Confetti fills the air as Byron Nelson players and coaches pose with their state championship trophy in front of their fans following their straight sets victory over Pearland Dawson. The two teams played their Class 6A Division l state championship volleyball match at the Curtis Culwell Center in Garland on November 22, 2025.
Steve Hamm/Special Contributor
The Dallas Morning News beat writer Greg Riddle broke down the best programs in the area and ranked them.
His top teams are below, and you can see his top area players here.
Class 6A
1. Trophy Club Byron Nelson
Byron Nelson is 82-1 over the last two years, has won back-to-back state titles, has been No. 1 in the final MaxPreps national rankings two years in a row and has won 78 matches in a row. Its last loss was Aug. 16, 2024, against Highland Park. Texas A&M pledge Sophee Peterson was the Gatorade and MaxPreps national player of the year and is the nation’s top-ranked setter in the Class of 2027. But Byron Nelson lost All-American outside hitters Kylie Kleckner and Ashlyn Seay, who combined for 1,074 kills last season. Savannah Sterna, who led Byron Nelson in digs with 424 as a junior, is committed to Belmont.
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2. Allen
Allen was a state semifinalist in 2024 and a regional semifinalist last season and returns two elite junior outside hitters in Texas A&M pledge Maya Ogbogu and Baylor pledge Olivia Kitur. Ogbogu is the nation’s top-ranked recruit in the Class of 2028 and had 444 kills, 234 digs and 59 blocks last season. Those are two of the five Allen players who have committed to play college volleyball, along with setter Landry McRae (Cal Baptist), right-side/outside hitter Gaby Wenger (Samford) and defensive specialist Holland Young (Endicott College).
3. Flower Mound
Flower Mound has one of the best setters in the Dallas area with Syracuse pledge Hayden Curtis. She was a second-team all-area selection and had 1,231 assists, 75 blocks, 151 digs, 123 kills and 75 aces for a 36-9 team that reached the 6A Division II Region I final. Outside hitter Aleah Edmond, committed to Grand Canyon University, had 473 kills, 35 aces, 47 blocks, 221 digs and 73 assists as a sophomore and was third-team all-area. Outside hitter Grace Pinegar, committed to Colorado, had 370 kills, 37 aces, 40 blocks and 221 digs as a junior.
4. Prosper Walnut Grove
Walnut Grove must replace All-American setter Danielle Whitmire, but still has plenty of talent. Outside hitter Brynn Stephens, committed to SMU, was on the U.S. under-19 national team that won the NORCECA Women’s U19 Continental Championship. As it moves up from 5A to 6A in realignment, Walnut Grove has three Division I recruits around Stephens with middle blockers Mackenzi Law (committed to San Jose State) and Kyndall Smith (committed to North Texas) and right-side hitter Kate Clegg (committed to Memphis). Stephens is rated the 16th-best player in the nation in the Class of 2027 and Clegg is No. 86 nationally in the Class of 2028.
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5. Mansfield
Mary-Christine “MC” Crutcher was The Dallas Morning News All-Area Newcomer of the Year as a freshman. The six-rotation outside hitter was named a third-team AVCA All-American and the District 3-6A MVP after she had 534 kills, 318 digs, 93 aces and 54 blocks for a 44-3 team. Mansfield returns two setters who earned all-district honors — Emery Thomson and Saydi Walker. Mansfield also added Abrielle Johnson, a move-in from North Crowley who was the District 3-6A setter of the year last season. Middle blocker should be a strength with Hayley Hobbs and Addison Verinder, and Verinder is committed to Central Oklahoma.
6. Southlake Carroll
After winning the Class 6A Division II state title — the school’s first state championship in volleyball — Carroll must replace All-American middle blocker Kinsley Young and All-American outside hitter Layla Austin. Carroll will take a 14-match winning streak into the season after finishing 35-5. Carroll has reached at least the third round of the playoffs six straight years. Carroll lost one of its best players to an injury, as 6-2 outside/right-side hitter Audree Hughes, who is committed to Providence, tore her ACL in the spring. Players expected to make key contributions are outside hitters Vanessa Glenn and Abigail Clem, middle blocker Finley Orr, right-side hitter Lyla Hyde, setter Mariel Elizondo and libero Collins Alonzo. Elizondo had 23 assists and Alonzo had 20 digs in a five-set win over Austin High in the state championship match.
7. North Forney
Coming off a regional final appearance in 6A Division II, North Forney has three players committed to play college volleyball — middle blocker/right-side hitter Braelyn Patton (Texas A&M), middle blocker Auburn Sheppard (Prairie View A&M) and setter Trynity Alsaid (North Texas).
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8. Northwest Eaton
TCU pledge Lexi Martin is coming off a season in which she had 435 kills and averaged 5.0 kills per set. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi pledge Landri Trice ranked second on the team in kills with 320 and also had 318 digs.
