Division 4 Power Rankings for Sept. 18

<p>The 2026 prep season is about a month old, so it's a good time to start looking at which teams are making the biggest impact thus far.</p>   <p>Division 4 features a lot of teams still finding their way as they take on challenging schedules to be ready for the postseason. Here's the 10 teams I feel have showed they can be title contenders thus far.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>1. Adrian Lenawee Christian</strong></h2>   <p>The Cougars have been putting up impressive wins against bigger opponents and they are going to be a very difficult team to get past in Division 4. Senior leaders <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='916067' first='Brynn' last='Davis']</strong> and <strong>Ava Feick</strong> provide great leadership on the floor to keep this team rolling along.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>2. Auburn Hills Oakland Christian</strong></h2>   <p>Some might be sleeping on the Lancers, but I am not. Look at the level of competition this team has played against, and it's clear that they will be one of the top contenders in D4 this year. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='455952' first='Sofie' last='Williams'] </strong>can be a real difference-maker in D4, while <strong>Sophia Parrish </strong>is a senior captain providing a lot of great leadership.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>3. Battle Creek St. Phillip</strong></h2>   <p>The Fighting Tigers could be shaping up for a run at their first championship since 2021. They have a veteran roster with key senior leaders <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1019373' first='Addison' last='Dzwik']</strong> and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='810425' first='Adriana' last='Olsen']</strong>, and we all know how strong of a coach the team has.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>4. Mt. Pleasant Sacred Heart</strong></h2>   <p>The Irish have become a power in Division 4 over the last five years and they remain in that situation this year. Despite graduating key players, SHA has managed a nice set of wins, including against some opponents on this list. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='833681' first='Karis' last='Terwilliger'] </strong>and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='847397' first='Bridget' last='Wiggins']</strong> are key leaders for SHA this fall.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>5. Traverse City Christian</strong></h2>   <p>The Sabres are a team that have found a good rhythm so far in the 2026 season. They are definitely going to be a factor in the months ahead. TC Christian has a lot of options to work with and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1023740' first='Promise' last='Bouwmeester']</strong> is doing a lot of great things on the court for the Sabres to keep everything running smoothly.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>6. Crystal Falls Forest Park</strong></h2>   <p>The Trojans are loaded with experience, coming off a deep postseason run in 2025. That has allowed Forest Park to look sharp early, with the trio of <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='765308' first='Evie' last='Anderson']</strong>, <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='765310' first='Harper' last='Anderson']</strong>, and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='765544' first='Josie' last='Anderson']</strong> proving to be a handful for opponents.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>7. Ubly</strong></h2>   <p>The Bearcats reached Kellogg Arena last year and are pushing themselves this season against bigger competition to try and make a return trip to Battle Creek. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='611100' first='Waverly' last='Hagen'] </strong>and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='724836' first='Addison' last='Weber']</strong> are a great 1-2 punch on offense that will be able to compete with anyone in D4.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>8. Hillsdale Academy</strong></h2>   <p>The Colts have only lost to St. Philip, but they also have taken sets from them. So, that should be motivation to know it can be a D4 title contender this year. <strong>Lucy Cote </strong>is putting the ball down at a good rate to lead the offense, while <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1019388' first='Malorie' last='Kate Apel']</strong> is doing a lot of great things in the back row on defense.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>9. Onekama</strong></h2>   <p>The record may not blow you away, but the Portagers have put themselves up against some great teams in D4 and D3 already to see where they stand. They've played a lot of close sets and showed the potential to be a great team. They have a lot of senior leaders with <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='801096' first='Ava' last='Mauntler']</strong> in the back row and <strong>Delaney McCarthy </strong>and <strong>Elizabeth McKeough</strong> leading the offense.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>10. Hancock</strong></h2>   <p>I think people are sleeping on the Bulldogs. Recent wins over Forest Park and Calumet really show the grit this team has, as they had to battle out to deep sets in order to win. Juniors <strong>Chloe Bastian</strong> and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='942021' first='Azura' last='Aho']</strong> each had monster games to help Hancock get past Calumet.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Next Team In: Fowler</strong></h2>   <p>The defending champs have taken a handful of losses to bigger opponents, but they are putting up a heck of a fight.</p>

The 2026 prep season is about a month old, so it's a good time to start looking at which teams are making the biggest impact thus far.