Let the fun on the court begin. The 2026 high school volleyball season is underway.
Volleyball teams on the Treasure Coast took their first swings in preseason matches last week. This week, the journey to the postseason officially begins with the start of the regular season.
This year, district tournaments are slated to begin Oct. 12, while teams fortunate enough to advance will play regional matches the following week. If the dream is still alive, the state’s best teams will make the trip to Central Florida for the state championships, scheduled for Nov. 2-7.
St. Edward’s will look to make a return trip to Winter Haven after a magical run to the Class 1A state championship match.
Sign up and save to watch the NFHS Network
Elsewhere, teams such as Legacy, Martin County and Pine are looking to make deep runs into the fall after capturing district titles last year. Meanwhile, South Fork, Vero Beach, Jensen Beach and John Carroll Catholic aim to return to the postseason.
Several players from those squads are expected to stand out along the way. With that, here are the players we expect to dominate as the regular season gets underway.
25 volleyball players to watch on the Treasure Coast during the 2026 high school season
Kaylee Alvarez, Sr., Martin County
Alvarez was a key reason the Tigers snapped a nine-year district title drought. Last season, the defensive specialist ranked third on the team in digs (251) while posting a team-best 48 service aces. Alvarez also plays beach volleyball and flag football.
Madelyn Axtell, Jr., Martin County
The second player on this list is another Tiger who topped the leaderboard in a team category. Axtell paced Martin County with 43 blocks, tied for ninth in the area last season.
Lyla Barker-Bray, Jr., Legacy
The Lions made school history in their debut season, with Barker-Bray providing the finishing touches. She put down the match-winning kill to secure Legacy’s first district title in any sport. Barker-Bray was outstanding throughout the season, leading the team with 268 kills to go along with 262 digs and 37 aces.
Lindsay Bieber, Jr., Vero Beach
Replacing the previous season’s Player of the Year was a tough challenge, but Bieber was more than up for it. She excelled for the area’s top-ranked team, ranking third on the Treasure Coast with 632 assists. She added 119 digs, 30 aces and 15 blocks.
Audrey Bruemmer, Sr., Jensen Beach
Bruemmer sent the most balls back for the Falcons a season ago. She recorded a team-best 43 blocks, seven more than her next-closest teammate. She averaged more than two blocks per match.
Vitoria Claret, Fr., Pine
Claret was named the FACA Class 1A-District 19 Player of the Year as an eighth-grader after fueling the Knights’ run to the regional finals. She posted a team-high 380 kills while finishing second on the team in aces (58) and digs (252).
Grace Clemente, So., St. Edward’s
Clemente is the first player from last season’s Class 1A state runner-up squad to be mentioned on this list. As a freshman, she thrived in pressure situations, posting a season-best 25 kills in the regional final and 16 kills in the state semifinal. Clemente led the Pirates with 318 kills and 25 blocks.
Noelle Edmond, Sr., St. Lucie West Centennial
Edmond was an All-Area honorable mention last season after emerging as one of the area’s top blockers. She ranked second on the Treasure Coast with 62 blocks. Edmond also recorded 57 kills and 39 digs.
Avery Eldred, Sr., South Fork
With the graduation of several key seniors from last year’s team, Eldred is expected to be a leader for the Bulldogs. She formed one half of a terrific outside-hitter combination with All-Area First Team selection Ryan Connelly, finishing with 278 kills, 19 aces and 80 digs.
Madelyn Freed, Jr., Martin County
All-Area First Team standout Emelia Glover was the first option on the outside, but Freed provided a strong second option. The outside hitter ranked second on the team with 193 kills. Her sophomore season was highlighted by a 23-kill performance against Bayside.
Grace Fykes, Jr., St. Edward’s
Fykes emerged as a reliable force on the back line for the Pirates. The libero collected team highs of 431 digs and 668 serve receptions. She also added 52 aces.
Margaret Fykes, Jr., St. Edward’s
The second Fykes on our watch list distributed the ball as well as anyone. Margaret Fykes led the area with 928 assists. That total included a season-best 52 assists in the regional final. She also had 47 aces, 44 kills and 17 blocks.
