2026 WIAA State Boys & Girls Volleyball Tournament Preview
Posted: 11/2/2026
THE TOURNAMENTS: The 63rd State Boys Volleyball Tournament and the 54th State Girls Volleyball Tournament will be held Wednesday-Saturday, Nov. 4-7, at the Resch Center in Green Bay, Wis.
BOYS TOURNAMENT INFORMATION: The single-elimination tournament features matches with a best-of-five-sets, rally-scoring format. Of the 74 programs eligible to participate in the boys volleyball tournament, eight remain to play for the single-division State title. Match-ups for the tournament are determined by seeding each of the teams.
Boys Quarterfinals - Wednesday, Nov. 4
#1 Middleton (32-2) vs. #8 Wauwatosa East (15-22) - 7 p.m.
#4 Mukwonago (22-6) vs. #5 Kimberly (25-14) - 7 p.m.
#3 Catholic Memorial (32-7) vs. #6 Arrowhead (25-13) - 4 p.m.
#2 Hamilton (32-6) vs. #7 Westosha Central (24-3) - 4 p.m.
Boys Semifinals - Thursday, Nov. 5
Semifinal (Wednesday's 7 p.m. winners) - 2 p.m.
Semifinal (Wednesday's 4 p.m. winners) - 2 p.m.
Boys Championship Match - Friday, Nov. 6
Championship Match - 7:30 p.m.
GIRLS TOURNAMENT INFORMATION: The single-elimination tournament features five divisions for the first time. Match results are the best-of-five-sets, with a rally-scoring format. Of the 480 programs eligible for the girls volleyball tournament, eight teams will play for the State title in Division 1 with four teams still in contention for the State crown in Divisions 2, 3, 4 and 5. Match-ups for the tournament are determined by seeding each of the teams in all divisions.
Girls Division 1
Quarterfinals - Thursday, Nov. 5
#1 Divine Savior Holy Angels (42-4) vs. #8 Verona (26-8) - 7:30 p.m.
#4 Arrowhead (35-6) vs. #5 Wisconsin Lutheran (35-9) - 7:30 p.m.
#3 Bay Port (24-8) vs. #6 Chippewa Falls (35-9) - 5 p.m.
#2 Kimberly (37-4) vs. #7 Franklin (30-13) - 5 p.m.
Semifinals - Friday, Nov. 6
Semifinal (Thursday's 7:30 p.m. winners) - 1 p.m.
Semifinal (Thursday's 5 p.m. winners) - 1 p.m.
Final - Saturday, Nov. 7
Championship Match - 7:30 p.m.
Girls Division 2
Semifinals - Friday, Nov. 6
#1 Xavier (29-11) vs #4 Catholic Memorial (22-21) - 10:30 a.m.
#2 Kettle Moraine Lutheran (30-10) vs. #3 Barron (35-4) - 10:30 a.m.
Final - Saturday, Nov. 7
Championship Match - 5 p.m.
Girls Division 3
Semifinals - Friday, Nov. 6
#1 Stanley-Boyd (35-5) vs. #4 River Valley (31-6) - 8 a.m.
#2 Marathon (31-3) vs. #3 Watertown Luther Prep (33-2) - 8 a.m.
Final - Saturday, Nov. 7
Championship Match - 2:30 p.m.
Girls Division 4
Semifinals - Thursday, Nov. 5
#1 McDonell Catholic (40-4) vs. #4 Sheboygan Christian (23-12) - 11:30 a.m.
#2 Columbus Catholic (33-9) vs. #3 Heritage Christian (31-9) - 11:30 a.m.
Final - Saturday, Nov. 7
Championship Match - 11:30 a.m.
Girls Division 5
Semifinals - Thursday, Nov. 5
#1 Turtle Lake (28-10) vs. #4 Seneca (31-1) - 9 a.m.
#2 Central Wisconsin Christian (30-8) vs. #3 Green Bay N.E.W. Lutheran (32-11) - 9 a.m.
Final - Saturday, Nov. 7
Championship Match - 9 a.m.
