When the story of the 2025 desert high school volleyball season is written, it will include surprise wins, fantastic finishes and players you hadn’t heard of before coming up huge at the big moments.
But there’s no doubt that a lot of ink will be reserved for the top players along the way.
With league play less than two weeks away, here are the 15 players desert volleyball fans should know. These fab 15 will play a major role in which teams grab league titles and which teams make a move deep into the playoffs.
Here are The Desert Sun’s top 15 volleyball players to watch for the 2025 season, listed alphabetically from Archer to Zarco, with a lot of talented players in between.
Skylah Archer, Shadow Hills
Why her: Perhaps known more for her skills on the basketball court, Archer has become a threat on the volleyball court, too. She has a rare combination of height (6-foot) and athletic ability, which makes her a tough to maneuever around middle blocker, and she’s growing comfortable as a hitter when called on.
Lyla Barkett, Xavier Prep
Why her: The senior outside hitter isn’t overly tall at 5-foot-7, but her timing and mechanics make her a dangerous finisher for the Saints. Barkett leads the team in kills and also leads the team in aces as her tough-to-handle serve is another weapon. She also is one of the team’s primary serve receivers.
Madison Estrada, Palm Desert
Why her: The senior libero does all the dirty work that liberos are known for: receiving serves, digging opponents’ spikes and getting that first pass to the setter to ignite the offense. Check. Check. And check. That’s why Estrada is so valuable.
Annabel Frederick, Xavier Prep
Why her: The junior setter is the primary table-setter for a Saints team that has jumped out to an 11-1 record in 2025. She leads the team in assists and is also dangerous from the service line with over 20 aces already this season.
Vanessa Garcia, Coachella Valley
Why her: The junior setter has stepped into the lead ball-handling role nicely for the Arabs this year. She leads the team with 142 assists and is also the team leader in digs with 91. When the ball comes across the net, it’s usually Garcia that decides what happens next.
Savannah Gardner, Palm Desert
Why her: A returning second-team all-league performer, the senior middle blocker and hitter uses her height (5-foot-11) to be a menace at the net. It’s tough to get a ball over her or past her, and she can finish plays, too.
Gianna Jouan, Palm Desert
Why her: Jouan, the long-time setter for the Aztecs, is a returning first-team all-DEL player and is ready to lead the team to new heights in her senior campaign. She has been starting since her freshman year and is like a coach on the floor at this point.
Arianna Padilla, Xavier Prep
Why her: Padilla is a Jill-of-all-trades for the Saints as she does everything well. She leads the team in digs, and is the top serve-receiver, two of the most important roles on a team. She also is among the team leaders in assists and aces.
Shayna Manning, Palm Springs
Why her: The senior is one of only two returning players to be named first-team all Desert Empire League last year, and she is the leader on an Indians team that has been taking big leaps lately. Manning does everything well as she leads the team in assists and is second on the team in kills and digs. Oh, and good luck returning her serve. She has 25 aces already.
Dagny Perrance, Shadow Hills
Why her: A returning second-team all-DEL performer, Perrance, now a junior, has been a factor for the Knights since she was a freshman. The 5-foot-11 outside hitter has the confidence, skill and experience to understand what the defense is doing to slow her down and then counter it.
Aliya Rapolla, Palm Springs
Why her: Only a sophomore, Rapolla has quickly entered the chat as one of the best all-around players in the valley. She leads the Indians in kills and is one of the team’s top serve receivers. Rapolla is a team leader on the court, the type of player coach Seluia Barragan never needs to worry about.
Grace Thomsen, Xavier Prep
Why her: The 5-foot-11 senior is a force for the Saints as an outside hitter. She leads the team in hitting percentage (how often you succeed when attacking with a full swing) and is also among the team leaders in blocks.
Phoebe Thorpe, Desert Christian Academy
Why her: Only a sophomore, the hard-swinging outside hitter is a solid all-around player for the Conquerors, who will be counting on a lot of new contributors this year, and Thorpe is one of those rising talents.
Yamarani Vega, Coachella Valley
Why her: The senior outside hitter is the main attacking player for the Arabs, leading the team in kills, but she does a lot more than that. She has the third-most digs on the team and has served 20 aces already this year.
Anitzi Zarco, Indio
Why her: The senior libero is the returning all-DVL defensive MVP, and when the ball comes over the net she’s almost always the first to touch it for the Rajahs. Zarco has 150 more digs than her next closest teammate and almost twice as many service receptions than any other Rajahs player. She also has racked up 27 aces already this year.
Athlete of the week nominations
Hey volleyball fans, we’re always looking to honor volleyball players in our Athlete of the Week segment. To nominate someone, send an email with the details to sports@desertsun.com.
Shad Powers is a columnist for The Desert Sun. Reach him at shad.powers@desertsun.com.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Volleyball watch list: These 15 high school stars will lead the way in 2025
Reporting by Shad Powers, Palm Springs Desert Sun / Palm Springs Desert Sun
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