High school volleyball rankings: Sierra Canyon headlines way-too-early MaxPreps Top 25 for 2026

Trailblazers return majority of 41-4 squad that won Southern Section Division 1 title, made push for California state title.

Thumbnail image of this articles writer: Aaron Williams
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Dec 15, 2025, 11:00am
Familiar names are expected to be in the mix once again for the No. 1 spot in the MaxPreps Top 25 heading into the 2026 high school volleyball season. Our way-too-early look at next season features Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.) as the team to beat with Texas independent power Cornerstone Christian (San Antonio) at No. 2.

Sierra Canyon returns a ton of talent, including its top four hitters — Hanna McGinest, Eva Jeffries, McKenna McIntosh and Kendall Omoruyi. The Trailblazers looked poised to head to their first Open Division state championship with a hitting quartet that tallied more than 1,500 kills and nearly 200 blocks while Lucky Fasavalu was exceptional in spreading the wealth and letting everyone eat.

But after grabbing the Southern Section Division 1 title over Mater Dei (Santa Ana), the Monarchs gained revenge in the SoCal regional final on their way to the state title. Mater Dei is No. 3 in the way too early Top 25.

California is well-represented with No. 10 Marymount (Los Angeles, Calif.), No. 11 Archbishop Mitty (San Jose, Calif.), No. 12 Torrey Pines (San Diego, Calif.) and No. 17 Cathedral Catholic (San Diego, Calif.) also making the list.

In total, 14 teams from the final 2025 MaxPreps Top 25 rankings are projected to return, including two-time national champion Byron Nelson (Trophy Club, Texas).
1. Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.)
2025: 41-4, No. 3 in final MaxPreps Top 25
Notable losses: Madeleine Zaragoza, Ziggy Rex
Notable returners: Hanna McGinest, Eva Jeffries, McKenna McIntosh, Kendall Omoruyi, Lucky Fasavalu, Olive Shum
The Trailblazers return both outsides two dominant middles, their setter and libero after competing in 2025 against a stacked schedule. The lessons learned and sting of falling short of a state title should fuel the fire to a state championship and perhaps beyond.

2. Cornerstone Christian (San Antonio, Texas)
2025: 31-4, No. 8
Notable losses: Cayleigh Cervenka
Notable returners: Claire Bolten, Sydney Whisenton, Ester Royal- Priest, Breya Dawson, Sara Gonzalez, Vanessa Perez, Jocelyn Chambliss
A squad full of sophomores return minus Air Force-bound Cervenka from a team that won 28 of its last 29 matches. Coach Mike Carter has more than 1,500 wins and will have this group again ready to compete against a slate of opponents from across the country.

3. Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.)
2025: 35-5, No. 2
Notable losses: Layli Ostovar, Addison Coady, Lizzy Robinson, Sam Capinpin
Notable returners: Westley Matavao, Emma Kingston, Shewa Adefemiwa, Kalea Lee, Jael Smith
Losing USC-bound Ostovar, Coady, Oregon commit Robinson as well as Swiss Army Knife Capinpin is tough, but the reigning California Open Division champions still have plenty of firepower. UCLA commit Matavao is deadly from the pin and Cal commit Kingston a force at the net.

4. Assumption (Louisville, Ky.)
2025: 40-4, No. 6
Notable losses: Jillian Bohannon, Emily Keiran
Notable returners: Brooke Codey, Julia Lee, Taylor Price, Carle Hooe, Addison Hurley
Three of the top five hitters were sophomores, including MaxPreps All-American Codey. Replacing fellow MaxPreps All-American Bohannon and Keiran are necessary if Assumption is to win its 26th state title in 2026.

5. Xavier College Prep (Phoenix, Ariz.)
2025: 35-2, No. 4
Notable losses: Vivian Hickman, Mattea Saunders, Selah O'Connor
Notable returners: Tessa Larkin, Amari Frazier, Sahmone Wadsworth, Annabelle Ross
The Gators will be going for a Class 6A three-peat behind MaxPreps All-American Larkin. Xavier College Prep will need to fill the setter and libero roles but there is no shortage of hitters with Frazier, Wadsworth and Ross.

