High school volleyball rankings: Hot start sends Redondo Union soaring in this week's MaxPreps Top 25

Abby Zimmerman, Taylor Boice lead Southern California program in its rise to No. 2.

Thumbnail image of this articles writer: Aaron Williams

By Aaron Williams

Sep 9, 2025, 10:00am

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Redondo Union (Redondo Beach, Calif.) continues to climb in the MaxPreps Top 25 high school volleyball rankings with a hot start to the 2025 season.

The Sea Hawks are 12-1 entering Tuesday's match against No. 3 Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth) with their only loss to No. 1 Byron Nelson (Trophy Club, Texas) in final of the Ann Kang Invitational in Honolulu.

Redondo Union has beaten six teams that were ranked at the time of the meeting, including Sierra Canyon, No. 4 Marymount (Los Angeles), No. 5 Mater Dei (Santa Ana) and No. 12 Mira Costa (Manhattan Beach).

MaxPreps All-American Abby Zimmerman has shined for the Sea Hawks with 20 kills in the four-set win over Marymount and 25 kills in the five-setter over Mater Dei. Junior setter Marlo Libbey had 38 assists against Marymount and 52 against Mater Dei.

The high-profile meetings between ranked teams continue this week in Southern California. In addition to battling Redondo Union, Sierra Canyon also faces No. 8 Torrey Pines (San Diego) and No. 10 Cathedral Catholic (San Diego) on back-to-back nights.

Torrey Pines and Cathedral Catholic reprise their Volleypalooza title tilt Sept. 10. Mater Dei's schedule in the next eight days includes Mira Costa and Torrey Pines.

All of this comes the week before they all head to Las Vegas for the Durango Fall Classic on Sept. 19-20 with a field that includes more than 35 teams in our expanded top 50.

Southlake Carroll (Southlake, Texas) and Lovett (Atlanta, Ga.) are the two newcomers to this week's rankings.

Checking in at No. 24, Southlake Carroll is 17-3 on the year and led by senior hitters Layla Austin (203 kills), Kinsley Young (147 kills) and Teddy-Raye Ewers (105 kills). Emma Eyster has 319 assists, freshman Mariel Elizondo has 198 assists and senior libero Lauren St.Charles has tallied 288 digs.

Lovett has been fueled by freshman phenom Kari Knotts, who is averaging 5.1 kills per set while hitting at better than 40 percent. Knotts was the MVP and best spiker for USA Volleyball's gold medal-winning U19 squad at the 2025 Pan-American Cup. She has 184 kills, senior Sloan Balsley had 137 and junior setter Ali Wainwright has 217 assists.

Cal commit Abby Zimmerman has helped No. 2 Redondo Union to a 12-1 start with wins over Southern California powers Mira Costa, Sierra Canyon, Marymount and Mater Dei. (FILE PHOTO: Kevin Deadwylier)

MaxPreps Top 25 volleyball rankings

1. Byron Nelson (Trophy Club, Texas)
Record: 23-0 | Last week: 1
Seniors Ashlyn Seay and Kylie Kleckner have combined for nearly 500 kills for the Bobcats. Junior Sophee Peterson has 637 assists.

2. Redondo Union (Redondo Beach, Calif.)

Record: 11-1 | Last week: 7

The Sea Hawks have been runner-up at the Ann Kang Invitational two seasons in a row.

3. Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.)

Record: 11-2 | Last week: 2

Led by Hanna McGinest (145 kills) and Eva Jeffries (103 kills), the top five hitters are all juniors.

4. Marymount (Los Angeles, Calif.)

Record: 10-1 | Last week: 3

The Sailors bounced back from the 3-1 loss to Redondo with a five-set victory over No. 12 Mira Costa, winning 15-7 in the fifth.

5. Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.)
Record: 8-2 | Last week: 4

Westley Matavao had 21 kills in the loss to Redondo.

6. Xavier College Prep (Phoenix, Ariz.)

Record: 11-0 | Last week: 5

Tessa Larkin was MVP of the Westwood Tournament with 82 kills in nine games as the Gators didn't drop a set.

