The high school volleyball season is already underway in the state of Georgia and there are a number of teams in the Greater Savannah area who are looking to make their presence felt in the 2026 season.
South Effingham is coming off a season where the Mustangs reached the GHSA Class 5A state quarterfinals and the team has a number of standout players coming back.
Richmond Hill made a run to the Class 6A quarterfinals and is reloading with a new lineup looking to win its fifth straight region title.
Savannah Christian has a lot of returning talent from a team that won an Area title last year as Julie Jones enters her 29th season leading the program. Jones and her Savannah Christian squad added a big-time player in in 6-foot-1 outside hitter Myla Shippy, who transferred in from The Habersham School.
We recently published a list of the top returning players in the Greater Savannah area. This is a chance for readers to weigh in and select their favorite in an open poll with no restrictions on the voting. The poll will close on Tuesday, August 26, at 10 a.m.
Here are the candidates.
Avery Ritzert, Savannah Christian, jr., libero
Leah Magana, South Effingham, sr., S
Myla Shippy, Savannah Christian, jr., OH
Ellie Ayala, Savannah Arts, jr., OH/S
Carinne Cason, Savannah Christian, jr., S
Kamila Salinas, Savannah Christian, jr., MB
Charlotte Brown, Savannah Arts, sr., MB
Graci Dare, St. Andrew's, sr., S
Morgan Stringer, South Effingham, sr., OH
Alexa Anderson, Richmond Hill, sr., OH
Kailah King, Richmond Hill, sr., MB
Raeden Sander, Richmond Hill, jr., OH
Brie Sumner, Calvary Day, sr., libero
Ella Burgstiner, Savannah Christian, soph., S/OH
Olivia Aliotta, Savannah Country Day, sr., OH
Holly Binmore, St. Vincent's, soph., OH
Olivia Kiley, Islands, sr. OH
Eva Beyer, St. Vincent's, sr., S
Emily Carter, Jenkins, sr., S
Emory Doan, St. Vincent's, sr., libero
Zaydi Perez, Bradwell, sr., OPP/S
Lillian Doan, St. Vincent's, jr., DS
Mary Watkins, Calvary Day, jr., OH
Ka'Meil Bates, Effingham County, jr., OH
Lena Anne Smith, Savannah Arts, jr., MB
Ryan McGee, St. Andrew's, sr., OH
Jordyn Powell, Effingham County, sr., OH
Khloe Jesswein, St. Andrew's, jr., OH/MH
Bella Jaqua, Savannah Arts, jr., DS
Brynley Jordan, Effingham County, jr.
Sophia Paxton, Groves, sr., libero
Mia Whitmore, Islands, jr., OH
Adeline DeLashmet, Islands, sr., OPP
Aniston Smeltzer, Habersham School, soph., OH
Abbey Zellner, Habersham School, sr., S
Betsy Kelly, Habersham School, sr.
Ella Quinney, Savannah Christian, sr., OH
Addison Stubbs, Savannah Country Day, sr., DS
Zyona Edwards, St. Andrew's, fresh., libero
Dennis Knight covers sports for the Savannah Morning News. Contact him at Dknight@savannahnow.com. Twitter: @DennisKnightSMN
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Vote for the early season Savannah area Volleyball Player of the Year