The 20 most underrated high school girls volleyball hitters in the nation

These 20 offensive standouts have big-time production and are hoping to boost their recruiting stock this season

The craziness surrounding high school football and basketball recruiting has yet to fully seep into other sports, but recruiting rankings and star systems are becoming more commonplace in the volleyball world.

As the hype around top prospects grows, high school volleyball players who don’t get flooded with Division I offers continue to grind away.

SBLive Sports is featuring high school volleyball players from across the country who are rising up recruiting boards with their play on the court. We started with the distributors and are now moving on to attackers.

Here are 20 outside and opposite hitters who are boosting their recruiting stock this season.

Note: All stats are current through Sept. 20.

Kendyl Arnett, sr., West Albany (Oregon)

The top attacker for Class 5A state power West Albany, Arnett compiled 383 kills, 293 digs and 37 aces as a junior. Arnett, who had just one ball-handling error last year, received second-team all-state recognition. 

Kayla Benedic, sr., Pope John Paul II (Louisiana)

A .425 career batter in softball, Benedic is also a star volleyball player for Pope John Paul II. She averaged 4.4 kills per set as a junior and is once again a key piece of the Jaguars’ attack this season. 

Emma Carson, sr., Rio Hondo Prep (California)

Carson recorded 341 kills as a junior and has already exceeded that mark this season. Carson, who is averaging 4.9 kills per set, also competes in volleyball, basketball and softball for Rio Hondo Prep. 

Sophie Dufour, jr., Franklin County (Kentucky)

Dufour passed the 1,000 career kills mark in early December. She is averaging six kills per set as a junior and also has 228 total assists. 

Ally Fees, sr., Mount St. Mary (Oklahoma)

Fees is averaging 3.6 kills per set for a loaded Mount St. Mary team that includes fellow attacker Gia McGrew, an Iowa commit. Fees will play college volleyball for Division II Harding University. 

Rendi Fetty, sr., Farmersville (Texas)

Fetty is a strong all-around player who topped the 300 mark as a junior in kills and digs. She’s been even better this fall and is averaging 6.4 kills per set. 

Tennille Gonder, sr., Delta (Utah)

Gonder is closing in on her 1,000th career kill for Delta. The senior is averaging six kills per set this season. 

Madi Belle Landry, sr., Lakeside (Arkansas)

Landry is an explosive outside hitter who is committed to Division II Ouachita Baptist University. The 5-foot-11 Landry also contributes as a middle and defensive specialist. 

Lexie Mason, jr., Burlington-Edison (Washington)

Washington’s Class 2A is filled with superstars like Ridgefield’s Lizzy Andrew (Stanford), Columbia River’s Lauren Dreves (Auburn) and Ellensburg’s Alana Marrs (Oregon State), and Mason belongs near the top of that list. She is a two-time second-team all-state selection and is averaging 4.1 kills per set this season. 

Aven Mathis, sr., Kossuth (Mississippi)

Mathis is a dangerous offensive threat for a Kossuth team that has reached the Class 3A state semifinals each of the past two years. She is averaging 4.6 kills per set this season and also has 204 digs and 52 aces. 

Mora Mooney, sr., St. Michael’s (Texas)

Mooney had 431 kills as a junior and exceeded that mark this season by mid-September. The outside hitter is averaging 5.4 kills per set for St. Michael’s.

Valiree Schmus, jr., Chestatee (Georgia)

Schmus recorded 387 kills as a freshman and added 577 more last season. She is sitting on 375 as a junior, averaging 5.4 per set. 

Cate Schroer, sr., Siegel (Tennessee)

A four-year varsity player, Schroer recently notched her 1,000th career kill. The NAIA Freed–Hardeman University commit is averaging 4.3 kills per set this season while also putting up 200 digs, 49 aces and 25 total blocks. 

Kameron Stover, jr., Highland (Ohio)

A varsity standout since her freshman season, Stover is averaging 7.5 kills per set this fall. Her twin brother, Kolton, is Highland’s starting quarterback. 

Katelyn St. Clair, sr., Sand Rock (Alabama)

St. Clair is a three-sport standout who also competes in basketball and softball for Sand Rock. She is having a big senior season on the volleyball court with 30 aces while averaging 5.1 kills per set. 

Savannah Thomas, jr., Rancho Christian (California)

Thomas has nearly doubled her kills per set tally from a season ago, going from 3.2 to six this fall. She also has 149 digs, 32 aces and 18 total blocks. 

Christian Thompson, jr., Fairfield Union (Ohio)

Thompson is averaging 6.7 kills per set as a junior to go along with 203 digs, 28 total blocks and 27 aces. She has topped the 30-kill mark in five matches, including a school-record 37 in a four-set win over Hamilton Township. 

Maddy Vaara, sr., Ludington (Michigan)

In her first varsity season, Vaara received Division II second-team all-state recognition after putting up 242 kills and 20 total blocks. She’s gone up a level this fall with 322 kills (averaging five per set) and 27 total blocks. 

Bryn VanVleet, jr., Seton Catholic (Indiana)

One of the most prolific hitters in Indiana, VanVleet is nearing 1,000 career kills. She already has 439 kills this season and is averaging a staggering 7.1 per set. 

Tatum Wade, sr., South Central (Indiana)

Another Hoosier, Wade recently slammed her 1,000th career kill. She is averaging 5.6 kills per set as a senior and also has 197 digs and 36 aces. 

(Ally Fees photo by Nathan J. Fish/The Oklahoman/USA Today Network)

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-- Bob Lundeberg | @sblivesports