All six defending champions return for state volleyball championships

The 56th Nebraska School Activities Association state volleyball championships will begin their four-day run in Lincoln on Wednesday. Classes A, B and C-1 will kick off the championships on Wednesday with Classes C-2, D-1 and D-2 playing opening round contests on Thursday. 

Quarterfinal and semifinal matches will be played at Pinnacle Bank Arena before Saturday’s state championship matches are played in John Cook Arena at the Bob Devaney Center. 

All six champions from 2025 are back, highlighted by Papillion-La Vista South going for its fifth championship in the last six years and sixth in the last eight in Class A, and Norris trying for a three-peat in Class B.

Milford seeks its second consecutive title in C-1 after winning its first-ever championship last year, while Amherst tries to do the same in D-1. Freeman in C-2 and Wynot in D-2 are also going for back-to-back titles.

A format change this year sees all six classes swapping start times for their championship matches. Class B moves to the 7 p.m. slot with Class A at 5 p.m.; C-1 moves from 3 p.m. to 1 p.m. while C-2 goes from 1 to 3; and D-1 (9 a.m.) and D-2 (11 a.m.) also swap start times.

Up-to-date championship information will be delivered via the NSAA Volleyball Championship Central page. All first round and state semifinals will be broadcast on the NFHS Network. Saturday’s six championship contests will be broadcast on Nebraska Public Media.

All-Class State Tournament Bracket

CLASS A: Field will again try to chase down Papillion-La Vista South

In a tournament full of familiar faces, the most familiar of them all is back to chase another championship in Nebraska’s largest class.

Papillion-La Vista South is making the familiar journey to Lincoln having won the last two Class A titles, four of the last five, and five of the last seven. The Titans have been in the finals 11 of the past 17 seasons, winning eight championships since 2009.

It’s been a familiar formula for the Titans (24-6). Four of their six losses have come to out-of-state programs, each of which has 27 or more wins. The in-state defeats came early (to Class B Gretna in September) and late (to Omaha Marian in mid-October). Papio South avenged the Marian loss just five days later.

And against the other seven teams in the Class A field, Papio South is 8-1 while dropping just seven sets. The one team Papio South hasn’t seen? Millard North (19-13), which happens to be the Titans’ first-round opponent at 5 p.m. Wednesday in Pinnacle Bank Arena. The Mustangs are at state for the first time since 2019 and won a title in 2018.

An experienced lineup shouldn’t have many jitters under the bright lights. Papio South’s top five attackers are all seniors, and four have more than 200 kills. Finley Moon leads the way with 232 kills Florida Gulf Coast commit Lyric Judson has 209 while hitting .309. Kambria Bails (Wayne State), Maddox Graves (Maryville) and Makenna Sanders (Concordia) give the Titans four college commits.

Elkhorn North (27-4) the top seed, will try to make a splash in its first season in Class A after reaching the Class B state final last season, and will get started against a Papillion-La Vista program making its state record-extending 40th appearance at the state tournament.

A potential Papio South-Omaha Marian semifinal could be on tap, with the No. 3-seeded Crusaders taking on Millard West in the opening round. Marian is seeking its first title and first finals appearance since 2017.

Lincoln North Star, after a run to its first state final last season, is back again and will take on city rival Lincoln Southwest in the other first-round match.

PLAYERS TO WATCH: Reagan Wallraff (Elkhorn North), 446 kills, .367 hitting percentage, 203 digs; Alex Kroll (Lincoln North Star), 995 assists, 34 ace serves, 235 digs, 58 kills; Nia Fonoti (Lincoln Southwest), 894 assists, 47 ace serve, 349 digs; Soso Marin (Millard North), 255 kills, 20 solo blocks, 102 block assists; Averi Bridges (Millard West), 460 digs, 21 ace serves; Taylor McLeay (Omaha Marian), 275 kills, 35 ace serves, 38 blocks, 268 digs; Aubree Fettin (Papillion-La Vista), 192 kills, 49 ace serves, 254 digs; Lyric Judson-Hazlewood (Papillion-La Vista South), 209 kills, 32 ace serves, 60 blocks, .309 hitting percentage.

