Checking in with Mid-Majors: Future Difference-Makers Camping Outside the P4

Abbie Powell - Middle Blocker - Elite Red

Talk about a potential difference-maker! Abbie Powell out of Munciana and Southern Wells High School put together a phenomenal 2025 campaign, ending the season as the most efficient attacker in Indiana with a .564 hitting efficiency. Her most recent two camps were A10’s Dayton and CUSA’s Western Kentucky. These are two highly touted mid-major programs that would be majorly elevated by the presence of a middle like Powell. 

​

Loryn Piening - Middle Blocker - Red

Nebraska One’s Piening has steadily risen in our rankings and now is a Red-level middle who can also play opposite. The 2025 Class B state champion recently appeared at the Omaha Mavericks’ camp. She certainly wouldn’t be Nebraska One player to play at Omaha, as libero Aubree Fettin and fellow middle blocker Reagan Meyers are both members of the club committed to the Mavericks’ 2027 class. Could the opportunity to play alongside familiar faces and stay close to home be what seals the deal for Piening?

​

Chayse Gilliland - Outside - Red

Strength and resilience define Chayse Gilliland, a red-level outside hitter out of Bowling Green, Kentucky. Despite suffering an ACL tear in 2024, she has emerged as one of Kentucky’s top hitters and is putting together a very nice camp resume. So far this summer, she’s attended camp at Arkansas State and Utah State. Both programs won their respective conference titles this past season and appeared in the NCAA tournament. Arkansas State, in particular, upset James Madison to clinch the Sun Belt title, and has been undergoing a big-time turnaround under head coach Brian Gerwig. Gilliland is absolutely the kind of player who could help continue that momentum.

​

Addie Waldorf - Setter - Red

With how competitive Creighton is, it’s easy to forget that it’s a mid-major program, but the Bluejays’ gym is where Iowa Premier setter Addie Waldorf posted from this week. She then headed up to Vermillion, South Dakota for what was not her first time camping with the Coyotes. South Dakota has been quietly putting together some nice recruiting classes recently, with Elite Red outside Gabi Zachariasen (2026) and and Orange middle blocker Katherine Anderson (2027) potentially making for some great future hitters that Waldorf could dish to.

​

Milena Aebischer - Middle Blocker - Elite Orange

It’s been a busy summer for NC Academy’s Aebischer. While she’s camped with a few P4 programs like Oklahoma and Ohio State, she’s also spent the past few weeks in mid-major gyms, including Utah State, Colorado State, and UC Santa Barbara. While we currently have Aebischer at Elite Orange, she is a middle who has yet to max out her potential and could be a star player at any of the mentioned programs.

​

Grace Connally - Setter - Orange

Coming off a first-place finish with Alamo at the Lone Star Classic and a UA Next invite, Connally is a game-changing setter and AVCA Phenom. The Texas setter first spent time in Lauren Ramatowski’s Tulsa gym. Tulsa, which is coming off of its best finish since 2012 and a first-round tournament appearance, has freshman setter Lexi Dahl in its 2026 class, but no setters in its 2027 class. Next, Connally traveled to California to spend time in UCSB’s gym before heading east to Georgia Southern.

​

Logann Dostal - Outside - Green

Already a difference-maker for Premier Nebraska and a big reason the club team secured their bid at the Mideast Qualifier in March, Dostal camped with Utah State this week. Following the departure of Rob Neilson for BYU, head coach Keith Smith now has his first recruiting class at Utah State ahead of him. Dostal, who was a 2025 national champion and MVP in the 15 USA division, would be a statement pickup for the Aggies.

​

Cami Gerber - Libero

While NC Academy’s Gerber started off this camp season at North Carolina and UCF, she’s recently been in the gym at College of Charleston of the CAA as well as Georgia Southern of the Sun Belt conference. Both programs are in the top half of their respective conference’s standings and have recently secured some promising new talent in their 2027 classes. Gerber, who won a championship with Middle Creek High School as a freshman starter, is an under-the-radar player who would be a stabilizing force in the backrow for either program.