Rams Roar: Fresno Takes Over #1 In State Women's Volleyball Top 25
September 14, 2026
This past weekend's 16-team, Delta Classic featured the much-anticipated matchup between the two current top powers in the state--2-time defending state champion Feather River and and fellow giant Fresno City. The Rams outlasted the battle of the NorCal unbeaten, winning a 5-set thriller over the Golden Eagles, 25-21, 22-25, 25-17, 28-30, 18-16.
Fresno (11-0) captured the Delta Classsic championship, ended FRC's 29-match win streak dating back to last year, and took over the #1 spot on Week #3 of the 3C2AWVCA State Top 25 Rankings.
Feather River (11-1) falls to #2 while San Diego Miramar continues to standout as SoCal's top squad at 9-0 and slotted at #3.
Just four teams remain undefeated including #4 LA Mission (10-0), moving up five spots behind its third straight, 8-team hosted tournament title--this time the Fifth Eagle Invitational. The other undefeated squad? LA Pierce with a modest 3-0 mark albeit in a lower tier as part of the Best of the Rest.
The top 10 is rounded out by #5 San Mateo, #6 Long Beach, #7 San Diego Mesa, #8 San Joaquin Delta, moving up three slots with a third place final, 5-set, reverse sweep winner over CSM, Santa Monica slipping to #9, and San Bernardino Valley leaping eight spots to grab #10.
Other teams making moves upward were Lassen bolting nine positions to #14, Pasadena City taking an elevator seven floors to #15, and two Big 8 teams making a splash with Santa Rosa JC jumping back on the rankings after a week off, now at #18, and Sacramento City joining at #19.
The other newbies are #22 Monterey Peninsula returning after falling off a week earlier, and Hartnell at #24. The North has a surprising rare edge in ranked teams with 13 to the South's 12.
3C2AWVCA State Top 25 Rankings, #3
| RANK | TEAM, CONFERENCE | RECORD | NOTES | REGION TOP 15 | LAST WEEK'S STATE RANK | |
| 1. | FRESNO CITY, Central Valley North | 11-0 | The Rams take over the #1 spot after capturing the Delta Classic championship, sweeping Shasta, Clovis, Delta, then winning the epic 5-set finale (18-16) over Feather River. They have won 33 of 37 sets this season. Kalani Soares was named MVP of the Delta Classic and state set assists leader Reina Dvorak, Haiden Davis All-Tourney 1st Team. | North #1 | State #2 | |
| 2. | FEATHER RIVER, Golden Valley | 11-1 | The Golden Eagles saw their 29-match win streak end in its 5-set loss to Fresno, placing 2nd at the Delta Classic. FRC swept Santa Rosa, American River and San Mateo to reach the title match. Carol Manu, 3rd in state points, and Shelby Nussle were All-Delta Classic 1st Team. | North #2 | State #1 | |
| 3. | SAN DIEGO MIRAMAR, Pacific Coast Athletic | 9-0 | The Jets swept Ventura, Desert, Canyons and Mt. San Jacinto last week. They've won 27 of 29 sets and one of the lost games was 27-25 in the season opener v. Bakersfield. Makana Kowalski is 2nd in state set assists average. | South #1 | State #3 | |
| 4. | LA MISSION, Western State North | 10-0 | The Eagles capture their 3rd host title, winning its 8-team Invitational, sweeping Cuyamaca, Golden West and beating Bakersfield in 4 in the final. Mission has won 30 of 34 sets. LAM will have its biggest test of the year on Sept. 16 at Santa Monica. SoCal points leader Madison Perry was a Week #2 State Player of the Week | South #2 | State #9 | |
