For the third straight year, a Texas team begins the season at No. 1 in the Preseason MaxPreps Top 25 high school volleyball rankings.
Byron Nelson (Trophy Club) starts 2025 in the same spot it ended 2024 – at the top. The Bobcats are the first Texas team to be crowned MaxPreps National Champions and return nearly all of the pieces that helped them go 40-1 with a Conference 6A Division 2 state title.
Back are Washington commit
Kylie Kleckner, Rice commit
Ashlyn Seay and junior
Sophee Peterson (Texas A&M). Kleckner and Peterson earned junior and sophomore National Player of the Year honors, respectively, last season.
1. Byron Nelson (Trophy Club, Texas), 9-0 in 20252024 record: 40-1
Key losses: Sydnee Peterson, Emily Housknecht
Key returners: Kylie Kleckner,
Sophee Peterson,
Ashlyn Seay,
Lexi Proctor,
Kaitlyn FrancisOutlook: The target is on the Bobcats but the battle-tested trio of Kleckner, Peterson and Seay know what it takes. Coach Bri Groth led Byron Nelson to its second state title and a MaxPreps National Championship without dropping a set in the postseason. The Bobcats repeated this weekend as Ann Kang Invitational winners and now must navigate an always-tough Lone Star State field toward a repeat.
2. Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.), 1-0
2024 record: 40-1
Key losses: Pressley Kiffin, Preslie Saunders
Key returners: Layli Ostovar,
Westley Matavao,
Emma Kingston,
Addison Coady,
Sam CapinpinOutlook: The addition of setter
Kalea Lee from reigning state champion Cathedral Catholic as well as
Lizzy Robinson makes the Monarchs formidable. Ostovar and Matavao are as good a pair of pins in the game while Kingston and Coady are stout in the middle. There might not be a deeper roster in the country.
2024 record: 33-8
Key losses: None
Outlook: Every major contributor from last year's squad is back, including MaxPreps All-Americans Destler and Barnes, who combined for more than 650 kills. Seven of the eight losses were to Southern California teams that spent time in the MaxPreps Top 25 rankings at some point in the season.
2024 record: 32-4
Key losses: Elle McCreery, Annemarie O'Gara, Olivia Lenz
Outlook: Coach Lamar-Renee Bryant's goal for the Gators is a repeat Class 6A title and they have the pieces led by MaxPreps All-American Larkin after 474 kills last year. Hickman dished up 539 assists with 234 kills. Class of 2028 middle Frazier should also make an impact.
2024 record: 43-6
Key losses: None
Outlook: The Knights have won eight straight state titles and return their entire crew from last season led by Brown commit Monroe at hitter, Virginia commit Siskin at setter and Colgate-bound Emch at libero. The target is large but Pace is looking to make Georgia history with No. 9 straight.
2024 record: 35-0
Key losses: Logan Bell, MacKenzie Kruer, Eva Hurrle, Josie Lezon
Outlook: The cream of the Hoosier State last season, the Royals lose Kansas-bound Bell and Michigan State soccer player Kruer. That is where Staley (Missouri), Turk (West Virginia) and Haberthy (Xavier) come in after playing key roles in the unbeaten Class 3A title squad which is 65-4 over the past two seasons.
2024 record: 28-9
Key losses: None
Outlook: The lineup is stacked with Division I talent, including the Krystkowiak twins. Finley is headed to Penn State and Sam to Stanford, junior libero Green is pledged to Kansas and setter Gonzalez committed to Santa Clara. The Falcons are the favorite to overtake Cathedral Catholic in the San Diego Section this year and then make a run at a state title.
2024 record: 34-5
Key losses: Charlee Solomon
Outlook: Losing MaxPreps All-American Charlee Solomon is a hit but the Titans have junior Judson back after 334 kills as well as fellow juniors Sanders (247 kills), Finley Moone (178 kills) and Maddox Graves (117 kills). Rutgers commit Kami Dyrstad is back anchoring the defense for the defending Class A champions.
2024 record: 28-11
Key losses: Bella Jones
Outlook: The Sea Hawks reached the Southern California Open Division regional semifinals last season and return a ton of talent led by MaxPreps All-American and Cal commit Zimmerman. Redondo got 2025 off to a strong start with a runner-up finish over the weekend at the Ann Kang Invitational.
2024 record: 46-3
Key losses: Maya Eves, Mae Kordas, Kale'a Lee
Outlook: The
reigning Open Division state champions had a bunch of turnover with
Kordas and Evens graduating and Lee transferring to Mater Dei. Still,
Johnson (285 kills) and Wilson (245 kills) are battle-tested and
freshman Baylee Wilson could provide extra firepower at the pin. The
Dons have won four straight San Diego Open Division section titles.
