While the 2020 high school volleyball season might look different on a national level, one thing remains: You've got to win the matches in front of you. More than two-thirds of the states are pushing forward with fall sports, though some have a delayed calendar, but the national landscape will nonetheless look different.
California opted for a spring volleyball schedule, while some of the national tournaments were either canceled or rebooted in a different format. Michigan, with several Top 25-worthy teams is still trying to figure out if it's pushing back or moving forward.
Still, there's a ton of individual talent already on the court and equal number of teams capable of putting together state and perhaps national title runs.
We've included teams that have started playing or will start in September. Coaches can play their part in formulating accurate rankings by updating schedules and scores via MaxPreps.
Mabrey Shaffmaster and New Castle (Ind.) check in at No. 9 in our preseason rankings. The Trojans are chasing their fourth straight Indiana title.
File photo by Julie Holt
1. Skutt Catholic (Omaha, Neb.), 7-0Notes: Won the Bellevue West Invite without dropping a set.
Lindsay Krause has 84 kills in 15 sets, while
Allie Gray has 188 assists.
2. Flower Mound (Texas), Opens Sept. 15Notes: Finished 41-4 last season and return three All-Americans in
Kaylee Cox,
Angelique Cyr and
Caroline Dykes.
3. Lovejoy (Lucas, Texas), Sept. 15Notes: Defending 5A champions posted a 2019 mark of 48-5. All-Americans
Averi Carlson and
Cecily Bramschreiber look to repeat.
4. Hoover (Ala.), 14-1Notes: Following a season-opening five-set loss to McGill-Toolen, the Bucs have reeled off 14 straight including a revenge win over the Yellowjackets and a three-set tourney win over Tennessee's Brentwood.
5. Mercy (Louisville, Ky.), Sept. 8Notes: Kentucky runners-up open the season against 2019 champion Assumption in a battle of the titans.
6. Assumption (Louisville, Ky.), Sept. 8Notes: See No. 5 Mercy.
7. Valley (West Des Moines, Iowa), Sept. 2Notes: Tigers open 2020 against Fort Dodge after 38-5 runner-up season in 2019. All-American
Hayden Kubik leads Valley.
8. Brentwood (Tenn.), 9-1Notes: The Bruins started 9-0 before the loss to Hoover. All-American
Shaye Eggleston has 150 kills to start the year.
9. New Castle ( Ind.), 1-0Notes: The Trojans opened with a sweep of Center Grove as
Mabrey Shaffmaster (21) and
Laila Smith (16) combined for 37 kills.
10. Walton (Marietta, Ga.), 2-0Notes: The Raiders opened with sweeps of North Cobb and Marietta.
11. Guyer (Denton, Texas), Sept. 15Notes: The Wildcats went 35-9 before losing to 6A champion Byron Nelson in the state semis.
12. Leon (Tallahassee, Fla.), Sept. 18Notes: The Lions were 29-3 last season in winning the FHSAA 6A title and return assist leader
Alexa Washington after dishing up 957 in 2019.
13. Papillion-LaVista South (Papillion, Neb.), 6-1Notes: Sophomore
Stella Adeyemi (46 kills) and freshman
Lauren Medeck (39 kills) had helped the Titans to the 6-1 mark. Lone loss was to Skutt.
14. Hamilton Southeastern (Fishers, Ind.), 7-0Notes: The Royals have been paced by
Delaney Garner's 83 kills and while freshman
Lauren Harden has added 74. Junior
Emily Weber has 129 assists.
15. McGill-Toolen (Mobile, Ala.), 12-2Notes: Senior
Skyler Bumpers has 180 kills thus far as Yellowjackets' losses are to Hoover and Brentwood.
Notes: Ella Broadhead has 110 kills with senior
Emily Buhl adding 87 as the Admirals' lone losses are to upper division
opponents Hoover and McGill-Toolen.
17. O'Gorman (Sioux Falls, S.D.), 1-0Notes: All-American
Bergen Reilly opened her sophomore campaign with 16 kills in the sweep over Roosevelt.
18. Teurlings Catholic (Lafayette, La.), Sept. 9Notes: The Rebels open the quest for their fourth straight DII title along with senior Gatorade winner
Cicily Hidalgo.
19. Mount Notre Dame (Cincinnati), 2-0Notes: Junior
Carly Hendrickson posted 25 kills in three sets as the Cougars earned two sweeps to start the year.
20. Jenks (Okla.), 11-1Notes: Mikiah Perdue,
Sophie Bufogle and
Savanna LaBiche all have more than 50 kills as the Trojans took the Broken Arrow Invitational.
21. Aquinas (Overland Park, Kan.), Sept. 2Notes: The Saints open with St. James.
22. Briarcrest Christian (Eads, Tenn.), 4-0Notes: Zykia Jones has 45 kills as the Saints have jumped to a 4-0 start without dropping a set.
23. Providence (Clarksville, Ind.), 5-1Notes: Pioneers' lone loss to Hamilton Southeastern.
24. McIntosh (Peachtree City, Ga.), 7-0Notes: Senior
Ngozi Iloh has 85 kills and junior
Alexa Markley added 77 kills as the Chiefs have dropped only two sets. Senior
Claire Lewis has 172 assists.
25. Padua Franciscan (Parma, Ohio), 4-0Notes: Senior
Brooke Cirigliano leads the Bruins with 49 kills as
Maria Futey has added 40.
Amanda Leigh dished up 123 assists as Padua has swept all four matches.
The Next 2526.
Mountain Brook (Birmingham, Ala.), 9-2
27.
Blessed Trinity (Roswell, Ga.), 7-1
28.
Pope (Marietta, Ga.), 7-0
29.
Klein (Texas), Sept. 11
30.
Southside (Fort Smith, Ark.), 2-1
31.
Dorman (Roebuck, S.C.), Sept. 10
32.
Lake Highland Prep (Orlando, Fla.), Sept. 17
33.
Washburn Rural (Topeka, Kan.), Sept. 3
34.
Willard (Mo.), 6-0
35.
Ursuline Academy (Cincinnati), 3-0
36.
Plano West (Plano, Texas), Sept. 18
37.
Pleasant Grove (Utah), 3-0
38.
Byron Nelson (Trophy Club, Texas), Sept. 15
39.
Elkhorn South (Omaha, Neb.) 2-0
40.
Norman North (Norman, Okla.), 4-1
41.
Parkland (Allentown, Pa.), Sept. 15
42.
North Allegheny (Wexford, Pa.), Sept. 14
43.
St. Francis Borgia (Washington, Mo.), Sept. 3
44.
Brookfield Central (Brookfield, Wis.), Sept. 15
45.
Prosper (Texas), Sept. 11
46.
St. James Academy (Lenexa, Kan.), Sept. 8
47.
St. Pius X Catholic (Atlanta), 8-0
48.
Notre Dame Academy (Toledo, Ohio), 1-1
49.
Reagan (San Antonio), Sept. 4
50.
Appleton North (Appleton, Wis.), Sept. 18