FINALS AIR ON WIAA STATE TELEVISION NETWORK: Watch the live broadcast of the WIAA State Boys and Girls Volleyball Tournament finals Saturday on the WIAA State Television Network of stations. Here is a listing of the network stations and the channel guide for the broadcasts:
Madison
WKOW 27.2
Spectrum Channel 190
TDS Channel 29
Mediacom Channel 106
Wausau
WAOW 9.2
Spectrum 14/610
TDS channel 35/1035
DISH Channel 10
Solarus Channel 10
La Crosse
WXOW 19.2
Spectrum 15/610
Mediacom 4/9/10/133/820
Eau Claire
WQOW 18.2
Spectrum 15/610
Milwaukee
EVTV 24.1 (WVTV.2)
Green Bay/Appleton
ECWF (Comet) 14.2 - Boys
WCWF (CW) 14.1 - Girls
The finals will also be streamed live on the WIAA State Television Network station websites at no cost or registration on WKOW.com, WAOW.com, WXOW.com and WQOW.com. In addition, watch the championship finals live on the 27 News Now, News 9 WAOW, WXOW News 19 La Crosse and WQOW 18 Eau Claire News apps.
PRE-FINAL MATCHES LIVE ON WIAA.TV: The quarterfinals and semifinals of the WIAA State Boys & Girls Volleyball Tournaments will be streamed live on the WIAA.TV portal of the NFHS Network on a consumer subscription basis for $13.99 per month. To purchase a subscription to the live programming, visit wiaa.tv or nfhsnetwork.com/subscribe/retail. Archived Streams of the games will be available on demand on the NFHS Network 72 hours after the tournament with a subscription. In addition, the post-game media conferences will be streamed live on WIAA.TV approximately 10 minutes after the conclusion of each game.
LAST YEAR-GIRLS: Second-seeded Hamilton prevented top-seeded Divine Savior Holy Angels from winning its fourth straight championship following a 28-26, 25-20, 25-22 victory over the Dashers in the championship match. In Division 2, top-seeded Sauk Prairie captured the crown by outlasting second-seeded Grafton in five-games 25-27, 25-19, 25-17, 22-25, 15-11 in the title match. Third-seeded Manitowoc Lutheran won the Division 3 championship after winning the Division 4 title in 2024. The Lancers defeated top-seeded Watertown Luther Prep 25-20, 24-26, 25-23, 25-21 in the championship game. Top-seeded Heritage Christian won the Division 4 title by rolling past second-seeded Regis in three games 25-21, 25-13, 25-10 in the championship match. In the second year the tournament included a fifth division, third-seeded Rib Lake turned back top-seeded Newman Catholic 24-26, 25-18, 25-19, 25-23 to earn the crown.
LAST YEAR-BOYS: Top-seeded Middleton won the championship for the second consecutive season by defeating second-seeded Germantown in the title game by scores of 26-24, 25-19, 25-21.
ABOUT THE GIRLS DIVISION 1 FIELD: Divine Savior Holy Angels was issued the top seed in the bracket. The Dashers qualify for the fifth straight season and for the 15th time overall. They have advanced to the championship match the last four years, winning championships from 2022-2024 and finishing runner-up in 2025. The Dashers also won the title in 2001 and added back-to-back championships in 2014-15, giving them six titles. They also advanced to the title match and finished runner-up in 2012. Prior to joining the WIAA, the Dashers won WISAA titles in 1972 and 1985. This season, they defeated Brookfield East 25-22, 25-18, 18-25, 25-22 in the sectional final hosted by the Dashers. They were crowned champions in the Greater Metro Conference this fall. Second-seeded Kimberly qualifies for the second year in a row and for the 14th time overall. The Papermakers won their lone championship while competing in Division 2 in 1990. They also advanced to the title matches in Division 2 in 1995 and 1999, resulting in runner-up finishes. The Papermakers defeated Neenah in three games 25-20, 25-15, 27-25 in the sectional final held at Manitowoc Lincoln to earn their return to the Resch Center. They are the champions of the Fox Valley Association this season. Bay Port is seeded #3. The Pirates qualify for the second time by beating West De Pere 25-19, 25-18, 23-25, 25-23 in the sectional final played at Ashwaubenon. Their only other appearance came in 2024, which resulted in a loss in the quarterfinals. The Pirates finished runner-up to West De Pere in the Fox River Classic Conference this season. Fourth-seeded Arrowhead makes its fourth appearance in the State Tournament and its first since 2019 when the Warhawks won the championship. This season, they topped Oconomowoc 25-21, 25-18, 10-25, 30-28 in the Elkhorn Sectional final to advance to the quarterfinals. The Warhawks are the champions of the Classic Eight Conference this season. Wisconsin Lutheran is the #5 seed in the bracket. The Vikings make their fifth appearance in the State Tournament and their first since 2022. Their first two experiences came back-to-back in Division 1 in 2001-02. The Vikings' most recent two experiences came in Division 2 in 2019 and 2022. They attempt to advance past the semifinal round for the first time. The Vikings are the champions of the Park Ridge Conference this season. They swept Oak Creek 25-11, 27-25, 25-23 in the sectional final played at Wisconsin Lutheran. Sixth-seeded Chippewa Falls earned its second trip toState with a hard-fought 21-25, 