The Breakdown: News and Notes from days 5 and 6 of the '28 recruiting class

Sunday Update

Day 5/6

The Breakdown

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The Scoop:

First off I have loved some of the classes being put together by some non-blue blood programs. If you are a true fan of volleyball and at least in my opinion (which doesn’t count for much) I think you have to hope for more parity and there has to somehow be a rise of more and more teams in this sport. I’ve tried to raise awareness for two years now that we better start financially and media wise supporting the Clemsons and Auburns and Colorados somehow and bring those programs to a level where there is marketed fan interest. The NCAA (scratch that they can’t walk and chew gum) the TV stations and conferences need help promote Hawaii and North Carolina and Michigan somehow half the way the schools do in basketball and let’s give some love to staffs like Northwestern and a Georgia (hey Georgia there is another recruiting season other than football) for doing a hell of a job 2 out of 3 classes now.

So this edition of the Recap is all about some of those programs and those athletes that have really caught my eye the last 36 hours. They work just as hard, actually much harder, to recruit kids to their schools and I’ve been loving some of the fits and some of the decisions athletes have been making.

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Biggest Impact Prospects:

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1 Bella Osborne - Libero - Madfrog Volleyball - Texas - PPV 246 - Hawaii Commit

We went into great detail about this commit yesterday, but it’s still the biggest W of the week and I don’t think anything is going to top this for the class. Osborne walks in and fights for a spot day one in the lineup and has a great shot at being the 5 year libero and cornerstone of Coach Walker’s rebuild at Hawaii.

**Editor’s Note: About 10 AM Saturday I did mention we have a feeling this move is going to open the door for more commits to make their way to Hawaii. Will that be this year still or in the portal or next year’s class? I mean we were dead on with this prediction, but we apologize we missed the exact time of the prediction by about 90 minutes….that’s when Hawaii picked up two WAVE commits a 2026 flip (from Baylor and a friend of Osborne through NTDP) and then another 2027 utility player in Parker Herrin who can absolutely play anywhere needed.

Once again that is why you pay the big bucks to subscribe to VBAdrenaline for Nostradamus like predictions of that nature you just aren’t getting at other sites.

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2 Piper Pease - Opposite - Alamo Volleyball - Texas - PPV 220 - Northwestern Commit

This actually shocked me a lot and did not see this coming. This is that terminating arm Northwestern needs in their lineup to go with some of the size that Coach Nolann has been adding in the middle, but I simply didn’t see Pease as a B1G fit or a Chicago kid, but go do your thing Piper! We really got to know her quite well the past year and she has come quite a ways and she will tell you exactly what she needs to work on and does. But, she also has some game that translates to the P4 game. She will need the 18 months and may take a year to adjust to the B1G, but that is ok she will be a player in that league and a good one. I love the pieces NW is adding one by one. This is another improvement athletically.

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3 Brooklyn Horton - Opp/MB - TAV - Texas - PPV 171 - Rutgers Commit

Couple things on this, Horton is a fantastic pickup and upgrade at Rutgers. Next, shout to the Rutgers staff on this class, adding a couple of their top recruits they have added in the time I’ve been doing this so kudos. Finally, you probably look and say “171 PPV that’s not great” Wrong it is a very solid prospect and I spent quite a bit of time with this group today going back and watching at least a few highlights of everyone. Horton is very accurate with her 171 PPV. I’m not bursting kids bubbles right now in the middle of committing and all that, but I’ll just say we took some bad scout advice on whoever we put in charge of libero nation early this season and there are quite a few inflated libero PPV’s that will be coming down quite a bit after really talking with people after they were able to really see them at camps. Horton is very accurate for right now with the potential to push for a 190ish PPV by college and that is a solid B1G player at the next level and that is what Rutgers needs to focus on to build the program slowly. Love this pickup, both ways!

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4 Dylan Kupiec - MB - WAVE - California - PPV 188 - Tennessee Commit

Best recruiting trip I ever made (Vegas March ’26) Kupiec was another I was able to really watch for the first time and was very impressed. Dylan if you need to learn the words to Rocky Top let me know, best school song out there. I think this is a player with a very high ceiling and reputation wise as well as she went way under the radar for most of the season. She is going to need to pick up the intensity she plays with a bit and train with a bit more focus and intensity to make in the TN gym and in the SEC as competition is fierce, but the potential is there and Kupiec could head to Tennessee as close to a 200 PPV prospect if she gains the strength and explosion she will need as as freshman. Still this is a SEC potential athlete and a solid commit for the Lady Vols no doubt.

