UNION COUNTY — Which Union County girls volleyball teams will rise to the occasion this fall?
Which will make 2026 a most memorable season?
We shall soon see.
The first official day of girls volleyball practice in New Jersey is now less than one month away, with a starting date, according to the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association website, of Monday, Aug. 17.
Speaking of memorable seasons, Cranford High School produced one last year.
Cranford followed up a 12-9 winning season in 2024 with an outstanding campaign in 2025 under first-year head coach Nicole DePrimio. The Cougars fashioned a 19-4 overall record and went a perfect 12-0 to win the Union County Conference’s Mountain Division championship.
Cranford began 6-0 before falling at home to eventual Watchung Division champion Westfield High School, 2-1. The Cougars won the first game, 28-26, and then Westfield won, 25-13 and 25-14.
Westfield won the Union County Tournament last year for the third time in four years, defeating defending champion Union Catholic High School two games to none. The Blue Devils topped the Vikings by the scores of 25-14 and 25-20 in the championship match played at Kean University’s Harwood Arena in Union.
Cranford bounced back from the Westfield defeat to win its next nine matches, before losing at Millburn High School, 2-0, right before the start of the Union County Tournament.
With a record of 15-2 at the time, the Cougars blanked Union and Kent Place high schools, 2-0, in the first two rounds of the UCT, before falling again to eventual champion Westfield, 2-1, in competition that took place at Arthur L. Johnson High School. Cranford, in the same way as in the regular season UCC-crossover match, won the first game by two points, 26-24. Westfield then came back to win the next two games by the scores of 25-17 and 25-14.
In Central Jersey, Group 3 state tournament play that followed, Cranford also reached the semifinals. The Cougars defeated Hopewell Valley High School, 3-0, at home in the quarterfinals and then, in the semifinals, were defeated at Governor Livingston High School, 3-0, falling by the scores of 25-19, 25-12 and 25-12. In the final, Governor Livingston lost at Holmdel High School, 3-2, with the score of the fifth and final game going in the favor of Holmdel, 16-14.
Sophomore setter Emma Andre paced Cranford in assists with 245 and also contributed 83 digs. Junior outside hitter Alexandra Chapman led the Cougars in kills with 105 and digs with 169. Sophomore Taylor Jones was second on the team in kills with 101.
Cranford has home matches scheduled for Monday, Aug. 24, against Watchung Hills Regional High School at 10 a.m. and Tuesday, Sept. 8, vs. Elizabeth High School at 4 p.m.
Girls volleyball key dates for 2026
First practice: Monday, Aug. 17
Competition may begin: Monday, Aug. 24
State playoff qualifying cutoff date: Saturday, Oct. 24
Regular season competition ends: Sunday, Nov. 22
Public schools state tournament
Round 1, Groups 1 and 3: Monday, Nov. 2, at higher seed
Round 1, Groups 2 and 4: Tuesday, Nov. 3, at higher seed
Round 2, Groups 1 and 3: Wednesday, Nov. 4, at higher seed
Round 2, Groups 2 and 4: Thursday, Nov. 5, at higher seed
Round 3, Groups 1 and 3: Friday, Nov. 6, at higher seed
Round 3, Groups 2 and 4: Saturday, Nov. 7, at higher seed
Sectional finals, Groups 1 and 3: Wednesday, Nov. 11, at higher seed
Sectional finals, Groups 2 and 4: Thursday, Nov. 12, at higher seed
State finals, Groups 1 and 3: Saturday, Nov. 14, at Franklin
State finals, Groups 2 and 4: Sunday, Nov. 15, at Franklin
Non-public schools state tournament
Round 1, Non-Public B: Monday, Nov. 2, at higher seed
Round 1, Non-Public A: Tuesday, Nov. 3, at higher seed
Round 2, Non-Public B: Wednesday, Nov. 4, at higher seed
Round 2, Non-Public A: Thursday, Nov. 5, at higher seed
Round 3, Non-Public B: Friday, Nov. 6, at higher seed
Round 3, Non-Public A: Saturday, Nov. 7, at higher seed
Sectional finals, Non-Public B: Wednesday, Nov. 11, at higher seed
Sectional finals, Non-Public A: Thursday, Nov. 12, at higher seed
State finals, Non-Public B: Saturday, Nov. 14, at Franklin
State finals, Non-Public A: Sunday, Nov. 15, at Franklin
Union County Tournament girls’ volleyball champions since 2000
2025: Westfield def. Union Catholic, 2-0 – at Kean
25-14, 25-20
2024: Union Catholic def. Governor Livingston, 2-0 – at Kean
25-17, 26-24
2023: Westfield def. Union Catholic, 2-0 – at Kean
25-17, 25-21
2022: Westfield def. Union Catholic, 2-0 – at Kean
25-15, 25-17
2021: Kent Place def. Westfield, 2-0 – at Kean
25-23, 25-19
April 2021: Westfield def. Scotch Plains–Fanwood, 2-1 – at Westfield
22-25, 25-17, 25-13
2019: Union Catholic def. Westfield, 2-0 – at Union Catholic
25-22, 22-16
2018: Union Catholic def. Westfield, 2-0 – at Kean
25-20, 25-21
2017: Westfield def. Union Catholic, 2-0 – at Kean
29-27, 25-13
2016: Union Catholic def. Westfield, 2-0 – at Kean
25-19, 25-22
2015 – Union Catholic def. Westfield, 2-0 – at Kean
25-23, 25-20
2014 – Westfield def. Union Catholic, 2-0 – at Kean
25-11, 26-24
2013 – Roselle Catholic def. Westfield, 2-1 – at Kean
27-25, 15-25, 25-23
2012 – Roselle Catholic def. Westfield, 2-1 – at Kean
19-25, 25-22, 25-14
2011 – Union Catholic def. Summit, 2-0 – at Kean
25-17, 25-20
2010 – Union Catholic def. Cranford, 2-1 – at Kean
26-28, 25-22, 25-16
2009 – Union Catholic def. Cranford, 2-0 – at Union Catholic
25-18, 25-21
2008 – Union Catholic def. Cranford, 2-1 – at Union Catholic
26-24, 17-25, 25-22
2007 – Cranford def. Westfield, 2-0 – at Westfield
25-18, 25-22
2006 – Westfield def. Union Catholic, 2-0 – at Westfield
25-19, 25-21
2005 – Union Catholic def. Rahway, 2-0 – at Westfield
25-22, 25-22
2004 – Rahway def. New Providence, 2-0 – at Westfield
25-21, 25-11
2003 – Elizabeth def. Union Catholic, 3-1 – at Westfield
25-21, 16-25, 25-18, 25-20
2002 – Union Catholic
2001 – Union Catholic
2000 – Union Catholic
