The Status Report: Updating the Class of 2028

Quick update for the past few days of recruiting for the Class of ’28

Since we have been at Nationals

The Overview

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Things settle in and go at a steadier, more consistent pace now. Athletes are weighing options, and schools are moving on from other “waits” or “NO’s on their lists and going to options that may have been secondary choices. Athletes, don’t you worry one bit about how you get the offer and get your spot on campus; just get to campus. Then it’s up to you.

Sloane Rattay

6/28

OH

OK Charge

89.7

Utah State

Things get better in Utah as the staff pulls in another all-around baller who has slipped in the last half of the season. Rattay was Oklahoma’s best prospect and will add talent to the gym as the coach builds his nucleus.

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Ava Lazar - OH - OTVA - Florida - Michigan Commit - PPV 90.3

Love what Coach Virtue and staff continue to do at Michigan. A second consecutive solid group and Lazar give them another solid weapon at a pin that can grow into a B1G weapon. Great addition.

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Jazzy Ojo - OPP - Vision - California - USC Commit - PPV 91.3

Reports are high upside with huge athletic ability and hops. Long and a quick, snappy release. Ojo did all kinds of damage on the Cali prep scene and is a hidden weapon with all kinds of potential.

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Lana Frelix - OH - SG Elite - California - USC Commit - 94.2

Frelix was a huge hometown commit for the Trojans and a large talent acquisition as well. She might not have been the top name of the class in any category, but her high-end consistency put her near the top in several, and that adds a lot of value to the Trojan lineup.

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Macie Chase - Setter - Texas - Boston College - PPV 91.1

BC adds to what they started last season, adding a solid prospect with a large upside and great work ethic to a program that is adding more and more depth from open-level programs. Chase had camped at several Top 20 programs before landing at BC, and their overall experience and direction.

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Mya Lee - OH - Kansas - Kansas State - PPV 91.5

The Cats get a commitment from the home state, and Lee could be a big one for them. She was looked at by several schools and has the power game to be a deadly terminator in the Big XII.

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Sade Bello - OH - Texas - Kansas - PPV 95.2

The Jayhawks found their impact pin of the future in Bello. Sade is as explosive an OH as there is in this class, and she does not get cheated when she swings away. She gets better each time you see her in a Big Gym situation, and has an opportunity to be that Go-To Jayhawk Coach Ullmer is looking for to take them to the Promised Land. She can be that good.

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Katie Mitchell - OH - Virginia - Minnesota - PPV 95.5

Keegan Cook is one of the most intense volleyball players in the class. Katie Mitchell is a volleyball player plain and simple and this is a great pickup for the Gopher program and fits the mold of some of their current pins. When you first look at her, you might not be intimidated, but man, she is so productive. Put her in the offense of Cook, and watch out. This is a huge addition to the Gophers.

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Kyra Bolden - OH - Texas - Illinois - PPV 89.9

Another big addition to a great class for the Illini. Bolden gives them a solid pin right away, who has the potential for more with development and more growth. She can add B1G depth as she has 6-tool ability with continued reps.

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Staff Shouts:

Who got it done in the past few days while everyone else was vacationing at Disney World

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1 UConn: Let’s go, Husky Nation. Back-to-back commits for the Husky Staff as they land Metro teammates in a 2-fer signing. Ana Woods and Cairo Turner earlier this week were big for the Husky program. Adding depth at the pin and the middle shores up the front line, and you build that relationship with the bet club on the East Coast and close to your campus. Great job, UConn. Keep the pipeline going.

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2 Georgia Southern: The Sun Belt Conference Eagles had a nice week, landing three commits. The staff brought in Kate Hohman, middle from Performance n Virginia, then Cami Gerber their new Libero from NC Academy and then added a foreign prospect Annabella Velntin Miranda a standout Setter from Puerto Rico. The trio should set the Eagles up for the 2028 class.

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3 Minnesota: To add Katie Mitchell, who will be a fighter and contributor from the day she steps on campus, and then add a defensive asset you can use that has big national match experience in Bethany Benjamin of A5, who just walked by me here in Indy as she is ready to win another Natty. Keegan has to be pleased with these additions, whether they add another (I’d doubt it) or not; these are two contributors and solid players who help them get better.

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4 USC: Quite the week for Trojan Nation, taking care of their pin needs with a stellar Oppo and OH, both from the motherland.  Great couple of long athletes that can do multiple things for Coach Kellar, who is feeling pretty good about both of them.

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Conference Class: Buy or Sell

As of today, are we BUYING or SELLING each team's recruiting class in a conference based on resources and the new 5 for 5 model?

