Preseason Volleyball Rankings

In Class 6A, Alpharetta returns at No. 1 after winning back-to-back state titles and completing a perfect 36-0 record this past season. The Raiders graduate several starters from these last two championships—including the reigning Gatorade Player of the Year in Abigail Li. This year’s team will be led by Kennedi White at the attack after her 589 kills last season. Walton debuts at No. 2 ahead of Norcross—which was one of the few teams that took a set against Alpharetta last year. Norcross had one of its best seasons in program history last season compiling a 36-6 overall record and eventually falling to two-time defending state champion Alpharetta in the playoffs 3-1. The Blue Devils have plenty to be optimistic about this upcoming season and will have Ellie Ruth Blue back after her incredible 1,142-assist junior season. The 5-foot-6 setter and A5 Gwinnett standout is a three-year starter that surpassed 1,500 career assists last year and helped her team lock up the No. 1 seed. Notably, Blue led Norcross with 56 assists in the teams 3-1 win over Denmark and she had 51 assists in the Blue Devils 3-2 win over Buford before she tallied 38 assists in the 3-1 defeat to Alpharetta.

Defending state champion Pope returns to No. 1 in Class 5A and will pursue the program’s third state title in the last four years with this year’s loaded group. The Greyhounds won the crown in 2022 and then fell to Alpharetta in 2023 before reclaiming last year’s title. Johns Creek is a team that finished last season ranked No. 7 and is debuting at No. 5 this year. The Gladiators will be returning Class of 2026 prospect Adonia Hailewho surpassed 1,000 career assists last September while starring for the Gladiators. Haile and Johns Creek finished 25-9 last season after dropping a tough 3-2 loss to Sequoyah in the first round. In that defeat, Haile matched her season-high with 28 assists. Haile finished her junior season with a team-high 556 assists and had just 16 ball handling errors in 88 sets played. The 5-foot-7 setter tallied 179 assists as a freshman and then posted 485 assists as a sophomore in 114 sets played. Haile has increased her impact, while decreasing the errors and will be a pivotal piece for Johns Creek this season with both Sara Buoni and Hana Catic returning after breakout sophomore campaigns where they led Johns Creek with 275 and 232 kills, respectively.

Similar to Johns Creek with Haile, Cartersville will return its own Class of 2026 standout with setter Aubree Barrett next season and debuts at No. 4 in Class 4A. Barrett finished this past season with a team-high 527 assists and has 1,179 career assists after posting a breakout sophomore season with 650. As a freshman, the 5-foot-5 Barrett contributed at the net and had 96 kills before transitioning into the teams setter. Class 4A state champion and No. 1 ranked Pace Academy has a lot of talent returning from this past years 43-6 squad that closed out the year on a 10-match win-streak. Additionally, The Knights will be looking to win a ninth-straight state title this season.  Helping to lead the way will be Class of 2026 standout Britton McGurn who led the Knights with 462 assists last season in 98 sets played with just 13 BHE. The 5-foot-6 setter is a multi-sport star that also plays soccer and basketball and is coming off her most productive volleyball season yet. After posting 96 assists and a freshman and 120 assists her sophomore year, McGurn made a major leap forward with 462 assists and is poised for an even bigger senior campaign.

Jefferson returns at No. 1 in Class 3A after claiming its first-ever state title this past season and is followed by No. 2 Chestatee and No. 3 Calhoun. The Class 2A poll is led by Morgan County—which won its second state title since 2022 last year. Class A No. 1 Elite Scholar’s made history last year as a first-ever champion and is back at No. 1 and Hebron Christian leads the Class A-3A Private poll after capturing last year’s title—which was the Golden Lions’ third all-time state title and first since 2017.

Class 6A

1. Alpharetta

2. Walton

3. Norcross

4. North Cobb

5. Buford

6. North Forsyth

7. West Forsyth

8. Marietta

9. North Gwinnett

10. Brookwood

Class 5A

1. Pope

2. Woodward Academy

3. Sequoyah

4. Milton

5. Johns Creek

6. River Ridge

7. Jackson County

8. McIntosh

9. Loganville

10. Lakeside-Evans

Class 4A

1. Pace Academy

2. Blessed Trinity

3. Marist

4. Cartersville

5. Westminster

6. North Oconee

7. East Forsyth

8. Union Grove

9. Kell

10. Midtown

Class 3A

1. Jefferson

2. Chestatee

3. Calhoun

4. Richmond Academy

5. Oconee County

6. White County

7. Sandy Creek

8. LaFayette

9. Heritage-Catoosa

10. Cherokee Bluff

Class 2A

1. Morgan County

2. Savannah Arts

3. Columbus

4. East Jackson

5. Coahulla Creek

6. Hart County

7. Ringgold

8. Davidson Fine Arts

9. Sonoraville

10. Jackson

Class A

1. Elite Scholar’s Academy

2. Gordon Lee

3. Bremen

4. Oglethorpe County

5. Fannin County

6. Armuchee

7. Lake Oconee Academy

8. Pepperell

9. Model

10. Thomasville

Class A-3A Private

1. Hebron Christian

2. Lovett

3. Holy Innocents’

4. Mt. Pisgah

5. Mt. Paran

6. Savannah Christian

7. St. Vincent’s

8. Trinity Christian

9. Greater Atlanta Christian

10. North Cobb Christian

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