Talent Tiers NCAA Setters: Where They Fall in 2026

The Talent Tiers of College Volleyball's Setters

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**Precursor:  We want to thank our role models from "The Athletic" for this idea.  We have subscribed to that amazing site for three years and on many occasions have thought "I wonder how this awesome concept would fly with college volleyball fans?  So we adapted this to make it PG-13 so volleyball fans could handle the comments of their players and kept real assessment out of it.  Unless it was apporpriate for volleyball folk to accept.

So we asked around and sent several inquires on what people around the sport thought on some of the "tough ones" so it wasn't just our opinion on these.

Then we tried to use three major factors as often as could when making decisions:

1. Have they WON ANYTHING?  Winning truly topped "public sentiment" and Head-to-Head mattered.  December WINS MATTERED because that is why you should play the sport.
2. How do they act in tough times/Leadership in + or - situations = what is their true leadership like?
3. Do they make really good players even better or do the setters teammates make them look better?
4. Would they get as much attention if you put them on another team?

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Diamond: 

Best of Best (regardless of where they play). Elite traits that make them the leaders of the team. They can carry their teams to a championship or do what it takes to lead a team to the Promised Land. 

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Izzy Starck - So. Pitt Best setter in the game, best competitor in the game and she makes superstars better. Oh yeah she knows how to lead a team in December to the Promised Land.

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Kassie O’Brien - So. Kentucky Understand this will be unpopular, but first off I think people made mistakes passing on O’Brien in Class of 2025 Recruiting Class.  Put a red jersey on her and she gets much more national and USA VB love instantly.  She is better than anyone wants to give her credit for. Second, she’s a much better competitor than several of the top setters on the list. She took control of as veteran team (as a true Frosh) and simply won and won.  She jumped in and didn't flinch last season leading UK to the National Title Match and both a SEC Regular and Tournament Titles.

***She didn't set for the 5 set loss to Nebraska last season.  She is 0-2 vs. Pitt and 1-1 vs. Texas A+M.

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Bergen Reilly - Sr. Nebraska Debate is out there, Reilly is obviously a very good setter, but Nebraska has fallen short of expectations and excuses aside they haven’t won it and one of her seasons they didn't even win the B1G Conference (a down B1G) with her playing with easily the most talented lineup of anyone all three seasons.  

What you have to ask yourself is how good would Reilly be on another team? Is she talked about so easily as she is because she plays for the Huskers?  Still have to put her up here because she plays for Nebraska.

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Gold: 

They have produced at a high level. Either a very high recruit or a someone who has worked their way up maybe through the portal to a bigger program. They are a very, very good setter, but not the complete package quite yet.

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Reese Messer - So. Kansas might not get the pub because KU won’t be in the running this year, but Messer was as good as any Frosh in America besides O’Brien last year. Also, a great competitor and teammate. She will help build that young Jayhawk team and could be a Diamond next year when the Hawks make a run.

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Charlie Fuerbringer - Jr. Wisconsin The Badger leader is talented and highly touted, but has had talented teams built for her every year and hasn’t beat the setters above her.  She is working with a very talented team and it's her job to bring them all together in December.  If she does she moves up a level.

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Nayellis Cabello - Jr. Louisville VB purists would say that Cabello doesn’t have the talent of the setters above her, but she had the magical run as a true freshman and took her team to the Championship Match. This is a big season for Cabello as far as determining where she ultimately is viewed for her career. Make another Final 4 run and she has to be looked at in All-Time terms in the ACC, but if they struggle then she drops to “just another good setter who played on a talented team” realm.

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Ella Swindle - Sr. Texas I won't go into what I think about the whole treatment of her situation at UT.  Swindle is a National Champion 

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Silver:

Proven Vets who are solid options at the position, but maybe not considered ELITE and rising young setters who have promising futures with higher ceilings, but haven’t won at the big time level yet to prove it.

