GAMES
RANKINGS
THE PINNACLE: 2025 UIL Volleyball State Finals Preview -- Highland Park vs. A&M Consolidated (5A-D1)
WHERE: Curtis Culwell Center -- Garland, TX
CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE UIL VOLLEYBALL STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS BRACKETS/RESULTS
...
For Highland Park (42–8), the path back to this stage has been paved with a bit of poetic justice. Head coach Michael Dearman and company have strung together 20 straight wins on their impeccable journey to the title game — including a particularly meaningful one.
In last week’s Region II Final, the Scots once again ran into McKinney North — the very team that eliminated them from the 2024 playoffs before storming to a 5A-DI Runner-Up finish. This time, Highland Park controlled the moment, sweeping the Bulldogs before repeating that effort against Aledo in the Semifinals.
Now, the No. 4-ranked team in Texas (MaxPreps) returns to the championship match for the first time since 2008, aiming to secure the program’s first-ever UIL crown.
On offense, the Scots feature a well-structured attack headlined by senior Brooklyn Bailey, a Memphis-signee and last year’s District 12-5A Hitter of the Year.
Alongside her is sophomore standout Sarah Floyd, the reigning district Newcomer of the Year, who has stepped comfortably into a major role during HP’s postseason surge. Factor in 6-foot-5 senior middle Lydia Fisher (California–San Diego), and it’s no surprise the front line is as potent as it is.
Defensively, the Scots rely on Arizona-bound libero Georgia “Gigi” Whann, last season’s 12-5A Libero of the Year. Her court command and passing consistency have helped stabilize a backline that rarely gives opponents clean looks. Senior DS Tiffany Lindo, a first-team, all-district selection, adds another layer of reliability to a defensive unit that has been as disciplined as it has been dynamic.
But in A&M Consolidated, Highland Park meets a program writing its own euphoric story.
After finishing second in District 17-5A, A&M Consolidated (37–9) has surged when the lights burned brightest. The Tigers stunned the state last week by sweeping crosstown rival College Station in the Regional Final — a victory that clinched their first State Tournament appearance since 2014. They followed it up with a composed, four-set win over New Braunfels in the Semis, sealing the school’s inaugural trip to the UIL State Championship match.
Explosiveness remains a defining trait for head coach Laura Korenek’s squad, and nowhere is that more evident than in the Tigers’ front-row firepower. Freshman outside hitter Harper Korenek has been a revelation, erupting for just under 500 kills while adding 356 digs — a résumé likely to earn her Newcomer of the Year honors.
She forms a potent one-two punch with senior Jillian Vinal, an East Texas A&M-signee and the Swiss Army knife of Consol’s operation. Whether setting or shifting to the right side, Vinal has supplied 305 kills, 568 assists, and 347 digs, showcasing an increasingly versatile skill set.
Rounding out the offensive arsenal are seniors Mia Cross (179 kills, 336 digs), a UT-Tyler signee, and Sammie Smith, who is Arkansas Tech-bound and has chipped in 279 kills of her own. Meanwhile, at the controls is sophomore setter Kendall Newton, whose nearly 800 assists have elevated the offense’s tempo and balance throughout the playoff run.
By the final whistle, one program will leave with its first UIL title — a breakthrough years in the making. The other will walk away knowing it stood on the sport’s biggest stage. Either way, Saturday promises a finish worthy of two teams that have surged into Texas volleyball’s brightest spotlight.
...
CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE UIL VOLLEYBALL STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS BRACKETS/RESULTS
Friendswood's Nadi'ya Shelby (Florida-signee)
THE PLAYMAKERS: Southside VB's Aura Farmers // Powered by UTMB Health
Here are the UTMB Volleyball Athletes of 2025, highlighting some of South Houston's most prominent performers of the Fall.
...
Caylee Young -- Clear Springs Volleyball
Bradley C. Collier (VYPE)
Clear Springs was one of the hottest teams in H-Town this season, and a clear reason for that surge stemmed from the play of Caylee Young. The junior pin hitter’s blend of precision and power consistently elevated the Chargers’ ceiling, giving them a dependable offensive catalyst in every matchup.
CSHS ultimately ran into Dawson in the Area Round — a squad now bound for the UIL 6A-DI State Final — which brought an end to an otherwise impressive campaign. Still, head coach Shannon McClellan’s group closed the year at 35-11, securing a fourth consecutive district championship in the process.
