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Sarah Perez of Plano East
COACHES' CORNER: Plano East's Perez looking for fourth straight playoff appearance
Plano East has become one of the more consistent volleyball programs in North Texas, and head coach Sarah Perez has the Panthers positioned to chase a fourth consecutive playoff appearance in 2026.
Although Plano East enters a new district this season, the expectations inside the program remain unchanged. The Panthers have established a winning culture built on discipline, effort and team chemistry, and Perez expects her squad to compete for a postseason berth once again despite graduating several key contributors from last year's team.
The biggest constant is the return of Dakota Huynh, a two-time District Defensive MVP and one of the area's premier liberos. Huynh has built a reputation as the backbone of the Panthers' defense with her elite court awareness, relentless motor and ability to keep rallies alive. Her leadership and experience will be invaluable as Plano East works several new faces into the lineup.
Outside hitter Kyla Slaughter is another player poised for a breakout campaign. With increased opportunities this fall, Slaughter has the athleticism and offensive versatility to become one of the Panthers' go-to attackers. If she takes the next step, it will provide Plano East with another reliable scoring option to complement its outstanding defensive play.
Perez knows replacing experienced seniors won't happen overnight, but she believes the pieces are in place for another successful season.
"We have some great pieces, we just need to put them together," Perez said. "We need to play as a team, communicate and make great decisions. It's that simple."
That message has become the foundation of the Panthers' offseason. Plano East will rely on chemistry, communication and execution rather than individual star power as it navigates a challenging new district.
The featured standouts of the 2026–27 Jordan Warriors volleyball team.
THE SETUP: No. 14 Jordan | VYPE Houston Volleyball 2026 Preseason Rankings
The Jordan Warriors navigated one of the toughest districts in Texas last season, finishing second in the rugged Katy ISD race. Despite that accomplishment, an early playoff exit left a bitter taste and has provided plenty of motivation heading into 2026. Coach Jennifer Vaden’s squad, which went 29-12 a season ago, returns a talented core determined to make a deeper playoff run.
Leading the offense is Cooper Rolens, a first-team all-district pick and East Texas Baptist commit who ranks among the area's top distributors with no shortage of weapons at her disposal. Fellow first-team selection Allie Hodges returns as the team's leading kill producer, while junior Eti Osague (first-team) and Texas Southern-bound senior Jada Wright provide additional scoring punch on the pins.
In the middle, Caroline O'Shay serves as a steady presence at the net, while libero Jenilee Ngo (second-team all-district) anchors the back row, keeping balls off the floor and providing consistency on defense. Keep an eye on Victoria Marea Rojas, who has all the tools to emerge as a breakout performer this fall.
“We are going to run a faster offense and score more from the back row,” Vaden said. “We also want to serve the cover off the ball to create chaos.” With this much familiarity and starpower returning, the Warriors appear poised to challenge for a district title and make noise once the playoffs arrives.