MaxPreps Preseason Top 25 Volleyball Early Contenders: Nos. 10-6

We continue our countdown of the 2015 Preseason Top 25 Volleyball Rankings, presented by Asics, with Nos. 10-6.

Be sure to check out the previous teams, and come back as we continue to release the top volleyball teams in the country entering the 2015 season.



Division: 6A (state's largest division)
2014 record: 37-0, 6A state title, lost just two matches in 2014.
Head coach: Teresa Zimmerlee

A former player at Southern Oregon University, Zimmerlee has coached Jesuit to 17-straight Metro League titles.

Key Returnees:

Nicole Peterson (San Francisco for indoor and sand): The 6-1 senior outside hitter was named Oregon's 6A POY as a junior. She is a power hitter elite.

Ariana Wiltjer: The 6-5 senior is the sister of Gonzaga All-American basketball player Kyle Wiltjer.

Jasmine Gross (Pepperdine): The 6-3 standout completes the front line. She hits and blocks.

Other Returnees: 6-4 junior Kathryn Decker (Santa Clara), 5-4 libero Grace Massey, 5-10 hitter Claire Zanon and Mackenzie Bates each played more than 50 sets last season.

Key Losses: All-American setter Symore Tran (Seattle Pacific).

2015 Outlook: If Jesuit finds a setter to replace Tran, expect the win streak to get lengthy. With Peterson, Wiltjer and Gross, they have a collegiate-sized front row. Eight of the 11 first team All-Metro League selections were Crusaders in 2014, and six return. The team is loaded with future next-level players.

2015 Toughest Opponent: Crosstown rival Central Catholic (35-6) was the only team to take a set from Jesuit in 2014. They did it twice, losing 3-1 teach time.

Notable: In the last 10 seasons, Jesuit has won four state volleyball titles and has won 30 or matches five times.

Coach's Comment: "We will achieve these goals by coming to practice and matches with intensity and focus," said Zimmerlee. "We are always looking for ways to improve our individual and team performance."


Division: 6A (largest in state)
2015 record: 43-4 (lost in 6A state regionals)
Head coach: Ryan Mitchell

Mitchell coached Lovejoy (Lucas) to five state titles. He had a won-loss record of 315-14 at Lovejoy.

Key Returnees:

Haley Hallgren: The 6-1 junior outside hitter has been selected to the USA 17U National Team. She will be representing the U.S. in Acapulco. She is the first beach volleyball player from Texas to ever represent the USA in international competition.

Megan Porter: The 6-1 senior outside hitter was named first team All-District 7-6A.

Other Returnees: Six-foot senior Elizabeth Augustini, Lisie Kit (Clemson), 5-11 Remy Fairchild (Villanova), Rachel Meyne, Brayden Gruenewald, Alli Bliss and 6-3 sophomore Asjia O'Neal.

Top Newcomer: Claire Payne (5-7 libero).

Key Losses: Madison Drescher (Oklahoma).

2015 Outlook: This team is loaded with depth, experience, size and excellent athletes. And it has Hallgren, who can play any position. She is one of the best in the country. O'Neal has been called "the next great player."

2015 Toughest Opponent: Heritage (Colleyville, Texas) beat Carroll twice and went 12-0 in the 6A Region 1 District 7 Conference last year and return sophomore Lauren Evans and senior Allison Jackson.

Notable: A setter during his collegiate playing days at Dallas Baptist, Mitchell coached Lovejoy (Lucas) to five state titles. Asjia O'Neal is the daughter of former NBA star Jermaine O'Neal.

Coach's Comment: "My upcoming team will be exciting watch this 2015 season and should be interesting, boasting only four seniors on the roster in the upcoming campaign." said Mitchell. "The expectations for this team are to win a challenging district and compete to represent the region at the state tournament. Weaknesses of this team are putting a lot of new players in key positions and working to get everyone to play together as a team. The team will rely a great deal on Hallgren ... She is a great passer, dynamic on offense and can set as well if needed. In addition to the seniors, Lisie Kit will be running the offense as setter after helping set last year, and will be more a part of the offense.


Division: 5A D1 (largest in state)
2014 record: 37-4 (reached 5A state semifinals)
Head coach: Lamar-Renee Bryant

Bryant led Morgan State to conference titles in 1997-1998 and was a two-time All Academic Conference Selection. In 1999 she earned the prestigious Arthur Ashe Jr. Scholars award that recognizes academic excellence, community activism, and athletic prowess.

Key Returnees:

Khalia Lanier (USC): The 6-2 senior is a three-time MaxPreps honoree. Lanier is a powerful hitter (5.1 kills per set), but she is agile (3.5 digs and 45 aces). The daughter of NBA Hall of Famer Bob Lanier, she was named to the U.S. Women's Junior National training team and has never achieved less than an "A" in any class.

Callie Jones (Santa Clara): The standout setter is expect to go out in a big way. Jones does it all and averaged 8.2 assists per set. She was named to the All-State honorable mention list.

Other Returnees: Senior libero Kristen Largay (525 serve receptions and and 5.1 digs per set), and 6-0 sophomore outside hitter Lanie Wagner. Largay, who is also a beach standout, and Wagner received All-State mention honors.

Key Losses: Molly Scheel (TCU) and Kate Even (Dominican).