7. Cornerstone Christian (San Antonio, Texas)

Record: 17-3 | Last week: 8

Sophomore Sydney Whisenton and senior Cayleigh Cervenka have been the driving force for the Warriors.

8. Torrey Pines (San Diego, Calif.)
Record: 12-1 | Last week: 10

The Falcons posted wins last week over San Dieguito Academy (Encinitas) and JSerra Catholic (San Juan Capistrano).

9. Assumption (Louisville, Ky.)

Record: 11-0 | Last week: 11

Senior Jillian Bohannon has 234 assists for the Rockets as three sophomores — Brooke Codey (96 kills), Julia Lee (85 kills) and Taylor Price (71 kills) — lead the team in hitting.

10. Cathedral Catholic (San Diego, Calif.)

Record: 8-1 | Last week: 12

The Dons have been idle since losing to Torrey Pines in the Volleypalooza final.

11. Carroll (Fort Wayne, Ind.)

Record: 12-0 | Last week: 15

Bailey Sinish had 22 kills and junior Sarah Stegall added 12 in a sweep of No. 15 Hamilton Southeastern. Sophia Gisslen had 34 assists for the Chargers.

12. Mira Costa (Manhattan Beach, Calif.)

Record: 6-4 | Last week: 9

Audrey Flanagan had 12 kills and Cayenne Ceman added nine in a sweep of Harvard-Westlake (Studio City).

13. Alpharetta (Ga.)

Record: 25-1 | Last week: 15

The Raiders have dropped four sets all season as sophomore Leilani Lamar paces the offense with 110 kills.

14. Harrisburg (S.D.)

Record: 3-0 | Last week: 14

The Tigers swept Yankton and Tea last week. They have Mitchell and Huron on the slate before a trip to the Durango Fall Classic.

15. Hamilton Southeastern (Fishers, Ind.)

Record: 8-1 | Last week: 13

Madison Miles had 11 kills in the loss to Carroll while Jasmine Daniels posted 16 assists.

16. Mother McAuley (Chicago, Ill.)
Record: 8-0 | Last week: 17

Peyton Heatherly had 22 assists, Lucy Maloney added 12 digs and Cayla Prohaska had nine kills in a sweep of Sandburg (Orland Park).

17. Marist (Chicago, Ill.)

Record: 7-0 | Last week: 18

Cassidy Cage had eight kills and three blocks while Elise Bocanegra tallied seven digs and Elayna Davidson added five digs and two aces in a sweep of St. Francis (Wheaton).

18. Divine Savior Holy Angels (Milwaukee, Wis.)

Record: 8-0 | Last week: 19

Sophomores Harper Wendlick and Tegan Loechler each have 50 kills in 18 sets for the Dashers.

19. Archbishop Mitty (San Jose, Calif.)

Record: 4-0 | Last week: 21

The Monarchs came up with sweeps of Branson (Ross) and Marin Catholic (Kentfield) on Saturday.

20. Benet Academy (Lisle, Ill.)

Record: 8-1 | Last week: 22

Ellie Stiernagle had 47 assists as Molly Welge had nine kills and Lynney Tarnow added seven kills in a sweep of Normal West (Normal).

21. Calvary Christian (Clearwater, Fla.)

Record: 11-1 | Last week: 23

Juniors Sophia Puleo (124 kills) and Sam Karjala (107 kills) pace the offense while Noelle Sarigumba has 320 assists.

22. Roncalli (Indianapolis, Ind.)

Record: 12-2 | Last week: 6

The Royals dropped a pair of matches last week, both to Cathedral including a five-setter.

23. 'Iolani (Honolulu, Hawaii)

Record: 7-3 | Last week: 25

The Raiders got 22 kills from Poema Kalama-Kingma, 19 from Taimane Ainu'u and 12 from Georgie Lee in a five-set win over Kamehameha Kapalama in what could be a preview of the Division 1 state final.

24. Southlake Carroll (Southlake, Texas)

Record: 17-3 | Last week: NR

The three losses are to No. 1 Byron Nelson, previously ranked Allen and a stout Highland Park (Dallas) squad.

25. Lovett (Atlanta, Ga.)

Record: 16-1 | Last week: NR

The one loss is to No. 9 Assumption.