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Alexis Stucky - Sr. Penn State Another big name that has played at a big program and is obviously talented and highly publicized, but hasn’t won big. Now with a fresh start, better situation, healthy and many more weapons around Stucky should have the chance to move up in this list.  Elle Mottola - Fr. Arizona State learning fast, but having ups and downs as the Devils do

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Alex Bower - So. BYU Was one of the top picks in the portal along with Stucky, but decided to return to her school and give the new staff at BYU a shot.  Now she is battling with a setter brought in by the coaches, never a good situation, and with a rebuilt team, usually not a good situation.  The talent is there, but sometimes the fit just isn't and rebuilding a program is difficult.  You will have to see how Bower's talents fit the new staff as the season goes by.  Watch coach ability and attitude during the season.  Leadership shows in rough patches.

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Kirra Musgrove - So. Texas A+M talented, but inconsistent like her young team. Also, has had injury trouble early in her career.

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Stella Swenson - So. Minnesota Lifelong student of the game and coach on the floor. Working with her new lineup this season. Trying to work with consistency and speed. Solid now working to be great in a conference of great.

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Taylor Anderson - Sr. Purdue Last year was a magical ride for a new Boiler team and for Anderson will now see if she can replicate that with the team again. Can she keep them at that level when America gives her and her squad no respect?

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Caroline Kerr - Sr. Tennessee Feisty and aggressive, huge competitor on the court. Doesn’t have elite height, but tempo and accuracy are excellent. Needs to take team to series of big wins to elevate them to a new level in the conference.

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Kaia Mateo - Sr Rice Another who is looking for more high-end consistency in her tempo and accuracy. Has shown flashes along with her attackers as Rice can be dangerous. Can she take the Owls to historic wins? She needs to elevate program to climb the list.

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Morgan Burke - Jr. Michigan Burke is the floor general for one of America’s hottest programs you never hear about, thus you never hear about Burke. Coming off a rare NCAA appearance and opening round W the Wolverines have plans on taking another step and Burke should have quite a bit to say about if that happens. If she does than this is a low evaluation and should push the top of this category by December.

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Rella Binney - Jr. Texas Coaches choice to replace Swindle this year, but inconsistent early as Longhorns struggled out of the gates. Talented and experienced, solid not elite.

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Takyla Brown - So. LSU Talented, highly touted, athletic Sophomore setter that is much more comfortable in her 2nd year on the scene. She is in charge of leading the new and improved Tiger lineup that has athletes all over. Brown can move way up if she can corral the pieces and turn them into one attacking and efficient SEC unit. She has the ability does she do it? Her stock could move way up, it’s in her.

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Teodora Krickovic - So Indiana Big Freshman year for the foreign prospect, but now can she take Indiana to a spot in the conference they have never been win wise?

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Ellie Stiernagle - Fr. Northwestern This is high praise early for one of the Wildcats higher recruits in recent memory and for her to start as a Freshman is giving her keys to the program. A program that we think is heading nowhere, but up the standings in a hurry.

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Lilli Etter - Jr. USC The newest edition to the Trojan lineage of Setters Etter is a veteran and talented. She is an aggressive weapon from her setter position and reads the court with the best of them. Can she lead and can she settle down a lineup and program that has had drama, turnover, but definitely still has talent. If she does that then she deserves any kind of level she wants next season.

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Kenna Phelan - Sr. Illinois Phelan was 2nd team all-conference, but her team simply hasn't won at all.  She moves up a level simply out of respect for her strong skills, but the key focus of this chart is leading your team to be being better and W's have hard to come by.  If she can lead the Illini on a run in her Sr. season she will make a huge leap.

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Katie Dalton - Sr. Creighton The transfer from KU has played in some tourney matches and won some early rounds.  Creighton has as well.  Dalton is talented, as is Creighton, unfortunately they both are judged on that post season run due to their conference schedule so if Katie moves up or down won't be decided until she wraps up her Bluejay career in December.