25-19, 16-25, 25-13, 15-13 win over Hudson in the sectional final played at Chippewa Falls. The Cardinals’ other experience at State resulted in a loss in the quarterfinals in 2022. They placed third in the Big Rivers Conference in 2026. Seventh-seeded Franklin will appear in its third State Tournament and the first since 2023, which resulted in a loss in the quarterfinals. The Sabers first State experience came back in 1995 when the tourney featured a pool-play format. They failed to advance out of their pool that season. Their return to State came by virtue of a 25-8, 22-25, 21-25, 25-22, 15-13 win over Burlington in the Kenosha Indian Trail Sectional final. The Sabers are the champions of the Southeast Conference this season. Verona, the eighth seed, qualifies for the second consecutive season and for the fourth time overall. The Wildcats’ furthest advance at State was to the semifinals in 2015. This season, they swept DeForest 25-23, 25-19, 25-20 in the Middleton Sectional final to earn their return to the quarterfinals. The Wildcats finished runner-up in the Big Eight Conference standings this year.
ABOUT THE GIRLS DIVISION 2 FIELD: Xavier received the top seed. The Hawks are making their seventh State appearance. Their most recent two experiences resulted in back-to-back championships in 2022 and 2023. In addition to their State titles, they advanced to the title game and finished runner-up in 2006 and 2009. This season, they swept Fox Valley Lutheran 25-19, 25-16, 25-18 in the Seymour Sectional final to earn their opportunity to win their third State title. They were the champions of the Bay Conference this season. Second-seeded Kettle Moraine Lutheran is making its ninth overall appearance at State and its first since 2018 when the Chargers finished runner-up. They have five championships on their ledger, winning Division 2 crowns in 2007 and 2012. Prior to that, they won three straight Division 3 championships from 2002-04 and finished runner-up in 2001 and 2005. The Chargers return to the tournament after sweeping Edgewood 25-14, 25-9, 25-17 in the sectional final played at Watertown. They claimed the title in the Glacier Trails Conference this year. Third-seeded Barron moves up a division after qualifying in Division 3 the past two seasons, which included a championship in 2024. The Golden Bears return to the State Tournament for the 10th time overall. Their other notable performance at State was winning the Class B title in 1992 during the pool-play format era. This season, the Golden Bears finished runner-up in the Heart O’ North Conference. They traveled to Mosinee to defeat the Indians 22-25, 26-24, 22-25, 25-21,15-12 in the sectional final to return to State for the third straight season. Fourth-seeded Catholic Memorial makes its return to State for the second time in the last three seasons and for the 12th time overall. The Crusaders won their most recent championship in 2024 and have earned eight titles overall. From 2014-17, they strung together four straight appearances, which produced three straight State championships from 2014-16. The Crusaders had another run of three consecutive titles from 2009-2011. They also won the championship in 2006. Furthermore, they advanced to the final and finished runner-up in 2008. This year, the Crusaders defeated Pius XI Catholic 25-15, 25-16, 25-8 in the final of the Whitnall Sectional to advance to the State semifinals. They finished sixth in the Classic Eight Conference this season.
ABOUT THE GIRLS DIVISION 3 FIELD: Stanley-Boyd is the top seed in the bracket. It’s the Orioles’ third appearance in the tournament and their first since winning the State championship in 2006. They finished runner-up in the West Division of the Cloverbelt Conference this season. The Orioles breezed to a 25-23, 25-9, 25-19 victory over Fall Creek in the sectional final played in Eau Claire. Second-seeded Marathon makes its third appearance in the State Tournament and the first since finishing runner-up in 2014. The Red Raiders secured their berth in the semifinals by hanging on to defeat St. Mary Catholic in the Clintonville Sectional finals in a five-game match, 25-21, 26-24, 14-25, 17-25, 15-9. They were the runner-up in the South Division of the Marawood Conference in 2026. Third-seeded Watertown Luther Prep makes its second straight appearance after experiencing the State Tournament for the first time last season, which resulted in a runner-up finish. The Phoenix secured their berth in the semifinals this season with a five-game victory over defending champion Manitowoc Lutheran in the Chilton Sectional final by scores of 17-25, 28-26, 25-23, 24-26,16-14. They are the champions of the Midwest Classic Conference this fall. River Valley, the #4 seed, advances to State for the fourth time overall and for the first time since 2005. All three previous appearances were in the Division 2 bracket and each resulted in runner-up finishes, including 1997, 1998 and 2025. This season, the Blackhawks placed second in the Southwest Conference, and they earned their trip to the Resch Center with a 21-25, 25-18, 25-19, 20-25,15-13 triumph over Cambridge in the Marshall Sectional final.
