Bay Area News Group girls volleyball Top 15
(Mercury News & East Bay Times)
(Records through Monday)
No. 1 ARCHBISHOP MITTY (5-0)
Final 2023 ranking: 1
Team overview: The reigning Central Coast Section Open Division champions start the season as the top team in the Bay Area News Group rankings. Mitty went all the way to the CIF Open Division state championship game a year ago and will be in the running to return to the state final this year. The Monarchs have started the season with wins over Los Gatos, Aragon and St. Ignatius.
Up next: Saturday vs. Branson, 10 a.m.
No. 2 ST. FRANCIS (1-0)
Final 2023 ranking: 2
Team overview: St. Francis will be looking to build off a successful 2023 that saw the Mountain View school make runs to the CCS Open Division title game and the CIF NorCal regional finals.
Up next: Tuesday vs. Redwood, 6:30 p.m.
No. 3 FOOTHILL (6-3)
Final 2023 ranking: 3
Team overview: The Falcons finished 2023 with a 37-2 record and won the North Coast Section Division I championship. Foothill has wins over Campolindo, Carondelet and Rocklin to start the season.
Up next: Tuesday at Granada, 6 p.m.
No. 4 ST. IGNATIUS (7-1)
Final 2023 ranking: 4
Team overview: Went 22-14 last season and made it to the CCS Open Division playoffs as the No. 5 seed. Started this season with five straight wins.
Up next: Thursday vs. Valley Christian, 5:30 p.m.
No. 5 VALLEY CHRISTIAN (2-2)
Final 2023 ranking: 6
Team overview: Went 26-10 en route to a CCS Open Division playoff appearance in 2023 and a CIF DIvision I championship. Have wins over Sacred Heart Prep, Notre Dame-San Jose and Hillsdale to start the season.
Up next: Thursday at St. Ignatius, 5:30 p.m.
No. 6 SACRED HEART PREP (5-3)
Final 2023 ranking: 5
Team overview: The Gators made the CCS Open Division and the CIF Open Division playoffs last year and finished the season 20-11.
Up next: Tuesday at Palo Alto, 6:30 p.m.
No. 7 SAN RAMON VALLEY (3-1)
Final 2023 ranking: 8
Team overview: SRV will look to build on a successful 2023 season that saw the Wolves 26-9 and make it to the NCS Open Division semifinals.
Up next: Tuesday at Dublin, 6 p.m.
No. 8 AMADOR VALLEY (1-2)
Final 2023 ranking: 9
Team overview: The Dons made it all the way to CIF Division I playoffs last year and finished the season 25-11.
Up next: Tuesday vs. Dougherty Valley, 6 p.m.
No. 9 PALO ALTO (7-1)
Final 2023 ranking: 11
Team overview: Palo Alto won the 2023 Santa Clara Valley Athletic League De Anza Division title after going undefeated in league play. The Vikings opened this season with five straight wins.
Up next: Tuesday vs. Sacred Heart Prep 6:30 p.m.
No. 10 BURLINGAME (0-2)
Final 2023 ranking: 10
Team overview: The Panthers went 27-6 last year and made it to the CIF Division I playoffs.
Up next: Tuesday vs. Mills, 6:15 p.m.
No. 11 MENLO (5-3)
Final 2023 ranking: 13
Team overview: Menlo finished 2023 going 23-13 and made appearances in the CCS Open Division and CIF Division I playoffs.
Up next: Tuesday vs. Menlo-Atherton, 6:30 p.m.
No. 12 MENLO-ATHERTON (2-1)
Final 2023 ranking: 12
Team overview: The Bears went 14-0 in league play and finished the 2023 season 20-8. M-A has wins over Sacred Heart Prep and Salinas to start the season.
Up next: Tuesday at Menlo, 6:30 p.m.
No. 13 JAMES LOGAN (7-1)
Final 2023 ranking: Not ranked
Team overview: The Union City school went 34-5 and went undefeated in Mission Valley Athletic League play last year. The Colts have started the season with wins over Foothill and Berkeley.
Up next: Tuesday at Newark Memorial, 6 p.m.
No. 14 LOS GATOS (1-1)
Final 2023 ranking: Not ranked
Team overview: Los Gatos will look to build on a successful season last year that saw the Wildcats go 18-12. Los Gatos made appearances in the CCS Division I and the CIF Division II playoffs.
Up next: Tuesday vs. Heritage, 5 p.m.
No. 15 HEAD-ROYCE (7-0)
Final 2023 ranking: Not ranked
Team overview: The Jayhawks had an impressive 2023, going 30-4 and winning the NCS Division IV crown. The Oakland school has started its season on a seven-game win streak.
Up next: Tuesday at Valley Christian-Dublin, 5 p.m.
Teams eligible for the Bay Area News Group rankings come from leagues based predominantly in Alameda, Contra Costa, Santa Clara and San Mateo counties.