FIRST-ROUND MATCHUPS (WEDNESDAY). At Pinnacle Bank Arena (North Court) | Elkhorn North (27-4) vs. Papillion-La Vista (19-11), 5 p.m.; Lincoln North Star (23-9) vs. Lincoln Southwest (20-11), 7 p.m. At Pinnacle Bank Arena (South Court) | Papillion-La Vista South (24-6) vs. Millard North (19-13), 5 p.m.; Omaha Marian (25-8) vs. Millard West (23-12), 7 p.m. 

CLASS B: Norris Not Done Yet

You might think it would be just a tiny, little, itty-bitty bit annoying for Norris.

Each of the last two seasons have ended in wildly satisfying state championships, with just one tiny blemish — a “1” in the loss column.

The two-time defending Class B champions come to state again with just a “1” on the right side of the ledger.

But the Titans aren’t worried about that one. Only about finishing Number 1.

“We never really look at ‘oh, what is our record?’ That’s not something we focus on a ton,” said Norris coach Christina Boesiger. “I think our loss last year taught us so much, and I think our one loss this year taught us so much. You can learn a lot from those.

“And to win 36 games is just unbelievable with the schedule that we play.”

It’s been a remarkable run for the Titans (36-1) who are 112-3 over the last three seasons. The losses have come to Class A power Papillion-La Vista South in 2024, Elkhorn North last season and Gretna this year.

The previous two times, Norris was able to turn those defeats into fuel for championship runs. This season, the Titans have not dropped a set since dropping a five-set marathon to Gretna on Sept. 29 — a string of 41 consecutive sets won.

And the Titans haven’t exactly been doing it against junior varsity teams, either. After the Gretna defeat they swept through the Nike Tournament of Champions in Mesa, Arizona, taking down teams from California, Arizona and Oregon along the way. One of those teams, Oregon’s Crescent Valley, has seen its only loss come to Norris.

Prior to the loss, there were sweeps over Class A state qualifiers Papillion-La Vista and Lincoln North Star. A five-setter against Waverly, the No. 2 seed in the Class B bracket, is the only other time Norris has been pushed to the limit this year.

Combined with a cathartic state title win over Omaha Skutt two seasons ago, and last year’s run to the final, it would be easy, maybe even expected, for the Titans to slip up a handful of times. It simply hasn’t happened.

“I think from Day 1 this summer, our message was that last year’s title doesn’t win us anything this year,” Boesiger said. “Winning last year does give you a target on your back, but pressure is a privilege too, and we look at it as, hey, it’s going to make us better. 

“We are going to get everyone’s best shot. It truly is week by week, day by day, practice by practice of what do we need to do to keep peaking and keep getting better.”

There’s a reason the cliches hold up. The senior-heavy Titans have been able to stay hungry and focused despite most nights being able to walk on the floor with a decided talent advantage.

Of course that talent advantage helps, too. Norris has four players committed to Division I programs, highlighted by the setter (and Christina’s daughter) Malorie Boesiger heading to Nebraska next season. 

Alli Bornschlegl is going to South Dakota State. Kaelynn Lottman is committed to TCU. Loryn Piening is off to East Tennessee. That’s to say nothing of Ella Twarling and London Meints, who are both headed to Concordia.

The collection of talent has led to some otherworldly statistics: Norris is hitting .390 as a team. Bornchlegl (.421), Piening (.525) and Meints (.437) are all over .400. Boesiger, the setter is hitting .310 with 112 ace serves — and a whopping 1,100 set assists.

Coach Boesiger calls these Titans perhaps the most athletic bunch she’s had in red, white and blue, which is no small statement.

“Our hitters, they train multiple places, and just about every single hitter can hit from anywhere on the court, from back row, pin to pin, and we try to make that a part of our offense,” Boesiger said. “We have a really athletic bunch that can make athletic plays on the ball, and it just helps in all aspects of the game. The more athletic you are, the more things you can do.”

The Titans have a “renewed energy,” Boesiger said, now that the season has reached its final days.

“Our seniors have been lucky; they’ve been there every year now, and some kids don’t get that opportunity,” Boesiger said. “So we talk a lot about being thankful and not taking anything for granted. It’s truly an honor to be here.”