7. Allen (Texas)
2025: 37-7
Notable losses: Kennedy Crayton, Campbell Sheffield, Emily Capangpangan
Bounced by eventual two-time state champion Byron Nelson in the regional semifinals, the Eagles return four of their top five hitters. Replacing Sheffield at libero is a must, but Allen has plenty of firepower.

8. Harrisburg (S.D.)
2025: 35-2, No. 10
Notable losses: Gabi Zachariasen, Lindsay Langner
Notable returners: Josalyn Samuels, Bergen Stiff, Julia Masselink, Kennedy Kokenge 
The four-time Class AA champions lose their go-to hitter in Zachariasen and libero in Langner. But National Sophomore of the Year Samuels is dynamite at setter and has a handful of hitters coming back, including Stiff and Masselink.

9. Highland Park (Dallas, Texas)
2025: 43-8, No. 13
Notable losses: Gigi Whann, Brooklyn Bailey
Notable returners: Sarah Floyd, Taylor Toomay, Allie Hudgins, Anna Lee
Finding a lockdown defender at libero to replace MaxPreps All-American Whann is a must, but the Scots are flush with offense as they revel in their first state title and eye a repeat.

2025: 38-7, No. 14
Notable losses: Samantha Destler, Olivia Penske, Elle Vandeweghe, Declan Eastman, Frankie Jones
Notable returners: Makenna Barnes, Katelyn Oerlemans, Karys Campos, Samantha Nugent
The losses dot the lineup but Barnes is a fearsome hitter, Oerlemans is great at the net and Campos saw meaningful time throughout the year in the back row and at libero.

11. Archbishop Mitty (San Jose, Calif.)
2025: 33-4
Notable losses: Makenna Crosson
Notable returners: Chayse Courtney, Makayla Tran, Laurie Nguyen
The Monarchs were upset in the Northern California regional final, denying them a third straight Open Division appearance. Losing Minnesota commit Crosson is big but their returning stars will all be entering their junior seasons.

The Krystkowiak sisters are gone — Finley to Penn State and Sam to Stanford beach volleyball — but Mack led the team in kills and Gonzalez shined at setter and Green was masterful in the back row. 

13. Carroll (Fort Wayne, Ind.)
2025: 37-0, No. 5
Notable losses: Bailey Sinish, Addi Shippy, Sophia Gisslen
Notable returners: Cala Haffner, Sarah Stegall, Elli Oskey
Sinish and Gisslen led the team in kills and assists, respectively, but Haffner was lights out at libero as a sophomore. Stegall and Oskey combined for nearly 500 kills.

14. Byron Nelson (Trophy Club, Texas)
2025: 42-0, No. 1
Notable losses: Kylie Kleckner, Ashlyn Seay, Lexi Proctor
Notable returners: Sophee Peterson, Savannah Sterna, Kherynton Chinnis, Kaitlyn Francis
Bringing back the MaxPreps National Player of the Year Peterson is big but the Bobcats lose their two go-to hitters in Kleckner and Seay. 

15. 'Iolani (Honolulu, Hawaii)
2025: 25-7, No. 21
Notable losses: Bailey Nakanelua, Maddix Taniguchi
Notable returners: Taimane Ainu'u, Georgie Lee, Poema Kalama-Kingma, Annaura Reid-Gillet
The Raiders grabbed the Division 1 crown and return a strong core including MaxPreps All-American Ainu'u.

16. Mercy (Farmington Hills, Mich.)
2025: 43-5-2, No. 23
Notable losses: Cree Hollier, Ella Andrews, Maya Zarow
Notable returners: Kate Kalczynski, Kaelyn Easton, McKenzie Andrews, Kate Berghoff
Chasing their third title in four seasons in 2026, the Marlins return a host of talent headlined by MaxPreps All-American Kalczynski after the Ohio State commit posted 529 kills. Easton tallied 1,129 assists as a freshman and could be the next great Mercy setter along the lines of Nebraska standout Campbell Flynn.

