Which Team Will Dominate at Durango Classic Vol 2

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Every September, Las Vegas stops being just a volleyball destination and starts being the proving ground for the best programs in the country. The Durango Classic brings together a field that stretches from Hawaii to Kentucky, from South Dakota to Southern California, and the matchups that happen inside these gyms tend to shape the national conversation for months. I will be onsite to cover as many teams as possible during this amazing tournament. Here is an early look at three more West Coast programs bringing some compelling storylines into the tournament.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Torrey Pines High School | San Diego, CA</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Torrey Pines finished the 2025-26 season at 38-5, won the CIF San Diego Section Open Division championship, reached the CIF State Open Division semifinals before falling to Mater Dei and spent time ranked as high as 7th nationally. The program opens 2026-27 with a 3-1 record already in the books and a September 15 matchup against Mater Dei that will serve as one of the most anticipated rematch storylines of the early season nationally. The Falcons compete in the Avocado League, one of the strongest conferences in the San Diego Section and their preparation for a tournament like the Durango Classic is built into the competitive standard they maintain every week. College coaches who make the trip to Las Vegas looking for San Diego-area talent should plan time in the Torrey Pines sessions early. The program has consistently produced Division I players and the current roster reflects that pipeline continuing. So far in this early season, junior attacker [player_tooltip player_id='616624' first='Parker' last='Herrin'] is leading the team in kills and is locked and loaded for more. Stellar seniors Lillia Decker and [player_tooltip player_id='467596' first='Jaycee' last='Mack'] get a lot of attempts and do some damage on the scoreboard for this squad. We have seen them produce at a very high level for the past few years. Do not sleep on this team because they will be a tough out for anyone. Middles [player_tooltip player_id='759009' first='Dylan' last='Kupiec'] is a blocking machine and can make the opposition respect her in their offensive scheme. Her counterpart is one of the best offensive middles in the country in [player_tooltip player_id='545226' first='Stella' last='Delgadillo']. She is also scoring the ball well from the service line this season so watch out for that! </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Archbishop Mitty High School | San Jose, CA</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Archbishop Mitty has been the defining program of Northern California volleyball for over a decade, holding 14 all-time CIF State championships including six consecutive from 2012 through 2017. Last season the Monarchs reminded the rest of the state that NorCal volleyball is not finished making noise. Led by setter Makenna Crosson, Mitty defeated Redondo Union in the semifinals of a major Southern California tournament and then pushed Sierra Canyon to a third set in the final before falling 20-18, the kind of result that confirmed the Monarchs belong in the national conversation. They went on to reach the 2025 CIF State Open Division before losing to Rocklin, finishing the year having beaten Saint Francis, Folsom, and Redwood in postseason play. The Monarchs compete in the West Catholic Athletic League, one of the deepest conferences in the country, and head coach Jake Spain has built a program culture that produces players who are prepared for high-pressure environments before they ever reach a tournament final. They are already 5-0 on the year so far and are primed for a good run at Durango. Multiple Prep Dig-ranked California prospects are active on the Mitty roster and the Durango Classic gives college coaches working the NorCal corridor a chance to see this program outside of the WCAL setting for the first time this fall. Stella Broshear, [player_tooltip player_id='532572' first='Chayse' last='Courtney'], and [player_tooltip player_id='745117' first='Laurie' last='Nguyen'] are just a few to name. Stay tuned for more on this squad as we cover them in the tourney. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Marymount High School | Los Angeles, CA</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Marymount is not just bringing a competitive program to Las Vegas. The Sailors are bringing the defending Durango Classic title. Last September, Marymount went 7-0 at this exact event, defeating Sierra Canyon 2-1 in the final to claim the tournament championship while ranked as high as second in the country by High School on SI. Outside hitter Samantha Destler was named tournament MVP, middle blocker and opposite [player_tooltip player_id='776337' first='Katelyn' last='Oerlemans'] earned All-Tournament recognition alongside outside hitter and opposite [player_tooltip player_id='482032' first='Makenna' last='Barnes'] and setter Olivia Penske, a group that announced Marymount as a genuine national contender rather than a regional one. The Sailors return to the 2026-27 season with players from that championship roster still active, including [player_tooltip player_id='776337' first='Katelyn' last='Oerlemans'], Morgan McCormack, and Brooke Salo as key pieces under head coach Saskia Hippe. They have already handled Redondo Union and Palos Verdes in the early weeks of the new season. College coaches who missed the Sailors at this event last year should make a point of correcting that oversight. Defending a tournament title is its own kind of pressure test, and how Marymount responds to it is one of the more compelling storylines of the entire field. All eyes will be on [player_tooltip player_id='482032' first='Makenna' last='Barnes'] and [player_tooltip player_id='776337' first='Katelyn' last='Oerlemans'] to carry the offensive load against some tough competition. Seeing that we have seen them in action for the past few years, we know they are ready for the challenge. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>As always stay tuned for more articles on your favorite athletes.  If you have anyone you think we should watch out for, please shoot me an email with some info at <a href="mailto:Michael@prepdig.com">Michael@prepdig.com</a>.  You can also DM me in Instagram and X by searching @CoachMikeDZ.  Also don't forget to help these kids get more exposure by sharing our stories with your friends.  Help us help them by simply retweeting on Twitter or sharing on Facebook.  Thanks for following us, Prep Dig Family!  Don't be afraid to interact with us.  We love the likes, shares, and quotes/comments.  Keep them coming!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->