PLAYERS TO WATCH: Jacey Cochran (Gering),408 kills, .321 hitting percentage, 238 digs; Logann Dostal (Gretna), 361 kills, 35 ace serves, 308 digs; Aniston Bartunek (Lincoln Pius X), 890 set assists, 49 ace serves, 335 digs; Alli Bornschlegl (Norris), 487 kills, .421 hitting percentage, 49 ace serves; Ava Janulewicz (Northwest), 430 kills, .348 hitting percentage, 326 digs, 41 ace serves; Madison Zajicek (Omaha Skutt), 421 kills, .308 hitting percentage; McKinley Moser (Waverly), 928 assists, 52 ace serves, 131 kills; Sydney Jacobsen (York), 400 kills, 58 ace serves.

FIRST-ROUND MATCHUPS (WEDNESDAY). At Pinnacle Bank Arena (North Court) | Norris (36-1) vs. York (24-10), 9 a.m.; Northwest (32-3) vs. Omaha Skutt (26-11), 11 a.m. At Pinnacle Bank Arena (South Court) | Waverly (29-5) vs. Lincoln Pius X (24-11), 9 a.m.; Gretna (26-8) vs. Gering (30-5), 11 a.m

CLASS C-1: Rautenberg, Milford Face Gauntlet in Title Defense

The intrigue and depth of the Class C-1 state tournament may be one of the top storylines in this week’s state tournament. The field is that loaded. It wouldn’t surprise anyone to see any of the teams in the finals, much like 2025 when eighth-seeded Holdrege made a run to the state championship game.

Defending champion Milford (29-3) could muster just the fourth-seed in the bracket. The champs — with the state’s top player in Nebraska commit Shayla Rautenberg — have won 21 consecutive matches and their last loss was to district finalist Malcolm on Sept. 15. Rautenberg is hitting an astounding .458 on the season with 557 kills (both second among state tournament qualifying teams). 

And, still, you get the feeling the Eagles and coach Emily Restau might be underdogs heading to Lincoln. The chasers are that good.

Top-seeded Concordia Omaha brings a 35-2 record, but has losses to non-qualifier Scotus Central Catholic and Kearney Catholic — Milford’s first-round opponent — in the Centennial Conference tournament. The Mustangs’ Grace Samuelson (273 kills) is second in the class behind Rautenberg in hitting percentage at .424 and shares attacking duties with a potent attack that includes Breckynn Snyder (477 kills) and Adelyn Stater (330 kills).

The Mustangs will face Norfolk Catholic in the first round. The Knights, who qualified in C-2 a season ago, pulled off an upset win over Malcolm in the district final winning the fifth set 16-14 after trailing 14-9. 

It’s the Centennial Conference that brings two more qualifiers as well in Bishop Neumann (32-2) who is the second seed and Lincoln Lutheran (20-13). They will play an opening-round match after Neumann won 2-0 in a triangular on Sept. 22. It was Neumann, who won the league tournament and its first 30 matches of the season, before falling to Concordia Omaha in the last regular season contest and then to Lincoln Christian in a subdistrict match. 

Third-seeded Pierce (30-3), with Drake commit Nora Herian, will face Aurora in the other first-round match. It’s the only match in Class C-1 that will feature two Division I commits. The Huskies (26-10) counter with Omaha pledge Kaitlyn Staehr. Herian has 539 kills on the season and Staehr 378. 

PLAYERS TO WATCH: Hailey Hoff (Aurora), 939 set assists, 48 ace serves; Kyler Cada (Bishop Neumann), 353 kills, 48 ace serves, 216 digs; Alyse Moulton (Concordia Omaha), 1,077 set assists, 23 ace serves, 266 digs, 71 blocks; Danielle Seim (Kearney Catholic), 237 kills, 61 blocks, 35 ace serves; Jayla Green (Lincoln Lutheran), 249 kills, 322 digs; Braelynn Muller (Milford), 227 kills, 54 ace serves, 556 set assists, 146 digs, 86 blocks; Ava Wemhoff (Norfolk Catholic), 409 kills, 30 ace serves, 248 digs, 31 blocks; Kyndal Werner (Pierce), 182 kills, .371 hitting percentage, 41 ace serves, 85 blocks.

