Two of Texas's top-ranked volleyball programs collide Tuesday night when Allen travels to Highland Park for a matchup that pits a squad carrying a 23-2 record against the defending 5A-Division I state champions. Both teams have been ranked No. 1 in Texas in their respective classifications this season, and both opened 2026 in the top 10 nationally in the MaxPreps rankings. First serve is set for 6:30 p.m. Central time at Highland Park, Texas.
The showdown carries extra weight for Allen, which snapped Trophy Club Byron Nelson's 79-match winning streak in mid-August, according to WFAA. That upset came at the Grapevine Fieldhouse Volleyfest Tournament on August 14, where Allen swept Byron Nelson 2-0 by scores of 25-21 and 25-19, ending a streak that had stood since Byron Nelson's own loss to Highland Park on August 16, 2024, as WFAA reported. In the two years between those losses, Byron Nelson captured back-to-back UIL Class 6A state titles.
Highland Park arrives as the defending 5A-Division I champion after a title run last fall under longtime head coach Michael Dearman, who has led the program since 2004. The Scots capped that championship season by sweeping A&M Consolidated 25-18, 25-22, 25-17 in November, finishing 43-8 with a 21-match win streak to close out the year, the outlet's report indicates. Dearman's résumé since then has only grown — he was named the 2025 MaxPreps National Coach of the Year and later added to the 2025-26 MaxPreps High School Coaching 100 list.
A Brutal National Schedule Has Tested Highland Park
Highland Park sits at 8-10 this season, a record that reflects an unusually difficult national slate rather than a step backward for the program. The Scots have faced elite competition from as far away as California and Hawaii this year, and they remain considered among the favorites to win 5A-Division I again in 2026 despite the rockier win-loss mark.
Allen, by contrast, has stormed through its schedule at 23-2 and climbed as high as No. 4 in the MaxPreps national top 25 by late August following a 15-1 start and a third straight Allen Texas Open tournament title, a run that included a championship win over then-No. 6 Prestonwood Christian. Leading that charge is outside hitter Maya Ogbogu, the No. 1 recruit in her class, who plays for Team USA's U17 national team and verbally committed to Texas A&M in June after helping the squad win gold at the 2026 FIVB U17 World Championship in Chile.
A Coaching Rivalry Runs Through the Matchup
Beyond the rankings and streaks, Tuesday's game carries a personal thread for Allen head coach Stephanie Poole, who is in her fifth season leading the Lady Eagles. Poole previously served as Highland Park's head volleyball coach from 2011 to 2018 before eventually taking the Allen job in 2021, giving her a direct history with the program standing across the net.
The broader stakes reflect a Texas postseason landscape that has changed significantly in recent years. The UIL began splitting volleyball playoff brackets into Division I and Division II for Classes 2A through 6A starting with the 2024-25 school year, effectively doubling the number of state champions crowned each season. That structure is what allowed Highland Park to claim its 5A-Division I crown last fall, while Allen competes in the state's largest classification.
Where to Watch the Season-Opening Telecast
Tuesday's match will be available for free on WFAA+, which can be accessed on Roku, Apple TV and Amazon Fire TV, as well as on wfaa.com and the WFAA YouTube channel. The High School Game Night pregame show begins at 6:20 p.m. Central time, leading into first-set action at 6:30 p.m.
Calling the season-opening telecast will be Mike Leslie alongside analyst Shanel Bramschreiber, a former Baylor Bear who was named the 2020 Big 12 Libero of the Year — the first in program history — before playing at Wisconsin and signing with the Pro Volleyball Federation's Orlando Valkyries in August 2024.
North Texas volleyball fans have had plenty to follow this year, including Trophy Club Byron Nelson setter Sophee Peterson, who was named Gatorade's national player of the year in January after guiding her team to a 42-0 record and the 2025 Class 6A Division I state title with 1,459 assists. With Byron Nelson's long reign now over and Allen and Highland Park both sitting atop their classifications, Tuesday's meeting adds another marquee chapter to one of the country's most competitive high school volleyball regions.
