What We Learned Dream Team Day 1

Lincoln, NE Dream Team Camp Day 1:

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Thoughts and Notes:

An incredible talent pool in Lincoln this weekend, as was to be expected.  Forty-eight top prospects spread over four classes, that's right, four athletes from the Class of 2030 attended, and you couldn't pick them out of a lineup, is scary, meaning they didn't stick out in this gym, and that included going up against a few of the Huskers' 2026 commits.

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Current Commits: Interesting situation with incoming recruits as some were participating and some were not.  This makes it hard for the ones that were because I'm sure it's human nature to feel a little bit above the prospects that are there and trying to earn a scholarship and you have earned one, but still I'm tellng you some pins gave the 2026 and 2027 commits all they could handle and then some.  Great experience in college; class numbers and rankings don't matter.

Shaye Witherspoon - 2027 OH -St. Louis: I was impressed with Shaye's work on the defensive end night one, playing well in the back row and the couple of back row attacks that she did have.

Jayda Robinson - 2026 OH/RS - Houston: I said this a couple of times, but you know you're in a Big-Time Gym when Jayda looks small compared to many of the lineups she faces.  Again, a great learning lesson early on that this isn't a club anymore, and that was a B1G-type setting.  

Mallory Boesiger - 2027 Setter - Lincoln: In typical Mallory fashion, she jumped into every single drill and was competing.  She is going to be a + for this program in many ways.  Mallory is just going to bring her lunch pail every day with a great attitude and work.  In a couple of years, she will be at this camp running a couple of the teams and installing some of the drills, I would assume, so I saw out of her exactly what I thought I would see.

Mallory Johnson - 2027 Libero/DS - Michigan: First shot seeing Mallory and actually didn't see her until Day 2.  Watched her in a group with Cala Haffner, and she is that quiet, solid libero, but I think the scouts are correct on her, she is underrated nationally and more substance there than flash.  Going to be that solid DS option that can push for the 'bro each year.  Great first impression.

Kendall Omoruyi - 2027 Middle Blocker - Arizona: Kendall was in and out, so it was hard to get a gauge for her and what she was doing. Absolutely made some "Oh Wow" plays at times in the camp, which everyone knows she has in her.

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Ok, a quick look at SOME of the athletes.  I won't go through every athlete attended for a few reasons, but here are some from each class from Day 1.

Class of 2030:

Francesca Sales OH Triangle NC:  The home of some dang good talent each of the past few years.  The Huskers are back on the hunt in North Carolina, and Sales did a hell of a job for a 2030 at this camp.  Already has multiple shots in her bag.  Solid body control and explosive.  I'm a body language guy, so it was the confidence that Sales showed that impressed the heck out of me.  Heck, I was nervous to be in that gym at times this weekend, and I'm 5.....well, I'm old here, she's a 14 and didn't phase her.

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Hope Hengler Libero Excel Texas:  Ok, get ready for me to go off on that new kid that I just got pumped about.  It's going to be Hope and her sister whom I will talk about in the next article.  Just a spitfire and a little spitfire out there making plays vs. some of the biggest cannons in USA Club VB today, and did I say competitive?  Just remember the name, please!  So good.

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Class of 2029: This is going to be your class of program-changing OHs with three All-American types and two that are Olympic potential/Player of the Year.  Maybe three that could be the best in 2028?

You are going to hear SO much about Kari Knotts and Lexi Coleman (Legacy), and justifiably so, they are as good as some have ever seen at that age, which is scary.  I am going to point out #3 and not at all because she is a SoDak kid, but because she doesn't have the booming personality, but she was a top 5 if not 4 OH at that camp she just won't create any of her own hype and because of the class she is in, will go unnoticed, but is damn good.

Julia Masselink - OH Kairos South Dakota:  She was highly practical and gets it done just as well in the back row.  Approach touch well over 10' already, terminal and dominated at the 15s Open division this year.  She had a big first night vs. nearly everyone she went up against. I'm simply saying watch her, because Knotts and Coleman will get all of the attention, but programs will line up to take Masselink in a heartbeat.

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Ellie Enger - Setter Winter Park Volleyball Florida: She has been at NTDP so long that she blends in with the 2028s, but Enger will be the pick of the 2029 setters.  Easily the #1 setter in the class. Pushing 6'0" already and strong, like I said, I think Ellie has been in the NTDP gym since she was 12? Silent, but deadly, she is a great one already.

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Karsyn Vejraska - Setter VCN Nebraska: Look out, Husker State, Karsyn is the next solid VB player headed your way.

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I'm going to do a solo piece on attacking the 2028s at Husker Camp Days 1-2.

I will wrap up saying

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