Jacksonville volleyball aiming for 1st playoff appearance since 1992 with new head coach
Published 7:37 pm Monday, August 10, 2026
Jacksonville was coming off of its most successful volleyball season in at least two decades heading into the 2025 season.
The Maidens went 16-21 overall and 5-11 in district play in 2024 and had a new head coach in 2025. Jacksonville then went 8-16 overall and 2-12 in district.
Jacksonville will now have its third head coach in three seasons as Jade Strother takes over.
“I honestly expect a lot,” Strother said. “These girls are very talented and they have a lot of drive and want to win. I am super excited to be able to be a part of it.”
Strother was previously the head volleyball coach at Jefferson. Before that, she was at Corsicana.
Strother was joined by junior outside hitter/defensive specialist Jaylee Dominey, senior right-side hitter Azleigh Powell and senior defensive specialist Caroline Ault at a fall sports media day at the new CHRISTUS Health Athletic Performance Center on July 30 to talk about the upcoming season.
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“We expect to play with effort, give 110 percent and just have fun and work really hard,” Dominey said. “
“We have a new district, so I would say we have a really good chance to make the playoffs,” Powell said. “We’re fighting really hard. I think we are really hopeful. We know we have a chance. So everyone is just putting their most effort out there to make it the best season we can.”
“I think we just want to win,” Ault said. “We haven’t had great seasons in the past. I think this season can really be different. We have a chance of doing good, so we want to make it to the playoffs. Our practices have felt a little different, we’ve seen some different stuff, but I think it’s good for us to switch things up.”
According to the UIL website, Jacksonville is searching for its first postseason appearance since 1992.
Jacksonville competes in District 17-4A with Bullard, Rusk, Palestine, Center, Hudson and Madisonville.
The Maidens will open the 2026 season Tuesday at Athens.