Loudoun County, Va. — With the start of the 2025-2026 school year upon us, fall sports are just days away from officially kicking off. Regular season volleyball games start on Monday, August 25, and ahead of the first match of the season, we have prepared a preseason analysis of each team.
Throughout the season we will be covering games and providing updated results and standings, as well as featuring a bi-weekly LoCo Top 5. Stay tuned to see where your team ranks!
Class 4, Catoctin District
Loudoun County
After winning the VHSL Region 4C title and making a state semifinal appearance in 2024, the Captains return as the front-runner in the Catoctin District with key contributors like senior outside hitter Charlotte Arrington, senior libero Isa DeWan, and junior middle hitter Sydney Miller. Their biggest task will be establishing someone to run their offense and replace graduated setters Clara Jolly and Grace Galos. The graduation of Ana Smithson also leaves a big void, but the Captains’ bench is deep with options, so the question is not if someone steps up to the challenge but rather who.
Woodgrove
The Wolverines took a big hit from graduation, losing dominant outside hitters Jackie Colucci and Cameron Krebs, setter Reese Allen, middle hitter Regan Alford, and heavy-hitting right side Ella Meedel. Senior setter Morgan Sher and senior middle hitter Coco Mercker will have to carry their team as they regroup this year. After winning their first district volleyball title in 2024, the Wolverines will no doubt be hungry for more success and will likely incorporate the missing pieces quickly.
Broad Run
After another up-and-down year in 2024, the Spartans are under new leadership this season following the retirement of head coach Ellen Roberts. While Ryan Hicks leaves big shoes to fill and the Spartans will need to find hitters to replace Sydney Bunker, Charly Craft, and Claire Erny, senior setter Addyson Lee and senior outside hitter Denaria Jenkins provide experience and volleyball IQ that can benefit the whole team. Both sophomore right side hitter Piper Rossi and sophomore libero Serena Wong split varsity playing time last year and will be poised to take on more involved roles in 2025.
Park View
While the Patriots have struggled in recent years to compete against teams in this area, the addition of head coach Gabby Eid-Jones last year may have been just what the team needed to spark growth and development in the sport and breathe new life into the program. Although middle hitters Pon Philaphaeng and Humaru Jalloh depart, senior outside hitters Adama Conteh and Angie Lopez-Menjivar return. The Patriots will need to fill some critical roles and work towards a consistent lineup as they rebuild this year after losing eight seniors.
Class 4, Dulles District
Dominion
The Titans return as the front-runner in the Dulles District after capturing the district title and falling to eventual Class 4 state champion James Wood in the 2024 state tournament. While VHSL Region 4C Player of the Year Kaitlyn Demitz leaves big shoes to fill, senior outside hitters Amaya Bowles and Megan Hiltner return with junior setter Ingrid Smith to lead the way. Finding someone to pick up where All-LoCo first team middle hitter Abby Vasak left off might be a challenge, but Dominion always seems to find a way when faced with obstacles.
Heritage
The Pride return all of their key players from last season, including senior setter Avery Lefman, junior setter Annabelle Kim, senior libero Emily Kolas, junior middle hitter Shannon Treloar, and junior outside hitter Jasmine McBorrough. In order to compete for a top spot in the district and region, they will need to remain healthy throughout the season and quickly integrate the other members of the team in order to be successful together. This team has the talent to compete, so don’t be surprised if they pull off an upset or two.
Loudoun Valley
The Vikings will look to continue their year-over-year improvement again in 2025, but will first have to fill their starting lineup after losing heavy hitters Lauryn Wade and Julia Helm, libero Kenzie Farrey, and setters Ava Moll and Bailey Doherty. With senior middle hitter Payton Mandichak and junior outside hitter Olivia Cypcar back for another go, seasoned head coach Carmel Keilty will no doubt fill the voids and prepare her team for battle.
Tuscarora
The Huskies return with a solid foundation in junior setter Olivia Laird and senior libero Kaitlynn Scott. They will need to build up reliable attackers to replace Riley Lorber, Ella Kemp, and Reese Johnson after continuous lineup changes last season prevented them from establishing consistency. With a spread of varsity experience across several players and a few talented young players added to the mix, this team has the pieces, so it will be a matter of putting them together for optimal performance.
