ESPN RISE FAB 50

GIRLS VOLLEYBALL RANKINGS

Getting into the final top 10 of the ESPN RISE FAB 50 rankings in girls volleyball is beginning to resemble a line looking for the hottest tables at the trendiest restaurants.

Good seats are filling up fast and there's only a handful left to be had. Unlike the powerful maitre d', don't bother slipping us a $20 to make it easier for your team to gobble up one of those positions. We can't be bought.

One week after Muncie Burris won the Class 2A state title in Indiana to secure no worse than a No. 2 position for the final rankings, three more Midwest schools completed strong seasons with state championships and in effect have also wrapped up at least no worse than a No. 8 final national ranking. 

For the second year in a row, Ursuline Academy (Cincinnati, Ohio) had the chance to end the season undefeated and this time the Lions capitalized as they defeated Dublin Coffman (Dublin, Ohio) in four sets for the Ohio Division I state championship. 

Jade Henderson led the Lions with 16 kills while Christina Beer added 10 kills in the 25-16, 25-19, 18-25, 25-17 victory. Dani Reinert also had 48 assists while Kori Moster led the way with 15 digs as the Lions handed the Shamrocks their only loss of the season. 

For the season, Ursuline Academy lost a total of just four sets out of 84 played and because of totals like that the team has jumped to No. 3 in this week's rankings. For losing to a team like that, Dublin Coffman only fell from No. 9 to No. 12.

In Illinois, Joliet Catholic captured its second straight Class 3A state championship in straight sets over Mater Dei of Breese. Recent ESPN RISE National Girls Athlete of the Week Annemarie Hickey had a match-best 13 kills as the Angels won the first set 25-20 and then rallied from a four-point deficit in the second set for the clinching 25-23 set victory. 

With their 41st win, the Angels set a school record for wins in a season while losing just four sets out of a total of 87 sets all season long. Like Ursuline Academy, they also have secured a top five final national ranking but we will still move Ursuline one spot higher since that team is unbeaten and Joliet Catholic is not.

The final three of these teams to cement a final top 10 national ranking is Shakopee (Minn.), which has moved up to No. 8 this week after winning its third straight Class 3A state final.

Seeing the Sabers lose even a set this year was a rare sight but it was just one hiccup against Wayzata as they won in four sets in their state final. 

Elizabeth Benusa, Mollie Geske, Claire Sames and Ashley Wittman were all named to the All-Tournament Team. In 88 total sets played this year, the Sabers never dropped more than one set to an opponent while losing a total of just four sets all season.

Next week, at least one and perhaps two more final top 10 slots will be sealed by winners of the Texas state tournament, which will be held from Thursday through Saturday at Strahan Coliseum on the campus of Texas State University in San Marcos.

The California Interscholastic Federation state finals will be staged on Saturday, Dec. 5 at UC Irvine's Bren Events Center. Current FAB 50 No. 1 Archbishop Mitty hopes that the final top 10 position it secures on that night will be the best one of them all. The Monarchs will be going for their sectional title this weekend.

 (Read full post)

NEW ESPN RISE FAB 50
GIRLS VOLLEYBALL RANKINGS
 
Compilers: Andrew Drennen, Kirstin Olsen, Mark Tennis
Contributing: Paul Muyskens
 
With the Indiana state playoffs now in the books, the race to be the ESPN RISE Girls Volleyball FAB 50 national champion can be whittled down to just two teams.
 
Muncie Burris, as expected, wrapped up its 13th consecutive Class 2A state crown and in the process also put an exclamation point on an unblemished 40-0 record. The Owls recorded a straight set win over Southwood (Wabash, Ind.) by scores of 25-9, 25-8, 25-16 that continued their straight set dominance since they also won in straight sets in the semifinals over Brownstown Central.

University of Florida recruit Taylor Unroe and teammate Chelsea Toth each led the team with 10 kills while four different players recorded double digit dig totals.

The situation at the top of the FAB 50 is simple. If current No. 1 Archbishop Mitty (San Jose, Calif.) completes an unbeaten season next month and wins a divisional title at the California Interscholastic Federation state finals, then it would be No. 1 in the nation for the second straight season. If the Monarchs get upset, however, then it would go to Muncie Burris.

Other teams from around the country needed for Muncie Burris to somehow get knocked off in its state playoffs to have a shot at the final No. 1 ranking. That didn't come close to happening.

In the two other largest-class state finals held last weekend in Indiana, Brebeuf Jesuit (Indianapolis) knocked off top seed Yorktown in Class 3A while Muncie Central topped Elkhart Memorial (Elkhart) to win the Class 4A banner.

After losing in the semifinals the past two seasons, Brebeuf Jesuit not only made it to the finals but avenged its only loss of the season with a 25-21, 14-25, 25-15, 25-21 win over Yorktown. Sloan White led the Braves with 16 kills while Lauren Rafdal and Jeme Obeime each had 12 kills and Jadyn Yarling stared defensively with 19 digs. The result gave Brebeuf Jesuit a jump from No. 45 to No. 19 in this week's FAB 50 and dropped Yorktown from No. 10 down to No. 30.

Muncie Central captured the fifth state championship in school history by defeating Elkhart Memorial in straight sets. Jamie Drummer had 14 kills and Alyssa Sorrell had 10 kills to lead the way offensively after starter Marquita Marshall had to leave the title game early due to injury. The Bearcats moved up to No. 17 in this week's FAB 50 with the Chargers dropping just a few spots from No. 23 down to No. 34.
 
This week's major state finals also will be in the Midwest.
 
On Saturday at Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio, it could be a matchup of unbeatens in the Ohio Division I championship between FAB 50 No. 6 Ursuline Academy and FAB 50 No. 9 Dublin Coffman. Both of those teams need to win in semifinal matches on Thursday, however, to set up their showdown.
 
The Illinois state finals also are on Saturday at Redbird Arena in Normal. In Class 3A, FAB 50 No. 5 Joliet Catholic is favored and is going for its second straight state title. In Class 4A, FAB 50 No. 25 Lyons is the favorite but has not won a state crown since 1989.(Read full post)

Compilers: Andrew Drennen, Kirstin Olsen, Mark Tennis
Contributing: Paul Muyskens
 
As the top-ranked Archbishop Mitty Monarchs of San Jose (Calif.) were winning their third major invitational of the season, state playoffs were concluding elsewhere around the nation and there were some major developments involving ESPN RISE Girls Volleyball FAB 50-nationally ranked teams.
 
* In Kentucky, Mercy (Louisville, Ky.) was the surprise winner and moved up to No. 17 in this week's rankings. Assumption (Louisville, Ky.), which has been as high as No. 4 in the FAB 50, did not make the finals and had to drop from No. 20 to No. 36 in this week's rankings.
 
Despite losing seven seniors from last year's team, the Jaguars (32-6) won a come from behind title match over Sacred Heart (Louisville) to capture their sixth state championship, but this time in back-to-back fashion. The win also marked the second straight year the two teams met in the finals in a battle of brothers as coach Todd Garvey picked up his second championship win over brother Eric Garvey, who coaches at Sacred Heart. Libero Caitlin Welch recorded 15 digs in the championship match for Mercy and was named tournament MVP. Amanda Crask added 28 assists and Madison Welsh had 12 kills.
 
