With volleyball season approaching, 2025 is shaping up to be as strong as, if not stronger than, last year, when three local teams reached the postseason and two advanced through multiple rounds.
Argyle won a district championship last season, finished 39-6 overall and reached the state semifinals.
Coach Katelyn Johnson said that expectations for 2025 are high again, but added the team did lose some serious firepower to graduation.
“Each year is a new opportunity with a different group of athletes, and we are looking forward to a really fun season,” Johnson said. “We graduated eight seniors last season, and six of those seniors are moving on to play at the collegiate level. We have had a great offseason this spring and an amazing summer. We are so proud of the investment from the girls to honor the tradition and work for success in the future. We will be young, but our returners are ready to lead, and our future is bright.”
Argyle returns four starters, including Betsy Zhang, setter Karsyn Rogers, middle blocker Ella Roberts and DS Teagan Barnett, the anchor of the back row.
Johnson said she believes Colleyville Heritage, Birdville and Grapevine will be the teams to beat in district this season and said to repeat the success her team enjoyed last season, it will have to do the little things right.
“Volleyball is competitive but so fun in our area,” Johnson said. “Every night is a tough match. Our goal is to work hard in practice and be the best version of ourselves daily. If we take care of the things that we can control, we will find success.”
Up the road at Liberty Christian, the Warriors won their seventh consecutive district title in 2024, and coach Megan DeGroot said her team will also have to contend with youth.
“We are very young but have a lot of quality, aggressive players,” DeGroot said. “We have eight returning from last year with only two starters and adding five underclassmen. If we can be consistent and smart, we will be lethal.”
DeGroot said that unfortunately, one of her starters, Elizabeth Goodlett, is out until late September from knee surgery, but Georgia Rollins, Liberty’s libero will be returning.
The Warriors also have two promising move-ins from Ponder in Bailey and Brooklyn Kimberlin, and said she anticipates a dog fight every night of district play.
“Our district is incredibly small, so everyone is out for blood,” DeGroot said. “No one can be swept under the rug to say the least. Nolan, however, will be our toughest opponent.”
To get back to the playoffs and hopefully claim their eighth straight district title, DeGroot said it will take a couple of things.
“Making the postseason will be highly affected by how tough our competition was going into district,” DeGroot said. “Much of the reason we lost in regionals was because we had not been pushed enough leading up to district and during district. With our schedule this year, I think we have adequately set up our team for tougher opponents later in the season.”
Up in Denton, things could have gone a little better for the Guyer volleyball team in 2024, as the Wildcats finished 11-23 overall with a 6-8 mark in 5-6A competition.
Guyer missed the postseason by one spot in 2024.
The Wildcats will look to rebound this season under new head coach Lauren Wright.
Guyer will be led by 2024 first-team all-district selection Malayna Boyles and last year’s 5-6A Newcomer of the Year Chloe Marenic.
Over in Flower Mound, the Jaguars were 23-16 overall last season, finished as the district runner up and fell in the bi-district round to Plano West.
Coach Jamie Siegel said things appear to be shaping up well for 2025.
“We are very excited about this upcoming season,” Siegel said. “We have a competitive preseason schedule, followed by competitive district play.”
Siegel said she expects Aleah “Tootie” Edmond, Hayden Curtis, Geli St. Laurent, Char Young, Caitlyn Axton and Holly Atkinson to have a big season this upcoming fall.
The Jags returned four starters from last year’s squad, and Siegel said if her players want to get back to the playoffs, they will need the right mindset and solidarity.
“It will take mental toughness, buy in, and sticking together as a family,” Siegel said.
Across town at Marcus, the Marauders are looking to rebound from an 8-29 season in 2024 and sixth place finish in district.
Coach Lindsey Petzold said she is expecting a better showing from her team this coming season.
“Our expectations are to compete at a high level, to win more matches and work to make the top four,” Petzold said. “The experience our younger players got last year at the Varsity level will be beneficial to our success this season.”
Marcus returns three starters from last year’s team, and she looks for a couple of players to lead the way.
“We are looking to our senior, Ashtyn Good, to step up this season as a big blocker, while also scoring points for us,” Petzold said. “Emerson Ortmeier, 6 rotation outside hitter, was the most consistent last season, and we are looking forward to her consistency and leadership to shine.”
Petzold said she believes Flower Mound is the team to beat in district this season, and while her team has had some obstacles, she believes it will be improved in 2025.
“We lost a big block on the right side in Camila Salazar and Morgan Menard,” Petzold said. “We also had a late injury in offseason and will be missing Avery Snyder this season who led us in blocks. Our team has worked on building relationships and trust this off season. We expect our team to be more cohesive and confident this season. We are excited that we will have several options on the front row.”
To earn a playoff spot this season, Petzold said her team “will have to show up to compete in every single match versus all our opponents, not taking anyone for granted.”
Over in Justin, the Texans went 25-13 overall and 8-8 in district, just missing the playoffs to finish in fifth place in 2024.
Coach Jennifer Chandler said her team is in a good position this season to get into the top four.
“This year we return 12 players, including 10 seniors,” Chandler said. “This team has a lot of passion, purpose, and determination to get into the playoffs after an adjustment year moving up to 6A. We have 10 seniors that have worked hard all offseason, during the summer, and are motivated to make this last one be the best one.”
Chandler has six returning starters including two four-year starters in Levariya Pinder and Kiley Brooks, whom she expects to set the tone this season.
“They have been huge contributors for our varsity since their freshman year and what a blessing it has been to witness their growth and maturity,” Chandler said. “They both have hit career milestones – Vari with over 1,200 kills and is on pace to hit 1,000 digs; Kiley with 1,700 digs and motivated to hit 2,000. These two have been hard-working, committed, and determined leaders that love their teammates the most.”
Chandler said there is no easy out in district this season, but said Byron Nelson looks especially tough, and said to make the playoffs in 2025, her players will just need to play to their abilities.
“Our team will need to train hard every day and make every game day an opportunity to win regardless of who our opponent is,” Chandler said. “We have some versatility and depth this year that will allow us to be creative with match ups. Our kids are gritty and play with heart, so as coaches, we know our kids will come in and compete. With the experience gained last season, we are locked in to finish a journey that began last year.”
