Jesuit Varsity Volleyball recently put a capper on their outstanding 2026 season, a season that saw them entering the Playoffs as the number one seed in State, later finishing third in State. Jesuit Volleyball had many outstanding moments, including sending eight seniors off with one of the program’s most memorable years. Jesuit finished with a 20-5 overall record, and won 10 of their 11 home matches.
Beginning With April
Jesuit had a very limited supply of games in April, but they nevertheless excelled. Though a postponed and shorthanded game against Rockwall may have ended in a disappointing 1-3 loss, the Rangers moved on with a shorthanded win over Wylie East (3-1) and a Senior Night win over Greenhill (3-1). They entered the TBHSV Tournament as the number one seed, securing a crucial bye week.
“It was very important to us that we got to that 20th win…. We’ve never won 20 before.” -Coach Wilson
TBHSV Tournament
Jesuit went into a matchup against the 18-seeded Founders Classical Academy Eagles off a Senior Night win, and their performance did not disappoint. Jesuit outscored Founders a combined 75-39 over three sets. Senior Miles McGovern led with 11 kills for the Rangers, followed by Junior Eli Garza and Trey Graves ’26 (eight kills each), and Daniel Shao ’27 also had six aces. The Rangers had 41 kills compared to Founders’ seven. Overall, Jesuit dominated and clinched a Quarterfinal game against Allen.
Jesuit came out of the gate firing on all cylinders, calmly playing their way to a 25-8 win in the first set. Allen would recover to salvage the next two games, but the Rangers still eventually pulled away for 25-19 and 25-21 wins, respectively. Eli Garza led with nine kills, followed by McGovern’s and Graves’ six. Daniel Shao impressed again with six aces, leading just over McGovern’s and Garza’s five. Trout and McGovern impressed with six and five blocks, respectively, and the Rangers cruised to a 3-0 victory and a State Semifinal rematch against St. Mark’s.
“I’m super proud of how we played the entire season. This is and will forever be one of the best experiences of my life and I’m so glad to have shared it with some of the most amazing guys. I can genuinely say the volleyball team at Jesuit encapsulates [its] brotherhood.” -Daniel Shao ’27
The Final Four
Jesuit found themselves against a familiar foe in St. Mark’s, who beat the Rangers handedly in the State Championship just a year ago. The Rangers hoped to avenge last season’s woes by beating St. Mark’s. Unfortunately, they were unsuccessful. Jesuit dropped a very close 25-23 first set to the Lions, before recovering with a 25-19 win in the second set. Sadly, the rest of the match did not go in Jesuit’s favor. St. Mark’s cruised to a 25-17 victory in the third set, and eventually came out with a 27-25 extra points’ win in the fourth set, clinching a 3-1 win.
Jesuit may not have accomplished their State Champion goals against the Lions, but they played with heart, and they never stopped playing with effort. Eli Garza had 17 kills, and William Trout had 12, followed by Miles McGovern’s 10. It was a disappointing final result, but Jesuit should be proud of their efforts in the final four. They followed up with a 3-1 victory over Aggieland to clinch third in the state.
“Coming from a program that barely existed four years ago, getting this deep into the playoffs two years in a row was huge for us. I think we were so close off the court because of the nature of how new our program [is].” -Cash Ramirez ’26
Final Thoughts
Jesuit Volleyball worked their way to possibly their best team in program history, and their impressive season showcases their outstanding effort. The program looks forward to next season, in which they will see eight seniors depart from the team and bring in new talent across the board. But for now, they can focus on their 20-5 overall record and sheer dominance throughout the season while celebrating a season worth celebrating.
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