Volleyball preview

The Catholic High School League volleyball season begins with a mix of proven champions, new division alignments and several teams looking to establish themselves in new surroundings. From a loaded Central Division featuring three recent MHSAA state champions to reshaped AA and Intersectional divisions, the 2026 season should provide plenty of compelling races.

Central Division

Few conferences in the state can match the championship pedigree found in the CHSL Central Division.

Farmington Hills Mercy enters the season as the team everyone is chasing. The Marlins are the two-time defending CHSL champions and come into 2026 as the defending MHSAA Division 1 state champion.

Marian brings a championship tradition of its own. The Mustangs have captured three of the last six MHSAA Division 1 state championships, making the annual battles between Mercy and Marian some of the most anticipated matches on the CHSL schedule.

The division becomes even stronger with the arrival of Detroit Country Day, which joins the Catholic High School League this season. Country Day enters its first CHSL campaign as the two-time defending MHSAA Division 2 state champion, immediately adding another championship contender to an already impressive division.

Rounding out the Central Division are Notre Dame Academy, St. Mary’s Prep and St. Ursula. With three recent state championship programs leading the way and three more programs looking to challenge them, the Central Division figures to once again feature some of the best volleyball in the state.

AA Division

The AA Division has an entirely new look in 2026.

St. Mary’s Prep has moved to the Central Division, Lutheran North has departed the CHSL, and Shrine and Bishop Foley have moved to Intersectional 1. That leaves Regina and Cranbrook as the only holdovers from last season’s AA Division.

Joining them are Toledo Central Catholic, Divine Child, Fr. Gabriel Richard, Lumen Christi and St. Catherine of Siena.

With so many teams entering the division, there will be little familiarity when league play begins. Programs that previously competed in different CHSL divisions will now battle one another for the AA championship, creating one of the most unpredictable races in the league.

Regina and Cranbrook will look to use their familiarity with the division to their advantage, while the five newcomers will have an opportunity to quickly establish themselves in the new alignment.

Intersectional 1 Division

Intersectional 1 also underwent a major transformation during the offseason.

Defending division champion Divine Child, along with St. Catherine of Siena, Fr. Gabriel Richard and Lumen Christi, have moved out of the division.

Only Gabriel Richard and Cabrini remain from last season.

Joining them in Intersectional 1 are Bishop Foley, Shrine, Greenhills and Everest Collegiate.

With four newcomers among the six teams, the division should have a much different feel from a year ago. Bishop Foley and Shrine arrive from the AA Division, while Greenhills and Everest Collegiate also make the move into Intersectional 1.

With the defending champion no longer in the division, the door is open for a new team to claim the Intersectional 1 championship.

Intersectional 2 Division

The Intersectional 2 Division features Academy of the Sacred Heart, Austin Catholic, Cardinal Mooney, Cristo Rey, Frankel Academy and University Liggett.

With six programs competing for the title, Intersectional 2 provides another opportunity for teams to build momentum throughout the regular season and position themselves for a championship run.

As programs continue to develop and rivalries grow, every league match will be important in determining who emerges at the top of the standings.

Championship Pedigree Highlights 2026 Season

The 2026 CHSL volleyball season begins with impressive credentials throughout the league. Mercy enters as both the defending CHSL and MHSAA Division 1 champion, Marian remains one of Michigan’s premier Division 1 programs, and Detroit Country Day brings back-to-back Division 2 state championships into its first season in the Catholic League.

At the same time, significant realignment in the AA and Intersectional divisions creates new matchups and opportunities for programs throughout the CHSL.

From established state powers to teams looking to become the next CHSL champion, the stage is set for another exciting season of Catholic League volleyball.