* In Hawaii, season-long leader Punahou (Honolulu, Hawaii) couldn't get it done in its state final as the Buffanblu dropped a five-set match to Kamehameha. That result lifted the winners from unranked up to No. 46 in this week's FAB 50. Punahou had to fall in right behind.
 
Kamehameha captured the Division I state championship for the fifth straight year. The Warriors twice lost to the Buffanblu during the regular season but they made sure they won when it mattered the most as they rallied from a 2-1 set deficit and also trailed in the fourth set by a 14-8 score before rallying. Sophomore setter Kelci Renshaw recorded 52 assists while Chelsey Keoho led the defense with 38 digs. Taylor Akana was named the tournament's most outstanding player after recording 19 kills and 21 digs in the season finale.
 
* In Kansas, St. James (Lenexa) hoisted the Class 4A state title trophy and likely wrapped up no worse than a top 30 final ranking for the season. In the Class 5A final, previous No. 43 St. Thomas Aquinas (Overland Park) fell to No. 44 Bishop Miege (Shawnee Mission). This caused St. Thomas Aquinas to drop out of this week's rankings with Bishop Miege going up to No. 41.
 
The Stags continue to show their dominance in Kansas as they won their second straight state final. Facing their rivals in the finals for the second year in a row, Bishop Miege also was looking to avenge an October loss to the Saints and wasted no time in winning the first set 25-11 before a back and forth second set. St. James also repeated in winning its Class 4A state title. After losing the first game, coach Nancy Dorsey's squad won twice to pull past Hayden of Topeka.
 
This week's most significant state finals will take place in Indiana. Muncie Burris, which is on a current 87-match winning streak, is heavily favored to win the Class 2A crown since the Owls won't have to play any of the other FAB 50-ranked teams from the state. All of those other teams are in different divisions.
 
Once Muncie Burris is done and likely will be done with a perfect record, the waiting game will begin. Obviously, with its strength of schedule, Archbishop Mitty will finish No. 1 in the nation if it wins in the CIF state championships. But if the Monarchs slip up, Muncie Burris appears to be the next strongest choice.
 
We would like to offer our thoughts and prayers to the girls and coaches at Wilson (Long Beach, Calif.). The Bruins had to play at the Santa Barbara Tournament of Champions last weekend in Santa Barbara one night after a classmate, track and field athlete Melody Ross, was killed in a drive-by shooting just outside the Wilson football stadium following a football game between the Bruins and Long Beach Poly.(Read full post)

UPDATED ESPN RISE FAB 50 

GIRLS VOLLEYBALL RANKINGS

Compilers: Andrew Drennen, Kirstin Olsen, Mark Tennis

Other than previous No. 7 Assumption (Louisville, Ky.) suffering a second loss of the season to city rival Sacred Heart, there was little movement in this week's ESPN RISE Girls Volleyball FAB 50 national rankings.

That could change next week as arguably the biggest tournament in California outside of the CIF state playoffs is going to take place in scenic Santa Barbara. The Santa Barbara Tournament of Champions will include three of the top six teams in the FAB 50, including No. 1 and unbeaten Archbishop Mitty (San Jose, Calif.).

The Monarchs could meet local favorite and No. 6-ranked Dos Pueblos (Goleta, Calif.) in that event, but also in the field is No. 5 Newport Harbor (Newport Beach, Calif.) plus No. 25 La Costa Canyon, (Carlsbad, Calif.), No. 26 Wilson (Long Beach, Calif.) and No. 33 Santa Barbara (Calif.).

If Mitty were to lose, standing poised and ready to move up is Muncie Burris. The Owls are just four wins away from winning their 13^th straight Class 2A state title. The state finals in Indiana will be held on Saturday, Nov. 7.

Muncie Burris would not meet any of the other Indiana teams in this week's FAB 50 in those playoffs as they are in other divisions.  No. 11 Yorktown is favored in Class 3A while it likely will boil down to No. 21 Muncie Central vs. No. 24 Elkhart Memorial for the Class 4A crown.

(After results of Saturday, Oct. 24; Previous ranking in parentheses)(Read full post)

By Kirstin Olsen, ESPNRISE.com Volleyball

The 5-foot-4 junior libero from ESPN RISE FAB 50 No. 8 Ursuline Academy (Cincinnati, Ohio) has been digging up balls all season to help her team protect their untarnished 20-0 record. This season, she has 364 digs to her credit and hopes to lead her team to a state championship, which the Lions have not won since 2002.

	courtesy of John Moster
	Kori Moster of Ursuline Academy

Compilers: Andrew Drennen, Kirstin Olsen, Mark Tennis
 
Defending Kentucky state champion Mercy of Louisville showed last week that it plans on continuing to hold its title without giving it up easily by beating city rival Assumption.
 
Even though Assumption was No. 4 in last week's ESPN RISE FAB 50 and was holding Senior Night, Mercy spoiled the proceedings by winning a tight match in five games. The Jaguars won the first game, 25-22, then lost the next two (15-25, 18-25) but roared back to take the match with wins of 25-20 and 15-7 in the next two games.
 
Following that victory, Mercy continued to surge with a triumph over nationally-ranked Sacred Heart Academy of Louisville and then topped perennial power Mt. Notre Dame (Cincinnati, Ohio).
 
All those wins propelled head coach Todd Garvey's team from unranked up to No. 32 in this week's FAB 50. The only other new teams in this week's rankings are Martin County of Stuart, Fla., and Westwood of Round Rock, Texas.
 
According to the Louisville Courier-Journal, Mercy's win over Assumption was paced by senior Caitlin Welch with 29 digs. Leading the way in kills were Jewell Dobson, Ally Wilbourn and Thea Mattingly. All three of those players ended with nine kills each.
 
Assumption, which defeated Mercy earlier this season, still has an overall resume of success this season that keeps the team in the top 10 of this week's rankings.

(Read full post)

NEW ESPN RISE FAB 50
GIRLS VOLLEYBALL RANKINGS

By ESPN RISE Volleyball Staff

Previous No. 2 Joliet Catholic fell from the ranks of the unbeaten after falling in the title match of the Asics tournament to Assumption of Louisville. The championship lasted three games with the final game going 26-24 after numerous ties.
 
Since Assumption has a head-to-head loss to Muncie Burris, it was therefore easy to move up the unbeaten Owls into the No. 2 slot in this week's FAB 50 behind season-long leader Archbishop Mitty from Northern California.
 
Among the teams making major moves upward this week are Dos Pueblos of Goleta, Calif., and Plant of Tampa, Fla.
 
Dos Pueblos has lost only to Archbishop Mitty and last week captured a critical Channel League victory over nationally-ranked Santa Barbara. The Chargers also own a head-to-head triumph over nationally-ranked Florida powerhouse Berkley Prep.
&nb...

(Read full post)

By Christine Jinbo
 
This week ESPN RISE Volleyball recognizes senior Rachel Williams of No. 1 Archbishop Mitty (San Jose, Calif.) as the player spotlight of the week for her outstanding performance at the Durango Classic (Las Vegas, Nev.) where she received the MVP award.

Awards for outstanding performances are nothing new for the Stanford bound athlete, who received honors from Archbishop Mitty, various tournaments, the West Catholic League, CIF Central Coast Section, CIF State and USA Volleyball Junior Olympics. She takes it all in stride and puts the team first.
 
"It was rewarding, for the hard work we do,” Williams said of winning the 2009 Durango Classic.