2015 Outlook: Last year, coming up a little short with a loss to crosstown rival Hamilton in the 5A D-I semifinal has the Gators more determined to get back on top. With five starters returning and coming off outstanding club seasons, the Gators are primed to make a run at the state title. Arizona went through a realignment and 5A D-I is more competitive than ever with only 25 teams in the toughest division in the state. But this team is up for the challenge, with five highly motivated seniors.

2015 Toughest Opponent: Hamilton will be out to prove that the 2014 state title was not a fluke, and returns 6-3 junior hitter Preslie Anderson (Georgia) and libero Hailey Babcock.

Notable: The Gators own 10 state titles and have won 33 or more matches in each season since since 2007.

Coach's Comments: "Lanier is ready to lead the Gators for her senior campaign and put her mark on the record books before she heads off to USC next fall," said Bryant. "This is going to be a special year for all five seniors. Largay and Jones are battle-tested and come into this season with confidence and assured of their roles for the 2015 season. The 2015 schedule is toughest the Gators have seen in several years."

Division: 7A (second largest in state)
2014 record: 28-4 (7A runner-up)
Head coach: Kimberly Vach

Vach coached previously at Winter Springs, then bowed out to focus on coaching her daughters — Sydney and Savannah — at the Orlando Volleyball Academy. She returned in 2013 when Sydney started at Winter Springs. This season, she will coach both Sydney and Savannah.

Key Returnees:

Payton Caffrey (West Virginia): The 5-11 senior outside hitter averaged 5.7 kills (50.2 pct.) per set last season.

Bailey Johnson (Florida Gulf Coast): The 6-0 senior middle blocker averaged 3.5 kills (53.8 pct.) and a block per set last season.

Jenna Smith (High Point): The senior setter averaged 10.7 assists per set. She also serves at a 97.6 clip.

Other Returnees: OH Tiana Small, libero Sydney Vach, libero Maria McLamb, 6-2 Elsa Peterson, 6-2 Taylor Ferrell and 6-0 Rebekah Bollinger.

Top Newcomers: Freshmen Savannah Vach and Addy Warfield.

Key Losses: Sally Fernandez, the only senior on 2014 squad.

2015 Outlook: Everything seems to be in place — height, experience, ball-handling and a lot of motivation to improve on the state runner-up finish from a year ago.

2015 Toughest opponent: No. 6 P.K. Yonge.

Notable: Vach has won three national championships while coaching for Orlando Volleyball Academy. Bollinger's dad, Brian, played in the NFL with the 49ers that won Super Bowl XXIX.

View the entire Winter Springs preseason photo shoot gallery

Coach's Comment: "We will be very balanced this season," said Vach. "We have a lot of very good hitters, but we also have a lot of very good defenders. We have a lot of experience and a lot of players who can play six rotations. We've got a tough schedule and will take a couple of losses, but it will help us in the long run. Our expectation is to be in the state final game.


Division: 3A (dropped from 4A for 2015-2016 school year)
2014 Finish: 30-2 (won State 4A title and final 19 matches)
Head coach: Chad Davis

Davis, who was named the Coach of the Year in Class 4A by the Florida Dairy Farmers in 2014, is entering his 14th season with Gainesville Juniors and his fifth as Executive Director after four seasons serving as the Director of Coaching. Davis has guided 12 teams to the USAV Nationals with three teams earning top 10 in the nation, most recently his 2014 16 Elite Team won the AAU Club National Championship.

Key Returnees:

Jac'cara Walker (Miss. State): The 5-10 senior plays much taller. She totaled 364 kills (4.2 with a 52 percent kill ratio), served at 93 percent, had 272 digs (3.2) and 145 service points. She was named Florida's 4A Player of the Year. She's a three-time MaxPreps All-American.

Gabby O'Connell: The 5-11 senior middle was part of one of the state's top front lines for the 30-2 Blue Wave. She's a consistent performer who had 329 kills, 211 digs, 27 blocks, 196 service points and 42 aces.

Amanda Phegley: The 6-4 sophomore middle made an impact in her first season along Blue Wave front line with 221 kills and 61 blocks. She is on everyone's recruiting list.

Other Returnees: Seniors Kiki Sermons (5-9) and Sammy Mueller (5-5 setter with 11.1 assists per set a year ago with All-Area and All-State credentials).

Key Losses: Courtney Chappell, the lone senior on the 2014 squad.

2015 Outlook: Look for seniors Walker, Sermons, Mueller and O'Connell to go out in a big way. They have experience and athleticism. Yonge lost just one senior from a 30-2 team that outscored its opponents 86-9.

2015 Toughest Opponent: A lot to choose from as P.K. Yonge always plays the best teams around. Big tournaments this year include Berkeley Prep and Nike Invite. Plus, 7A powers St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) and No. 7 Winter Springs (Fla.), along with 5A Bishop Moore (Orlando, Fla.) and 8A Apopka (Fla.) are on the regular season schedule.

Notable: The team's only 2014 losses were to Winter Springs and Mercy (Louisville, Ky.), teams that combined to win 69 of 75 matches.

Coach comment: After winning the 2014 4A title, Chad Davis was quoted in the Gainesville Sun: "The greatest team in P.K Yonge history is now one of the greatest teams in Gainesville history. It is all about our girls. The unbelievable work ethic and sending our lone senior (Courtney Chappell) out the right way and establishing a tradition now. It shows if you give everything you've got, even on the days that are not so fun and get tough and difficult, you can have the ultimate reward."