9. Plano West
Senior setter Lola Peters is committed to Tennessee and is rated the 79th-best player in the nation in the Class of 2027. She had 507 assists, 156 kills, 40 aces and 41 blocks for a regional semifinal team. Middle blocker/opposite hitter Claire Boselli is committed to Washington University.
10. Duncanville
Outside hitter Peyton Smith was selected for the U.S. U17 national team that is competing in the FIVB Girls U17 World Championship this month in Santiago, Chile. Smith was a MaxPreps freshman All-American last year and had 721 kills, 412 digs, 58 aces and 35 blocks for a 39-7 team. She ranked among the state’s leaders in kills and was the District 11-6A MVP. Libero/defensive specialist Alina Pinter was the 11-6A co-newcomer of the year as a freshman and had 288 digs and 30 aces. Middle blocker Kaitlyn Polley is also expected to make an impact for a team coming off a regional semifinal appearance.
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Class 5A-others
1. Plano Prestonwood Christian
Prestonwood might be the best team in the state this year — UIL and TAPPS combined. Its roster will include Taylor Johnson (committed to SMU), Nyla Livings (committed to LSU), Naomi Livings (committed to LSU), Gracie White (a transfer from Plano West who is committed to Rice), Elizabeth Kowalchyk (committed to Yale) and Ana Baklenko (committed to Loyola Marymount).
2. Highland Park
After winning the school’s first state title in volleyball, Highland Park will be the favorite to make it two in a row. Junior right-side hitter Sarah Floyd is one of the best players in the nation and is committed to Texas. Senior outside hitter Allie Hudgins is committed to Creighton and is rated the 32nd-best player in the nation. Junior outside hitter Taylor Toomay is committed to Colorado. Senior setter Anna Lee was a MaxPreps junior All-American last year and had 1,428 assists, 392 digs and 57 aces for the 5A Division I state champion. Highland Park is expecting big things from middle hitters Annabelle Strohbehn (a freshman) and Marlee Roehm (a junior).
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3. Argyle
Argyle was the 5A Division II state runner-up last season and has three players who have committed to colleges for volleyball. Those are utility players Betsy Zhang (UT-Dallas), Karsyn Rogers (Arizona State for beach) and libero Alyssa Dickey (Lipscomb). Sophomore outside hitter Alexis Elsey had a spectacular high school debut last year, being named the District 6-5A MVP as a freshman and recording 402 kills, 335 digs, 54 aces and 39 blocks for a 38-4 team.
4. Lovejoy
Lovejoy was a regional finalist last year, the third straight year it has gone at least that far in the playoffs. Lovejoy has won 10 state titles — tied for fourth-most in UIL history — and its most recent championship came in 2023. After leading Frisco Liberty to a Class 5A Division II state semifinal last season, Eighmy Dobbins left to become the head volleyball coach at Lovejoy. Dobbins had a record of 123-35 at Liberty, including 51-3 in district play. Holland Hutchins had 206 kills last season, third most on the team, and Camryn Penn led Lovejoy with 570 assists.
5. McKinney North
McKinney North is on quite a run, reaching the regional semifinals in 2022, finishing as the 5A Division I state runner-up in 2024 and making it to a regional final last year. McKinney North returns two players who had more than 200 kills for a 36-4 team — outside hitters Anna Sayman (282) and Tinley Brubaker (227). McKinney North lost All-American libero Gabi Rodriguez, but libero Brynli Burgess is back after recording 460 digs as a freshman and Sayman had 357 digs. Senior setter Malia McNeal, who is committed to Tarleton State, led the team with 687 assists.
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6. Frisco Reedy
Reedy has been one of the best 5A teams in the state in recent years. It was the state runner-up in 2022 and a regional finalist in 2023 and 2024. Outside hitter/right-side hitter Camryn Corso is rated the 20th-best player in the nation in the Class of 2028.
7. Birdville
Birdville reached a regional final for the second time in four years. Emma Lawless had 415 kills — second most on the team — and averaged 4.0 kills per set for a 28-10 team. Maddie Duckworth was second on the team in assists with 602.
8. Frisco Liberty
Liberty is coming off a 35-5 season in which it was a 5A Division II state semifinalist. Right-side hitter Aubree Pratt had 245 kills, 43 blocks and 55 digs. Middle blocker Emersyn Fink had 213 kills, 46 blocks and 45 digs.
9. Bishop Lynch
Bishop Lynch finished 23-15 last season, the 16th time in 18 years it won at least 20 matches. It topped 30 wins eight times in that span. Kylie Love had 329 kills and Emory Mooney had 184 for the TAPPS 6A state runner-up. Maia Raleigh led the team with 974 assists and also had 332 digs, and Camila Figueroa ranked second on the team with 504 digs.
10. Midlothian
Midlothian was a regional semifinalist last year and is coming off a 28-win season. Libero Sheridan Riles has surpassed 1,000 assists and 1,000 digs in her career and had 700 digs and 41 aces last season. Setter Kyleigh Shaw led her district with 70 aces and 776 assists and added 230 digs as well.