	Leonard Xu/ESPN RISE
	Williams is a force at the net for Archbishop Mitty

Williams learned the sport at age seven from her parents who played intramural volleyball and by nine began playing club volleyball.

"My mom thought I was tall for my age and I should start [playing].”

Goal-oriented and hardworking, Williams knew she wanted to play volleyball in college and she decided on a PAC-10 school.  The schools that made the top her list were University of Washington and UCLA, though Stanford interested her also. She strove to maintain a high grade point average to meet Stanford's rigorous academic requirements.

"I worked hard to keep my grades up so I could apply to Stanford."  She added, "When I got into Stanford, I revisited UW and Stanford and decided that Stanford was the best place for me."

For the girl who has achieved so much and could be satisfied with a full ride to Stanford University, her advice to young athletes who want play at the next level, 

"Never stay satisfied."

The consummate hard worker, she went on, "Continue working to improve every aspect of your game. Plan your dreams." 

Read more about Rachel Williams from ESPN RISE Magazine writer, Mike Grimala.

Get to know Rachel Williams
Player Profile/Interview

Rachel Williams (Los Gatos, Calif.)
Archbishop Mitty (San Jose, Calif.)
GPA: 3.95
Year: Senior
Position: OH
Height: 5'11"  
Club Team: Vision 18 Gold
Committed: Stanford

 
Williams Top Threes:

Songs:
1. Run this town, JayZ, et al
2. Empire State of Mind, JayZ & Alicia Keys
3. Lollipop,  Lil' Wayne

TV shows:
1. Grey's anatomy
2. 24
3. So you think you can dance

Movies:
1. Transformers
2. Ironman
3. Remember the titans

Websites:
1. Facebook
2. Webgrade (it's our online gradebook at school)
3. Google mail

ESPN RISE started the sentences, Williams completed them.  

I play best when... I'm focused and it's a big game.
If I were coaching Rachel Williams...  I would remind her about little details.
The best thing about volleyball is... running perfect serve receive plays.
Something most people don't know about me... is I hate feet.
The topical issue that most interests me in the world... is poverty.
If I could have one superhuman power... it would be flight.
One day I will... play in the Olympics.

 
We make Williams choose:    
Hitting or Digging - Hitting
American Idol or Survivor - So you think you can dance
Snow or Sun - Sun
Fast Food or Carrots and Celery - In n' Out
Surfing or Snowboarding - Surfing
Texting or Talking - Talking
Movies or Video Games – Both         
Facebook or MySpace – Facebook

 

 

By Christine Jinbo

The Week 3 girls' volleyball ESPN RISE FAB 50 ranking is here, previous rank in parenthesis. Click the FAB 50 link for more information.

ESPN RISE FAB 50
National girls' volleyball rankings
Week 3 Rankings- Records reflect games played through September 28.

Rank School City, State Record  
1 (1) Archbishop Mitty San Jose, Calif. 16-0
2 (2) Joliet Catholic Chicago, Ill. 13-0
3 (3) Reagan San Antonio, Texas 34-1
4 (5) Muncie Burris  Muncie, Ind. 26-0
5 (NR) Newport Harbor Newport Beach, Calif 11-4
6 (6) Amarillo Amarillo, Texas 33-3
7 (8) St. Francis Wheaton 17-0
8 (7) Assumption Louisville, Ky. 21-3
9 (20) Mira Costa  Manhattan Beach, Calif. 6-4
10 (12) J.J. Pearce Richardson, Texas 25-4
11 (14) Ursuline Academy  Cincinnati, Ohio 13-0
12 (NR) Yorktown Yorktown, Ind. 23-0
13 (18) Marymount  Los Angeles, Calif. 10-3
14 (13) Wilson Long Beach, Calif. 7-2
15 (22) Benet Lisle, Ill. 15-2
16 (21) Berkley Prep  Tampa, Fla. 13-2
17 (33) O'Connor  Helotes, Texas 27-3
18 (19) St. Ursula Academy Toledo, Ohio 12-1
19 (10) Los Alamitos Los Alamitos, Calif. 15-4
20 (9) Sacred Heart Academy Louisville, Ky. 13-6
21 (28) Lakewood  Lakewood, Calif. 7-4
22 (25) Cardinal Gibbons  Raleigh, N.C. 13-1
23 (15) Dos Pueblos  Goleta, Calif. 8-1
24 (24) Canyon Randall Amarillo, Texas 26-1
25 (36) Hinsdale Central Hinsdale, Ill. 15-2
26 (23) St. James  Lenexa, Kan. 15-1
27 (35) Shakopee  Shakopee, Minn. 17-0
28 (NR) Redlands East Valley  Redlands, Calif. 7-2
29 (29) Plant  Tampa, Fla. 11-0
30 (30) Bishop Miege  Shawnee Mission, Kans. 14-3
31 (31) Dublin Coffman Dublin, Ohio 14-0
32 (NR) El Dorado  Placentia, Calif. 9-6
33 (32) Elkhart Memorial  Elkhart, Ind. 14-1
34 (26) Evenston Evanston, Ill.  15-2
35 (16) The Woodlands Woodlands, Texas 29-5
36 (37) Rose Greenville, N.C. 13-0
37 (17) Santa Barbara  Santa Barbara, Calif. 7-2
38 (27) Chaska Minn. 12-1
39 (NR) Lyons (LaGrange, Ill.) LaGrange, Ill.  19-1
40 (NR) Redondo Union Redondo Beach, Calif. 11-3
41 (39) Sandburg Orland Park, Ill. 16-2
42 (NR) St. Thomas Aquinas  Overland Park, Kans. 19-3
43 (40) Allen Allen, Texas 27-3
44 (11) Floyd Central  Floyds Knobs, Ind.  19-2
45 (43) Punahou Honolulu, Hawai'i  13-0
46 (4) La Costa Canyon  Carlsbad, Calif. 8-2
47 (41) Marist Chicago, Ill. 13-3
48 (NR) Washburn Rural  Topeka, Kan. 15-2
49 (45) Lakota West West Chester, Ohio 11-0
50 (47) Westlake Austin, Texas
 

Posted by Christine Jinbo

Benet (Lisle, Ill.) made a big jump into the rankings last week with its performance at the Wheaton Classic volleyball tournament hosted by Wheaton Warrenville South (Wheaton, Ill.).  ESPN RISE Volleyball featured Brianne Riley (Benet Academy) in its player spotlight of the week for her outstanding performance at the event. 

Although Benet jumped into the top three last week, there was no movement among those schools this week.  Joliet Catholic (Joliet, Ill.) remained undefeated and retained its spot atop the rankings.

Check out the Sun-Times girls volleyball rankings from Phil Broyzniski for the state of Illinois.  Click the link to view his comments and the full ranking.

1. Joliet Catholic 13-0 (1)
2. St. Francis 17-0 (2)
3. Benet 15-2 (3)
4. Hinsdale Central 15-2 (4)
5. Lyons 18-1 (5)

By Christine Jinbo

Orange Lutheran (Orange, Calif.) High School captured its second consecutive Beach Cities Invitational tournament title this past weekend.  While an array of states gathered in the desert for the Durango Classic, four of the ten CIF Sections, four states and 48 teams made up the Beach Cities field.  The format consisted of eight pools of four teams, which played two rally-scored games to 25, with third (deciding) games rally-scored to 15.

