responsibility. She’s an aggressive attacker who challenges bigger blocks. Izabela Molina SR MB Doral Academy FL: Molina is a physical middle who puts up a wall of a block and can pound balls down with her powerful arm. Connor Rahn SR OH Middleburg FL: A 3-star University of Tampa commit, Rahn provides a lot of offense in her role. She has a solid arm and is a smart attacker with a range of shots. Camden Rahn SO RS Middleburg FL: A 3-star recruit, Rahn was holding down the right side and giving her team another scoring option that defenses needed to be mindful of. Charlotte Glass JR S Saint Andrew’s FL: Glass – a 5-star Duke commit – brings a lot to the floor and does a great job quarterbacking her squad. She has a clean, consistent release and at 6-1 can also make a ton of plays at the net. *** Grace Agolli SR RS Pace Academy GA: A Cal commit, Agolli can also set like she does in club. However, she was a six-rotation right side who showed off her powerful swing and was connecting well in carrying the offense with her scoring ability. Olivia Siskin SO S Pace Academy GA: A 3-star recruit, Siskin is a tall setter at 6-1. She’s a smooth disher with the ability to move the ball around well without sacrificing location. Brooklyn Tealer SR OH Gainesville FL: Tealer – a 4-star USC commit – is a major weapon for Gainesville and the go-to hitter the team relies heavily on for offense. She has a lively arm and can let it fly. Bella Schwantz JR OH Merritt

Earlier this month we took our first look at how the recruiting classes for the Class of 2025 are starting to stack up. We highlighted five of the top classes to date. This week, we continue diving into the Class of 2025 by looking at other programs which are off to great starts and/or where more 5-star recruits are landing, in no particular order. USC   Breakdown: The Trojans came out of the gate on fire, landing a pair of 5-star talents in Messer and Deckert and a 4-star recruit in Loper. Both Messer and Deckert are at the top of the class at their respective positions. Depending on who you ask and what measures you want to use, Messer is arguably one of the top two setters in the class. The same goes for Deckert at libero, as many would consider her to be the top defender in the class. That’s two key positions locked up. Messer is playing high school at St. James Academy, which has the potential to be one of the top schools in the country this fall. Deckert is at Mira Costa, which has already shown it is one of the best teams in the nation thus far after winning the Ann Kang Invitational and defeating Mater Dei CA earlier this week. While Messer and Deckert are more polished players at the moment, Loper is intriguing because of her upside. She’s currently at San Clemente for high school. Being 6-2, she certainly has the length to excel at the next level. She had a strong club season in which she progressed nicely and will continue to improve as she adds more strength and power to her swing. *** DUKE   Breakdown: There is no doubt the Blue Devils have made major waves with this class. The fact they have two 5-star athletes committed so far is remarkable. Glass is another highly-ranked setter and one of the best in the class. She’s taller at 6-1 and had a strong club season with Tribe 16 Elite Cardinal this past spring and summer. She plays high school at St. Andrew’s. Another great recruit for Duke is 6-3 middle Gillen-Malveaux. She too had a standout club campaign with Drive Nation 16 Red and will switch over to Skyline for next season. The junior is currently playing high school for Greenville. Zubchevich has flown under the radar but could be a solid contributor at the next level. She’s a 6-1 outside who is touching 10-2 with a lively arm. She plays club for City and high school at La Canada. Wayne is a recent commit. She’s a 6-4 middle who played club last season for Madfrog before moving to TAV for the upcoming campaign. She has a strong arm and will add versatility with her ability to shift and play on the pin as well. *** OREGON   Breakdown: Though Oregon doesn’t currently have any 5-star commits, the Ducks have a solid class featuring three 4-star recruits. Cogill is a 6-4 middle who starred this past club season in role for the USAV 16 Open gold medalist Arizona Storm 16 Thunder. She plays high school for Perry. The Ducks went much further east for their next two 4-star commits. Bell – who plays high school at Roncali – is listed at 5-11 but plays taller than that with her jumping ability. She also has a whippy arm and is the type of player that has succeeded at Oregon under the current coaching staff. Mogridge is a 5-10 setter who moves very well and is consistent with her location. She should fit right in should the Ducks want to run a 6-2. She recently transferred high schools and is playing for Berkeley Prep. Mitchell is a local talent who adds another setting option and too could fit right in running a 6-2. *** KENTUCKY   Breakdown: Kentucky’s featured recruit thus far is O’Brien, a 5-star setter who is among the top five at her position in her class. She’s among the taller setters in the class at 6-1. She’s a smooth disher with strong command of the offense and is currently starring at Cinco Ranch for high school. Watson is a lesser-known name as she didn’t play for a club that competed on the national stage in Open. However, she’s 6-3 and touching over 10 feet. She has a big arm and will add physicality to the attack. She plays high school at Huntley in Illinois. Ward is a solid ball control addition. She spent this past season as defensive specialist for KiVA 16 Red, which featured 5-star Wisconsin commit Kristen Simon at libero. For high school, Ward plays for Holy Cross. *** OHIO STATE   Breakdown: With two commits so far, Ohio State’s class is one of the smaller ones we have noted. However, it does include a 5-star recruit in Gauthier. At 6-2 and with a powerful arm to match, she’s long been a next-level prospect. After playing 15s a season ago at Far Out, she moved up and competed on the 18s this year as a sophomore before finishing the season out at AAUs playing in 17 Open. She plays high school at Shelby. Stahler is a recent commit and brings the other side to the equation with her defense. She plays high school for Benjamin Logan in Ohio. *** PENN STATE   Breakdown: With Collins playing for Niagara Frontier, she doesn’t get the attention of other top-level recruits playing for national powerhouses. However, Collins – who plays for Frontier in high school – has tons of upside and lots of room for growth to star in college. She’s 6-3 with a snappy swing that generates a lot of pace. She was Penn State’s first commit from the class. Nichols is not currently ranked but will be in our next update. She’s not as polished as other middles in the class, but she comes with tremendous potential being 6-4 and her level of athleticism. She could develop