Early 2025 Recruiting Class Rankings: 20-11

Early 2025 Recruiting Class Rankings

As we near the two-month mark of this recruiting period, we have over 150 commits, and we can now start to see who is making the biggest splashes. Here is our initial try at ranking the classes of 2025. We took into consideration: Early Impact Athletes, College Coach thoughts on athletes more so than other outlets rankings and quality depth of classes. With officials just underway there are MANY more commits to follow and much shuffling of the rankings, but here is 20-11 of our Early Class Ranks.

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20. Vanderbilt

Commits: Kati Berezowitz (WI), Maya Witherspoon (MO), Kayla Dunlap (TN), Taylor Porter (TX)

One hot weekend took Vandy from quiet to buzzing picking up 3 significant commitments from Maya Witherspoon, the top-ranked Outside in Missouri, and Taylor Porter, a top outside for one of the best clubs in the country, Dallas Skyline. They also received their first commit from, Berezowitz, one of the best Liberos in Wisconsin, and kept a substantial MB, Dunlap, home in Tennessee. 

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19. Penn State

Commits: Marin Collins (NY), Lexi Gin (IN), Gabby Nichols (NY)

Penn State went tall with this class, landing 6’4 OH, Marin Collins, an annual invite to USA Volleyball’s NTDP, and is the star of this class, and recently added a 6’2 MB from NY, Gabby Nichols. Then brought on the top Libero in Indiana in Gin. 

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18. Creighton 

Commits: Ashlyn Paymal (NE), Abbey Hayes (IA)

The two players in this class attended the Midwest Battle in Sioux Falls, representing their states, and shined at the event. Paymal has length and is often overlooked, but has length and power to be a top hitter in this class; she has a variety of shots and sneaky athleticism. Hayes played like one of the best hitters at the Batlle and made us realize just how creative she is with her kills.  A competitor’s edge moved Hayes up many schools short list in June.

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17. Illinois

Commits: Gabriella Pitcel (WI), Taryn Kirsch (SD), Sophi Randall (SD)

Illinois flew out of the gates with three commits in the first two recruiting days. Pitcel, a top 5 MB in this entire class, was the first one to land before Illinois targeted the pair of Kairos Elite girls, Randall and Kirsch. Both were considered the top 2025s in South Dakota and are now getting more national attention with recent invites to NTDP Fall Session.

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16. Arizona

Commits: Paige Thies (OR), Chloe Giehtbrock (MI), Brookelyn Hatton (KS)

Arizona made a big move to get Thies, the best player in Oregon, and then recently landed Chloe Giehtbrock, a very underrated player in this class, as a top OH in Michigan for L2. Hatton played big at USA Nationals for MAVS.

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15. UNLV

Commits: Kaelynn Sims (TX), Maya Banks (CA), Alexa Ankerstar (TX)

UNLV is the first of two non-power five schools on this list. They made a giant pickup when they landed Kaelynn Sims. Sims is one  of the top players in Texas and is also considered one of the best MB in this class. She also played on the Dallas Skyline club team, which was one of the best teams at nationals. 

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14. UCLA

Commits: Sakura Codling (OH), Hazel Alevok (FL), Eliana Urzura (CA), Mija Bendzuite (FL)

UCLA acted like a new Big 10 school by going after recruits early and often in June. When they landed highly sought-after Middle, Hazel Alevok, they had arrived at the Big 10. They also added Tribe Volleyball’s OH, Mija Bendzuite, as another strong move. 

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13. Kentucky

Commits: Kassidy O’Brien (TX), Trinity Ward (KY)

Kentucky comes in at 13 after landing a top-20 player in Kassidy O’Brien. O’Brien is a top Setter in the country and she has the makeup to be a dominant setter for years. They also kept one of Kentucky’s top Liberos in state in Ward. A great start for their class.

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12. Long Beach State

Commits: Mia Halsey (CA), Anna Jelinek (NE), Izzy Mahaffey (AZ), Sidney Hamaker (IL)

We included LBSU on the list of most surprising classes so far, and here they land at 12. Izzy Mahaffey is the main piece of this class as a top-ranked Libero, but Anna Jelinek is another underrated piece out of Nebraska. Jelinek is an OH that plays for Nebraska ONE, and was one of the girls we noticed at nationals.  The depth of this class helps as LBSU builds to get back to national contention.

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11. Purdue

Commits: Addy Tindall (IN), Mattea Casale (FL)

Purdue jumped up the list with the massive verbal from in-state 6’3 OH Addy Tindall, the top-ranked player in Indiana. Tindall was a player we were super high on, and for Purdue to land her over other top schools was a recruiting WIN for the program, especially that early on in the process when other Big Ten teams were jumping. Landing No Name VBC, Mattea Casale, was a good get at Libero as well. 

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