The Lancers defeated the Washington State Champion, Mead (Spokane) in three games to advance to the final round. It looked to be a repeat of the 2008 final with Orange Lutheran and Bishop's (La Jolla, Calif.) until Sunnyslope (Phoenix, Ariz.) topped the Knights in the semifinals en route to a finals appearance.

Lutheran continued its winning ways as it bested Arizona's Sunnyslope in straight sets, despite the Vikings late push in the second set.  Junior outside hitter Courtney Castle and junior setter Hannah Tedrow were selected for the All Tournament team and junior outside hitter Shaquilla "Shaq” Torres received the tournament MVP.

Texas:  

Class 4A       
1. Richardson Pearce 
2. Canyon Randall 
3. Austin Lake Travis 
4. Friendswood 
5. Red Oak 

Class 5A       
1. San Antonio Reagan 
2. Round Rock Westwood 
3. Amarillo 
4. Allen 
5. San Antonio O'Connor 

 
CIF-Southern Section
DIVISION 1-AA
1. Newport Harbor
2. Mira Costa
3. Wilson/LB
4. Lakewood
5. Redondo
 
DIVISION 1-A
1. Santa Barbara
2. Dos Pueblos
3. Marymount
4. El Dorado
5. Laguna Beach
 
DIVISION 2-AA
1. Redlands East Valley
2. Corona del Mar
3. South Torrance
4. Beckman
5. Bishop Montgomery
 

By Christine Jinbo

ESPN RISE Volleyball analyzed the pools last week; now see which teams made it out of pool play.  The Gold Bracket was determined by a "knock out" round, which pitted teams that placed first in their pools against teams that placed second.  The Gold Bracket had an even distribution of second and first place teams advance, four and four.  Come back to see the knock out round broken down match by match.

	Leonard Xu/ESPN RISE
	After early season losses, Newport Harbor came on strong and made the Durango Gold Bracket Finals.

Pool 1:  
1. Archbishop Mitty (San Jose, Calif.), 2. Clovis West (Fresno, Calif.), 3. Harvard-Westlake (North Hollywood, Calif.), 4. Tri-City Christian (Vista, Calif.)

First: Archbishop Mitty 
Second: Harvard Westlake 

Mitty was the clear favorite in this pool and it showed as the Monarchs dispatched Clovis West and Tri-City Christian in straight sets.  Harvard Westlake proved to be a bigger challenge as the Monarchs dropped the first set 27-29, but bounced back for a 25-21, 25-15 victory.

Although Clovis West was seeded second in the pool, it had its hands full with third seed, Harvard Westlake.  Harvard Westlake rolled through Tri-City Christian then dropped the first set of their last match to Clovis West.  The Wolverines came back from the one set deficit and defeated the Golden Eagles, 18-25, 25-23, 25-22.

Pool 2:    
1. Los Alamitos (Calif.), 2. Buchanan (Clovis, Calif.), 3. Redlands East Valley (Redlands, Calif.), 4. Silverado (Henderson, Nev.)

First: Redlands East Valley   
Second: Los Alamitos  

Third seeded in Pool 2, Redlands East Valley shocked the first seed, Los Alamitos in the pool opener.  Whether Los Alamitos was playing on tired legs or it felt game tested enough to tinker with the line up from its consecutive weekend tournament victories, is uncertain.  The Griffins clinched the first set, then dropped the match in overtime (25-20, 18-25, 27-25).  The loss resulted in a challenge round match against No. 1 Archbishop Mitty, which knocked the Griffins out of the Gold Bracket.

By Christine Jinbo

See how the pools stack up at the Durango Classic girls' volleyball tournament in Las Vegas, Nev.  Last year La Costa Canyon (Carlsbad, Calif.) reached down deep after a series extra set victories in the quarters and semis to win the tournament.  This year, every pool brings a high level of competition. Teams will not have to wait until playoffs to face a challenge.  Keep reading to see how each pool stacks up.

	Leonard Xu/ESPN RISE
	Los Alamitos' Jane Croson is one of the hardest hitters in the state.

Pool 1- at Durango
1. Archbishop Mitty (San Jose, Calif.), 2. Clovis West (Fresno, Calif.) , 3. Harvard-Westlake (North Hollywood, Calif.), 4. Tri-City Christian (Vista, Calif.)
Archbishop Mitty  is the clear favorite in this pool with Kristina Graven and Rachael Williams firing on the outsides and from the backrow.  Harvard Westlake  could challenge and senior outside hitter Meg Norton shines, but it does not have the depth of Mitty.  Clovis West played Mitty already and lost in straight sets.
 
Pool 2. - at Green Valley
1. Los Alamitos (Calif.), 2. Buchanan (Clovis, Calif.), 3. Redlands East Valley (Redlands, Calif.), 4. Silverado (Henderson, Nev.)
Los Alamitos comes off two back-to-back tournament victories.  This could mean one of two things: the Griffins are playing on tired legs in their third consecutive tournament or they are game tested and ready to win a third tournament.  The tandem of Jane Croson and Halli Amaro are big weapons for the Griffins.
 
Buchanan  is unbeaten, yet untested.  This pool will be an eye-opener for the Bears. Redlands East Valley graduated some big studs last year, but senior setter Johnna Fouch has a big target in 6-foot-2 versitile Krista Vansant.
 
Pool 3. - at Foothill
1. La Costa Canyon (Carlsbad, Calif.), 2. Santa Margarita (Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.), 3. Long Beach Poly (Long Beach, Calif.), 4. Saint Pius X (Albuquerque, N.M.)
La Costa Canyon  has go to hitters Natalie Hagglund and Natalie Loos and an all star in Kendall Polan delivering the ball.  The Mavericks have already taken care of Santa Margarita this season, but look for the Eagles to come back strong with Kylie Hargreaves banging away on the outside.
&nbs...

(Read full post)

By Christine Jinbo

ESPN RISE Volleyball recognized senior Brianne Riley of Benet Academy (Lisle, Ill.), as the player spotlight of the week for her outstanding performance at the Wheaton Classic volleyball tournament, where she led the team in digs and in serve receive rating.

Benet Academy Head Coach Brad Baker said, "Brianne played outstanding volleyball and was a major key to our success through the tournament and in the championship match."

	Courtesy Benet Athletic Progam
	Brianne Riley

The Redwings glided into the ESPN RISE FAB 50 when they avenged their one loss to No. 36 Hinsdale Central (Hinsdale, Ill.) and secured the Wheaton Classic championship.

The University of Kansas commit talked about the tournament victory and what it meant to the team.

"Our team has been working really hard and we all wanted it."  She continued, "We played together and the best feeling is playing as a team."

Riley commits herself to volleyball, to the student government and is part of an athletic family.  Her family and her brothers are where she draws inspiration.

Riley's father played baseball and football at Benedictine University and coached at the University of Louisville.  Her sister played softball and volleyball. Riley's brother, currently plays football at Purdue and her younger brother is a three sport athlete.

"My older brother Jimmy inspires me. He works hard and commits to whatever he is doing."

Riley added, "When he has a goal he puts his all into it and doesn't stop until he has accomplished it."

Her inspiration also comes from younger brother, Danny, who had three open-heart surgeries and is now playing football, baseball, and basketball.

"He is a stud and nothing could stop him from doing what he loves to do," said Riley proudly.   

Benet Academy is a family tradition with the Riley clan, both of Riley's parents attended Benet and her father made a big impact as a football and baseball player there.  Riley feels blessed at the opportunity to play for the school her parents attended and to play for coach Brad Baker.

