Top 25 national high school volleyball rankings (8/21/2024)

No. 6 Pace Academy and No. 9 Alpharetta are off to fast starts in Georgia

After winning the Georgia Class 4A state title last year, the Pace (Georgia) volleyball is off to a 7-0 start in 2024. The Knights are up to No. 6 in this week's SBLive National High School Volleyball Rankings. / Gregg Pachkowski / gregg@pnj.com / USA TODAY NETWORK

Things are going just peachy in Georgia high school volleyball this season as two schools are ranked in the top 10 of the SBLive Power 25 National Girls volleyball rankings.

Pace Academy out of Atlanta, which last year won the Class 4A state championship, is off to a 7-0 start. The Knights, who have won 25 straight matches, rose three spots to No. 6 in this week’s poll.

Just a little to the north, Alpharetta has raced to a blistering 13-0 start and the No. 9 spot, rising seven spots from last week. The defending state champ Raiders have recorded 11 sweeps, thus far.

Meanwhile, California Catholic school power Mater Dei remained at No. 1 after winning its first two matches. Defending SBLive national champion Hamilton Southeastern (Fishers, Ind.) also won its first two matches, extending its win streak to an impressive 69 matches.

Mater Dei is coming off a 43-2 season in which it won the CIF Open Division state championship – their seventh overall. The Monarchs also won the Volleypalooza (Texas) and Durango Fall Classic (Nev.) titles last season.

The SBLive Power 25 national high school volleyball rankings include teams affiliated with state high school athletic associations in the state they compete in or those allowed to play affiliate high schools in their home state and beyond.

The rankings will be released weekly throughout the 2024 volleyball season. Find the complete breakdown of the preseason SBLive Power 25 below.

The Power 25 rankings are compiled by SBLive freelancer Jeff Gardenour based on research and conversations with an extensive network of coaching and media sources across the nation. Reach Jeff on Twitter @JMarkG1962 or email him at jgardenour1962@gmail.com.

1. Mater Dei (Santa Ana, California) (2-0)

Last week: 1 

The defending CIF Open Division state champs opened the season with a pair of 2-0 sweeps of Foothill (Santa Ana) and San Clemente. Junior outside hitter Kaia Ciszewski, senior outside hitter Presley Kiffin, senior Libero Sydney Raszewski, and junior setter Sam Capinpin are leading the way for Mater Dei.

2. Hamilton Southeastern (Fishers, Ind.) (2-0)

Last week: 2 

SBLive’s defending national champion extended its win streak to an incredible 69 matches dating to the second match of the 2022 season with a pair of 3-0 victories against McCutcheon (Lafayette) and Warsaw to open the 2024 season.

3. Prestonwood Christian Academy (Plano, Texas) (7-1)

Last week: 4 

The defending TAPPS Class 6A state champion bounced back from a surprising 2-1 loss to Southlake Carroll in the season’s second match by ripping off six straight sweeps, including a 2-0 knockout of then-No. 17 Cornerstone Christian (San Antonio), to stand at 7-1 after a week of action.

4. Wayzata (Plymouth, Minn.) (0-0)

Last week: 5 

The four-time defending MSHSL Class AAAA state champs open the season on Tuesday, Aug. 27, against Edina, and then visit East Ridge (Woodbury) on Thursday, Aug. 29.

5. Cathedral Catholic (San Diego, Calif.) (0-0)

Last week: 6 

The Dons, who last year fell to Mater Dei, 3-1, in the 2023 CIF Open Division state semifinals, open the season against Canyon Crest Academy (San Diego) on Aug. 29.

6. Pace Academy (Atlanta, Georgia) (7-0)

Last week: 9 

The defending Class 4A state champ Knights are off to a red-hot 7-0 start, extending their win streak to 25 matches dating to last season. They were scheduled to play Westlake, Centennial, North Atlanta and Sandy Creek this week.

7. Grand Oaks (Spring, Texas) (7-2)

Last week: 3 

The Grizzlies last year lost only one match en route to winning the 2023 UIL Texas Volleyball Class 6A state championship, but they lost 11 seniors from that squad. Grand Oaks already is feeling the loss after falling to Fulshear, 3-1, in its season-opener, snapping a 24-match win streak. But the Grizzlies bounced back by going 6-1 and finishing second in the 48-team Katy/Cy-Fair Tournament.

8. Divine Savior Holy Angels (Milwaukee, Wisconsin) (0-0)

Last week: 7 

The defending WIAA Division 1 state champs were scheduled to open the season on Friday, Aug. 30, against an opponent to be determined.

9. Alpharetta (Georgia) (13-0)

Last week: 16 

The defending state champ Raiders are off to a smoking 13-0 start (11 sweeps) behind the play of senior outside hitter Brooke Boyles, senior middle hitter Madison McLin, junior outside hitter Stephanie Payne, sophomore Libero Kailey Leonard and senior setter Abigail Li.

