Just like that, the girls volleyball regular season has come to an end.
For teams across San Joaquin County, the focus turns to the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section playoffs, which begin Tuesday, Oct. 27.
Before the postseason takes center stage, though, there's one piece of regular-season business left.
It's time to rank every team in the county with The Record's first and only girls volleyball power rankings of the 2026 season.
1. Ripon (24-4, 12-0 TVL)
Four straight league championships. Fifty consecutive TVL victories. Ripon's dominance shows no signs of slowing down, and for the second year in a row, the Indians stand alone atop the county. Ranked No. 82 in California and holding the No. 1 seed in Division III, they're in position to reach a fifth straight section
final and potentially claim a third title in five years.
2. St. Mary's (22-7, 10-0 TCAL)
Sept. 24, 2018. Remember that date, because it's the last time anyone beat St. Mary's in TCAL play. Seventy-nine consecutive league victories later, the Rams are still rolling. They've finished inside California's top 100 every year since except last season and are back at No. 93. After winning section titles in 2023 and 2024, St. Mary's is looking to avenge last year's semifinal exit as the No. 3 seed in Division I.
3. Lodi (21-10, 8-2 TCAL)
St. Mary's may still have Lodi's number, but the rest of the TCAL hasn't had much luck. The Flames swept six of their eight league wins, needing four sets only against Tracy twice. That was enough for a fourth consecutive second-place finish and the No. 7 seed in the Division I playoffs.
4. Escalon (20-10, 6-6 TVL)
Section titles in 2019, 2021 and 2022. Quarterfinal exits in 2023 and 2024, followed by a semifinal appearance last year. Can Escalon make it back to the championship match? The Cougars finished third in the TVL and enter the Division IV playoffs as the No. 3 seed.
5. Lathrop (26-3, 14-0 WAC)
History, history and more history. Lathrop didn't just go 14-0 on its way to a third consecutive WAC title. The Spartans didn't drop a single set in league play. Their 26 wins also set a program record, surpassing the previous mark of 23 in 2019. Now, as the No. 3 seed in Division III, how much further can they go?
6. Manteca (19-5, 10-2 VOL)
Apparently, Manteca doesn't mind sharing. The Buffaloes won a share of the VOL title in 2021, repeated the feat last season and have done it again this year, this time alongside Sierra. Regardless, a title is a title, and Manteca heads into the postseason as the No. 11 seed in Division II.
7. Tracy (14-13, 6-4 TCAL)
Different year, nearly identical results. Tracy has won between 14 and 15 matches in each of the past four seasons, finishing third in the TCAL and qualifying for the playoffs every time. But one thing has been missing since 2022 — a postseason victory. They'll try to break through as the No. 12 seed in Division II.
8. Sierra (18-10, 10-2 VOL)
From a 7-23 season to a share of the VOL championship. Not bad for a one-year turnaround. But want to know just how stacked Division II is? Even a league title wasn't enough to secure Sierra an automatic spot in the main bracket. Instead, the Timberwolves enter the play-in round as the No. 15 seed.
9. Ben Holt College Prep Academy (21-6, 9-0 CCAAL)
For a school with fewer than 700 students, Ben Holt sure knows how to win. Five straight league championships, including three in the CCAAL, and five consecutive 20-win seasons tell the story. But here's the catch. The Bobcats have just one playoff victory in program history, with none during that run. Could the No. 5 seed in Division V finally change that?
10. Tokay (17-7, 13-1 SJAA)
Since joining the SJAA in 2024, all Tokay has done is win. The Tigers completed their third consecutive league championship with another 13-1 finish, earning the No. 11 seed in Division I.
11. Edison (24-9, 12-2 SJAA)
2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2018, 2022, 2024, 2025 and 2026. That's nine second-place league finishes for Edison, which is still chasing that elusive title. But the Vikings didn't leave this season empty-handed, setting a school record with 24 victories and securing the No. 12 seed in Division I.
12. Ripon Christian (14-15, 5-7 TVL)
A year ago, Ripon Christian reached the state regional final before falling to the eventual champion. Now, the Knights have their first losing regular season since 2009. Yet, with 19 section championships to their name, the No. 6 seed in Division III knows how to win when it matters.
13. Weston Ranch (19-6, 11-3 SJAA)
Who saw this coming? After more than two decades without finishing above .500 or making the playoffs, Weston Ranch has rewritten its history. The Cougars are headed to the Division IV postseason as the No. 9 seed.
14. Linden (13-12, 6-4 MLL)
Third place in the MLL was enough to keep Linden's season alive. The Lions turn their attention to the Division V playoffs as the No. 9 seed.
15. Mountain House (12-14, 7-5 VOL)
Despite a losing record, Mountain House finished third in the VOL and earned a spot in the Division I play-in round as the No. 15 seed.
16. Elliot Christian (16-1, 14-0 MVL)
Three straight MVL titles, but this one came with a first. Elliot Christian swept through league play unbeaten, putting together arguably the best regular season in school history. Next up is Division VI, where the Eagles hold the No. 4 seed.
17. East Union (11-14, 3-9 VOL)
Who says sixth place in the VOL can't get you into the playoffs? East Union is going dancing for the first time since 2015, with the Lancers holding the No. 11 seed in Division III.
18. River Island (11-13, 8-2 CCAAL)
Last year's 23-win season may be hard to top, but River Islands has reached the playoffs in all three years of its existence. This time, the Riptide are the No. 14 seed in Division IV.
19. Bear Creek (13-16, 8-6 SJAA)
20. Venture Academy (16-9, 5-3 CCAAL)
21. Merrill West (12-20, 2-8 TCAL)
22. McNair (10-15, 6-8 SJAA)
23. Lincoln (4-20, 2-8 TCAL)
24. Kimball (6-18, 2-8 TCAL)
25. Aspire Langston Hughes Academy (6-6, 3-6 CCAAL)
26. Stagg (6-17, 3-11 SJAA)
27. Chavez (5-19, 3-11 SJAA)
28. Stockton Christian (12-12, 8-6 MVL)
29. Franklin (3-23, 0-14 SJAA)
30. Lodi Academy (2-15, 1-13 MVL)
31. Millennium (0-21, 0-10 CCAAL)
This article originally appeared on The Record: San Joaquin County girls volleyball rankings ahead of 2026 postseason