ABOUT THE GIRLS DIVISION 4 FIELD: McDonell Catholic has been awarded the #1 seed. The Macks are making their sixth appearance at State and its first since 2022, which ended a string of three championship match appearances. They won back-to-back titles in 2021 and 2022 on the heels of a runner-up finish in 2020. They also won the championship in their first-ever appearance in 2009. This season, the Macks defeated Edgar 25-21, 25-21, 25-18 in the Newman Catholic Sectional final to advance to the State semifinals. They finished atop the standings in the West Division of the Cloverbelt Conference during the regular season. Second-seeded Columbus Catholic qualifies for the second time in three seasons, finishing runner-up in Division 5 in its first-ever experience in 2024. The Dons were the champions of the East Division of the Cloverbelt Conference this fall. They continue their quest for a second title following a 26-24, 30-28, 25-23 win over Pacelli in the Brookwood Sectional final. Defending champion Heritage Christian is the third seed. The Patriots will make its second appearance at State after edging Cuba City 22-25, 27-25, 25-15, 23-25, 16-14 in the Evansville Sectional final. They placed fourth in the Midwest Classic Conference this fall. Fourth-seeded Sheboygan Christian is also making its second appearance in the State Tournament. The Eagles’ first experience came in Division 5 two years ago, which resulted in a semifinal loss to the eventual champion. They return to the tournament field this year after a 25-22, 25-27, 25-19, 25-21 victory over Shiocton in the Omro Sectional final. The Eagles placed fourth in the Blue Division of the Big East this season.
ABOUT THE GIRLS DIVISION 5 FIELD: Turtle Lake was issued the #1 seed in the bracket. The Lakers are back in the tourney for the first time in 26 years and for the ninth time overall. They won three straight Division 4 championships from 1993-1995. They also were the Class C runner-up in 1984 and 1987 during the pool-play era and again in 1991. The Lakers punched their ticket to the Resch Center after beating Winter 22-25, 25-10, 25-17, 25-20 in the Bruce Sectional final. They placed third in the Lakeland Conference this fall. Second-seeded Central Wisconsin Christian earned the program’s first-ever State Tournament appearance with a 25-22, 20-25, 25-21, 25-18 victory over Argyle in the Barneveld Sectional final. The Crusaders were the champions of the East Division of the Trailways Conference this year. Third-seeded Green Bay N.E.W. Lutheran qualifies for the third time. The Blazers’ first two appearances came back-to-back in Division 4 in 2006 and 2007. They are attempting to advance past the semifinal round for the first time. This year, the Blazers were the champions of the Packerland Conference. They will make their short trip across town to the Resch Center following a 14-25, 25-16, 25-23, 26-24 win over Florence in the Wabeno/Laona Sectional final. Fourth-seeded Seneca returns to State for the eighth time and for the first time since 2016. The Royals won the Division 4 championship in 1994. In addition, they recorded a pair of runner-up finishes with back-to-back appearances in Class C during the era that featured pool play in the tournament. This fall, they were the champions of the Ridge & Valley Conference. The Royals advanced to the State semifinals with a 25-13, 25-17, 23-25, 25-23 decision over Athens in the Mauston Sectional final.
