Wylie senior outside hitter Peyton Stade (7) helped to lead the Lady Pirates past the bi-district round of the playoffs last season for the first time in four years. Photo by Elijah Kloepping / C&S Media
By David Wolman
Last season proved to be an overwhelming success for the Plano East, Sachse and Wylie East volleyball teams.
All four teams made the playoffs with Plano East and Wylie East advancing to the third round for the second consecutive season, Wylie got past the first round for the first time in four years and Sachse added to its legacy in volleyball by qualifying for the postseason for the 23rd consecutive season.
With matches set to get underway this week to commence the 2025 season, all four teams are set to take on a tough preseason schedule that will help to prepare them for the grind of districts 6-6A and 9-6A and for the playoffs.
Wylie will have its hands full with Allen and TAPPS state power Prestonwood Christian Academy to begin play at an invitation-only tournament in Rockwall, which is set to begin Thursday.
The Lady Pirates return a team that is full of experience, led by the district’s reigning blocker of the year, junior Aubrey DeGrate, who helped to lead her previous club team, Madfrog 15’s N Green to a national title at the USA Volleyball Girls Junior National Championship in Dallas. Junior outside hitter Keelyn Green (Old Dominion commit) and junior middle blocker Julia Hudgins (Lamar University) and senior outside hitter Peyton Stade possess powerful swings. Setting them up for hitting attempts will be senior setter Olivia Royal (Concordia College). Seniors Livian Nesbit and Mallory Kendrick and junior Jolene Bao will anchor Wylie’s defensive efforts in the back row.
Wylie will host South Garland on Tuesday, Aug. 19, for its district opener before the Lady Pirates compete in the Allen Texas Open on Aug. 22-23.
Wylie East also has its district opener next Tuesday, with the Lady Raiders set to take on North Garland at 6:30 p.m. from the Williams Center.
The Lady Raiders come into the season having to replace five players that played significant roles last season, and they will also welcome a new head coach.
Wylie East began the Tasha Hallam era Monday evening at Prestonwood Christian Academy.
Hallam spent the previous two seasons serving as the head coach at Lake Highlands.
She inherits a team that finished last season as co-district champion and a regional semifinalist.
Hallam is tasked with having to replace its top four statistical leaders in kills – sisters Amy and Erika Hernandez, Ella Denny and Julia Hicks – and libero Jordyn Wacaster. However, senior Hallie Martin, junior Macy Barcelo and sophomore Rileigh Brown all logged valuable playing time a year ago. Martin finished second on the team in assists with 512. They will look to continue to build chemistry with senior setter Jordan Turner, a Memphis pledge.
Sachse will be on the road next Tuesday for its district opener as the Lady Mustangs will take on Garland ISD rival Lakeview Centennial.
The Lady Mustangs are out for revenge after seeing their 11-year district title winning streak come to an end last season.
Senior outside hitter Raniya Temple is expected to receive the bulk of the work offensively after Sachse lost six players to graduation, including outside hitter Kaelynn Sims, who logged 607 kills as a senior.
Plano East returns the bulk of its roster as the Lady Panthers seek to improve on last year’s run to the Class 6A Division I semifinals.
Georgia Tech commit Simone Heard, named the most valuable player of District 6-6A last season, ranked among the Dallas-area leaders in kills with 731.
Another breakout star for the Lady Panthers last season was junior libero Dakota Huynh, who was bestowed with 6-6A defensive player of the year.
Plano East played Woodrow Wilson on Tuesday to tip off the season and will play at Allen twice next week –- next Tuesday for its district opener against Allen, followed by the Allen Texas Open a few days later.
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