Top 10 most dominant Nebraska volleyball programs since 2007

Video: Brittany Witt's Highlights vs. Papillion-LaVista South
Watch Omaha Marian's Brittany Witt and see how players like her helped the Crusaders top the MaxPreps most dominant Nebraska volleyball programs since 2007 list.

Omaha Marian swatted, bumped and blocked its way through 329 opponents over the past nine seasons, and is now digging its position as MaxPreps' most dominant Nebraska volleyball program since 2007.

The story of Amy McLeay's program doesn't begin and end with that nine-year win total. You see, the Crusaders have competed in six Nebraska Class A state championship finals, winning four, and finished each season since 2007 ranked sixth or better in MaxPreps' Nebraska Computer Rankings presented by the Army National Guard.

Marian earned 40 wins in 2009 and won 41 matches last season on its way to state championships. The Crusaders, 329-57 collectively since 2007, also won state titles in 2013 and 2014.

Class C1 power Kearney Catholic climbed into the Top 10 at No. 2 after earning 242 out of a possible 405 points, 66 behind the Crusaders. The Stars have finished in MaxPreps' Top 10 in each of the last four seasons and have taken home the champion's hardware four times in six state championship final tries.

Papillion-LaVista South, Grand Island Northwest and Papillion-LaVista round out this week's Top 5. Lincoln Southwest is the only member of the Top 10 that did not win or compete for a state title. But the Silver Hawks did make each of the Cornhusker State's past nine Top 25s.

Classes C2, D1 and D2 did not land a program in the Top 10. But they were represented well. Hastings St. Cecilia was the highest ranked Class C2 club, earning a No. 15 ranking with 87 points. Lutheran High Northeast finished in a tie with Seward for 36th and is the highest ranked D1 program. Exeter-Milligan (11th), St. Mary's (18th) and Giltner (20th) are all members of Class D2, Nebraska's smallest classification.

MaxPreps has developed it's own system in determining which volleyball programs compete at the highest level over an extended period of time. Here is how points are accumulated:

1. 20 points for a state title

2. 10 points for finishing as a state runner-up

3. Other points are based on a team's top 25 standing in the final MaxPreps Nebraska Computer Rankings. For instance, if a school claimed the top spot, it received 25 points, while a No. 25 ranking is good for one point.


1. Marian (Omaha) – 308 points
State titles: 4
Runner-ups: 2
Top 25 state rankings: 2007 (5), 2008 (6), 2009 (1), 2010 (2), 2011 (4), 2012 (2), 2013 (3), 2014 (2), 2015 (1)

2. Kearney Catholic – 242 points
State titles: 4
Runner-ups: 2
Top 25 state rankings: 2007 (16), 2008 (13), 2009 (15), 2010 (16), 2011 (15), 2012 (3), 2013 (8), 2014 (3), 2015 (3)

3. Papillion-LaVista South – 233 points
State titles: 3
Runner-ups: 2
Top 25 state rankings: 2007 (18), 2008 (12), 2009 (2), 2010 (1), 2011 (1), 2012 (1), 2014 (14), 2015 (6)

4. Northwest (Grand Island) – 214 points
State titles: 1
Runner-ups: 5
Top 25 state rankings: 2007 (7), 2008 (4), 2009 (14), 2010 (11), 2011 (14), 2012 (4), 2013 (1), 2015 (9)

5. Papillion-LaVista – 207 points
State titles: 2
Runner-ups: 1
Top 25 state rankings: 2007 (2), 2008 (1), 2009 (10), 2010 (8), 2011 (23), 2012 (18), 2013 (6), 2014 (1), 2015 (8)

6. Scotus (Columbus) – 203 points
State titles: 3
Runner-ups: 1
Top 25 state rankings: 2008 (3), 2009 (3), 2010 (14), 2011 (3), 2012 (5), 2013 (17), 2014 (15), 2015 (15)

6. Pius X (Lincoln) – 203 points
State titles: 3
Runner-ups: 0
Top 25 state rankings: 2007 (1), 2008 (2), 2009 (12), 2010 (9), 2011 (2), 2012 (9), 2013 (4)

8. Grand Island Central Catholic – 162 points
State titles: 2
Runner-ups: 2
Top 25 state rankings: 2007 (6), 2008 (7), 2009 (5), 2010 (5), 2011 (13), 2015 (18)

9. Gross Catholic (Omaha) – 129 points
State titles: 2
Runner-ups: 0
Top 25 state rankings: 2007 (11), 2008 (17), 2009 (6), 2010 (3), 2011 (17), 2012 (13)

9. Lincoln Southwest – 129 points
State titles: 0
Runner-ups: 0
Top 25 state rankings: 2007 (12), 2008 (9), 2009 (8), 2010 (7), 2011 (5), 2012 (12), 2013 (7), 2014 (24), 2015 (21)