The 3A Volleyball State Championships are set to get underway Nov. 5 with several clubs vying to hoist the state championship trophy at Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum this month.

All first round 3A playoff matches will take place at the highest seed, with quarterfinals and semifinals set for Mountain Pointe High School on Nov. 7, and the finale on Nov. 14.

GILBERT CHRISTIAN

As the only undefeated team in the 3A conference this season when it comes to power point matches at 17-0, Gilbert Christian earned the No. 1 overall seed in this state tournament.

The Knights (33-4, 11-0 3A Metro) also feature one of the most dominant outside hitters in all of Arizona in Lillie Dultsman, who led all of 3A with 381 kills at a 46.9% kill rate.

“This team is so, so special,” coach Ashley Ahlman said. “They are talented athletes, but they are even better teammates. They genuinely care for one another and have battled all season together.”

After losing 3-2 to then No. 1-seeded Valley Christian a season ago in the state semifinals, Gilbert Christian responded with winning 28 matches (including tournament play) to begin the fall, including an impressive 3-0 sweep of defending 2A state champion Scottsdale Christian back in September.

Ahlman said the team will have to “stay true” to who they are and trust their identify if they are to win the whole thing.

“Each player serves a vital role, some more selfless than others,” Ahlman said. “We have already beat four of the top six teams and beat the defending back-to-back state champion Valley Christian twice this season. Winning Gilbert Christian’s first volleyball state title is in reach, and the girls can almost taste it.”

VALLEY CHRISTIAN

Finishing with a 28-7 overall record this season, No. 2-seeded Valley Christian lost only two power point matches all year, both of which came to Gilbert Christian at different points of the season.

Despite that, the Trojans remain confident they can make it three straight championships, joining only eight other clubs in Arizona state history to win three in a row (Monument Valley, Northwest Christian, Safford, Sahauro, Valley Lutheran, Veritas Prep, Willcox, Xavier Prep).

Valley Christian has 12 state championships in program history. Safford leads the way in state history with 21.

“We have a lot of senior leadership this season that has shown our whole team to strive to be the best,” coach Tyler Trathen said.

The Trojans were swept by Gilbert Christian in September, 3-0, but then gave the Knights all they could handle in thriller, barely losing 3-2.

That speaks to the senior leadership Trathen is talking about as his players are willing to fight, and they’ll surely do so as state play gets underway this week.

Players to watch include seniors Sadie Wahlin and Sydney Simon. Wahlin leads the team with 264 kills and 107 blocks, while Simon hit .409 this year with 270 kills.

The Payson volleyball team earned the No. 3 seed in the 3A Volleyball State Championships, which get underway Thursday, Nov. 5, 2027. (Payson Athletics/Courtesy)

PAYSON

Having never won a state championship in program history, this feisty Payson group earned the No. 3-seed overall after completing one of their best seasons ever.

Finishing with three straight wins to end the regular season, Payson (40-7-2, 7-4 3A Metro) had several solid wins this season including Northwest Christian (state runner up 2025), Scottsdale Christian (defending 2A champ), Monument Valley (No. 7 seed) and Tuba City (No. 4 seed).

And during the same week in October, they lost to Valley Christian 3-2 (two-time champ) and Gilbert Christian 3-2 (No. 1 seed this year), so the Longhorns are not a team to sleep on in these 2A state playoffs.

“To win state, we must play with consistency, with all facets of the game at top level, and top level for the whole match.” Payson coach Arnold Stonebrink said. “We have proven to ourselves that we can play at an elite level, that we can play with the best of them. Consistency at that elite level will be required to knock off the likes of Snowflake, Valley Christian and Gilbert Christian.”

The Longhorns feature a pair of the top hitters in the state in Ava Sopeland, who had 348 kills this season, third overall behind only Dultsman (Gilbert Christian) and Noelle Harris of Blue Ridge (358 kills), and Vera Sopeland with 298 kills.

Madison Plain also led all of 3A this year with 1,085 assists, nearly 250 more than the next closest player in Quinn Ehler of Gilbert Christian (844).

TUBA CITY

Earning the No. 4 seed in this state playoff bracket, Tuba City (27-13, 8-1 3A North) has won one state championship in program history dating back to the 2012 campaign.

The Warriors feature five players with over 100 kills, including Yasmine Ataya, who had 239 total this fall, and Layla Curtis, who had 215. Both players are sophomores, so this program will be one to watch over the next few years.

Tuba City has a few impressive wins, including a 3-2 win over Monument Valley (No. 7 seed), and have hung tough with the likes of Phoenix Country Day (2A top seed) in a 2-0 loss, and Payson (No. 3 seed in 3A).

SNOWFLAKE

The Lobos (26-14, 7-4 3A Metro) are searching for the program’s seventh state championship this November and have earned the No. 5 overall seed to put themselves in a good place as the tournament gets underway this week.

Snowflake won back-to-back titles in 2022 and 2023. Before that, they hadn’t won since 1996. Last season, they suffered a 3-2 loss to Northwest Christian in the 3A state semifinals.

Players to watch include Josie Clare, a junior hitter with 244 kills this season, while Lucy Lyman led the team with 359 digs, good enough for Top 5 in all of 3A volleyball.

OTHER NOTES

Northwest Christian lost to Valley Christian 3-0 in last year’s 3A state title match and the Crusaders will surely be looking to avenge that loss this month. The group won 24 matches this season and spread the ball out offensively with five players with at least 101 kills. … Monument Valley’s Alana Harrison was one of the top assist leaders in 3A this year with 530, good enough for sixth overall. The group won 29 matches this year and claimed the 3A North region title. … Yuma Catholic finished second overall in a tough 3A East region and feature one of top hitters in the state in Payton Enders, who had 345 kills for fourth overall, only a handful away from Duitsman’s 381 at Gilbert Christian.

Brian M. Bergner Jr. has covered professional, collegiate and high school sports for more than 20 years. Follow him on X and Instagram at @AzPreps365Brian or on Facebook at @Five2MediaWorks. Have a story idea? Email Brian at bbergner@azpreps365.com.