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5 Lola Loncar - Libero - AVC - Ohio - PPV 224 - Clemson Commit

Loncar a fixture at NTDP training and has been at National Team tryouts group activities. This is a big deal for Clemson that continues to establish relationships with top recruits and bringing better talent each and every year. Still watch for them to bring in one more top prospect in this class.

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Diamonds In the Rough

***This is a day filled with diamonds and actually diamonds that could easily be impact players at the schools that took chances on them. So get these names down because they could be the stars of your favorite schools recruiting class.

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1 Lucy Schmoke - MB - Alliance Volleyball - Tennessee - PPV 212 - Western Kentucky Commit

10 Blocks in an Open Qualifier Championship Match. I don’t care how raw you are that is something to take a look at. Schmoke is a great story and I think a couple of B1G schools may be sorry they didn’t take a chance with this one in a year. But, she is headed to Western Kentucky to learn from one of the legends in college volleyball and that will be so big for this young (former Tight End, turned Middle Blocker) is getting better and better each day on the court. We have her MUCH HIGHER than anyone else in the country, but it’s projected on college potential and Lucy isn’t going to let us down. You are going to hear much more about her as a 17s dominator next season.

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2 Gigi Dominquez - Libero - Texas Performance - Texas - PPV 160 - UTEP Commit

Gigi I’m sorry to put this on you, but I watched your film and then I had to keep watching and keep watching, because I swear I kept thinking I saw a little mini ARod out there on the court bouncing around intense all the time, making plays from everywhere, getting knocked over by big blasts, but getting right back up. I loved how many balls Gigi was able to get to and her effort and just grit to keep 50/50 balls alive for her squad. Get on Hudl or YouTube and watch Dominquez it’s worth the time.

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3 Alexis Vermeer - OH/OPP - Richmond VBC - Virginia - PPV 190 - Iowa Commit

First notes I have down “holy crap Iowas got a flame thrower here”. Alexis Vermeer does NOT get cheated when she takes a swing at the ball. Alexis we have to get you to the T.O.P. Combine in Philly August 2nd just to get you on the Radar Gun. She is straight power in her approach and swing and serve. Vermeer is that rocket man you bring out of the bullpen in the 9th inning to throw 20 really hard fastballs.

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4 Madison Zajicek - OPP/OH - VCNebraska - Nebraska - PPV 172 - South Dakota State Commit

The Summit League Champs are bringing in weapons again. Zajicek does not mess around when she gets a scoring opportunity. Quick approach, over-the-top and right now release. She uses the entire court and she is efficient with speed/power to her swing. Her block touch is good also and like her approach she is very springy and quick off the floor. I’m not sure what her other options were for camps and if they felt she was a bit small, but Madison is a terminator and plays a couple inches higher than some of the bigger names from bigger clubs that have committed to P4 programs so I really like this commit for the Jacks and adding her to a lineup that is solid with weapons.

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5 Kamryn Keith - OH/OPP - Memphis Juniors - Tennessee - PPV 182 - Vandy Commit

Keith has the look of an SEC player right now. She is physical and can elevate, she hits for power and uses the line and the cross. Issue looks to be right now if she will be able to get off quick enough to be effective on her block for the SEC and will she elevate quite high enough for the same results. She is off to a great start it’s sustaining that work ethic for another 30 months until match day that time will tell.

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Staff Shouts

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1. Northwestern: Tim Nolann and staff add Piper Pease who should be a contributing Oppo from Texas and Zoe Keaney a powerful MB from Spike and Serve in Hawaii adding to a class already started off hot. Back to back impact classes for Northwestern.  Just think if they received the NTDP advantage that many of their B1G sisters get, dang. Keep it up coach!!!
2. South Dakota State: The Jackrabbits have landed two prospects and both have offensive firepower and mid-majors simply can’t get enough of that. Bauer was courted by several P4 schools and half of the Summit League so you know that is a huge W for the defending champs and then Zajicek today also from Nebraska give the Jacks two weapons in enemy territory and a lethal arm that was also sought after from a few P4 schools.

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