Miss Volleyball 2026: Who Could Be A Finalist?

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Each year we typically look ahead to next fall's crop of Miss Volleyball contenders.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In 2026, the race is going to be very competitive, as there are a lot of elite-level players in the mix.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Each year, MIVCA awards Miss Volleyball to the player that has exemplified the most impactful four-year prep career. Here's a look at some of the names you can expect to see among the top contenders.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='442987' first='Kate' last='Kalczynski'], Farmington Hills Mercy</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>An Ohio State commit, Kalczynski has been the lead hitter for Mercy since her freshman season and is one of the top six-rotation outsides in the country. She has guided Mercy to D1 state championships in 2023 and 2025. She was Second Team All-State as a freshman and a sophomore, while being named First Team in 2025.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='454351' first='Mallory' last='Johnson'], Byron Center</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Nebraska commit is considered one of the best defenders in the country for the Class of 2027, but she's also been able to excel as an outside hitter for Byron Center. She led the Bulldogs to the D1 semifinals this past fall and has been First Team All-State in 2024 and 2025, as well as Second Team in 2023 as a freshman.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='442995' first='Marlie' last='Smith'], Clarkston</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Smith has been running the Clarkston offense since she was a freshman, and the North Carolina commit has been considered one of the best at her position since. She led the Wolves to a D1 semifinal appearance as a freshman and has been named Second Team All-State each of the last three seasons.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='442982' first='Grace' last='Goodyke'], Grand Rapids Christian</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Goodyke, a Dayton commit, has been the offensive leader for Grand Rapids Christian since she was a freshman. She has helped the Eagles reach the Division 2 state semifinals in 2023 and 2025. She was Second Team All-State in 2023 and 2024, while earning First team honors in 2025.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='467901' first='Mallory' last='Wandel'], Rockford</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Wandel has been able to do it all for the Rams for the last three years and is a Michigan State commit. She helped Rockford reach the Division 1 semifinals this fall, and the D1 final as a sophomore. Wandel has been First Team All-State the last two seasons.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='462086' first='Mallory' last='Woiteshek'], Grand Haven</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A powerful outside hitter that is committed to Michigan State, Woiteshek has been a dominant player throughout her high school career on the west side of the state. She was Third Team All-State as a freshman, Second Team as a sophomore, and First Team as a junior.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='458372' first='Jeana' last='Lenhard'], Garber</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A long outside that has taken on a big workload for her team, Lenhard has been able to establish herself as one of the top players in the state, and one of the most productive. She was Third Team All-State as a freshman, and First Team in 2024 and 2025.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Other Potential Finalists (in Alphabetical Order): </strong>[player_tooltip player_id='523865' first='Kate' last='Belt'], Valley Lutheran; [player_tooltip player_id='464378' first='Ava' last='Bush-Nelson'], Jenison; [player_tooltip player_id='586777' first='Nemiah' last='Carper'], Roscommon; [player_tooltip player_id='490373' first='Kate' last='Colosky'], Portage Central; Sarah Grioux, Flat Rock; [player_tooltip player_id='827359' first='Megan' last='Glass'], Hudsonville; [player_tooltip player_id='454366' first='Jordyn' last='Jones'], Richmond; [player_tooltip player_id='470031' first='Avery' last='Kapeller'], OLSM; Roley Loehfelm, FH Northern; [player_tooltip player_id='442971' first='Brenna' last='Mirovsky'], Oxford; [player_tooltip player_id='442976' first='Cynthia' last='Ockerman'], Brighton; [player_tooltip player_id='839825' first='Camille' last='Robinson'], Harper Creek; [player_tooltip player_id='436889' first='Sophia' last='Smith'], Marian; [player_tooltip player_id='442967' first='Addison' last='Stepp'], South Lyon East; [player_tooltip player_id='454358' first='Lily' last='Tripi'], Eisenhower.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->