17. Cathedral Catholic (San Diego, Calif.)
2025: 28-9
Notable losses: Madyson McCarthy, Sophia Johnson, Allison Dzieciuch, Bryce Buchner, Lauren Hanson
Notable returners: Jojo Wilson, Baylee Wilson, Samantha Saba, Sierra Aswad
The Dons have won two Open Division state titles in four seasons, so this could be considered a down year. But the Wilson sisters return as Cathedral looks to keep their every-other-year title streak alive.

Fell to eventual Class 4A state champion Marist in the opening round of the postseason. McAuley loses its top hitter in Prohaska but bring back MaxPreps All-American setter Heatherly as well as three of the top four hitters.

19. Divine Savior Holy Angels (Milwaukee, Wis.)
2025: 44-4
Notable losses: Gail Buckner, Maddie Brown, Kaitlyn Jones
Notable returners: Tegan Loechler, Harper Wendlick, Maia Kerry
Ranked for much of the season, the Dashers reached the Division 1 final but saw their three-year title run come to an end. Wendlick and Loechler led the team in kills as sophomores while freshman Kerry was third.

20. Papillion-LaVista South (Papillion, Neb.)
2025: 31-9
Notable losses: Kami Dyrstad, Ella Eymann
Notable returners: Lyric Judson, Makenna Sanders, Finley Moone, Kambria Bails, Tess Solomon
There is a void to fill at libero as Dyrstad was a multi-year MaxPreps All-American at that position. Judson led five hitters, all of whom return, with 319 kills. Solomon was second on the Class A champions with 557 assists as sophomore.

21. Norris (Firth, Neb.)
2025: 38-1
Notable losses: Carlie Talbott
Notable returners: Alli Bornschlegl, Malorie Boesiger, Kaelynn Lottman, Loryn Piening, London Meints
Nearly every piece of the Class B title-winning squad returns, including Nebraska-bound setter Boesiger and Bornschlegl, who dropped 546 kills as a junior.

22. Marist (Chicago, Ill.)
2025: 36-5, No. 7
Notable losses: Elayna Davidson, Elise Bocanegra, Cassidy Cage, Savanah Weathers
Notable returners: Maggie Kurpeikis, Haven Enselman, Taylor Berg
The two-time reigning Class 4A champions lose three All-State selections in Davidson, Cage and Weathers. But Enselman was special as a freshman setter and Kurpeikis a MaxPreps All-American.

2025: 26-8
Notable losses: Mya Trammell
Notable returners: Kendall Rowray, Chloe Ritchie, Landree Johnson, Makayla Moulton, Janessa Thomas, Liv Jones
With freshmen leading the way as your top hitter and setter, the future is bright. Rowray led the Tigers with 577 kills and Johnson had 1,292 assists.

24. Prestonwood Christian (Plano, Texas)
2025: 34-5
Notable losses: None
Notable returners: Nyla Livings, Naomi Livings, Nia Livings, Anya Baklenko, Elizabeth Kowalchyk, Evann Beville
For the first time in three seasons, the Lions didn't capture the TAPPS Division 1 crown. Injuries and youth played a part, but a 34-5 season and quarterfinal appearance would be a banner year for a lot of programs.

25. Orangewood Christian (Maitland, Fla.)
2025: 26-5
Notable losses: Caroline Vargas, Jenna Langmo
Notable returners: Ellie Enger, Kennedy Langmo, Kaleigh Langmo, Avery Herman, Olivia Sosa
With wins over three state champions and a core that battled in national tournaments, the Rams could open eyes in 2026. Enger was a MaxPreps Freshman All-American and all-around threat. The Langmo twins return for a senior season under coach and mom Diane Langmo.

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