| 5. | COLLEGE OF SAN MATEO, Coast North | 7-3 | The Bulldogs had a 7-match win streak snapped by Feather River in sweep, then settled for 4th at the Delta Classic in a 5-set L to host SJD. They swept Sierra and edged Lassen in 5 (15-12). CSM has earlier wins over LBCC, SD Mesa. Synia Hunt was a Week #2 Player of the Week and a member of the All-Delta 1st Team with Kendall Lee taking a spot on the 2nd Team. | North #3 | State #5 | |
| 6. | LONG BEACH CITY, South Coast South | 5-4 | The Vikings have played the hardest opening non-conference schedule of anyone and its paying off. LBCC beat SMC in 4, swept Santa Barbara. Elizabeth Filiaga hit 14 kills in the Santa Monica victory. | South #3 | State #6 | |
| 7. | SAN DIEGO MESA, Pacific Coast Athletic | 7-4 | The Olympians record a 5-win week, swept Riverside, beat Moorpark in 4, swept the Mounts-San Antonio, San Jacinto, and Canyons. Danielle Muttera is 4th in the state in points. | South #4 | State #7 | |
| 8. | SAN JOAQUIN DELTA, Big 8 | 6-4 | The Mustangs place 3rd at their Delta Classic, swept Butte, beat Hartnell in 4, swept by Fresno, then reverse sweep San Mateo in 5 (15-8). Emily Yarbrough was All-Tourney 1st Team and Morgan Lung 2nd Team. | North #4 | State #11 | |
| 9. | SANTA MONICA, Western State South | 7-1 | The Corsairs had a 6-match win streak stopped by Long Beach in 4 (31-29 in 4th), then swept Orange Coast. Mia Michele Whitlock was a Week #2 Player of the Week. | South #5 | State #4 | |
| 10. | SAN BERNARDINO VALLEY, Inland Empire Athletic | 6-1 | The Wolverines edged Saddleback in 5 (15-9), beat Irvine Valley in 4. Kaliyah Combs totals 9 kills, 9 blocks in the Bobcats triumph. | South #6 | State #18 | |
| 11. | BAKERSFIELD, Western State South | 5-5 | The Renegades swept East LA, Grossmont, lost to LA Mission in 4 to place 2nd at the Eagle Invitational. Kamiyah Johnson is a top libero. | South #7 | State #10 | |
| 12. | PALOMAR, Pacific Coast Athletic | 7-1 | The Comets swept Irvine Valley, El Camino, have 2 wins each this season over ECC and Cerritos. Reese Maffit is a top OH. | South #8 | State #12 | |
| 13. | SADDLEBACK, Orange Empire | 5-1 | The Bobcats lost to SBVC in 5 (112-106 points), to end 4-match win streak, then swept Chaffey. Blyth Redmond is a top OH. | South #9 | State #13 | |
| 14. | LASSEN, Golden Valley | 10-3 | The Cougars had 8-match win streak stopped in great effort to take San Mateo to 5 in L, they swept Sequoias, edged American River in 5 (15-10), lost to Hartnell in 4. 2-2 at Delta Classic and a solid 6th place. State points leader Roxanne Keim made All-Tourney 2nd Team. | North #5 | State #23 | |
| 15. | PASADENA CITY, South Coast North | 6-5 | The Lancers beat Moorpark in 4, swept Santiago Canyon. Payton Scott 25 kills (17 v. MC) in the 2 wins. | South #10 | State #22 | |
| 16. | VENTURA, Western State North | 5-3 | The Pirates were swept by SD Miramar, swept Contra Costa, Victor Valley. Hailey Lauritzen 62 assists in the 2 wins. | South #11 | State #16 | |
| 17. | MOORPARK, Western State North | 5-3 | The Raiders lost to Pasadena in 4, swept Mt. SAC, lost a close one to SD Mesa in 4 (26-24 4th, won 2nd set 30-28). Natsune Makino leads state in digs average (6.4 a set). | South #12 | State #8 | |
| 18. | SANTA ROSA JC, Big 8 | 9-1 | The Bear Cubs had a 6-match win streak busted by FRC in sweep, then swept Solano, beat Sequoias in 4, swept Shasta to go 3-1 at the Delta Classic. | North #6 | Not Ranked | |
| 19. | SACRAMENTO CITY, Big 8 | 9-2 | The Panthers are en fuego--on a 9-match win streak, swept Sequoias, Ohlone, beat Merced in 4, swept Siskiyous. Lela DeCecco is a top MB. | North #7 | Not Ranked | |
