2026 Hampton Roads Girls Volleyball Preview

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Storylines


Grassfield two-fer? - It’s bold to make a prediction that a school could sweep the boys and girls state championships for the same sport. Fortunately, Grizzlies head coach Sarah Heck has not made that prediction and neither has her coaching colleague Fred Myers. It won’t be made here either, but the argument for the Grassfield girls making a run for the Class 6 championship on November 21 at Virginia State University is strong. They return two first-team All-State players. More on them.




Battle in the Beach - Six teams won 10 games or more in the District last year, and they are all tough again. Keep an eye on the standings. Last season, the order of finish went Kellam (15-1 in BD), Cox (13-3), First Colonial (12-4), Ocean Lakes (11-5), Kempsville (10-6) and Landstown (10-6). 


Bayside’s Isabella Castro may be one of the more underrated liberos on the Southside. Stay tuned. The Marlins were one win from the playoffs last year. If they get over the hump and earn post-season play, Castro or fellow senior Isabella Vargas, may be the catalysts.


Too Tall in the TCIS - Norfolk Academy (23-4 in 2025) should run with the lead dogs again. They lost four key seniors, but will try again with seniors Michela Betancourt and Allie Wright. Returning TCIS champ Catholic was 25-8 last year and should get great production for junior libero Tara Gonzelles and setter Brooklyn Beverly. Peninsula Catholic (18-10) will make noise. Even Norfolk Collegiate, 4-17 last season, will have two towering junior middle blockers, six-foot junior Emma Slawson-Blevins, and 6-3 Lila Kilduff, in their rotation.


Monarch Repeat? - Menchville earned a spot in the Class 5B final last year. The Monarchs were hit by graduation, but will return with a young team ready to challenge Woodside and others for a Region 5A berth.


Three from the Metro - StoneBridge gets most of the ink in the Metro Conference. A 38-0 season will do that. But there are three other credible teams, and they could win a state title at a lower VISAA level. The Gators of Greenbrier Christian Academy (21-11-1) were conference runner-ups. Gateway Christian was third at 10-4 (17-9 overall), while Denbigh Baptist won 20 games while competing in the VISAA Division 4.


Five players you should know

  1. Ryann Bothof - Grassfield - senior libero - The top libero in the 757, at five-foot-three, Bothof is a Class 6 All-State, and Region 6A first team returnee, and posted 48 aces, 338 digs for the Grizzlies in 2025.

  2. Benisa Moore - Grassfield - senior outside hitter - First team for Class 6, Moore and Bothof may have to share votes for Player of the Year if Grassfield makes a deep playoff run. She scored 210 kills last season.

  3. Avery Osler - Cox - junior outside hitter - Osler led the Falcons in kills two seasons ago, but the six-foot senior has added versatility to her repertoire..

  4. Lyla Shannon - Ocean Lakes - senior middle hitter - the 6-1 middle hitter was a Class 5 first-team All-Stater last year and will give the Dolphins strength in the middle.

  5. Nicole Haywood - Jamestown - senior outside hitter - First Team Class 4 All-State, Haywood landed 267 kills, 72 aces and 246 digs for Coach Tom Stephenson’s squad.


757Teamz Top 15 (record in 2025)

  1. Grassfield (19-6) - Ryann and Moore and slam the door. 

  2. Kellam (24-4) - A perennial favorite. Outside hitter Mia Schmidt is “a force to be reckoned,” according to coach Keira Peoples. She will be joined by returning setter Emmie Irving, who “can play defensive and is quick to the ball,” Peoples added.  Other new names will emerge throughout the season, including a quintet of seniors (Alex Clay, Skyler Witte, Mia Lynch, Chloe Robinson, Tatianna Villeareal). An opening game matchup against First Colonial will be telling for both teams.

  3. Ocean Lakes (19-9) - Santina Marcheva will be tough to replace, but Shannon is a force of her own. Look for more production from Sienna Carr.

  4. First Colonial (14-10) - Seniors Sophie Buddenhagen (MH) and Elisa Chamness (DS) are fourth-year players in Coach Edie Magula’s program, and they will be bolstered by junior Reese Parker (MH) and sophomore outside hitter Avery Alderks. According to Mahula, “the balance of the roster will compete for court time and challenge the returning starters.”

  5. StoneBridge (38-0) - A strong core of players returns to the Cavaliers, led by Libble Plumlee (308 digs, 51 kills, 47 aces), who can play libero, outside hitter or setter. Junior Nicole Weatherford was injured at the end of last year’s VISAA Division 2 championship run, but is back and ready to roll. Outside hitter Maddy Wartick, the Division 2 Player of the Year in 2025, is also returning.

  6. Cox (18-7) - Osler is the ace (no pun intended) among the group, but the Falcons will also rely heavily on senior libero June Culicerto, senior setter Caroline Butkonce and junior middle back India Starr. If Kellam or First Colonial hits a rough patch, the Falcons will already be near the top of the Beach standings.

  7. Grafton (24-1) - The Clippers raced to a #1 ranking and Region 4A title and 24-0 start before hitting a brick wall in the state semifinal. Ana and Alivia Breckons, a senior and sophomore, will be the team centerpiece in 2026. Ana had 245 kills and 55 blocks while earning second-team All-State Class 4 honors. Alivia added 154 kills and 61 aces to win a first-team All-Region nod. Senior setter Savanna LaGrand is new to the program, but junior libero Emma DeLa Hunt is a returnee. Clippers should face a challenge from Jamestown, but one of the two should win the Bay Rivers District.

  8. Woodside (18-2) - The Wolverines almost strictly stuck to a district schedule last season, going 15-1. They defeated Nansemond River in their first Region 5A game, but dropped to eventual champ Menchville.

  9. Norfolk Academy (20-4) - Betancourt and Wright will get sturdy support from junior libero Alex Marino and returning sophomore middle Caitlyn Thompson. Coach Trish Hopkins said that, “they will have to rebuild last season’s offensive capability to compete in the TCIS.”

  10. Maury (20-2) - Sticking to Eastern District games helped the Commodores jet to an 18-0 start. Unfortunately, it hindered them in the postseason.

  11. Menchville (19-5) - Ava Carter is the top returner for the Monarchs as they race Woodside to the Peninsula District championship.

  12. Indian River (17-6) - The Braves are young, but hungry.

  13. Catholic (25-8) - Juniors Isabella Shepherd (MB) and Annabelle Bailey (OH) may be the breakout players in the conference. If so, the Crusaders could repeat as TCIS champions.

  14. Landstown (15-9) - Senior Alyssa Ellerbe will be graduating early, and the senior middle backer (205 kills, 94 blocks in ‘25) would like a few upset wins for a going away present. Juniors Cheyenne Wright and Miya-Marie Wyche will do their best to oblige.

  15. Jamestown (16-8) - Haywood isn’t alone. Others in the Eagle rotation include three first-team All Region 4A players - Opposite hitter Senah Drazdowski (252 assists, 133 digs), outside hitter Sophia Mayes (220 kills, 225 digs), and Genesis Anderson Tayman (100 kills, 94 blocks). The team’s fourth win this season will be Stephenson’s 400th.

Other teams to watch: Poquoson (18-7), Tabb (16-8), Kempsville (15-8), Phoebus (15-7), Western Branch (12-9).


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