"His [Baker's] first focus is for his players to be good people, good teammates, and work hard. I have been fortunate enough to be coached by him and he has made me into the player I am today," said Riley.

She added, "This is the kind of environment you will receive when you are at Benet, a Catholic school. Faith and prayer play a very big role in my life and my family's."(Read full post)

By Christine Jinbo

The Durango Volleyball Classic (Las Vegas, Nev.) began as an eight-team tournament, with neighboring high school Green Valley, the winner of the first event.  The tournament, which celebrates its fifteenth year, has since grown into a 48-team national tournament with a waiting list pages long.

	Leonard Xu/ESPN RISE
	Can Falyn Fonoimoana will Mira Costa to victory at Durango?

Check out ESPN RISE Volleyball's coverage of the
2008 Durango Classic.

The pool assignments are a major factor in overall tournament finish.  Check back as we break down the pools. Which team has a walk and which team has a difficult road? Check back to find out!

2009 Pool Play Assignments       

Pool 1. (Ct 1. at Durango)
1. Archbishop Mitty
2. Clovis West
3. Harvard-Westlake
4. Tri-City Christian

Pool 2. (Ct 1. at Green Valley)
1. Los Alamitos
2. Buchanan
3. Redlands East Valley
4. Silverado
 
Pool 3. (Ct 1. at Foothill)
1. La Costa Canyon
2. Santa Margarita
3. Long Beach Poly
4. Saint Pius X(Read full post)

By Christine Jinbo

This week, Los Alamitos (Calif.) made a climb in the ranking with back to back tournament titles at the Gahr Invitational (Cerritos, Calif.) and the Dave Mohs Memorial (Huntington Beach, Calif.).

	Leonard Xu/ESPN RISE
	Halli Amaro celebrates with Los Alamitos at the Dave Mohs Memorial Tournament.

ESPN RISE FAB 50 No. 1 Archbishop Mitty (San Jose, Calif.) hosted 16 teams with six ranked in the FAB 50.

The Dave Mohs Memorial hosted by Edison (Huntington Beach, Calif.) High School accepted 64 teams split into two divisions into its tournament.

Check out the week 2 girls' volleyball ESPN RISE FAB 50 ranking for 2009 below, previous rank in parenthesis.  Click the link for more.

ESPN RISE FAB 50
National girls' volleyball rankings
Week 2 Rankings- Records reflect games played through September 20.

Rank School, City, State, Record
1 (1) Archbishop Mitty San Jose, Calif. 9-0
2 (2) Joliet Catholic Chicago, Ill. 12-0
3 (3) Reagan San Antonio, Texas 31-1
4 (4) La Costa Canyon  Carlsbad, Calif. 2-0
5 (5) Muncie Burris  Muncie, Ind. 20-0
6 (6) Amarillo Amarillo, Texas 31-3
7 (9) Assumption Louisville, Ky. 15-2
8 (12) St. Francis Wheaton, Ill. 15-0
9 (7) Sacred Heart Academy Louisville, Ky. 11-3
10 (18) Los Alamitos Los Alamitos, Calif. 11-0
11 (10) Floyd Central  Floyds Knobs, Ind.  17-1
12 (8 ) J.J. Pearce Richardson, Texas 23-4
13 (11) Wilson Long Beach, Calif. 1-0
14 (14) Ursuline Academy  Cincinnati, Ohio 10-0
15 (20) Dos Pueblos  Goleta, Calif. 6-1
16 (NR) The Woodlands Woodlands, Texas 27-4
17 (39) Santa Barbara  Santa Barbara, Calif. 6-1
18 (13) Marymount  Los Angeles, Calif. 4-2
19 (33) St. Ursula Academy Toledo, Ohio 9-1
20 (15) Mira Costa  Manhattan Beach, Calif. 1-1
21 (21) Berkley Prep  Tampa, Fla. 7-2
22 (NR) Benet Lisle, Ill. 14-1
23 (26) St. James  Lenexa, Kan. 6-0
24 (30) Canyon Randall Amarillo, Texas 24-1
25 (23) Cardinal Gibbons  Raleigh, N.C. 7-1
26 (NR) Evenston Evanston, Ill.  13-2
27 (28) Chaska Chaska, Minn. 7-0
28 (22) Lakewood  Lakewood, Calif. 4-2
29 (29) Plant  Tampa, Fla. 10-0
30 (47) Bishop Miege  Shawnee Mission, Kans. 11-2
31 (19) Dublin Coffman Dublin, Ohio 8-0
32 (32) Elkhart Memorial  Elkhart, Ind. 10-0
33 (16) O'Connor  Helotes, Texas 25-3
34 (17) Marian  Omaha, Neb. 15-1
35 (35) Shakopee  Shakopee, Minn. 10-0
36 (46) Hinsdale Central Hinsdale, Ill. 14-2
37 (37) Rose Greenville, N.C. 7-0
38 (31) St. Joseph's Academy  St. Louis, Mo.  12-3
39 (24) Sandburg Orland Park, Ill. 10-1)
40 (34 Allen Allen, Texas 23-3
41 (36) Marist Chicago, Ill. 7-2
42 (41) Lee's Summit West  Lee's Summit, Mo. 11-0
43 (42) Punahou Honolulu, Hawai'i  9-0
44 (43) Blue Springs  Blue Springs, Mo. 11-2
45 (45) Lakota West West Chester, Ohio 10-0
46 (49) Kamehameha Honolulu, Hawai'i  9-1
47 (38) Westlake Austin, Texas 22-6
48 (48) Mount Notre Dame Academy Cincinnati, Ohio 8-1
49 (50) Corona del Mar Newport Beach, Calif 6-2
50 (40) Harvard Westlake North Hollywood, Calif. 1-3
 

By Christine Jinbo

The championship match of the 2009 Dave Mohs Memorial Tournament took place last night at the Dave Mohs Gymnasium at Edison (Huntington Beach, Calif.) High School.  The final pitted Los Alamitos (Calif.), the Gahr Invitational

	Leonard Xu/ESPN RISE
	Los Alamitos celebrates its second tournament title in two weeks.

The Griffins started slow and dug themselves out of a one set deficit for the victory, 23-25, 25-15, 15-6. They captured their second tournament title of the year and junior outside hitter Jane Croson was selected the tournament MVP.

Los Alamitos will look for its third tournament title on back to back to back weekends as they head to Las Vegas, Nev. for the Durango Classic hosted by Durango High School.

Teams to watch at the Durango Classic include 13 ESPN RISE FAB 50 teams in the 48-team field and the two top powerhouses from Louisville, Ky., Assumption and Sacred Heart.  The field also represents eight states and Canada.

Teams to watch at the Durango Classic in alphabetical order:

Archbishop Mitty (San Jose, Calif.), Assumption (Louisville, Ky.), Clovis West (Fresno, Calif.), Dos Pueblos (Goleta, Calif.), Harvard-Westlake (North Hollywood, Calif.), Kamehameha Schools Kapalama (Honolulu, Hawaii), La Costa Canyon (Carlsbad, Calif.), Lakewood (Calif.), Los Alamitos (Calif.), Marymount (Los Angeles, Calif.), Mira Costa (Manhattan Beach, Calif.), Redlands East Valley (Redlands, Calif.), Redondo Union (Redondo Beach, Calif.), Sacred Heart (Louisville, Ky.), Santa Margarita Catholic (Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.), South Torrance (Torrance, Calif.), Torrey Pines (San Diego, Calif.), Wilson (Long Beach, Calif.)