| 20. | COSUMNES RIVER, Big 8 | 8-2 | The Hawks swept Yuba, Reedley, then were beat in 4 by Monterey Peninsula. Lauren Stutes is a top MB. | North #8 | State #19 | |
| 21. | TAFT, Central Valley South | 7-1 | The Cougars have won 5 in a row, swept Allan Hancock, Cuesta. Setter Vienna Perier is an all-around talent. | North #9 | State #14 | |
| 22. | MONTEREY PENINSULA, Coast North | 5-1 | The Lobos swept Lemoore, beat Cosumnes River in 4. Jennifer Rivera is a top OH. | North #10 | Not Ranked | |
| 23. | SHASTA, Golden Valley | 9-4 | The Knights edged Hartnell in 5 (15-10), lost to American River in 5, swept by Fresno, swept Cabrillo, Ohlone, swept by SRJC. Finish 2-2 at Delta Classic. Jaiden Lynn had 25 digs and 7 aces in Ohlone win. | North #11 | State #20 | |
| 24. | HARTNELL, Coast South | 7-6 | The Panthers swept Ohlone, lost to Delta in 4 (26-24 4th), beat Clovis, Lassen both in 4 and snag 5th place at the Delta Classic. Daisy Cornejo named All-Tourney 2nd Team. | North #12 | Not Ranked | |
| 25. | WEST VALLEY, Coast South | 4-1 | The Vikings swept Lemoore. Kianna Liggs is a top OH. | North #13 | State #15 | |
| BEST OF THE REST | ||||||
| GROSSMONT, Pacific Coast Athletic | 4-6 | The Griffins beat Cypress in 4, swept by Bakersfield (all extra point sets, 80-74), beat Golden West in 4. | South #13 | |||
| MODESTO JC, Big 8 | 9-1 | The Pirates have won 9 straight, swept Columbia, beat Marin, Coalinga in 4, swept De Anza. | North #14 | |||
| EL CAMINO, South Coast South | 5-5 | The Warriors reverse sweep Santa Barbara in 5 (15-9), swept by Palomar. | South #14 | |||
| CYPRESS, Orange Empire | 7-3 | The Chargers 4-1 week, beat MiraCosta in 4, swept Chaffey, lost to Grossmont in 4, swept East LA, beat Citrus in 4. Cypress has won 7 of last 8. | South #15 | |||
| IRVINE VALLEY, Orange Empire | 2-3 | The Lasers were swept by Palomar, lost to SBVC in 4. | State #17 | |||
| RIVERSIDE CITY, Orange Empire | 4-4 | The Tigers edged Mt. San Jacinto in 5 (15-6), swept by SD Mesa. | ||||
| MIRACOSTA, Pacific Coast Athletic | 3-3 | The Spartans lost to Cypress in 4, swept Chaffey, beat Canyons in 4. | ||||
| AMERICAN RIVER, Big 8 | 4-7 | Rough 2-4 week for the Beavers. swept by Hartnell, beat Shasta in 5 (15-6), swept by Feather River, lost to Lassen in 5 (15-10), lost to Clovis in 4. Alex Campbell named All-Delta Classic 2nd Team. | North #15 | State #21 | ||
| SANTA BARBARA CITY, Western State North | 3-5 | The Vaqueros have lost 4 in a row, lost to El Camino in 5, swept by Long Beach. | State #24 | |||
| CLOVIS, Central Valley North | 6-3 | The Crush swept Cerro Coso, Cabrillo, swept by Fresno, lost to Hartnell in 4, beat American River in 4. Juliana Sanchez named All-Delta Classic 2nd Team. | State #25 | |||
| MT. SAN JACINTO, Inland Empire Athletic | 4-7 | The Eagles lost to Riverside in 5, swept Citrus, edged Cerritos in 5 (15-11), swept by SD Mesa, SD Miramar. | ||||
| COALINGA, Central Valley South | 7-3 | The Falcons swept De Anza, beat Cuesta in 4, lost to Modesto in 4, swept Folsom Lake. | ||||
| OHLONE, Coast North | 6-4 | The Renegades beat Sequoias in 5 (15-10), swept by Sacramento, Hartnell, swept Butte, swept by Shasta, swept Sequoias. | ||||
| CERRITOS, South Coast South | 4-4 | The Falcons edged Golden West in 5 (15-10), lost to MSJC (118-114). | ||||
| LA PIERCE, Western State South | 3-0 | The Brahmas swept San Diego City, still undefeated. | ||||
| SANTA ANA, Orange Empire | 3-1 | The Dons swept SD City. |
Release/Rankings by Robert Lewis, 3C2AWVCA SID