The 2026 UIL high school volleyball season begins around the state this week. Here are the top 10 Central Texas teams heading into the season, which will be altered thanks to UIL realignment that moved Austin-area power Cedar Park up to Class 6A and split off two of the area’s top 6A teams — Westlake and Lake Travis — from their former district to move north into a district made up of the Round Rock schools.
Speaking of that new district, three of the top six teams in our list of the area’s top 10 preseason teams hail from District 25-6A:
1. Westlake Chaparrals
The Chaps (31-16 last year) are young and very talented, returning All-Central Texas player Clayton Kelly as well as 2025 Central Texas newcomer of the year Geralynn Byers-Veal plus a new group of talented underclassmen. Westlake coach Miguel Saenz fields more of the top fundamentals and ball-handling teams in the state and the Chaps are positioned to be the top team in of the state’s best Class 6A districts.
2. Wimberley Texans
Wimberley (46-6) was a Class 4A state runner-up last year after winning the state title in 2024. The Texans, boosted by a premier attacker in Trinity Laney, have their eyes on a third straight trip to the state finals under third-year head coach Misty Fletcher, who has managed more than 80 wins through her first two seasons. Kara Thames will step in a big defensive role while Ellen Watson has been part of both state teams and will be a go-to player this season.
2025-26 BREAZEALE CUP:How did 4A Wimberley top 6A Westlake as our top sports program? Consistency.
3. Weiss Wolfpack
Weiss (39-9) welcomes back Ava Jackson, a sensational setter who notched 1,251 assists (an average of nearly 10 assists per set) while adding 302 digs last year. Junior outside hitter Deja Carroll recorded 455 kills as a sophomore while middle blocker Addison Gottschalk put up 59 blocks. The Wolfpack were hit hard by graduation — parting with former standouts Rihanna Bryant (Lamar), Madison Amina and Ashley Go (Incarnate Word) — but return a stellar younger group.
4. Lake Travis Cavaliers
All-American outside hitter Gentry Barker leads Lake Travis (34-12), which has a new head coach in Rachel Anglin as well as a new district as the Cavs and Westlake were moved into the Round Rock district. Cavs libero Xyanna Stephens is back as are middle blockers Kayla Reese and Hannah Sawtelle along with power-hitting Maggie Wheeler on the outside.
5. Johnson Jaguars
Johnson (35-11) returns multi-talented Mya Ibarra, who was the 2024 Central Texas newcomer of the year and a second-team selection last year, plus standouts Treycee Creek and Chloe Sweitzer. It’s also a new district lineup as Johnson now is paired with Dripping Springs — Johnson coach Thomas Kane has built the Jaguars into a perennial playoff team while Dripping Springs is led by Michael Kane, Thomas’ brother. The two teams are co-favorites to win District 26-6A.
6. Round Rock Dragons
Another of the new-look District 25-6A power programs, Round Rock (38-9) must now contend with Westlake and Lake Travis for the next two years thanks to UIL realignment. But at least the Dragons return star middle blockers Kerington Thornton, who’s 6-foot-4, and Emily Brown, a sophomore. Outside hitters Brooklyn Bradley and Savannah Johnson are back too and sophomore libero Isa Cordaway-Dreier, a third-team All-Central Texas pick, is one of the state’s premier defenders. The Dragons will be very competitive.
7. Dripping Springs Tigers
Four-year All-American Henley Anderson is now a Texas Longhorn, but veteran head coach Michael Kane has his Tigers as co-district favorites with the return of all-district players Madison Sestak and Alexa Sandoval as well as letterwinners Liv Hauerland, Emily Varnell and Drew Fuquay. Dripping Springs went 29-19 last year.
8. Anderson Trojans
Anderson (26-12) is the defending district champion and the state-ranked Trojans look primed for another run behind power-hitting Chloe Frizzell and six-rotation standout Piper Poage. Also back are Julyana Harris, Taylor Watts, Henley Magee, Juliet Anderson and Evelyn Holmes.
9. Vandegrift Vipers
Head coach Melissa Southall has led Vandegrift (23-21) to the state playoffs the past nine seasons and the Vipers are poised for a 10th behind the play of middle blocker Audrey Hedlund, who put up 117 blocks last year, and Sadie Jorgensen, who added 80 — Vandegrift has a strong net defending front. Outside hitter Naina Rao also returns along with libero Isobel Cullen.
10. Austin High Maroons
No team in Central Texas graduated more talent than the Maroons (41-7), who said goodbye to a pair of Division I stars in outside hitter Riley Malloy (USC) and setter Maggie McCarroll (Arkansas). But they suffered another blow this summer when All-American middle blocker Camille Presley reclassified from the Class of 2027 to the Class of 2026, graduated early and headed off to play for Texas. That leaves Austin High in rebuilding mode around returning setter Nora Bettis, libero Laven Blumoff and outside hitters Wesley McGinnis and Kyndall Anding…