High school volleyball rankings: Mater Dei two wins away from cementing No. 1 status in MaxPreps Top 25

By Aaron Williams Nov 14, 2023, 10:30am

Monarchs face reigning MaxPreps National Champions Cathedral Catholic in Southern California final on Tuesday for right to play in state final.

The final week of the high school volleyball season is here as California, Michigan, Texas and Washington are among a handful of states that will crown champions this weekend.

Mater Dei (Santa Ana) looks to cement its No. 1 status in the MaxPreps Top 25 rankings. The Monarchs face reigning national champion Cathedral Catholic (San Diego) on Tuesday in the CIF Southern California Open Division final. The winner faces either Archbishop Mitty (San Jose) or Saint Francis (Mountain View), who battle for the sixth time this season with the NorCal crown on the line.

In Texas, No. 3 Grand Oaks (Spring) continued its dream season with a Class 6A regional final sweep over Tomball Memorial (Tomball). Hitters Samara Coleman, Jaela Auguste and Halle Thompson along with setter Audrey Terry have the Grizzlies in their first state tournament match in the school's fifth year of existence. Grand Oaks tangles with 37-9 Prosper and Ayden Ames in one 6A semifinal while 44-5 Harlan (San Antonio) and 37-5 Cinco Ranch (Katy) meet in the other Friday.

Northville jumps into the rankings this week as the Mustangs head up the final eight in a Michigan field that includes Marian (Bloomfield Hills) and MaxPreps All-American Izzy Busignani.



Also new to the rankings is No. 25 Puyallup (Wash.). The Vikings went undefeated during the regular season in 2022 only to fall in the 4A title game. They are back in the postseason mix behind MaxPreps All-American Dani Brown and three wins from redemption.
Samara Coleman and No. 3 Grand Oaks are two wins from capturing the Texas 6A title in the school's fifth year of existence. (Photo: Rick Berns)
Samara Coleman and No. 3 Grand Oaks are two wins from capturing the Texas 6A title in the school's fifth year of existence. (Photo: Rick Berns)
MaxPreps Top 25 volleyball rankings

Record: 43-2 | Last week: 1
The Monarchs needed five sets to down Huntington Beach in the CIF SoCal Open semifinals. They have the inside track to the MaxPreps National Championship with two more wins.

2. Hamilton Southeastern (Fishers, Ind.)
Record:
33-0 | Last week: 3
Season complete. Class 4A state champion.

3. Grand Oaks (Spring, Texas)
Record:
48-1 | Last week: 4
In their fourth season, the Grizzlies are headed to the state finals with a semifinal match against Propser on Friday.

4. Cathedral Catholic (San Diego)
Record:
34-4 | Last week: 6
The Dons handled No. 6 Mira Costa in four sets in the SoCal semis. They are the reigning CIF Open Division and MaxPreps National Champions and have a chance to get back to the title game with a win Tuesday over the Monarchs.

5. Prestonwood Christian (Plano, Texas)
Record:
36-4 | Last week: 5
Handled Antonian Prep (San Antonio) 25-13, 25-14, 25-16 to earn their second straight TAPPS 6A title. Led by Texas commit Macaria Spears, Prestonwood dropped 19 sets all season.

6. Mira Costa (Manhattan Beach, Calif.)
Record:
39-4 | Last week: 2
Fell in the Southern California Open Division semifinals. They are led by Wisconsin commit Charlie Fuerbringer and sophomore hitter Audrey Flanagan.

7. Pace Academy (Atlanta)
Record:
37-3 | Last week: 7
Season complete. Class AAAA state champion.

8. Divine Savior Holy Angels (Milwaukee)
Record:
47-1 | Last week: 8
Season complete. Division 1 state champion.



9. Assumption (Louisville, Ky.)
Record:
37-5 | Last week: 9
Season complete. Kentucky state champion.

10. Wayzata (Plymouth, Minn.)
Record:
33-0 | Last week: 10
Swept through Edina, Anoka and New Prague to win their fourth straight title led by sisters Olivia Swenson and Stella Swenson.