FIRST-ROUND MATCHUPS (WEDNESDAY). At Pinnacle Bank Arena (North Court) | Concordia Omaha (35-2) vs. Norfolk Catholic (22-10), 1 p.m.; Milford (29-3) vs. Kearney Catholic (29-6), 3 p.m. At Pinnacle Bank Arena (South Court) | Bishop Neumann (32-2) vs. Lincoln Lutheran (20-13), 1 p.m.; Pierce (30-3) vs. Aurora (26-10), 3 p.m..

CLASS C-2: Experienced Centura Eyes History

Centura has been to the NSAA state volleyball tournament just three times since winning the Class C-1 state championship in 1988. And, in those three trips, the Centurions have not won a match. 

But, with this season’s team — and five experienced seniors — head coach Shawn Fairbanks believes he has a squad that might be able to change that history, and maybe even match that 1988 feat. He said Centura’s 2026 run to the state tournament, along with its 32-1 record, started in last season’s district final when the Centurions were swept by Norfolk Catholic. 

“Honestly, our season started last year when we lost to Norfolk Catholic in the district final,” Fairbanks said. “This team knew that in that match last year, we had moments where we played at a higher level than they did, but we were not consistent enough. We learned that one or two plays can catch up with you and you just can’t get in a funk if you want to play high-level volleyball.

“These kids really committed to this year in the summer. And, I think that’s coming to fruition, especially with how we have played here of late.”

The Centurions ascended to the top of the Class C-2 Coaches Poll in the middle of the season and have not looked back. They have wins over Class C-1 district finalists Central City, Ogallala and St. Paul (twice) as well as a signature win against Class B qualifier Gering while dropping just 10 sets all season. 

Senior Kennedy Davis and junior Taya Taukiuvea both have 376 kills on the season to lead the Centurions while sophomore setter Belle Taukiuvea, Taya’s sister, has dished out 876 assists. 

Centura will face Stanton (26-7) in the opening round. The Mustangs have won 19 of their past 21 matches and were one of two “road qualifiers” from the district final round, as they defeated Johnson County Central 3-1 to advance. 

Fairbanks hopes a challenging schedule during the season will be a boost to his team during the state tournament. 

“Obviously, we know that northeast Nebraska volleyball can be really good,” Fairbanks said. “And those teams play each other on a regular basis. But, I also feel like we have challenged our team with a difficult schedule as well. We also saw many of these teams in the Top-10 Camp (in Kearney) this summer so we know it’s going to take some good volleyball to advance.”

Centura and Stanton are joined on the bottom side of the bracket by third-seeded and third-ranked Laurel-Concord-Coleridge (31-3) and defending champion Freeman (20-9). 

The top side of the bracket has top-seed Thayer Central — with an experienced senior class that has been to Lincoln for three straight years and lost in the 2024 title game — facing Yutan in the opening round. The Chieftains took down undefeated Johnson County Central a season ago in the quarterfinals. 

Bergan Catholic and Guardian Angels CC will have a rubber match in the other quarterfinal. Bergan took a 2-1 win early in the season at the Wisner-Pilger Jean Groth Invite, but GACC returned the favor with a sweep in the subdistrict final last week. 

In a tournament where experience will matter, Centura’s Fairbanks hopes his team’s — which also includes senior Shelton transfer Gracie Willis — will help it advance over the weekend. With multi-sport athletes, he also hopes last year’s trip to the Class C-2 state basketball tournament will play a factor, too. 

“We have kids that have played multiple sports and they have been in positions of pressure,” Fairbanks said. “I think that has kind of built our team to be able to handle some weird balls that are out of system and help us just rely on our athletic skills. And, I think it’s not necessarily the best team going in (to the tournament), but the team that is playing the best in the moment.

“Having experienced kids and kids who have been there helps.”

