Byron Nelson (Trophy Club, Texas) coach Brianne Groth refused to talk about rankings throughout the season, saying they can trick you in to feeling too good about yourself.
But after capping a 40-1 season by sweeping No. 17 Stratford (Houston) in the Class 6A Division 2 state championship game, Groth is ready to embrace her program’s status as MaxPreps National Champion.
“We are so over the moon,” Groth said. “To win state is amazing. In states like Texas and California and Nebraska, it’s tough to do with all the elite level of volleyball and being a public school it hits a little different. These kids are homegrown and went to our middle schools.
“Realizing we are also going to be MaxPreps National Champions is a cherry on top. A really big cherry.”
Championship MVP and Washington commit Kylie Kleckner led the team with 23 kills in the 25-20, 25-13, 25-14 victory. Ashlyn Seay (Rice) added 20 kills and sophomore Sophee Peterson tossed 42 assists. Senior Emily Houskneht was stout on defense and Kaitlyn Francis excelled at the libero spot.
Bryon Nelson ascended to the No. 1 spot in the MaxPreps Top 25 in the first week of October. It was a perch the Bobcats never left.
They didn’t drop a set over the final six weeks of the season, sweeping through a Class 6A Division 2 bracket and allowing only two teams to reach 20 points in a set.
“Our goal was always to play at an elite level,” Groth said. “Perfection is unattainable, but we would strive to hold teams to 15 points or less, to win every rotation. When you have such a great team, you have to give them something to strive for and that’s complete dominance.”
The Bobcats went 32-5 a season ago and reached the state quarterfinals. But high hopes heading into 2024 were dealt a blow when they lost senior hitter Sydnee Peterson to an ACL in January.
All she did was continue her captain’s role, Groth said, but being the heart of the team.
“She’s the glue,” Groth said. “She would set the tone in practice and lead the bench. In Hawaii (at the Ann Kang Invitational), she would get up at 5 a.m. to get her workout in before our 8 a.m. game.”
She returned to action in October and had a role on the court for the Bobcats in the title victory.
The Bobcats’ one loss was at that 8 a.m. game in Honolulu to fellow Texas squad Highland Park (Dallas) that Groth said provided a wake-up call for her squad.
“We played a really good Highland Park team early in the morning and we struggled and lost by 2 (15-13 in the third set),” she said. “Then we immediately had to turn around and play Mira Costa. So we didn’t have time to pout.
“We didn’t let our emotions carry into the next one and we wound up winning the tournament against a good Redondo Union team. I felt then like we weren’t going to drop another match.”
Groth, whose mother is legendary Amarillo coach Jan Barker, has seen a lot of high-caliber volleyball as a player and coach. She says this Byron Nelson team is among the best she’s seen.
“A lot of players get to be around a great coach like my mom for a few years, but I had an 18-year internship with her and I’ve lived the championship culture,” Groth said. “She taught me to make sure everything you do, you do with excellence.
“Byron Nelson has some high-level athletes, but they bought into what I demanded and I think this is one of the most dominating teams in the history of the state of Texas.”
Past National Champions
- 2009 — Archbishop Mitty (San Jose, Calif.)
- 2010 — Papillion-LaVista South (Papillion, Neb.)
- 2011 — Papillion-LaVista South
- 2012 — Bishop Moore (Orlando, Fla.)
- 2013 — The Woodlands (Texas)
- 2014 — Lewis-Palmer (Monument, Colo.)
- 2015 — Cathedral (Indianapolis, Ind.)
- 2016 — Mother McAuley (Chicago, Ill.)
- 2017 — Walton (Marietta, Ga.)
- 2018 — Assumption (Louisville, Ky.)
- 2019 — Torrey Pines (San Diego, Calif.)
- 2020 — No champion recognized due to pandemic
- 2021 — Marymount (Los Angeles, Calif.)
- 2022 — Cathedral Catholic (San Diego, Calif.)
- 2023 — Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.)
Final Top 25
1. Byron Nelson (Trophy Club, Texas), 40-1
Class 6A Division 2 state champion.