By Christine Jinbo

The Tournament of Champions hosted by ESPN RISE FAB 50 No. 31 St. Joseph's Academy (St. Louis, Mo.), described as a boutique tournament by this author, featured pools without any two teams from the same state.

St. Joseph's Head Coach Karen Davis said, "It was an interesting and competitive tournament."  She continued, "All gold division matches went into the deciding third set."

ESPN RISE FAB 50 No. 7 Sacred Heart (Louisville, Ky.) swept the tournament with a 5-0 record and defeated No. 41 Bishop Miege (Shawnee Mission, Kans.) in the finals, 23-25, 25-17, 25-22.  The two Kentucky teams, Sacred Heart and Mercy (Louisville, Ky), placed first and fourth.

Mercy sustained three losses on the tournament, the first to Cor Jesu (St. Louis, Mo.) in pool play.  Sacred Heart defeated Mercy in the semifinals in a tight three set match, 25-27, 25-23, 25-23 and St. Joe finished the Jags off in the third place game.

To complicate future ESPN RISE FAB 50 rankings, Mercy defeated the second place team Miege while St. Joe, which defeated Mercy, lost to Miege in the semifinal match, 22-25, 25-17, 25-16.

Below are the results from the Tournament of Champions at St. Joseph's Academy.

1.  Sacred Heart Academy  (5-0)
2.  Bishop Miege (3-2)
3.  St. Joseph's Academy (3-2)
4.  Mercy (2-3)
 
5.  Althoff (2-3)
6.  Cor Jesu (3-2)
7.  Bishop Kelly (2-3)
8.  Colonial Forge (0-5)

By Christine Jinbo
 
The anticipated Archbishop Mitty (San Jose, Calif.) Invitational played out close to original seeding.  The 16-team tournament took place over two days and honored the "ultimate team game."  The tournament paid tribute to the spirit of team and assistant athletic director and tournament director Sarah Thomas* (coach of the 2009 ESPN RISE National Champion softball team) decided not to honor individual achievements through an All-Tournament team for the event.

The top seeded Monarchs breezed through the elite level competition and were forced to a four set match only once in the two day event.  Mitty defeated No. 2 seed, Dos Pueblos (Goleta, Calif.) in the final 25-15, 27-29, 25-13, 25-23.

	Leonard Xu/ESPN RISE
	Carly Wopat dominated the net for Dos Pueblos.

The Dons lost in the next round to eventual champion and tournament host, Archbishop Mitty, 25-13, 25-11, 25-9.  After their loss to the Monarchs, the Dons rebounded and defeated Berkeley Prep for third place, 25-20, 17-25, 21-25, 25-21, 15-12.
 
In a quarterfinal match scheduled for 8:00 PM, No. 4 seed, Marymount fell to Santa Barbara in a marathon five set match, (25-23, 18-25, 25-27, 26-24, 15-12) and had to turn around and play first thing the next morning versus St. Francis (Sarcramento, Calif.) and dropped a heartbreaker that ended 19-17 in the fifth set.  St. Francis came into its Saturday match versus Marymount after a quick three set loss to Mitty, (25-13, 25-21, 25-20).
 
The ESPN RISE FAB 50 No. 1 Archbishop Mitty went 4-0 this weekend and even more impressive, compiled a set record of 12-1 for the weekend.

*Note: Head Coach Brett Almazan-Cezar was not the tournament director for this event.  A correction was made to the story. It was the assistant athletic director Sarah Thomas who served as the Tournament Director.

Read more about the tournament at ESPN RISE Volleyball.

Read more about the final match at MaxPreps.com.

Read more about Dos Pueblos and Santa Barbara at PrisidioSports.com.
 

By Christine Jinbo

	Tony Martin/ESPN RISE
	Sacred Heart will play three matches in pool play against teams from different states.

By Christine Jinbo

Sixty-four girls' volleyball teams converge on Orange County (Calif.) today to compete in the Dave Mohs Memorial Tournament, hosted by Edison (Huntington Beach, Calif.) High School.   The event features the best in the city and

	Leonard Xu/ESPN RISE
	Kylie Hargreaves of Santa Margarita will participate in the Dave Mohs.

surrounding areas and one lone team from out of state Notre Dame Prep (Scottsdale, Ariz.).
 
The 2009 tournament will feature sixteen 4-team pools and begins Friday afternoon.  The three-day event tournament culminates with the championship match on Monday in the Dave Mohs Gymnasium on the Edison campus, after a one-day hiatus on Sunday.  All play will be best two out of three games to 25 points.  The third game will be a 15-point game.

ESPN RISE FAB 50 teams participating in the tournament include: No. 18 Los Alamitos (Los Alamitos, Calif.) and No. 50 Santa Margarita (Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.).  Although only two ranked teams are entered in the event, many teams are considered "on the bubble," including: Corona del Mar (Newport Beach, Calif.), Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.), Newport Harbor (Newport Beach, Calif.) and Orange Lutheran (Orange, Calif.).

Six Orange County schools will host the three-day tournament, with a day of rest on Sunday: Edison (Huntington Beach, Calif.) High School, Huntington Beach (Huntington Beach, Calif.) High School, Marina (Huntington Beach, Calif.) High School, Newport Harbor (Newport Beach, Calif.) High School, Fountain Valley (Fountain Valley, Calif.) High School, Corona Del Mar (Newport Beach, Calif.) High School

Pool seeding and site information:
Pool 1 @ Edison High School
1. Los Alamitos
2. Bakersfield
3. San Clemente
4. Los Osos
 
Pool 2 @ Huntington Beach High School
1. CDM
2. Mater Dei
3. Newberry Park
4. El Toro
 
Pool 3 @ Edison High School
1. Santa Margarita
2. Esperanza
3. Peninsula
4. Upland
 
Pool 4 @ Newport Harbor High School
1. Newport Harbor
2. Vista Murrieta
3. Tesoro
4. Palos Verdes
 
Pool 5 @ Newport Harbor High School
1. El Dorado
2. Mission Viejo
3. Laguna Beach
4. Chapparel
 
Pool 6 @ Huntington Beach High School
1. Huntington Beach
2. Troy
3. Centennial
4. Royal
 
Pool 7 @ Edison High School
1. Orange Lutheran
2. Edison
3. Temecula Valley
4. University
 
Pool 8 @ Huntington Beach High School
1. Murrieta Valley
2. Capo Valley
3. Rosary
4. Liberty 

By Christine Jinbo

	Leonard Xu/ESPN RISE
	Rachel Williams returns strong for her senior season with the Monarchs.

With large scale high school volleyball tournaments taking place across the country, ESPN RISE Volleyball will do its best to provide news and information from the events.  The first of the tournament coverage we bring our readers comes from ESPN RISE FAB 50  No. 1 Archbishop Mitty (San Jose, Calif.). 

The Monarchs hope to defend their title from last year, when they defeated Santa Barbara (Calif.) in the finals of their own Archbishop Mitty Invitational.  This year, a talented field returned and expanded out of California with Florida and North Carolina represented. 

No. 21 Berkeley Prep (Tampa, Fla.) and No. 23 Cardinal Gibbons (Raleigh, N.C.) make the trip west to test their wares against California.