Rock Ridge
After losing their entire starting lineup to graduation and getting a new head coach for the 2025 season, the Phoenix will look to rebuild this year under the leadership of alumna and former player Maddie Anderson. Filling the void of setter Michelle Kim and outside hitters Rania Lahbibi and Anna Koroma will not be easy, but Anderson, who was the JV coach for the past two seasons, is familiar with the players moving up to the varsity team and will be able to build on existing relationships to drive improvement and success as these players integrate with varsity returners Kenidy Nguyen, Kaitlyn Harley, and Abby Knick.
Class 5, Potomac District
Riverside
The 2024 season was one for the history books as the Rams earned their first state volleyball title after falling in the 2023 championship game the year before. Although they lose 2024 All-LoCo Player of the Year Brianna Holladay and seasoned veteran Simone Schaefer, the Rams return a number of weapons. Seniors Sydney Ray (setter), Gabbie Visek (middle hitter), and Nadiya Johnson (right side hitter) will lead the way, and juniors Camryn Coulther (libero) and Kennedy Peyton (outside hitter) will also return for another varsity season, as the Rams will seek back-to-back state titles.
Potomac Falls
After making a huge year-over-year improvement from 2023 to 2024, the Panthers will look to continue progressing during the 2025 campaign as senior setter Camille Ciambruschini returns to run the offense. Although the Panthers will need to replace the leadership of middle hitter Brianna Thompson and consistency of outside hitter Addison Edelin, they return most of their varsity roster from last year, including junior outside hitter Lacey Bogues, junior libero Ela Yilmaz, and junior middle hitter Marley Antognoli. This team has been building for the past couple years and is now in a position to make big waves.
Lightridge
The Lightning had an up-and-down season in 2024 and will be looking to improve their consistency in 2025. Senior setter Faith Ramirez will likely run the offense out of the middle with impact players like senior Amara Pope and sophomore Giuliana Mastrangelo. Senior outside hitters Annika Cortez and Jaylen Burgess will also play a critical role in the team’s success, but the Lightning will need to establish their defensive foundation after losing libero Natalie Yee to graduation.
Briar Woods
The Falcons finished third in the Potomac District in 2024 behind state champions Riverside and state semifinalists Independence. After losing outside hitter Taylor Hansen and middle hitter Naomi Grundy to graduation, the Falcons return sophomore outside hitter Allie Bowen and senior middle hitter Michelle Herbert, who both improved throughout the 2024 season and will make a big impact this year. Briar Woods will also need to rely on the leadership and skill of senior libero Molly Gardner, who brings the most varsity experience to pretty much a completely new team.
Freedom
The Eagles will be joining the Potomac District this year after spending the last couple seasons in the Class 6 Cedar Run District. Although they lose outside hitter Grace Francis and libero Isabel Morales, they have a couple key players returning in 2025: sophomore outside hitter Irina Padden and senior middle hitter Kiley Robinette. The Eagles have shown they can compete against top teams, and they will need to drive towards consistency with that in this new context.
Stone Bridge
Despite the rough season during the 2024 campaign, the Bulldogs will look for a fresh start this year under new head coach Nadezhda Shulga, following the retirement of legendary head coach Jill Raschiatore, who spent 25 years at the helm. They will need to replace the duo of Dianna Mancia and Madylyn O’Neill, but bring back senior libero Charissa Mattison, senior right side hitter Izzy Moore, and junior middle hitter Kelly Roberts. With half the roster made up of newcomers, a clean slate may be just what this team needs to reset and compete at the high level of the Potomac District.
John Champe
After losing nine players to graduation, including setters Lulu McDonnell and Mikayla Viray-Belev and middle hitter Kate Workman, the Knights will have their work cut out for them as they move up to Class 5 to compete with larger schools. Senior middle hitter Macy Farester returns with considerable varsity experience under her belt, but the challenge will be for the Knights to fill the remaining roles and form a cohesive unit.
Class 6, Cedar Run District
Independence
After a breakout season in 2024 under first-year head coach Haley Sutton, the Tigers return a good number of starters from last year: junior outside hitter Kieran Rhoton, junior right side hitter/setter Kaelyn Wharton, senior libero Ella Kliner, and senior middle hitter Madelyn Klees. The challenge will be replacing first team all-state outside hitter Makenzie Dvorznak and second team all-state setter/right side hitter Jenna Hathaway in order to repeat the success from last season, now at the Class 6 level.