PLAYERS TO WATCH: Peyton Langhorst (Bergan Catholic), 506 kills, 50 ace serves, 33 blocks, 396 digs; Kennedy Davis (Centura) 376 digs, 32 ace serves, 163 digs, 46 blocks; Anndyn Borrenpohl (Freeman) 58 kills, 722 set assists, 169 digs, 38 ace serves; Bailey Gerths (GACC), 579 kills, 391 digs, 41 ace serves, 38 blocks; Rena Rasmussen (Laurel-Concord-Coleridge), 532 kills, 29 ace serves, 29 blocks, 394 digs; Bridget Marotz (Stanton), 411 kills, 29 ace serves, 50 blocks, 321 digs; Olivia Wiedel (Thayer Central), 106 kills, 782 set assists, 45 ace serves; Jersey Daniels (Yutan), 232 kills, 44 ace serves, 49 blocks. 

FIRST-ROUND MATCHUPS (THURSDAY). At Pinnacle Bank Arena (North Court) | Thayer Central (28-3) vs. Yutan (20-7), 5 p.m.; Guardian Angels CC (24-7) vs. Bergan Catholic (26-9), 7 p.m. At Pinnacle Bank Arena (South Court) | Centura (32-1) vs. Stanton (26-7), 5 p.m.; Laurel-Concord-Coleridge (31-3) vs. Freeman (20-9), 7 p.m..

CLASS D-1: Central Valley Ready to Face Deep and Experienced Tournament Field

Qualifying for the state volleyball tournament never gets old for Central Valley. Qualifying for the fourth consecutive year, the Cougars are headed to Lincoln with experience and expectations.

Central Valley enters Pinnacle Bank Arena as the top seed in Class D-1, carrying a 31-1 record into its state tournament opener against No. 8 seed Clarkson (21-12) at 1 p.m. on Thursday.

For Cougars coach Diane Kasselder, reaching Lincoln remains the ultimate benchmark of success.

“That is your goal right from the very beginning,” Kasselder said. “Not every athlete or coach gets to experience that, so we feel super blessed to be in that situation.”

The Cougars enter the tournament riding a nine-match winning streak, with their only setback of the season coming Oct. 10 against Class C-2 top-seed Thayer Central. Central Valley has crossed paths with only one opponent in the Class D-1 bracket, posting a 3-1 victory over second-seeded Amherst in the Oct. 27 subdistrict final.

Amherst (25-5), the defending Class D-1 state champion, will take on Red Cloud (26-5) in its state opener. Cambridge (25-6) vs. North Central (27-5) and Bloomfield (29-0) vs. Tri County (24-8) are the other first-round matchups at PBA. 

North Central, the consolidation of Rock County and Keya Paha, makes its state debut Thursday. Neither Rock County nor Keya Paha qualified before the schools consolidated. Also in D-1, Bloomfield — the state’s only unbeaten team — makes its first appearance since 1978.

“Our tournament has eight very good volleyball teams and they’re all after the same thing,” Kasselder said. “To be honest, I haven’t studied it a lot yet. I’m a big, ‘one ball at a time,’ person, so I just feel like if we can take care of our own business and adapt to adversity as it comes our way, we’ll be OK.”

While expectations bring pressure, Kasselder said her squad has learned to navigate early match nerves.

“Sometimes I think we feel pretty tight in the beginning — we’re kind of slow starters,” Kasselder said. “Once it starts turning our way, we can ride that momentum a long way.”

That sustained success relies on a versatile, multi-faceted attack. Junior Bentleigh Dugan leads the Cougars’ balanced offensive unit with 307 kills, followed by senior Cayle Grossart (237), junior Laurel Mann (146) and sophomore Addison Ryan (111).

Senior setter Annaka Wood orchestrates the offense, having compiled 772 assists on the season. Defensively, Dugan leads in digs with 250, while junior Maggie Kriewald (221), Grossart (207) and Wood (199) are close behind.

“I’ve got several strong volleyball players with high volleyball IQs,” Kasselder said. “Because we’re balanced, we can attack a lot, and I think our connection is good on the court. We’re kind of hard to shake like that.”

Central Valley is aiming for its first state championship after placing third in Class D-2 in 2024, the program’s highest finish to date. Kasselder said oftentimes, success boils down to the basics.

“(Former Nebraska coach) John Cook had it right: serve and pass — win that battle, and a lot of times you’re in the game,” Kasselder said. “We have to be consistent on serve and pass.”

