The preseason volleyball polls have been released by the state Volleyball Coaches Association and, not surprisingly, last year’s champions top the lists.
No team has played a match that counts yet; matches that matter begin in earnest Thursday, with most teams in action by early next week.
In Class 4A, three-time defending champion Wayzata holds down the top spot. The Trojans’ history of success is certainly an indicator of future possibilities — they won titles in 2019, 2021 and 2022 (no state tournament was held in 2020-21, lost to COVID-19) and carried a 55-match winning streak into last season, stretching it to 62 in a row before a loss to Northfield.
But their championship bona fides are also talent-based, largely thanks to future Gophers Stella and Olivia Swenson, both of whom are among the top recruits in the state.
Champlin Park, with another Minnesota commit in junior Carly Gilk, are right on Wayzata’s heels, while Lakeville North, Class 4A runners-up in 2022, rounds out the top three.
Marshall is once again No. 1 in Class 3A. The Tigers, champs in 2021 and 2022, are led by coach Dan Westby, who became just the seventh coach in state history to win 700 career matches when he reached that number last season.
Cannon Falls, which won its first state championship last season, is again the top-ranked team in Class 2A. Minneota, winners of four state titles, including 2022, tops the Class 1A polls.
Here are the rankings:
Class 4A
1. Wayzata
2. Champlin Park
3. Lakeville North
4. East Ridge
5. Rogers
6. Eagan
7. Burnsville
8. Maple Grove
9. New Prague
10. Forest Lake
Class 3A
1. Marshall
2. Detroit Lakes
3. Northfield
4. Kasson-Mantorville
5. Holy Angels
6. Alexandria
7. Rocori
8. Byron
9. Grand Rapids
10. St. Peter
Class 2A
1. Cannon Falls
2. Pequot Lakes
3. Belle Plaine
4. Caledonia
5. Annandale
6. Southwest Christian
7. Chatfield
8. Sauk Centre
9. Rush City
10. Nova Classical
Class 1A
1. Minneota
2. Mabel-Canton
3. Mayer Lutheran
4. Russell-Tyler-Ruthton
5. Bethlehem Academy
6. Ada-Borup
7. Fillmore Central
8. Canby
9. BOLD
10. Wabasso