By, Josh Wilets
It’s no secret that last season was one of the best in recent years when it came down to incredible performances, teams making history and players breaking through to create their legacies.
Here, we highlight 10 players you better make time to see on the volleyball court!
- Easily the best player in the state, at least for the moment, look no further than Ashley Markle of Old Bridge. The senior is 15 kills shy of 1,000 for her illustrious career, this 5’10” outside hitter is one of the more difficult players for opposing defenses to handle. Markle is committed to Florida State University and will be playing beach volleyball in Tallahassee beginning in the 2027-28 school year. Simply put, she wins no matter what surface she plays on.
- Brynn Mack has been a big reason as to why Verona is one of the premier volleyball programs in Essex County, let alone group 1 as a whole. Mack mashed 412 kills in 2025, and is on pace to hit 1,000 for her career by just her junior season. She can serve the volleyball with the best of them, after tallying 65 aces a season ago.
- Demarest is one of those programs that just continually churns out amazing volleyball players. Deana Finkelstein is no exception—she is up there with the biggest threats to take over a match in Bergen County. This middle blocker can take over a match both offensively and defensively.
- Another storied girls volleyball program is Immaculate Heart Academy, which produces division-1 athletes year-in, and year-out. Adrielle Crump will be a junior this fall at IHA and is looking to improve on a 430 kill campaign last season.
- The Cape Atlantic League hardly gets any love. It’s time to flip the narrative, especially when you consider one of the most impressive South teams in group 3 was Ocean City. Senior Bradee Boyd was a force down there for the Red Raiders, to the tune of 311 kills and 121 (yes, 121) aces a season ago.
- Sara Wingfield almost doubled the player on Ramapo’s next highest kill total in 2025. Wingfield crushed 420 kills, and will need to now get used to a new setter this season. Ramapo won the N1G3 sectional crown, and Wingfield was a big reason why.
- Randolph set all sorts of records in 2025. Typically, a team doesn’t do that without a high-quality setter. Klara Hindson has emerged as one of the best facilitators in the state and Randolph’s offense ran like a well-oiled machine largely because of her. The Washington College commit is coming off a season in which she dished out 579 assists to her hitters.
- Gia Stipo helped lead Passaic Tech to their first ever Passaic County title. Stipo is one of the steadiest players in North Jersey and will look to replicate similar success in 2026. Her 13 kill, 20 dig performance against River Dell is just one of the many examples of how she can take over a match.
- Williamstown is another program that just seems to always have a player step up when others graduate. Peyton Wright came up big when playing against some of the top teams in the state. It’d be hard to count her out of a match, and Coach Sheppard will look for his senior hitter to lead the way for the Braves.
- Maya Lupinski is on another planet when it comes to setting. Old Bridge cruised past some amazing teams last fall, and Lupinski is one of the best setters in the state. 776 don’t happen by accident, especially when 88 of them come in the final two games of the group 4 tournament. This senior has the ability to run the Old Bridge offense just like, say, Micha Hancock or Jordyn Poulter can for team USA.
These athletes are just a small example of the amazing talent that New Jersey has to offer for girls volleyball. If you are a volleyball fan or want to get into the sport, make an effort to catch some or all of these incredible players.