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RED:

Next level names. Starters at smaller schools who will develop into very good setters at their current Mid-Major school or move up through the portal and be the next Silver and Gold level setters in future years. Setters that are assumed to be “hot-prospects” and names to know just getting that early experience and starting stellar careers.

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Malayah Long - So Michigan St. What a great year one for Long at MSU, but there hasn't been much talk of her or Sparty in the off-season.  She is solid, but can she make a move up and help her program make that next move?

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Hannah Beuford - Fr. SMU Talented team in a program always filled with buzz around it.  How does Beuford handle all of the noise in leading a team with lots of talent?

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Nina Mandovic - So. Missouri A program stuck in the middle of the SEC and a young setter with promise.  How does Nina lead the Tigers and can she come up with some big wins?

Avery Scoggins - Jr. Vandy Year two for the Commodores and Scoggins has a shot at moving up this list while moving her program up the ranks.  How do they compete and how does she lead this young program?

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Charlee Solomon - So. Tulane Bumping up in progress.  The young Tulane star has already gotten her team off to an amazing start with two huge wins and a bunch of early season confidence.  Watch Charlee and the Green Wave going forward and see how much further she can climb nationally.

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Logan Parks - So. Stanford This is the odd one. Athletic yes, an amazing setter right now, no. Parks IS THE REASON Stanford goes to the Final Four or NOT. They are loaded everywhere else on that roster, but improvement from Parks is needed for them to take the next step in the ACC and the tourney.

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Taylor Parks - Jr. Florida She became the choice for the new regime in Florida last season in what has been a murky couple of years for Gator Nation.  Parks is solid, but Gator Volleyball is in an odd place right now, being an after-thought on the national stage.  If she can lead them back into the conversation then she moves way up into another level.....we will see her super powers.

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Anna Flores - Fr. Cal Love the young setter and the positive youth movement at Cal, though I think it's a year or two away for the Golden Bears to make serious noise.  Watch for Flores to gain vital experience this season.

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Jenna Meitzler - Jr. Iowa  Stat wise Meitzler is off to a great start early for an improving Iowa program, but it is going to be hard for her to move up any lists because Iowa Volleyball simply won't win very much.

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Ava Martin - Jr. Iowa State This is a talented setter who can help the Cyclones to some winning volleyball.  How much may depend on her teammates.  That will also depend on where she moves on the list.

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Jenna Ylivainao- Sr Colorado A solid veteran for a budding program.

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Avery Maga - So. Oklahoma You have to like the opportunity that Maga has in front of her.  She was impressive last season and OU is building something with the direction the new staff is taking things in Norman.  All of those things equal the potential for Maga to make a decent size jump up this list by December.

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Eva Long - Fr. NC State One of the Packs higher recruits in recent history gets the nod early trying to be the reason to start a turn around.

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Helois Soares - Sr. Georgia Tech Solid setter in a solid program.  Not much flash or notority, Soares simply gets the job done more often than not as does Ga. Tech.  Will this be a program that she can help make some kind of run in her Sr. season and move up the list or do they stay locked in the middle of the pack in the ACC.

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Nikki Quinn - Jr. Duke The Junior floor general will have the duties for the new staff at Duke as there has been an entire regime change this season.  She did win the job of Charlotte Glass who was the high recruit everyone thought would lead the Duke program for four years.

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Helena Vkovic - Jr. College of Charleston This is a mid-major program that is making some noise down south.  Vkovic is another of the foreign players brought in to run smaller programs.

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Carson Eickenloff - Jr. Auburn This is one that is an interesting study.  Auburn is a program that seems to be on the rise and Eickenloff will have to be the one that leads them there, on a Junior now, so watching her leadership along with her skill set this season in the SEC may show how steep the learning curve will be "on the plains".