Individually, Young delivered one of the region’s top two-way seasons, finishing with 518 kills, 383 digs, and 728 serve receptions – a superb stat-line that ultimately earned the Texas Tech-commit District 24-6A MVP honors.
With the exception of imminent senior graduates like Lianna Kearns (24-6A Co-Defensive Player of the Year), the vast majority of standouts for Clear Springs are presumed to return next fall. With Young back as the centerpiece, this team is only just getting started.
Avery Koonsen -- Dawson Volleyball
Matthew Ogle (VYPE)
Dawson was already a perennial regional contender prior to the arrival of senior Avery Koonsen. When factoring in her addition from the outside pin, it makes total sense as to how the program has stood on business and ascended to new heights in 2025.
The team’s refusal to back down was demonstrated perfectly in the club’s monumental battle against O’Connor this past Saturday at the Delmar Fieldhouse. After five sets, the Eagles not only earned some payback against the Panthers — who were the last team to defeat them all the way back in August — but also extended the program’s historic campaign by securing a spot in the 6A-D1 State Final.
On the stat sheet, Koonsen has built a near-irrefutable case for District 22-6A MVP honors, with well over 500 kills and 300 digs to her name this season. More importantly, the soon-to-be SFA Lumberjack could potentially help Dawson secure a title in a highly anticipated matchup with Byron Nelson this Saturday.
Nadi'ya Shelby -- Friendswood Volleyball
Bradley C. Collier (VYPE)
Friendswood’s pursuit of its first championship since 1994 was unfortunately cut short by Cedar Park this past weekend. Still, a 37–10 finish and the program’s 11th appearance in the UIL State Final Four speak volumes about the consistency and structure established by head coach Sarah Paulk and her staff.
A central reason for that reliability has been clear for years. Across four seasons, Nadi’ya Shelby has remained one of the most genuinely entertaining and gifted volleyball players in Texas — much less Houston — anchoring Friendswood’s identity with her presence on the outside.
By season’s end, Shelby delivered 509 kills, 207 digs, and 398 serve receptions, once again proving to be the Mustangs’ metronome in high-pressure moments. Another District MVP selection was just announced for the Florida-signee, which marks the third consecutive time she's received the distinction -- further cementing her place as one of the program’s all-time greats.
Aniston Collins -- Lutheran South Academy Volleyball
Jamey Wright (VYPE)
It’s safe to say no team was quite as commanding as LSA (31–8) on Houston’s private-school scene this fall. The Geoff Stresman-led Pioneers validated their preseason No. 1 ranking by steamrolling their way to the TAPPS 5A State Final — the program’s fifth appearance all-time and first since 2023.
And while All Saints Episcopal ultimately denied them the crown, Lutheran South more than earned its share of recognition throughout a dominant campaign.
Among the playmakers who powered that run, senior Aniston Collins’ influence was perhaps the most palpable.
In addition to securing TAPPS All-Tournament honors, another all-state nod is essentially assured for LSA’s dynamic setter. The SFA-signee closed out 2025 with a team-leading 388 kills, supported by 498 assists and 203 digs — a stat line that reflects both her versatility and her central role in the Pioneers’ system.
Even if the season didn’t end the way they envisioned, it’s hard to argue against how loaded this group was — and just how vital Collins proved to be in getting them back onto the State stage.
Peyton Aldridge -- Clear Lake Volleyball
Bradley C. Collier (VYPE)
What a monumental year it was for Clear Lake. Not only did the Falcons (29–16) end a five-year playoff drought, but they followed it by knocking off Goose Creek Memorial and Shadow Creek en route to the 6A-D2 Regional Semifinals.
That kind of precedent doesn’t materialize without a fortified sense of cohesion — and without dependable talent steering things on the court. For Clear Lake, senior setter Peyton Aldridge was at the center of that push, assuming a starring role throughout the campaign and elevating the Falcons’ ceiling week after week.
Aldridge helped unlock the team’s offense in full, eclipsing 1,000 assists and 400 digs this fall, production that earned her first-team, all-district honors and underscored her value as the group’s primary orchestrator. And while she’ll graduate at year’s end, the new standard she helped establish is an achievement that should continue to shape Clear Lake’s trajectory moving forward.
...