2. Cathedral Catholic (San Diego, Calif.), 46-3
Open Division state champion.
3. Prestonwood Christian (Plano, Texas), 37-2
TAPPS Class 6A state champion.
4. Roncalli (Indianapolis, Ind.), 35-0
Class 4A state champion.
5. Divine Savior Holy Angels (Milwaukee, Wis.), 47-1
Division 1 state champion.
6. Alpharetta (Ga.), 36-0
Class AAAAAA state champion.
7. Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.), 37-5
Southern California Open Division runner-up.
8. Xavier College Prep (Phoenix, Ariz.), 32-4
Class 6A state champion.
9. Marist (Chicago, Ill.), 32-9
Class 4A state champion.
10. Benet Academy (Lisle, Ill.), 40-2
Class 4A state runner-up.
11. Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.), 33-6
Southern Section Open Division runner-up.
12. Cornerstone Christian (San Antonio, Texas), 33-4
13. Mount St. Mary (Oklahoma City, Okla.), 39-1
Class 6A state champion.
14. Grand Oaks (Spring, Texas), 42-7
Class 6A Division 1 state champion.
15. Winter Park (Winter Park, Fla.), 28-1
Class 7A state champion.
16. Harrisburg (S.D.), 31-0
Class AA state champion.
17. Stratford (Houston, Texas), 42-3
Class 6A Division 2 state runner-up.
18. Northville (Mich.), 39-2
Division 1 state champion.
19. Horizon (Scottsdale, Ariz.), 30-5
Class 5A state champion.
20. Wakeland (Frisco, Texas), 35-6
Class 5A Division 2 state champion.
21. Papillion-LaVista South (Papillion, Neb.), 34-5
Class A state champion.
22. Assumption (Louisville, Ky.), 35-8
KHSAA state champion.
23. Norris (Firth, Neb.), 38-1
Class B state champion.
24. Carroll (Fort Wayne, Ind.), 33-3
Class 4A state champion.
25. Pope John Paul II (Royersford, Pa.), 32-0-1
Class 3A state champion.
Next 75
26. Archbishop Mitty (San Jose, Calif.), 29-7
Open Division state runner-up.
27. Saint Thomas Aquinas (Overland Park, Kan.), 34-6
Class 5A state champion.
28. Pope (Marietta, Ga.), 36-5
Class AAAAA state champion
29. Pace Academy (Atlanta, Ga.), 43-6
Class AAAA state champion.
30. Mill Valley (Shawnee, Kan.), 37-5
Class 6A state champion.
31. Nolensville (Tenn.), 39-6
Division I Class AAA state champion.
32. Redondo Union (Redondo Beach, Calif.), 28-11
33. Marymount (Los Angeles, Calif.), 33-8
34. Fulshear (Texas), 39-7
Class 6A Division 1 state runner-up.
35. Mira Costa (Manhattan Beach, Calif.), 27-8
36. Palos Verdes (Palos Verdes Estates, Calif.), 27-9
Division I state champion.
37. Lafayette (Wildwood, Mo.), 32-5
Class 5 state champion.
38. Valor Christian (Highlands Ranch, Colo.), 28-1
Class 5A state champion.
39. Hamilton Southeastern (Fishers, Ind.), 32-3
Class 4A state semifinalist.
40. Yorktown (Ind.), 33-3
Class 4A state semifinalist.
41. North Allegheny (Wexford, Pa.), 21-1
Class 4A state champion.
42. Lovejoy (Lucas, Texas), 36-9
43. Kamehameha Kapalama (Honolulu, Hawaii), 33-11
Division 1 state champion.
44. Mt. Vernon (Iowa), 44-4
Class 3A state champion.
45. St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.), 22-7
Class 6A state champion.
46. North Cobb (Kennesaw, Ga.), 34-16
Class AAAAAA state runner-up.
47. Keller (Texas), 30-5
48. Dripping Springs (Texas), 46-3
49. Mother McAuley (Chicago, Ill.), 33-5
50. Marian (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.), 45-8
Division 1 state semifinalist.