11. Archbishop Mitty (San Jose, Calif.)
Record:
32-4 | Last week: 11
The Monarchs meet Saint Francis in the Northern California Open Division final Tuesday in the sixth match between the two this season. Led by Makenna Crosson, Mitty has won three times over the Lancers this season.

12. Mother McAuley (Chicago)
Record:
37-5 | Last week: 12
A 17th state title was captured with a 25-22, 18-25, 25-16 win over previously-ranked Benet Academy (Lisle) in the 4A championship game. Michigan commit Ellie White had 18 kills and freshman Peyton Heatherly had 32 assists and 13 digs.

13. Saint Francis (Mountain View, Calif.)
Record:
35-5 | Last week: 19
A Lancers win would knot the season series against Mitty at three each but would earn Saint Francis a trip back to the CIF Open Division final. The Lancers were there in 2021, losing to eventual MaxPreps National Champion Marymount (Los Angeles).

14. Alpharetta (Ga.)
Record:
38-3 | Last week: 14
Season complete. Class AAAAAA state champion.

15. Dike-New Hartford (Dike, Iowa)
Record:
50-0 | Last week: 15
Season complete. Class 2A state champion.



16. Lafayette (Wildwood, Mo.)
Record:
36-2 | Last week: 16
Season complete. Class 5 state champion.

17. Lake Catholic (Mentor, Ohio)
Record:
29-0 | Last week: 20
Katie Sowko had 21 kills as the Cougars straight-setted Archbishop McNicholas 25-17, 25-22 and 25-13 to win the Ohio Division III crown.

18. Carrollwood Day (Tampa, Fla.)
Record:
31-2 | Last week: 21
Freshman hitter Lydia Chinchar had 37 kills and 19 digs as the Patriots dropped the first set against Westminster Christian but rebounded to win the 3A title in four sets. Older sister and senior Naomi Chinchar had 44 assists in the victory.

19. Kamehameha Kapalama (Honolulu)
Record:
30-3 | Last week: 22
The Warriors beat Punahou for the fifth time in six meetings to grab the Division I title, the 24th in school history. Hawaii commit Adrianna Arquette had 17 kills and 18 digs on the way to being named Most Outstanding Player for the tournament.

20. O'Connor (Phoenix)
Record:
34-1 | Last week: NR
Devyn Wiest had 17 kills in the deciding fourth set as the Eagles won their first state title, grabbing the 6A crown 3-1 over Perry (Gilbert).

21. St. Mary's Dominican (New Orleans)
Record:
42-2 | Last week: NR
Camryn Chatellier closed out her stellar Dominican career with 24 kills in a four-set win over Mt. Carmel (New Orleans) in the Division I final. Senior Tamia Williams added 18 kills while junior Zoie Mitchell chipped in 15. Gabby Marcello had 63 assists in the victory.

22. Flint Hill (Oakton, Va.)
Record:
33-3 | Last week: NR
Mickhaila Murray tallied 18 kills and Ryla Jones added 14 as the Huskies captured the VISAA Division I crown with a four-set win over Bishop O'Connell (Arlington). Evie Huang had 27 digs and Natalie Nguyen had 34 assists while Isabelle Bardin added 20 assists.

23. Cornerstone Christian (San Antonio)
Record:
34-7 | Last week: 23
Season complete.



24. Northville (Mich.)
Record:
47-2 | Last week: NR
The Mustangs tangle with 36-17-3 Portage Northern (Portage) in the Division I quarterfinals Tuesday. Juniors Molly Reck and Mallory Reck combined for 833 kills this season.

25. Puyallup (Wash.)
Record:
25-3 | Last week: NR
After falling in last year's 4A title match, the Vikings are back in the mix and three wins from capturing the crown. Up first on Friday is Kennedy Catholic (Burien).

On the bubble: Benet Academy (Lisle, Ill.), 39-3; Valor Christian (Highlands Ranch, Colo.), 29-0; St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.), 27-3; Fulshear (Texas), 40-4; Colleyville Heritage (Colleyville, Texas), 40-10; Clarkston (Mich.), 33-3; Marian (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.), 44-7; Harlan (San Antonio), 44-5; Prosper (Texas), 37-9; Kings (Kings Mill, Ohio), 29-1