These standout front row players could be on Wisconsin volleyball's call list for 2026

And his timing is pretty good, said Chris Fitzgerald, national analyst for Prep Dig, as the 2026 class is loaded with gifted attackers with 17 of the top 18 ranked players being front row players.

“For this class I would say it’s very outside, right side heavy, especially with the kids from Texas and California,” Fitzgerald said. “Those are going to be players that teams are definitely going to build around. We’re going to see some big recruiting battles between the Big Ten West Coast and the Big Ten everybody else. Overall, I would say it’s very heavy with pins and a little bit lighter with setters and liberos.”

Sheffield is looking to bring in as many as five attackers to his program in this class.

Here’s a look at some of the top frontcourt players who could well be on the Badgers’ call list on Saturday, with their overall national ranking by Prep Dig, height, high school and club teams.

OUTSIDE HITTERS

Henley Anderson (No. 1), 6-foot-4, Dripping Springs, Texas; Austin Skyline

“Really long, really physical,” Fitzgerald said. “She can play on the outside, she can play on the right side, she can play in the back row, she can attack out of the back row. Just her wingspan and her contact point of where she hits the ball is really unique. She can hit it from anywhere on the court.”

Halle Thompson (No. 2), 6-2, Grand Oaks High School, Spring, Texas; Houston Skyline

“She’s just a flashy, exciting, big energy type player, kind of that big Texas personality,” Fitzgerald said. “It’s going to be her speed and her shots and definitely her backcourt play. She shines in the biggest moments. She’s a big time player when the lights are on. She has a really fast arm, she knows how to score a lot of points. If you were to compare her to a basketball player she’d be a 3-point shooter or she’s going in for the slam dunk. She just has a very electric style of play.”

Jayden Robinson (No. 5), 6-3, Ridge Point High School, Missouri City, Texas; Houston Skyline

Fitzgerald said that when he looks at some photos he’s taken of Robinson while she was blocking at club tournaments they look almost photoshopped because of how high she’s jumping.

'Hectic, crazy day' begins Wisconsin volleyball's recruiting search for next elite players

“She’s probably not as strong in the back row as Thompson or Anderson, but she does some athletic things that are just different,” he said. “She’s had a really big club season. Last year, I remember her but now that she’s growing and maturing into her body, she’s playing at a different level.”

Audrey Flanagan (No. 8), 6-2 Mira Costa High School, Manhattan Beach, California; SCVC

Flanagan was a high school teammate of Wisconsin freshman setter Charlie Fuerbringer, and she possesses some of the same traits, Fitzgerald said.

“She’s like an outside hitter in the form of Charlie Fuerbringer, where she has such an all-around game,” he said. “She has a great all-around foundation of skills, being able to serve receive, being able to pass and being able to score in multiple ways. She’s just so smooth.”

Michelle Bamford, Prep Dig’s California scout, raved about Flanagan’s game in her evaluation on the website.

“Audrey is truly one-of-a-kind,” Bamford wrote. “Having witnessed her play numerous times, I’ve always found something remarkable about her. Now, I’ve finally pinpointed what sets Audrey apart — she’s simply beyond her years. Her capabilities surpass expectations. … Everything about Audrey is elongated — her frame, her approach and her arm swing. Watching her effortlessly soar through the air is a sight to behold. However, it’s her speed that truly sets her apart.”

Layli Ostovar (No. 9), 5-11, Mater Dei, Santa Ana, California; Mizuno Long Beach

Ostovar, the MaxPreps National Sophomore of the Year, also has a connection with Fuerbringer, playing for the same club program, which is operated by Fuerbringer’s mom, Joy McKienzie Fuerbringer. While she may be undersized, Ostovar makes up for it with her speed and power, Fitzgerald said.

Wisconsin volleyball's season opener part of showcase on national TV

“She’s a lightning-in-a-bottle Mighty Mouse who’s just going to explode off the court and pack a big punch with her swing,” said Fitzgerald, who likens her to former Badger Deme Morales and Purdue’s Chloe Chicoine. “Defensively, you can’t keep her off the court. She could even be a libero for some teams. Her game is speed and really gritty defense.”

Ostovar has attended camps at Wisconsin last summer and again this past week.

Gabby DiVita, (No. 10), 6-1, Grosse Pointe (South), Michigan; Legacy

DiVita, who also attended a camp at Wisconsin on Saturday, brings intangibles on top of a talented skill set, Fitzgerald said.

“She’s bright lights, big game,” he said. “She does a lot of things you can’t necessarily measure. Everybody has their metrics but Gabby DiVita just has that killer inside her. I think she will be a definite Big Ten prospect that a lot of people will be giving her a call on June 15. Is she skill-wise better than Audrey Flanagan or Layli Ostovar? Probably not. But you have to give her a call because she just knows how to win. She’s a baller. I think she will be somebody that will elevate the play in whatever gym she goes to.”

Ayanna Watson (No. 12), 6-4, Bishop Gorman, Las Vegas, Nevada; Nevada Aces

Sheffield made a trip to Las Vegas this week to attend one of Watson’s practices. Watson has been attracting a lot of interest as one of the fastest rising players in the class who could end up being the best of them all by the time she gets to college.