Ella Gravlee, Sr., Vero Beach
Thanks to tremendous precision and power, Gravlee is an intimidating presence whenever she rises for a swing at the net.
Last season, the Florida commit was the area’s best player after ranking second on the Treasure Coast with 453 kills, nearly four times as many as her closest teammate. Despite a high volume of attempts from every part of the court, Gravlee remained efficient, producing a .323 hitting percentage. She maintained that offensive pressure at the service line by posting a team-best 41 aces while cementing herself as a six-rotation player with 229 digs and 340 serve receptions. All three totals led the team.
Lakiea Hill, Sr., Vero Beach
While Gravlee handled the offense, Hill took care of the defense. The middle blocker recorded a team-best 61 blocks. She also had 72 kills, 30 aces and 35 digs.
Bailey Johanson, Sr., Legacy
Two years removed from earning All-Area First Team honors and after receiving Second Team recognition last season, Johanson remains one of the area’s top blockers. She helped the Lions reach the regional finals after recording a team-best 47 blocks to go with 174 kills, 32 aces and 44 digs.
Yahya Johnson, Sr., Vero Beach
Johnson missed most of her junior season after suffering an ankle injury during the lead-up to the 2025 campaign. She returned late in the season and recorded 39 kills and 14 blocks in 24 sets played. Fully healthy, the UCF commit should provide a significant boost to Vero Beach’s talented roster.
Liv Laughlin, Jr., John Carroll Catholic
Laughlin is the Rams’ top returning hitter after piling up 186 kills, which ranked second behind current Oklahoma hitter Halle Delince. The junior also added 58 digs.
Grace Murphy, Jr., Martin County
Murphy served as the quarterback of the Tigers’ district-title run. As a sophomore, she dished out 561 assists, good for fourth in the area. Murphy also contributed 50 kills, 29 aces and 168 digs.
Addison Muth, Sr., Sebastian River
This outside hitter was the Sharks’ most valuable player in 2025. Muth led the team in kills (158), aces (36) and digs (162). She also ranked second in serve receptions (152) in 54 sets played.
Meredith Prince, Sr., Legacy
After showcasing her talent early in her career at St. Lucie West Centennial, Prince earned All-Area First Team honors during Legacy’s historic season. The junior setter helped put the pieces together for a first-year program, ranking second in the area with 868 assists while finishing fourth in Class 5A in aces (84). She also added 283 digs, 61 kills and 27 blocks.
Addison Sellick, So., Jensen Beach
With the graduation of Samaya Hennessy, the Falcons sophomore takes over as the top option on the outside. Sellick recorded 177 kills, 25 aces, 27 blocks and 218 digs during her freshman campaign.
Taylor Smith, Sr., Legacy
Smith missed a chunk of her junior season because of injury. But once she returned, the Lions took off, winning 11 straight matches en route to a district title and a regional runner-up finish. Smith recorded 182 kills, 206 digs and 26 aces in 71 sets played.
Juliette Swan, Jr., Pine
Swan followed up an All-Area First Team season as a freshman by earning Second Team honors in 2025. She led the Knights with 415 digs, 644 serve receptions and 61 aces.
Emma Ware, So., Fort Pierce Central
Ware was one of the area’s best players at the net. As a freshman, the middle hitter recorded 54 blocks for a Cobras team that went 11-11. She trailed only Zion Boakai, who is now playing at Division III La Roche University.
Azariah Washington, So., Okeechobee
Washington enters her sophomore season after a strong freshman campaign. The outside hitter led the Brahmans with 255 kills while adding 24 aces and 159 digs.
Patrick Bernadeau is a sports reporter for Treasure Coast Newspapers. He can be reached at 772-985-9692, on X at @PatBernadeau or via email at pbernadeau@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Meet the 25 Treasure Coast volleyball players to watch for 2026 season
Reporting by Patrick Bernadeau, Treasure Coast Newspapers / Treasure Coast Newspapers
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Patrick Bernadeau, Treasure Coast Newspapers | USA TODAY Network