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ORANGE:

Former top recruits who have moved around and were the future at a previous school and are now starting for a someone else. Also, some veteran setters that are just getting their chances to find the court and make a mark. These are very valuable setters, proving their value now that they are getting an opportunity somewhere.

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Marina Crownower - Sr. Oregon Brought in to bridge the conversion for the new staff.

Isabela Haggard - So. Baylor A highly regarded recruit on school 2 hoping that Baylor is the fit, but getting a chance to play at Baylor.  Great opportunity to gel with some other young talents so look for Haggard to elevate quickly.

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Kate Duffey - So. UCLA Another setter in a transition plan with a new staff, but Duffey is doing it in the B1G and with several new pieces.  She can move up and earn some street cred in the conference and nationally with a solid Soph. season and by leading the new look Bruins to an impressive season.

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Chloe Elarton - So. Georgia Another underclassmen for a program trying to climb in the SEC.  Talented classes are coming, but Elarton will have her hands full leading Georgia up the SEC ranks and climbing up this list of college weapons, this Fall.

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Mia Tuman - Sr. Ohio St. The Buckeye program has been in some trouble for a couple of seasons now and as a Sr. that doesn't bode well for Tuman making a move up the charts, but if she can move them even close to tourney talk she will earn some upward movement in the charts.

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Sara Toth - So. Maryland Can Toth be the general that moves the Terps upward in the B1G and on a national stage?  If so she has three years left and can begin some movement on our list as well.

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Vivianna Samaniego - Jr Ole Miss  Upper Classmen setter for a program that has struggled since 2nd weekend tourney run a couple seasons ago and has struggled this season.

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Katherine Sandt - Sr. Clemson  A Sr. on a program that has struggled.  Brighter recruiting days appear to be ahead, but Sandt needs to help the Tigers win now as their is momentum in the program, but she needs Wins in her days at setter to move upward.

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Kalei Edson - Jr. Houston The incoming replacement left via the portal immediately and the Coo has struggled.  Now Edson must move Houston back into the tourney and towards the 2nd weekend to move herself into the next level of setters on our list.

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Kiki Remensperger - Jr. Arkansas It seams like a long time ago that the Razorbacks were pushing for a Final Four berth and Cinderella of College VB.  Kiki needs to help Arkansas win matches in or out of conference and then move up the standings in a quickly improving SEC.

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Hannah Parant - Jr. Alabama  The Tide need a great year and the setter is who controls that, but I just don't feel like Parant has the moxy to step in and up and get that done.  She is solid skill wise and had other offers, she just didn't wow us in the recruiting time frame.  Bama has been stuck in that same part of the SEC for awhile now and the staff works hard, but they need to move upward is Parant the setter that leads that movement, if so she leads her own rise up this chart quite a bit.Lily Bolen - Jr. Rutgers Wow, Rutgers they made a splash in the '28 recruiting class can Bolen help them make a splash in the '26 season?

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Cayley Hanson - Jr. Miss. St The Bulldogs are in a similar spot as many teams at the bottom of their conference.  How do we break years of losing tradition?  With one or two well paid athletes in the portal and 1 class?  Build through recruiting and wait it out?  Hope you grab the perfect 2 or 3 girls every year in the portal.  

Carly Hanson simply has to figure it all out and try and win VB Matches.  It's going to be tough.

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Harmony Sample - Sr. Arizona Sharing the setting duties this year, trying to get Zona in tourney talk and in the same air as their in-state rivals ASU who is stealing all the headlines lately.

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Jackie Matias - Sr. Oregon State. Playing in the conference they are in helps and it's still a struggle for the Beavs setter and a Sr. not having resources to compete w/ non-conference rivals in the area makes it very hard to offer the same top area athletes.

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Brooke Baldwin - Fr. Rutgers  Baldwing gets moved up this list whether she is a starter or not for the simple reason that she is getting PT as as Frosh and that will only help her down the line.

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We will update the weapons list mid-season. 

Happy Volley Fans!!!!