First Conference UP: The SEC

1. Texas: BUY

*Won all head-to-head matchups, and well, they got everyone they wanted, as they always do. BUY TEXAS’ CLASS

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2.  Kentucky: SELL

Even though I know the thought process behind the class. Shoot for the moon on some top OHs; if you miss, grab them in the portal, and then sign your local OH/DS from a trusted club. I love Skinner, but I thought they could have maybe done some damage with a top prospect. Coming off the “Dream Season” and with all the $ that Kentucky fans told me they had last year, I thought they might do more. SELL KENTUCKY even though they will be just fine because Skinner is their HC.

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3.  Texas A+M: BUY

I mean, you have to buy this class, grabbing the #1 OH and #2 MB, but I thought with all their momentum, they may push for #2 overall class and grab a top libero from Texas and a higher middle. Still can’t fault this class; they had everyone at camp. BUY A+M

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4.  Tennessee: SELL

I’m going to look at Tennessee differently from most people. Just because they have four commits doesn't make it a solid class, remember they did have several athletes leave the past two seasons (9 I believe) so you have plenty of spots that you have to fill. I look at what their competition is signing, and Tennessee needs to bridge that gap, but they aren’t. SELL TENNESSEE.

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5.  Florida: SELL

One athlete and not a sure thing contributor at that. I know that Florida has some $ and maybe their plan is to go out and buy transfers each year, or maybe they are waiting on some players late? But this is a program that consistently has Top 10 recruits beating down the door to commit. Not the past few years. SELL FLORIDA

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6.  Georgia: BUY

Once again, the Dawgs went out aggressively like they had to do, and they signed in their own backyard, and A5 is a nice place to build a pipeline right now. BUY GEORGIA

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7.  Auburn: BUY

Buy Auburn because they have addressed needs with all-around players with growth potential (and we have Tukua undervalued, and she is going up when I can focus). This is a group of solid commits that won’t all work out, but if Garner is legit and 2 pins contribute, this is a LEGIT class on the Plains. BUY AUBURN.

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8.  Mississippi State: BUY

LOVE this class by the Bulldog staff. Depth and high-quality athletes that could contribute to the SEC. You are signing from Open Level Clubs and the 1s teams that play OPEN. Athletes who have received looks from other top programs. MSU took athletes who were being looked at by their rivals and didn’t settle for prospects playing in lower divisions. BUY MSU!!

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9.  Missouri: SELL

NO commits for Mizzou yet

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10.  Oklahoma: SELL

NO commits for OU yet

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11.  LSU: BUY

You can’t follow huge classes with huge classes anymore in the NCAA, so you can’t expect the Tigers to follow last year's giant class with another, but they did a great job of adding two solid contributors to go with last year’s stars. Man, Gonzalez and Woodruff can all be Year 1 starters if things work out and they come in and perform. Gonzalez was on the short list of Penn State for their Libero choice, and Woodruff was a top 10 setter in the class. BUY LSU.

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12.  Alabama: SELL

Bama needed to get a star-type commit and hasn’t yet. SELL Bama.

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13.  Ole Miss; SELL

NO commits for Ole Miss yet

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14.  Arkansas: SELL

With only one commit, Chloe Sims, an OH from Arkansas, has added an average P4-type player in a conference that keeps adding better and better athletes. Unfortunately, the Razorbacks keep falling behind talent-wise. SELL ARKANSAS

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15.  South Carolina: BUY

This is the 2nd consecutive class that South Carolina has added that has not only filled needs, but has increased the talent level in the program. This program is on the way up in a big way, and it’s exciting. Adding homegrown talent, combining with national-level prospects with very high ceilings, the Gamecocks are definitely on the right track. The fact that they have brought in back-to-back large classes also gives them room to make a couple of mistakes and still be successful. BUY SOUTH CAROLINA.

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16.  Vanderbilt: JURY’S OUT

Odd that the Commodores are the last team and this is our only hung jury in the conference, but it truly is a split decision that could go either way right now. Emmie Hill “should be” a no-brainer star for Vandy. The class revolves around Kamryn Keith right now in many ways. One talent-wise and what she can be at the next level. She is a tweener and on the border of a contributor and a legit starter and difference maker. So what she does truly makes a difference in how we judge this class. I honestly do not know enough about her to make this call right now so I’m going to defer until the Fall before we make more of a call on Vandy’s Class revolving around Keith. JURY’S OUT VANDY

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Tune in Tuesday for notes from Indy and Buy or Sell the ACC!