Dream Team Camp: '28 Middle Invitees

In the final week leading up the annual Dream Team Camp, I will be breaking down each position pool of the Huskers’ next generational talents. This camp has been integral in many players recruiting journeys, who fell in love with the team culture and campus as a whole. This is a year of innovation – in the midst of a major coaching transition, it is a question of whether Busboom-Kelly will choose to maintain old traditions or embed her own unique legacy within the program. I have no doubt that this year will win over plenty of recruits – just like it did the year prior with Shaye Witherspoon and the year prior to that with Ryan Hunter. Even just a mere taste of what it feels like to be a Nebraska Volleyball player is enough to have them coming back for more, an innate urge to chase that adrenaline rush and fulfillment. This year, if anything, there is an abundance of talent – and while the coaching staff may have remained conservative in their pursuit in prior years – the newly increased scholarship opens up some leeway for teams to cultivate depth and take more recruiting risks. Today, I’m breaking down the trio of middle blockers that Nebraska will be pursuing for their class of 2028 and you can't go wrong with any option, but the abundance of talent makes me want to be greedy and maybe even take two. 

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‘28 Shayla Rautenberg (PPV 284): A 6-3 middle blocker out of Pleasant Dale, Nebraska, Rautenberg is the next big thing to come out of the state. As a freshman at Milford High School, she led her team in kills (442), averaging 4.1 per set on a .305 clip, as well as adding 118 blocks and 27 aces, leading them to the first state tournament since 1997, earning first team All-State honors. There's no doubt where her athleticism comes from though; her mother, Lisa Reitsma, being a former Nebraska Volleyball All-American. Shayla represented USA on the U19 team at a mere 15 years old, one of the youngest players on the team. In her debut match for the National Team, she scored a team-high 13 points to lead the team to a win over Venezuela. She added 11 kills (.600) against Mexico.Rautenburg has it all – height, power, and an innate knack for the game that manifests itself in her terminality and efficiency. It's clear to many that she is a once-in-a-generation talent, and many top collegiate programs are already competing to win her favor. With a camp resume of Nebraska, Stanford, Wisconsin, Kentucky, Creighton, and Minnesota; Shayla will certainly have a myriad of top-notch choices calling come next June. Whether she ends up in the scarlet and cream or not, Rautenburg has set herself on a path to success, and will inevitably bring immense pride to the state of Nebraska and her family legacy. 

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‘28 Amari Frazier (PPV 270): A 6-3 middle blocker out of Phoenix, Arizona – Frazier could potentially be the next addition to the Arizona Storm → Husker Volleyball pipeline. As a freshman at Xavier College Prep, she racked up 140 kills on a 43% kill percent, in addition to 55 blocks and 29 digs. She is a massive presence in the middle for her AZ Storm Elite 15 Thunder team – contributing with dominant blocks and terminal quick attacks. Always making herself up and available, Frazier is lethal on almost every route she runs – her signature being a quick three ball hammered through the gap. She uses the full extension of her 10 '4 approach touch to attack sharp angles and avoid the block, but also has the intelligence to match the physicality. Amari is able to find the open court and has the instinctive awareness of when to throw in a tip or roll shot – but if she's fed an overpass or given an open net, she’ll hammer it down every time. She was a key piece in helping Storm secure their 15 Open bid in Las Vegas, and has made an impact on both sides of the ball. Amari has already begun her college camp circuit as well, with a small but esteemed resume of Blueblood programs like Texas, Stanford, Louisville, and now – Nebraska. It’s clear that Amari is a burgeoning star, and the Huskers have made an emphasis in recent years on recruiting top talent out of the middle, so it’s not unlikely to assume she will be heavily pursued. 

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‘28 Madlen Gloessner (PPV 271): Yet another 6-3 middle, Gloessner hails from Lakewood, Colorado and is an all-state prospect that has gained national attention. She has been playing club volleyball since the ripe age of seven years old, and was a key player for her Front Range 16 National team this past club season. Her athleticism makes her an instant standout on the court, bouncing balls and making plays that don’t even seem physically possible – especially for a fourteen year old. The swiftness and lethality of her slide attack is shockingly similar to a young Andi Jackson’s, and there's a real possibility that Gloessner’s ceiling as an athlete is just as high. She is long and dynamic, and her presence at the net both offensively and defensively can’t go understated. In her freshman season at Lakewood High School, she was a starting middle on varsity, where she averaged 3 kills per set on a 49% kill percentage, adding 97 total blocks (1.3 per set). She has already gathered an extensive list of college camps; including, Penn State, Pitt, USC, Louisville, UCLA, and more (check out full list on profile: https://www.vbadrenaline.com/players/profiles/madlen-gloessner ). However, Nebraska is certainly atop her favorites list, even having a pinterest board purely dedicated to them (same, girl, same). Her potential is incredibly desirable, and Gloessner will find success wherever she ends up.