51. Colleyville Heritage (Colleyville, Texas), 36-7
52. Saint Francis (Mountain View, Calif.), 30-6
Northern California Open Division runner-up.
53. Pleasant Valley (Iowa), 35-2
Class 5A state champion.
54. Notre Dame Academy (Park Hills, Ky.), 34-4
55. Seton (Cincinnati, Ohio), 26-2
Division 1 state champion.
56. Lakeville South (Lakeville, Minn.), 32-2
Class 4A state champion.
57. Plant (Tampa, Fla.), 22-2
Class 7A state runner-up.
58. Skutt Catholic (Omaha, Neb.), 32-10
Class B state runner-up.
59. Corona del Sol (Tempe, Ariz.), 37-7
Class 6A state runner-up.
60. Los Alamitos (Calif.), 32-8
61. Fairport (N.Y.), 30-3
Class AAA state champion.
62. McGill-Toolen (Mobile, Ala.), 45-9
Class 7A state champion.
63. Woodward Academy (College Park, Ga.), 40-3
Class AAAAA state runner-up
64. Georgetown Day (Washington, D.C.), 25-1
DCSAA champion.
65. Gilmour Academy (Gates Mills, Ohio), 24-4
Division 3 state champion.
66. Mercy (Louisville, Ky.), 29-15
State runner-up.
67. Lake Catholic (Mentor, Ohio), 24-4
Division 5 state champion.
68. Seaman (Topeka, Kan.), 41-3
Class 5A state runner-up.
69. Slidell (La.), 40-4
Division 1 state champion.
70. St. James Academy (Lenexa, Kan.), 32-7
71. Flour Bluff (Corpus Christi, Texas), 38-12
Class 5A Division 1 state champion.
72. Mercy (Farmington Hills, Mich.), 29-3
73. Richard Montgomery (Rockville, Md.), 24-1
Class 4A state champion.
74. Southlake Carroll (Southlake, Texas), 28-11
75. Harlan (San Antonio, Texas), 40-6
76. ‘Iolani (Honolulu, Hawaii), 24-10
Division I state runner-up.
77. St. Thomas More (Lafayette, La.), 37-3
Division 2 state champion.
78. Plano West (Plano, Texas), 27-8
79. Walton (Marietta, Ga.), 27-8
Class AAAAAA state semifinalist.
80. Blue Valley West (Stilwell, Kan.), 37-5
Class 6A state runner-up.
81. Skyview (Nampa, Idaho), 27-8
Class 6A state runner-up.
82. Gulf Breeze (Fla.), 30-2
Class 5A state runner-up.
83. Milton (Ga.), 29-7
Class AAAAA state semifinalist.
84. Lipscomb Academy (Nashville, Tenn.), 23-7
Division 1 Class AA state champion.
85. Dorman (Roebuck, S.C.), 35-4
Class 5A Division 1 state champion.
86. St. Ursula Academy (Cincinnati, Ohio), 23-4
Division 2 state champion.
87. North Myrtle Beach (Little River, S.C.), 30-9
Class 5A Division 2 state champion.
88. Branson (Ross, Calif.), 22-5
89. Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, Nev.), 29-8
Class 5A state champion.
90. Torrey Pines (San Diego, Calif.), 28-9
San Diego Section Open Division runner-up.
91. Lone Peak (Highland, Utah), 29-3
Class 6A state champion.
92. Casteel (Queen Creek, Ariz.), 25-15
93. Conway (Ark.), 25-9
Class 6A state champion.
94. Skyline (Salt Lake City, Utah), 30-2
Class 5A state champion.
95. St. Mary’s Dominican (New Orleans, La.), 35-10
Division 1 state runner-up.
96. Champlin Park (Champlin, Minn.), 30-4
Class 4A state runner-up.
97. Marin Catholic (Kentfield, Calif.), 25-8
98. Madison-Ridgeland Academy (Madison, Miss.), 36-8
MAIS Division 1 state champion.
99. Sequoyah (Canton, Ga.), 27-9
Class AAAAA state semifinalist.
100. Bullis (Potomac, Md.), 24-2