“She is a 6-4 really physical athlete,” Fitzgerald said. “It will be interesting to see as she continues to train how she translates that athleticism. Her game is definitely reliant on her power and pure physicality. As she develops some more shots and an improved backcourt game, there’s no limit for her. She’s in the top tier of attackers in the country.”

Finley Krystkowiak, (No. 13), 6-3, Torrey Pines, San Diego; Wave VBC

Krystkowiak is the daughter of former Milwaukee Bucks player and coach Larry Krystkowiak.

Matches with Wisconsin volleyball archrival moved off holiday weekend

“This would be bold but she would be like a Sarah Franklin type,” Fitzgerald said. “She’s 6-3, built so strong where she just has a lot of power. When she continues to train at a high level she’s just going to get more consistent, being able to score out of the back row. When you’re a top five program you need an outside hitter that’s going to be a killer and want to take the ball when it matters the most, which is what Wisconsin has in Sarah Franklin.”

Haley Burgdorf (No. 40), 6-0, St. Charles (North), Illinois; Sports Performance

Burgdorf comes from the same club that produced former Badgers like Lauren Carlini and Molly Haggerty. Burgdorf has attended camps at Wisconsin, including one on Tuesday.

“She has a really polished style,” Fitzgerald said. “She’s definitely not one who is going to hit over the block. But she is so fundamentally sound. There’s not a lot of weakness to her game and she has really good on-court tangibles, connecting with her teammates and playing with a positive vibe. For a place like Wisconsin you want to get those kids on the roster. I’m a big fan of hers. She is just so smooth and she stands out just because she does everything really well.”

Layla Hoying (No. 41), 6-0, Bishop Watterson, Columbus, Ohio; Mintonette

Hoying’s father, Bobby Hoying, played quarterback at Ohio State and in the NFL for the Philadelphia Eagles and Oakland Raiders.

“I don’t know if she has the skill set that Ostovar has at that size,” Fitzgerald said. “But she is a dominant player and one of the top outside hitters on one of the top teams in the country. She is going to be a Big Ten/Top 25 type program prospect.”

MIDDLE BLOCKERS

Kayla Nwabueze (No. 3), 6-2, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan; Legacy

“She is probably the fastest middle I have seen in a few years, as long as I’ve been covering,” Fitzgerald said. “The ball is touching the floor before she lands. She’s just so fast and physical. Everybody has to know where she is on the court because she’s going to make an impact somehow. Her game is speed and athleticism, where she can run any tempo of set and score points out of a lot of different situations. She is just lightning quick.”

Lynney Tarnow (No. 6), 6-5, Benet Academy, Lisle, Illinois; 1st Alliance

Tarnow comes from the same club program as former Badgers star Dana Rettke, among others, and Fitzgerald sees some similarities to Rettke, as well as another former Badgers middle.

2 former Wisconsin volleyball players first in program history to become Olympians

“She’s shorter than Rettke but she’s very Rettke-like,” he said. “Almost like a Danielle Hart, just with her length and athleticism. Watching her play when she was a freshman, she still had a little growing into her body to do, as a 6-5 15-year-old would, but you definitely saw the makings there. Watching her this past club season, each time you’d see her play it was like, oh wow, she’s figuring it out. I would say her upside is really high.”

Tarnow has been a regular attendee of Wisconsin camps, including the one on Tuesday.

Elena Hoecke (No. 14), 6-3, Centennial, Circle Pines, Minnesota; Minnesota Select

Hoecke comes from the same club program as former Badger setters Sydney Hilley and Izzy Ashburn.

Wisconsin volleyball has new radio home as part of rights deals covering 6 Badgers teams

“She’s a lot like Carolyn Tarnow where she’s long, she’s physical, she’s strong,” Fitzgerald said. “She’s got to be on (Wisconsin’s) radar. But a lot of her club teammates are going to play for Minnesota and that’s in her backyard, so it becomes a Big Ten recruiting battle.”

Brooke Harwood (No. 23), 6-4, Eastmark, Mesa, Arizona; Arizona Storm

“She’s somebody who stands out right away,” Fitzgerald said. “All the middle blockers are going to have size, they’re going to have length, they’re going to be physical at the net, but what’s really different about her is how fast she is and how she can make something happen and make herself available to score points. She’s got everything. She’s up there with the top middle blockers because of her speed at the net and I would call her swing violent. She can just hammer the ball from multiple spots on the net, hitting different tempos.”

Harwood made the trip to Madison to participate in Tuesday’s camp at the Field House.

Ella Andrews (No. 25), 6-4, Mercy, Farmington Hills, Michigan; Legacy

“I would put her in the same category as Tarnow and Hoecke,” Fitzgerald said. “I think Tarnow and Hoecke are a little better than her, but that’s splitting hairs. Ella Andrews has played in a lot of big matches for that Legacy team. She plays big in the big moments. I’ve seen her play in front of big crowds and she’s played well every time.”

Andrews also was among those at the Wisconsin camp on Tuesday.

Kendall Northern (No. 26), 6-1, Summit Country Day, Mason, Ohio; Elevation

Northern is yet another middle who attended Tuesday’s camp, where she had the highest jump touch of anyone.

“She can touch very, very high,” Fitzgerald said. “Her upside is wild. She would almost be like a Tionna Williams type. Watching her you’re like, oh wow, that’s different.”