PLAYERS TO WATCH: Bentleigh Dugan (Central Valley), 307 kills, 40 ace serves, 250 digs; Maizie Stoklasa (Clarkson), 428 kills, 82 total blocks, 303 digs; Brooklyn Holtze (Cambridge), 373 kills, 41 ace serves, 307 assists; Mya Lewis (North Central), 261 kills, 279 digs; Kenna Hagan (Amherst), 719 assists, 50 ace serves, 221 digs; Josie Faimon (Red Cloud), 246 kills, 63 ace serves, 358 digs; Madyson Mlady (Bloomfield), 263 kills, 36 total blocks, 234 digs; Macey Gronemeyer (Tri County), 794 assists, 76 ace serves, 270 digs.

FIRST-ROUND MATCHUPS (THURSDAY). At Pinnacle Bank Arena (North Court) | Central Valley (31-1) vs. Clarkson (21-12), 1 p.m.; Cambridge (25-6) vs. North Central (27-5), 3 p.m. At Pinnacle Bank Arena (South Court) | Amherst (25-5) vs. Red Cloud (26-5), 1 p.m.; Bloomfield (29-0) vs. Tri County (24-8).

CLASS D-2: Defending Champion Wynot, Top-Seed St. Mary’s Have Title Hopes

State-tournament mainstays St. Mary’s and Wynot will be joined by a heavy Western Nebraska flavor in the Class D-2 bracket. Three teams in this year’s field are from the Mountain Time Zone.

Defending state champion Wynot is making the program’s 14th trip to state, including its fourth straight appearance. The fourth-seeded Blue Devils (21-10), who open against Crawford/Sioux County (24-8) possess one of the most dominant players in the field in Calley Stewart (373 kills and 103 blocks). 

Last season, the Blue Devils won their first state title in a five-set match over Cambridge and have turned the tide after starting the season 6-6. Since then, they have lost three matches to Class C-1 and C-2 teams and a fourth match in the Lewis and Clark final to Class D-1 qualifier Bloomfield (29-0). 

After missing the tournament in 2024 and 2025, St. Mary’s (29-4) is back as the top seed and will take on Sandhills/Thedford (22-9) in the first round. The Cardinals — riding a 16-game winning streak — are seeking the school’s first state title since capturing back-to-back crowns in 2013 and 2014, while the Knights went on the road to Elba to earn their first trip to Lincoln since 2015.

On the other side of the bracket, Mullen (30-2) is the No. 2 seed and will meet Wilcox-Hildreth (21-11). The Broncos, which lost to Cambridge in the opening round last year, is the only team other than Wynot that returns to the D-2 field this year. Third-seeded Hay Springs (23-7), featuring the heavy hitting Devyn Young with 409 kills, faces off with Bancroft-Rosalie (20-12) in the other match.

Crawford/Sioux County is in the field for the first time as a co-op. Crawford last qualified in 2014, while Sioux County has never made it to Lincoln. Wilcox-Hildreth is also in for the first time as a consolidation. Hildreth last qualified in 2000 and Wilcox in 1996.

PLAYERS TO WATCH: Callie Kai (Bancroft-Rosalie), 679 assists, 68 ace serves, 279 digs; Peyton Osmotherly (Crawford/Sioux County) 280 kills, 70 ace serves, 265 digs; Devyn Young (Hay Springs), 409 kills, 57 ace serves, 62 total blocks, 243 digs; Jenna Donohoe (Mullen), 321 kills, 69 total blocks, 233 digs; Pyper Ickes (St. Mary’s), 331 kills, 443 digs; Grace Johnston (Sandhills/Thedford), 668 assists, 54 ace serves; Camryn Bunger (Wilcox-Hildreth), 276 kills, 35 total blocks, 343 digs; Calley Stewart (Wynot), 373 kills, 54 ace serves, 103 total blocks, 313 digs.. 

FIRST-ROUND MATCHUPS (THURSDAY). At Pinnacle Bank Arena (North Court) | St. Mary’s (29-4) vs. Sandhills/Thedford (22-9), 9 a.m.; Wynot (21-10) vs. Crawford/Sioux County (24-8), 11 a.m. At Pinnacle Bank Arena (South Court) | Mullen (30-2) vs. Wilcox-Hildreth (21-11), 9 a.m.; Hay Springs (23-7) vs. Bancroft-Rosalie (20-12), 11 a.m.