ABOUT THE BOYS FIELD: Defending champion Middleton is the top seed in the bracket. The Cardinals will be appearing in the State Tournament for the 17th time and for the sixth time in the last seven seasons. They have advanced to the title game the past three seasons, also winning the title in 2023 and finishing runner-up in 2024. They qualify this year with a 25-17, 26-24, 25-23 win over Madison Memorial in the sectional final held at Memorial. The Cardinals were the champions of the Big Eight Conference this season. Hamilton enters play in the tournament as the #2 seed. The Chargers only other State experience resulted in a championship in 2022. This season, they downed Germantown, last season’s runner-up, by scores of 25-14, 23-25, 25-19, 25-20 in the Cedarburg Sectional final to continue their quest for a second State championship. The Chargers tied for first place in the Greater Metro Conference this season with Brookfield East and Marquette. Catholic Memorial is the #3 seed in the bracket. The Crusaders qualify for the 17th time and for the second year in a row. The Crusaders’ four State titles have come in 2000, 2010, 2016 and 2022. In addition, they have finished runner-up four times (2003, 2004, 2006 and 2007). They return to the State quarterfinals this season after sweeping New Berlin Eisenhower/West 25-23, 25-18, 25-17 in the sectional final hosted by the Crusaders. They finished the regular season atop the standings in the Classic Eight Conference. Mukwonago, the #4 seed, qualifies for the State Tournament for the first time since its only other appearance in 1955. The Indians earned their berth in the quarterfinals following a 25-23, 28-26, 17-25, 25-23 road victory at Franklin in the sectional final. They placed third in the Classic Eight Conference this season. Fifth-seeded Kimberly qualifies for the fifth time and for the first time since 2023. The Papermakers have won two State titles. The first came in 2019 and the second came in the 2020-2021 alternate season option during the COVID-19 pandemic. They also posted a runner-up finish in 2018. This season, they placed fourth in the Fox Valley Association. The Papermakers advanced to the quarterfinals with a 25-20, 25-14, 23-25, 26-24 victory over Appleton West in the sectional final held at Appleton North. Sixth-seeded Arrowhead returns to the tournament field for the sixth time in the past seven seasons and for the 12th time overall. Their most notable outcomes at the State Tournament were runner-up finishes in 2001, 2022 and 2023. They defeated Kettle Moraine 25-19, 17-25, 25-22, 21-25, 15-10 in the sectional final played at Kettle Moraine to earn their berth in the State tourney. The Warhawks were runner-up in the Classic Eight Conference this season behind third-seeded Catholic Memorial. Seventh-seeded Westosha Central qualifies for the second time in three seasons and for the seventh time overall. Their furthest advance at State was to the championship game in 2021, which resulted in a runner-up finish. This year, the Falconseliminated Burlington 25-18, 25-21, 27-29, 25-15 in the sectional final hosted by Kenosha Indian Trail to return to the tournament field. They finished atop the standings in the Southern Lakes Conference this year. Wauwatosa East, the eighth seed, makes its 13th overall appearance at State and its first since 2022. The Red Raiders have captured one gold trophy; that came in 2006. They earned the opportunity to continue their quest for a second State title by defeating Marquette in four games 32-30, 18-25, 25-20, 26-24 in the sectional final played at Marquette. The Red Raiders finished fifth in the Greater Metro Conference this season.
TICKETS AVAILABLE: Ticket prices for the tourney are $11 per session at the gate or $12.50 if purchased online for individuals 3-years old and older. To order tickets online, go to: https://ticketstar.evenue.net/events/WIAA1
STATE TOURNEY CENTRAL: State Tourney Central is a one-stop page on the website for spectators attending the State Tournaments. The page displays links for users seeking information about the tournament schedules, tickets, parking, venue carry-in policies, results, previews, broadcast and streaming, apparel and much more.
WIAA OFFICIAL VOLLEYBALL: Molten is the official ball of the WIAA State Girls and Boys Volleyball Tournament Series. To learn more about Molten products, access the website at www.moltenusa.com.
NEED RESULTS?: Results of the State Boys and Girls Volleyball Tournaments are available by selecting the Girls or Boys Volleyball Tournament option in the menus located on each respective sports pages on the WIAA website (www.wiaawi.org).
FOLLOW STATE MEET ON SOCIAL MEDIA: Receive updates on the State Volleyball Tournaments on the WIAA State Tournament X account @wiaawistate. Also, follow us on Facebook, and follow us on Instagram at wiaawi and LinkedIn.
LICENSED STATE MERCHANDISE: Apparel sales for the 2026 WIAA Girls and Boys State Volleyball Tournaments will be available online and at the Resch Center through Fox Cities Embroidery. The online store will remain open for post-tournament orders until Nov. 11 prior to midnight. The link to the online store is: https://foxcitiesembroidery.chipply.com/wiaastatevolleyball/?action=viewall.
BELLIN ATHLETIC TRAINING: Bellin Health Sports Medicine is a corporate partner and the exclusive provider of licensed athletic training services for the State Boys and Girls Volleyball Tournament.