2024 record: 35-8
Key losses: Kristen Simon, Bailey Blair, Erin Barnett, Emilee Fuller, Janie Eichberger
Outlook: The Rockets lost a lot from a team that grabbed the program's 24th state title. But when you win that many under coach Ron Kordes you can bet the team reloads on the fly. Western Michigian commit Askin and Auburn pledge Keiran should lead the squad looking for No. 25.
2024 record: 32-2
Key losses: Lindsey Mangelson, Ava Hunter, Bella Dafforn, Kaylyn Christy
Outlook: Offensively, the Royals will again be stout and especially at the pin. Losing setter Hunter to graduation will fall upon Sliwa and Daniels in a crowded Class 4A field that includes defending champion and No. 15 Carroll, Yorktown and Penn.
2024 record: 31-0
Key losses: Maggie Leister, Karalynn Leach
Outlook: The
Tigers search for their fourth straight state title with the returning
MaxPreps National Freshman of the Year in Samuels and All-American
Zachariasen leading the charge. Harrisburg will test itself at the
Durango Fall Classic and a pre-tournament event where it will play
Marymount.
2024 record: 33-3
Key losses: Chloe Herschberger
Outlook: The Class 4A champions return virtually the whole crew from last year and get a boost from Stegall's addition after missing last year with injuries.
2024 record: 27-8
Key losses: Taylor Deckert
Outlook: The
Mustangs have the firepower to compete in a Southern California field
overloaded with talent. Mira Costa had a good showing at Ann Kang
without Flanagan, who was competing in Indonesia with USA volleyball.
Her return will be a boost to a squad that battled in Hawaii in her
absence.
2024 record: 33-5
Key losses: Sydney Buchanan, Mary Claire Deacy, Abbie Williams
Outlook: There is a lot of experience returning for the Mighty Macs, who won the Class 4A title in 2023. Heatherly had 761 assists last year as McAuley fell to eventual champion Marist in a tough sectional finals draw. the Mighty Macs, Benet Academy and Marist all should battle for that Class 4A title along with St. Charles North.
2024 record: 33-9
Key losses: Bella Bullington, Maddie Berry
Outlook: Kelly Ryan, a 6-1 sophomore setter, adds to the cadre of weapons for MaxPreps Coach of the Year Jordan Vidovic, who has won two boys titles and a girls crown in the past 18 months. When Ryan gets going, she has weapons in Michigan commit Kurpeikis and Davidson pledge Weathers.
2024 record: 40-2
Key losses: Gabby Stasys, Aniya Warren
Outlook: The Class 4A runner-up lost MaxPreps All-American libero Warren to graduation but Wisconsin commit Tarnow, Maryland commit Brass and Northwestern pledge Stiernagle lead a group of seven who will team with 11 newcomers looking for the program's fifth 4A state title.
2024 record: 33-4
Key losses: Megan Fitch, Kaia Thiele, Aniya Hall
Outlook: Mike
Carter lost a lot of talent from a team that finished No. 12 last
season. But he has restocked the cupboard with a host of younger players
and transfers. The Warriors again will be the road warriors with a full
slate of travel from Hawaii to Florida to Las Vegas.
2024 record: 47-1
Key losses: Madison Quest, Olivia Durst, Jordan Czajkowski
Outlook: The Dashers are looking for one for the thumb after winning four straight Division 1 state titles. Quest is gone to the University of Wisconsin but Buckener, Brown and Loechler lead six returners who know what it takes to stand atop the podium. Sophomore
Harper Wendlick will see more time after getting in the rotation as a freshman.
2024 record: 31-13
Key losses: Katelyn Bowman, Avery Penrod
Outlook: The Eagles lost to eventual Conference 6A Division 1 champion Grand Oaks in the state semifinals and return the bulk of that team. Sophomore Ogbogu is a problem for opponents after the MaxPreps Freshman All-American pounded 506 kills last season.
2024 record: 25-15
Key losses: DyBorrah Johnson, Kennedy Thompson, Paige Thompson, Nettie Stokes, Baylee Uptergrove
Outlook: The Colts opened eyes last year at the Durango Fall Classic and Nike TOC. They lost Nebraska commit Kendall Omoruyi but UCLA commit Harwood leads an offense that know how to finish.
2024 record: 36-0
Key losses: Brooke Boyles, Abigail Li, Madison McLin
Outlook: The two-time defending Class AAAAAA champions had their 47-match win streak stopped earlier this month but the Raiders are hot out of the gate. Tulane commit Leonard is the anchor for Alpharetta in its quest for the the three-peat.
2024 record: 24-10
Key losses: Callie Pieper,
Outlook: After a Division 1 runner-up finish in 2024, the Raiders had a good showing as host of the Ann Kang Inviitational. Sophomore Ainu'u posted 273 kills last season and Kalama-Kingma added 264 as 'Iolani will battle Kamehameha-Kapalama and Punahou for this season's title.
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