(Mercury News & East Bay Times)
No. 1 ARCHBISHOP MITTY (29-7)
Previous ranking: 1
Season end: Lost in CIF Open Division state championship game to Cathedral Catholic-San Diego 25-21, 25-20, 25-16
No. 2 ST. FRANCIS (30-6)
Previous ranking: 2
Season end: Lost in NorCal Open championship to Mitty 25-11, 25-18, 25-19
No. 3 ST. IGNATIUS (23-14)
Previous ranking: 4
Season end: Lost in NorCal Open semifinal to St. Francis
No. 4 FOOTHILL (30-11)
Previous ranking: 5
Season end: Lost in CIF Division I state championship to Palos Verdes 25-11, 25-14, 25-23
No. 5 JAMES LOGAN (35-4)
Previous ranking: 3
Season end: Lost in NorCal Division I quarterfinals to Foothill 19-25, 21-25, 25-5, 25-22, 15-11
No. 6 CAMPOLINDO (29-10)
Previous ranking: 15
Season end: Lost to NorCal Division I semifinals to Redwood 25-12, 25-20, 25-16
No. 7 SAN RAMON VALLEY (31-9)
Previous ranking: 6
Season end: Won CIF Division II state championship over Centennial-Bakersfield 22-25, 25-15, 25-23, 25-23
No. 8 PALO ALTO (31-6)
Previous ranking: 8
Season end: Lost in NorCal Division I quarterfinals to Folsom 25-22, 25-7, 27-25
No. 9 LOS GATOS (20-7)
Previous ranking: 9
Season end: Lost in NorCal Division I quarterfinals to Campolindo 14-25, 25-22, 13-25, 25-17, 15-12
No. 10 MERCY (22-7)
Previous ranking: 12
Season end: Lost in NorCal Division I Round of 16 to Folsom 22-25, 25-22, 22-25, 25-15, 15-12
No. 11 MENLO-ATHERTON (23-9)
Previous ranking: 11
Season end: Lost in NorCal Division I Round of 16 to Clovis 22-25, 26-24, 25-13, 25-21
No. 12 CARONDELET (25-10)
Previous ranking: 7
Season end: Lost in NorCal Division I Round of 16 to Campolindo 25-23, 25-23, 25-18
No. 13 SACRED HEART PREP (23-15)
Previous ranking: 13
Season end: Lost in NorCal Division II semifinals to San Ramon Valley 28-26, 25-17, 25-18
No. 14 VALLEY CHRISTIAN (15-16)
Previous ranking: Not ranked
Season end: Lost in NorCal Division II Round of 16 to Oak Ridge-El Dorado Hills 25-14, 12-25, 25-15, 23-25, 15-10
No. 15 BURLINGAME (21-8)
Previous ranking: 14
Season end: Lost in NorCal Division II quarterfinals to Oak Ridge-El Dorado Hills 25-12, 25-23, 11-25, 25-21
EARLY TOP 5 FOR 2025
No. 1 MITTY
Early word: It was pretty tough to beat Mitty this year, and it could be even tougher in 2025. The Monarchs should return superstar Minnesota commit Makenna Crosson as a senior and should also bring back 6-foot-1 freshman standout Chayse Courtney.
No. 2 ST. IGNATIUS
Early word: Could there be a changing of the guard in the WCAL? SI will lose senior attacker Carol Manu but should return most of a young team on the rise that upset Mitty in a classic five-setter in the CCS Open semifinals.
No. 3 ST. FRANCIS
Early word: There is no reason to believe St. Francis will drop from the ranks of the elite, even with the losses of seniors like libero Jaemysen Martin, setter Riley Barulich, hitter Cassidy Pietsch and six-rotation player Grace Gowdy. Middle hitter Ella Fulton, a rising senior, and rising junior Syriana Messy should be featured in the Lancers’ attack.
No. 4 FOOTHILL
Early word: Foothill loses only four seniors from a team that won the NorCal title and advanced to the state championship. Libero/outside hitter Kaitlyn Vogel, a captain as a sophomore, will lead the Falcons’ 2025 group.
No. 5 JAMES LOGAN
Early word: Logan, always a consistent winner, also loses only four seniors from this year’s squad. Libero/outside hitter McKenzie Anderson, setter Leann Jung and libero/outside hitter Emma Tran should all return as senior captains.