Other top ranked teams participating in the event include, No. 13 Marymount, No. 20 Dos Pueblos (Goleta, Calif.) and No. 39 Santa Barbara will be in attendance.  

Below is a breakdown of the teams in alphabetical order, provided by the Archbishop Mitty tournament organizers.

Analy (Sebastopol, Calif.)
League/Section: Sonoma County League/North Coast Section
Enrollment: 1,360
Nickname: Tigers
2008 Record: 24-8
Players to Watch: Margaret Barnes, Sam Siebert, Marla Petrucci, Calaire Sullivan
Notable Alumni: Karen Valentine
Head Coach: Nancy Williams & Becky Olson
Varsity Assistants: Wyatt Andersen

Archbishop Mitty (San Jose, Calif.)
League/Section: West Catholic Athletic League/Central Coast Section
Enrollment: 1,700
Nickname: Monarchs
2008 Record: 41-1
Players to Watch: Rachel Williams, Kristina Graven
Notable Alumni: Kerri Walsh, Lindsay Sherburne, Bethany Johansen, Amanda Gil
Head Coach: Bret Almazan-Cezar
Varsity Assistants: Chi Chui, Kevin Corral
ESPN RISE FAB 50: No. 1

Berkeley Prep (Tampa, Fla.)
League/Section: FHSAA/Class 3A
Enrollment: 500
Nickname: Buccaneers
2008 Record: 28-3
Players to Watch: Jordan Burgess, Lindsay Young, Mackenzie Dagostino, Chelsea Parker, Natasha Rowland
Notable Alumni: Eilein Murfee, Anna Robinson, Janet Okogbaa, Ashley Miller, Mary Leffers, Kelly Flanigan, Merrill Mullis
Head Coach: Randy Dagostino
Varsity Assistants: Rafael Silva, Marianne Rechtoris
ESPN RISE FAB 50: No. 21

(Read full post)

The U.S. women's beach volleyball team of  Jazmin Machado (Encinitas, Calif.) and Summer Ross (Carlsbad, Calif.) won its first main draw, pool play match on Thursday at the 2009 FIVB Junior Beach

	Courtesy Debbie Roenicke
	Ross (right) is a veteran for the USA Junior Beach Team.

Machado and Ross will complete pool play on Friday, facing Finland's Eveliina Koljonen and Taija Pekkarinen, seeded 20th, and the Czech Republic's fifth-ranked Martina Bonnerova and Barbora Hermannova.

To read more go to USA Volleyball.

Watch a video interview with Summer Ross.

Become a member of ESPN RISE Volleyball, FREE and post a comment below.

By Christine Jinbo

Taylor Unroe from Burris High of Muncie, Ind. received athlete of the week by ESPN RISE.  Her performance launched Muncie Burris to the championship of the Burris Invitational. In the title match, against then ranked No. 2 Assumption (Louisville, Ky.), Unroe came through with 12 kills, two aces and nine digs. During the day, in which the Owls played four times, Unroe posted 34 kills and 32 digs.

	Courtesy Shelby Cloyd
	The Munice, Ind. Star Press says, "When Unroe gets a kill she stomps her feet and lets out a scream that sends Pit Bulls running for cover."

Despite being considered "small" for elite volleyball at 5-foot-7, she received a scholarship to play volleyball at the University of Florida.  College recruiters noticed what Unroe's prep coaches and teammates have known for a long time.  She is the ultimate team player and the ultimate competitor.   

Unroe reflected on her team's accomplishment.

"Beating Louisville Assumption was one of the highlights of my high school career and the whole team came together to help do that," she said.

Unroe can almost compare championship rings with Michael Jordan, as she owns four and could match his six by year's end.  She has three 2A Indiana State Tournament championships and last spring took home the Junior Volleyball Directors Association (JVDA) 18 Open Championship with her club team Munciana Samurai.  Tournament organizers recognized her talent and Unroe received all state honors each of the three years and was named the MVP of JVDA tournament.

Burris Head Coach Steve Shondell has seen first hand Unroe's work ethic and success.  "Through her work ethic, dedication and commitment, Taylor has evolved into one of the premier high school volleyball players in America," he said.

Unroe attributes her success to her mother who she says, "Inspires me … and rarely misses me play."

"She is always there and always encourages me to be the best I can be and doesn't hesitate to tell me when I'm not," added Unroe.

She began to play volleyball at four years old when she watched her stepsisters, who played for Delta Juniors Volleyball Club located at Delta (Muncie, Ind.) High School.  She was hooked, so her dad took her along to play on Saturdays.(Read full post)

By Christine Jinbo

This week, ESPN RISE FAB 50 top ten teams, previoiusly ranked No. 3 Mira Costa (Manhattan Beach, Calif.) and No. 2 Assumption (Louisville, Ky.) sustained upset losses.  The Mustangs fell to previously ranked No. 40 Marymount (Los Angeles, Calif.) High School on their own turf.  The Sailors traveled to Mustang territory and toppled the giants, 25-21, 25-27, 19-25, 25-23 15-11.  USC commit, Sam Hirschman had a team high 20 kills, 15 digs and four blocks. 

Assumption traveled to the Burris Invitational (Muncie, Ind.) and took a beating from tournament host, No. 18 Burris in the finals.  Florida commit Taylor Unroe led the team and propelled the Owls into the top ten with their straight set win over Assumption.  The Rockets redeemed themselves in straight sets over rival No. 7 Mercy (Louisville, Ky.) (25-14, 25-18, 25-16), which knocked the Jags out of the top ten.  The Rockets went into the Louisville Invitational Tournament with one loss and emerged with one more to Sacred Heart (Louisville, Ky.) in a best of three match (25-21, 23-25, 25-18).

The season is heating up with early tournaments set for the coming weeks.  Competitive tournaments take place in Northern and Southern California.  No. 1 Archbishop Mitty (San Jose, Calif.) hosts its Invitational with 16 teams on four courts.  No. 21 Berkeley Prep (Tampa, Fla.) and No. 23 Cardinal Gibbons (Raleigh, N.C.) will travel to the event, which includes top California talent.  Besides host Mitty, No. 13 Marymount, No. 20 Dos Pueblos (Goleta, Calif.) and No. 39 Santa Barbara will be in attendance.  In Southern California, the 32nd annual Dave Mohs, hosted by Edison (Huntington Beach, Calif.) High School will feature top Southern California teams. The tournament field has 64 teams competing in two divisions with Orange County well represented. Championship matches are on Sept. 21.

ESPN RISE FAB 50 No. 31 St. Joseph (St. Louis, Mo.) will host its Invitational also this weekend.  Louisville  schools, No. 25 Mercy and No. 7 Sacred Heart will travel to St. Louis for the event.  The much anticipated Durango Classic is set for Sept. 25-26 and will feature, five ESPN RISE top ten teams and 12 ESPN RISE ranked teams.   The tournament represents eight states and has expanded its field to 48 teams this year.  This is one nobody wants to miss.

Check out the pre-season girls' volleyball ESPN RISE FAB 50 ranking for 2009 below, previous rank in parenthesis.  Click the link for more.

ESPN RISE FAB 50
National girls' volleyball rankings
Week 1 Rankings- Records reflect games played through September 13.

