Texas has long been a hotbed for high school volleyball, and the MaxPreps national rankings show why.
As of the Sept. 3 rankings, Texas had seven teams ranked in the top 25 in the nation, the most of any state. California was a distant second with four, and Indiana (three) and Illinois (three) were the only other states with more than two.
The Dallas area alone has four nationally ranked teams, including the top two teams in America — No. 1 Plano Prestonwood Christian and No. 2 Trophy Club Byron Nelson. Defending Class 5A state champion Lovejoy, winner of 10 state titles, is No. 17 in the nation and Southlake Carroll is No. 19.
Back-to-back TAPPS 6A state champion Prestonwood, which finished No. 4 in the nation last year, is 17-1 this season and suffered its only loss against Southlake Carroll. All-American outside hitter Macaria Spears, committed to back-to-back NCAA champion Texas, was named MVP of the Battle for the Rock and Volleypalooza as Prestonwood won both tournaments, and Prestonwood didn’t lose a set in beating four nationally ranked teams — No. 6 San Antonio Cornerstone, No. 10 Dripping Springs, No. 12 Cypress Ranch and Lovejoy.
Houston pledge Gillian Pitts, a first-team all-state libero, has had a big hand in Prestonwood’s success and was named the best defender at Volleypalooza. Nyla Livings, a 6-2 middle blocker who is ranked by Prep Dig as the fifth-best player in Texas in the Class of 2027, earned all-tournament recognition at the Battle for the Rock in Rockwall, and Anya Baklenko and Kansas pledge Taylor Cook earned all-tournament honors at Volleypalooza.
Byron Nelson is 21-1 and became the first Texas team to ever win the Ann Kang Invitational in Hawaii, an event that started in 1991. Sophee Peterson, a MaxPreps freshman All-American last year, was the tournament MVP as Byron Nelson beat nationally ranked Mira Costa (Calif.) and Redondo Union (Calif.) while going 6-1 in the event and overcoming its only loss of the season, against Highland Park.
Byron Nelson also won the Northwest ISD tournament, beating 2022 Class 5A state champion Colleyville Heritage 20-25, 25-9, 25-21 in the semifinals and defeating 2023 5A state champion Lovejoy 25-19, 25-18 in the championship match as Washington pledge Kylie Kleckner was the tournament MVP. Byron Nelson followed its win over Lovejoy with a four-set victory against Southlake Carroll to start District 4-6A play, giving Byron Nelson five wins over state-ranked teams in a six-match span after also beating Aledo, Ridge Point and Colleyville Heritage.
Lovejoy (18-7) has six wins over state-ranked teams, including Southlake Carroll and defending Class 6A state champion Conroe Grand Oaks. Three of Lovejoy’s losses came to nationally ranked teams — Prestonwood, Byron Nelson and Plant (Fla.).
Besides being the only team to beat Prestonwood, Carroll (16-6) has beaten Allen Texas Open champion Allen and 2023 6A state semifinalist Prosper. Vanessa Glenn had 12 kills and Mb Morse and Layla Austin added 11 kills apiece in the 21-25, 25-18, 25-22 win over Prestonwood.
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