10. Mira Costa (Manhattan Beach, Calif.) (5-2)

Last week: 8 

The Mustangs, who last year lost to 2022 national champion Cathedral Catholic, 3-1, in the second round of the 2023 CIF State Girls Volleyball Championships, raced to a 5-0 start before losing to Texas power Byron Nelson (Trophy Club), 2-1, and Redondo (Beach) Union, 2-0. They take on Marymount on Thursday, Aug. 22.

11. Assumption (Louisville, Ky.) (0-0)

Last week: 10 

The defending KHSAA volleyball state champs were scheduled to play Male High and Presentation this week to open the season.

12. Dike-New Hartford (Dike, Iowa) (0-0)

Last week: 11 

The Wolverines are coming their first-ever undefeated season and Class 2A state championship – the team’s third title in four years, and 16th overall. D-NH opens the season on Sept. 3 against Columbus (Waterloo) and Denver (Iowa).

13. Mother McAuley (Chicago) (0-0)

Last week: 12 

The defending IHSA Class 4A state champ – its 17th state title – opens its season on Aug. 27 against Joliet Catholic.

14. Cornerstone Christian (San Antonio, Texas) (8-1)

Last week: 17 

The Warriors are off to an 8-1 start, losing only to Texas power Prestonwood Christian. Leading the way are senior outside hitters Megan Fitch and Aniya Hall, senior middle hitter Elly Stewart, and senior setter Kaia Thiele.

15. Carrollwood Day School (Tampa) (1-0)

Last week: 13 

The defending Class 3A state champion Patriots pushed their winning streak to 15 with a 3-1 victory against Polk Christian Prep (Lakeland).

16. Kamehameha Kapalama (Honolulu) (0-0)

Last week: 14 

The Warriors last year won the HHSAA Division 1 state championship – their 24th state title – and were scheduled to open the season on Aug. 22 against an opponent to be determined.

17. Archbishop Mitty (San Jose, California) (0-0)

Last week: 15 

The Monarchs last year lost to Mater Dei in the CIF Open Division state championship match. They open the season on Thursday, Aug. 29, against Los Gatos.

18. Lake Catholic (Mentor, Ohio) (0-0)

Last week: 18 

The defending OHSAA Division III state champs were scheduled to open the season this week against St. Joseph Academy (Cleveland).

19. Valor Christian (Highlands, Ranch, Colo.) (0-0)

Last week: 19 

The defending 5A state champion Eagles, who have won 58 consecutive matches, open the season on Aug. 27 at Palmer Ridge (Monument).

20. Flint Hill (Oakton, Va.) (0-0)

Last week: 20 

The Huskies last year repeated as Division I Virginia Independent Schools Athletic Association (VISAA) state champ and won the Independent School League Division AA tournament. The Washington, D.C., area powerhouse visits Charles J. Colgan (Manassas) for its season opener on Saturday, Aug. 24.

21. Benet Academy (Lisle, Illinois) (0-0)

Last week: 21 

The Redwings last year finished IHSA Class 4A state runner-up. They open the season at Oak Park-River Forest on Aug. 27.

22. Lafayette (Wildwood, Mo.) (0-0)

Last week: 22 

The defending Class 5A state champ enters the 2024 season on a 22-match win streak. The Lancers open the season on Aug. 30 at Pattonville (Maryland Heights).

23. Northville (Michigan) (0-0)

Last week: 23 

The Mustangs, who last year fell to Forest Hills Northern (Grand Rapids) in the 2023 Michigan High School Girls Volleyball state semifinals, open the season against Canton on Aug. 27.

24. St. Francis (Mountain View, Calif.) (0-0)

Last week: 24 

The California power visits McClatchy (Sacramento) to open the season on Aug. 27.

25. Immaculate Heart Academy (Washington Township, N.J.) (0-0)

Last week: 25 

The defending NJSIAA Non-Public A girls state champ Eagles open the season at NV – Demarest on Sept. 9.

Honorable Mention: St. Mary’s Dominican (La.), O’Connor (Ariz.), Bishop Gorman (Nev.), Notre Dame Academy (Ky.), McGill-Toolen (Ala.), Marist (Chicago, Ill.), Sierra Canyon (Calif.), Hudsonville (Mich.), Bob Jones (Madison, Ala.), Huntington Beach (Calif.), Lincoln Southwest (Neb.), Puyallup (Wash.), Oconomowoc (Wisc.), Bellmont (Decatur, Ind.), Byron Nelson (Trophy Club, Texas), Blue Valley North (Overland Park, Kan.), Pope (Marietta, Ga.), Papillion-La Vista South (Neb.).