Lynney Tarnow, Brooke Harwood headline top 10 middle blockers from high school volleyball Class of 2026

By Aaron Williams Aug 6, 2025, 11:00am

Six players heading to Big Ten Conference schools next season.

Our preview of the 2025 high school volleyball season continues by highlighting the top 10 middle blockers in the senior class.

On Tuesday, we highlighted the top hitters in the senior class. In the coming days, the focus will shift to the setters and liberos. 

Next week, we identify the best player and team in each state before dropping the Preseason MaxPreps All-America Team. The Preseason MaxPreps Top 25 will be unveiled Aug. 19.
Addison Coady, Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.)
6-foot-2 | Committed to USC
Teams with junior Emma Kingston to form an imposing presence in the middle for the Monarchs. Coady had 135 kills, 93 blocks, 41 digs on a team loaded with talent that went 37-5 last year and won the Durango Fall Classic.

6-3 | UCLA
Provided solid production for a team that had a wealth of outsides and opened some eyes last year at Durango. Harwood had 160 kills (2.7 per set) while adding 43 blocks as Casteel went 25-15.



6-3 | Minnesota
Will compete for USA Volleyball at the FIVB Women's U21 World Championships in Indonesia in the early part of this month. Last year, her 368 kills in 2024 put her over 1,000 for her career while adding 69 blocks and 45 aces for the 19-12 Cougars.

6-1 | Penn State
Helped the Silver Knights to a 17-8 mark and the Division IV state tournament with 428 kills, (5.6 per set), 290 receptions, 223 digs and 62 aces.

Kayla Nwabueze, Bloomfield Hills (Mich.)
6-2 | Harvard
Makes the middle a no-fly zone for the for the Black Hawks. She had 504 kills, 413 serve receptions, 253 digs and 68 blocks as Bloomfield Hills went 23-15. She is approaching 1,500 kills for her career

6-4 | Florida State
The kills leader on a team that went 37-2-1 and won the Class 4 state title. Raterman had 433 kills, 90 blocks and 35 assists.

6-4 | Wisconsin
The Redwings were near the top of the MaxPreps Top 25 all season behind Tarnow, who piled up 252 kills, 89 blocks and 35 aces.

6-5 | SMU
Third on the team with 231 kills, the formidable figure at the net added 95 blocks as Marymount went 33-8 last year. Vandeweghe should play a significant role for the Sailors, who return everyone from last season.

6-4 | Nebraska
Eagle Mountain opened in 2024 and Williams had 503 kills and 187 blocks on the inaugural varsity team that went 29-19. She will miss the start of the season playing with USA Volleyball.



6-4 | TCU
Hammered 370 kills with 123 blocks and 36 digs as the Dragons went 28-11 and lost to eventual national champion Byron Nelson in the 6A Division 2 regional finals.