The Year of the 'Bro

The WALL of 2028: 

Liberos are always a “dime a dozen” in recruiting, but the Class of 2028 has that same high number, yes, but top-end schools are going to have some options, including a bidding war for the GOAT of the NIL ERA. The 2028s have some definite stoppers with talents, and these are just the ones we have followed closely because of their Player Profiles.

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Cala Haffner - Indiana - Diamond Level -Pineapple High Performance and Carroll High School

Now we got our start after Lexi and Morgan, but Haffner is the closest thing to The GOAT as we have seen or heard from scouts since we have been in the eval game in the past 4.5 classes. She is the program changer and the one ALL of the blue bloods will go out of their way for, no matter who they have at libero on the roster, if they can land her. She will get every chance to train for THE NATIONAL TEAM, and she is a Midwest kid, which is awesome, no big city vibes pulling her YET. Haffner alone sets this class apart, but…

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The class doesn’t come CLOSE to stopping there, and several candidates are constantly pushing and competing to close the gap and catch the Indiana star whenever they can, thus bringing the level of the entire class up a few notches over most.

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Izzie Penrose - Arizona - Silver Level - AZ Storm and Casteel High School

Penrose was well documented and traveled this summer, getting a look at many of the major programs in P4. She will be sought after and in demand, but she is also in “that next group,” and it is a talented one, as you can see. Penrose is every bit a Silver Level prospect, and this year, that was a top 2 or three in the class.

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Harper Broyles - Tennessee - Silver Level - Alliance and Brentwood Academy

Broyles was the rapid riser this past year and moved herself way up the charts in terms of ability and recruit ability. Her camp list went from average to “OH MY” with some early-season play, and combined with a timely Player Profile and interview, Harper did the rest. But a talented, but rather unknown, is one of the top liberos in the southland, and this Fall looks MUCH different than a year ago, and she’s earned it.

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Averi Bridges - Nebraska -Elite Red - VCN and Ashland Greenwood High School

Bridges, she is like our “Hoosiers” story (probably wrong sports movie reference for a Nebraska kid), and now the little 14-year-old digging blast after blast vs. Ireland Real and her WAVE team a couple of years ago at Nationals is actually at her recruiting year. She has had her experience at some legit Select Camps and had her eyes opened to the “big time” competition-wise this summer. I’m very excited to see her come out this prep season and into club with more of an intensity and focus that will even take her on-court game to a higher level (where we know her skill level is one of the tops in the class). If that switch is made, then Averi could make a big level jump; regardless, she is in the convo for tops in the class already.

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Morgan Nesloney - Texas - Elite Red - TAV Houston and John Cooper School

You know there is going to be high-end libero talent in Texas, and Nesloney is what we have seen in the class thus far. She is what you expect from the Lone Star State: scrappy, plays with fire and intensity, solid technique (mechanics are on point), and is said to be a gym rat. Just a very good player who lives in the gym.

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Brooke Neale - Indiana - Elite Red - Munciana and Westfield High School

Neale is the next from the Munciana institution of libero. Known statewide already, she is right in line with what you expect. She made the Midwest camp tour this Summer, and her player profile already tells a decorated early career. You know that Neale is trained hard and understands hard work and gym time. She has a very good opportunity to move her way into Silver early on in the club.

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Ava Knowling - Nebraska - Elite Red - Premier Nebraska and Gretna High School 

Knowling another in the State of Liberos that battles as seen by her output at Nationals in Dallas this June/July. There were several eyes on that court that left impressed, and it helped her PPV overall take a jump to end her club season. Momentum is a great thing in athletes, and it could really push in the club off-season, so watch what she looks like in January. We definitely have ** next to him, and she is another that we expect to move up into the Silver ranks for recruiting season.

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Deviryn McCarty - Iowa - Elite Orange - Kairos Elite and MOC-FV

McCarty was our best find of the 2025 season, playing on Kairos 15s National Team and opening more eyes each weekend. She went to multiple elite camps this summer in Big XII country and even a couple of B1G. She will have her work cut out to advance the needle, but she is right in that group of 4-5 Elite Orange that can move up into an impressive offer.

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Dakota Washington - Georgia - Elite Orange - A5 and Norcross High School

Still learning and developing her feel for the position, Washington impressed coaches with the range she showed this past year and the sheer number of balls she could get touches on. She gets to more balls than most in her age group and her region, and that makes her a top prospect. She is one of the best in the southland and one to definitely watch into January.

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Ashlyn Pelon - Michigan - Red - Legacy Volleyball and Marion High School

Pelon, playing in two historic programs in Michigan, is getting the training and the exposure. She is the next star in line at Marion and Legacy. More athletic than a back row player has been in the past, she uses her quickness and a long reach to get touches on many balls, and that has coaches watching her closely heading into her big year. That will also keep her near the top of the libero list right up until the open period. Plus, she is going to continue to be in all of the big matches, so she will go one-on-one with all of the big guns in the 16s division, so she is battle-tested in her own gym and on weekends.

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Aubree Svoboda - Texas - Orange Level - Houston Skyline and Clear Springs High School

Svoboda has the competition of playing in the Texas region and the Houston area, at that. She attended the talent-rich Texas A&M camp this Summer and has been invited to multiple NTDP sessions. She trains on the beach and indoors, so she is gaining those diverse skills that many of the top bros are nowadays. Another ultra-focused libero ready to compete on any court at any time, and high-level coaches like that.

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