Rank  School, City, ST, Rec.   
1 (1) Archbishop Mitty (San Jose, Calif.) 6-0
2 (5) Joliet Catholic (Chicago, Ill.) 8-0
3 (8) Reagan (San Antonio, Texas) 29-1
4 (9) La Costa Canyon  (Carlsbad, Calif.) 1-0
5 (18) Muncie Burris  (Muncie, Ind.) 15-0
6 (4) Amarillo (Amarillo, Texas) 28-3
7 (12) Sacred Heart Academy (Louisville, Ky.) 7-2
8 (6) J.J. Pearce (Richardson, Texas) 21-4
9 (2) Assumption (Louisville, Ky.) 12-2
10 (22) Floyd Central  (Floyds Knobs, Ind.  11-0
11 (11) Wilson (Long Beach, Calif.) 0-0
12 (20) St. Francis (Wheaton, Ill.) 8-0
13 (40) Marymount  (Los Angeles, Calif.) 1-0
14 (14) Ursuline Academy  (Cincinnati, Ohio) 6-0
15 (3) Mira Costa  (Manhattan Beach, Calif.) 0-1
16 (23) O'Connor  (Helotes, Texas)  23-3
17 (16) Marian  (Omaha, Neb.) 9-0
18 (15) Los Alamitos (Los Alamitos, Calif.) 4-0
19 (19) Dublin Coffman (Dublin, Ohio) 4-0
20 (21) Dos Pueblos  (Goleta, Calif.) 2-0
21 (25) Berkley Prep  (Tampa, Fla.) 5-0
22 (17) Lakewood  (Lakewood, Calif.) 3-0
23 (37) Cardinal Gibbons  (Raleigh, N.C.) 4-0
24 (NR) Sandburg (Orland Park, Ill.) 5-0
25 (7) Mercy  (Louisville, Kent.) 10-2
26 (32) St. James  (Lenexa, Kan.) 3-0
27 (24) Mother McAuley (Chicago, Ill.) 3-0
28 (28) Chaska (Chaska, Minn.) 3-0
29 (35) Plant  (Tampa, Fla.) 8-0
30 (NR) Canyon Randall (Amarillo, Texas) 21-1
31 (34) St. Joseph's Academy  (St. Louis, Mo.)  8-1
32 (38) Elkhart Memorial  (Elkhart, Ind.) 8-0
33 (NR) St. Ursula Academy (Toledo, Ohio) 6-0
34 (NR) Allen (Allen, Texas) 22-3
35 (39) Shakopee  (Shakopee, Minn.) 8-0
36 (NR) Marist (Chicago, Ill.) 3-0
37 (44) Rose (Greenville, N.C.) 6-0
38 (13) Westlake (Austin, Texas) 19-5
39 (NR) Santa Barbara  (Santa Barbara, Calif.) 2-0
40 (42) Harvard Westlake (North Hollywood, Calif.) 0-1
41 (NR) Lee's Summit West  (Lee's Summit, Mo.) 9-0
42 (43) Punahou (Honolulu, Hawai'i) 7-0
43 (49) Blue Springs  (Blue Springs, Mo.) 8-2
44 (26) Center Grove  (Greenwood, Ind.) 9-1
45 (33) Lakota West (West Chester, Ohio) 6-0
46 (NR) Hinsdale Central (Hinsdale, Ill.) 6-0
47 (45) Bishop Miege  (Shawnee Mission, Kans.) 7-1
48 (48) Mount Notre Dame (Cincinnati, Ohio) 6-1
49 (50) Kamehameha (Honolulu, Hawai'i) 6-1
50 (46) Santa Margarita  (Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.) 0-1

Alabama High School Athletic Association
Sinclair Wins No. 1,000, Joins Elite Group

Montgomery Academy (Montgomery, Ala.) Head Coach Julie Sinclair joined an elite group of high school coaches Tuesday, when the Eagles downed Marbury and Prattville in high school volleyball action.
 
The victory over Prattville gave Sinclair win No. 1,000 and made her the fourth volleyball coach in Alabama history to reach the milestone. Retired Hazel Green coach Glenda Wright (1,303-505) leads the state list followed by retired McGill-Toolen coach Becky Dickinson (1,273-130) and current Oak Mountain coach Tammy Richardson (1,196-450). Sinclair is 1,000-336 in 31 seasons at the school.
 
Bayside Academy's Ann Schilling and Muscle Shoals' Brenda Mayes each has more than 900 wins.

Posted by Christine Jinbo

We bring our readers polls from around the nation. Regional polls help shape the national polls in different ways, so before the ESPN RISE FAB 50 volleyball rankings are released later this week, here are some regional polls to consider.  Click the links to view the entire polls.

California:
CIF-SS 2009 COACHES' PRESEASON GIRLS VOLLEYBALL POLL
(As of SEPTEMBER 8, 2009)
      
RK.     DIVISION 1-AA
1.         Santa Margarita
2.         Mira Costa
3.         Wilson/LB
4.         Los Alamitos
5.         Long Beach Poly
6.         Lakewood
 
DIVISION 1-A
1. Santa Barbara
2. Dos Pueblos
3. Marymount
4. Laguna Beach
5. El Dorado
6. Arroyo Grande
 
DIVISION 2-AA
1. Redlands East Valley
2. Corona del Mar
3. Beckman
4. Bishop Montgomery
5. St Lucy's
6. Walnut
&nbs...

(Read full post)

By Christine Jinbo

Thirty-one teams will compete at the Molten/Gahr Volleyball Classic this weekend, hosted by Gahr (Cerritos, Calif.) High School.  Last year, Rosary (Fullerton, Calif.) defeated Flintridge Sacred Heart (La Canada-Flintridge, Calif.) for third place. 
This year's

	Leonard Xu
	Jane Croson returns for the Griffins this year.

The forecasted final, scheduled for  Monday evening, could feature ESPN RISE FAB 50 No. 15 Los Alamitos and No. 18 Lakewood.

2009 Teams (in alphabetical order)

Alta Loma
Brentwood
Burroughs (Brurbank)
Canyon
Cerritos

Chaminade
Downey
Flintridge Sacred Heart
Gahr
La Canada

La Salle
Lakewood
Long Beach Poly
Los Alamitos
Marborough

Mater Dei
Mayfair
Mayfield
Millikan
North Torrance

Notre Dame Acadmey
Ontraio Christian
Pacifica (Garden Grove)
Rosary
South Hills

South Torrance
St. Joseph (Lakewood)
Torrance
Valley Christian
Warren
West Torrance

By Christine Jinbo

The Louisville Invitational, hosted by Assumption (Louisville, Ky.) High School boasts eleven of

	Tony Martin
	Assumption (Louisville, Ky.) cheered when they won the NIKE Classic in Chicago last season.

the top 25 currently ranked high school volleyball teams in Kentucky. 

Four schools ranked in the ESPN RISE FAB 50, will compete in the Louisville Invitational Volleyball Tournament (LIVT) including: No. 2 Assumption, No. 7 Mercy, No. 13 Sacred Heart and No. 29 Notre Dame.
 
The tournament will take place at Assumption High School and the Ohio Valley Volleyball Center, with the championship match set for 4:30p.m. on Saturday. 

Five out-of-state teams will contend for the title at the in the LIVT field including : St.Joseph (St.Louis, Mo. ) Notre Dame (Toledo, Ohio), Bishop Fenwick (Franklin, Ohio), St.Ursula (Cincinnatti, Ohio), and Pelham (Pelham, Ala.).