Arkansas

Final Arkansas high school volleyball Top 25 rankings of 2023

Published

2 years ago

August 13, 2024

Final Arkansas high school volleyball Top 25 rankings of 2023

The 2024 Arkansas high school volleyball season is upon us. Next week we will release the preseason Top 25 rankings. In the meantime, here are last season’s final Top 25 rankings.

NOTE: Records reflect the team’s overall record.

1. Fayetteville (25–8)

Previous rank: No. 2

Last week: Class 6A state tournament at Conway; def. Bryant 3-1; def. No. 19 Cabot 3-0; def. No. 5 Conway 3-2 for state championship

COMMENT: New group of Lady Bulldogs showed it was determined to join the previous three classes and show it was capable of winning a state championship and they did it in one that went down to the wire.

2. Conway (31-5)

Previous rank: No. 5

Last week: Class 6A state tournament at Conway; def. No. 9 Springdale Har-Ber 3-0; def. No. 3 Fort Smith Southside 3-1; lost to No. 2 Fayetteville 3-2

COMMENT: Lady Wampus Cats make first trip to state finals since 2018 and take Fayetteville down to the wire. They also won 19 consecutive matches and went 2-1 against 5A champion Benton and had victories against 5A runner-up Greenwood and 4A runner-up Shiloh Christian.

3. Baptist Prep (37-2-1)

Previous rank: No. 6

Last week: Class 3A state tournament at Valley Springs; def. Salem 3-0; def. Paris 3-0; def. Harding Academy 3-0; def. No. 1 Hackett 3-0 for state championship

COMMENT: Lady Eagles went 1-1 vs. 5A champion Benton, defeated 5A runner-up Greenwood and 4A runner-up Shiloh Christian and went 8-1 against teams in Classes 5A and 6A.

4. Hackett (38-2-2)

Previous rank: No. 1

Last week: Class 3A state tournament at Valley Springs; def Manila 3-0; def. Central Arkansas Christian 3-0; def. Crowley’s Ridge Academy 3-0; lost to No. 6 Baptist Prep 3-0

COMMENT: Hackett went 10-1-2 in teams in higher classes including wins over 6A semifinalist Fort Smith Southside and 5A semifinalist Mount St. Mary and 4A runner-up Shiloh Christian. Three consecutive losses in the state championship match haven’t left Hackett head coach Bridgett Freeman discouraged. As long as she gets a shot to get back to the state championship, she’s said she’ll keep taking her chances.

5. Benton (30-5)

Previous rank: No. 7

Last week: Class 5A state tournament at Searcy; def. Siloam Springs 3-0; def. No. 18 Paragould 3-0; def. No. 14 Harrison 3-0; def. No. 15 Greenwood 3-2 for state championship

COMMENT: Isabella Lagemann joins her older sister Abigail Lagemann as state tournament MVP. Lady Panthers went 6-3 against teams that reached the state finals.

6. Fort Smith Southside (26-6)

Previous rank: No. 4

Last week: Class 6A state tournament at Conway; def. Little Rock Central 3-0; lost to No. 5 Conway 3-1

COMMENT: Lady Mavericks followed state runner-up season with a trip to the semifinals and had victories against 5A champion Benton, 5A runner-up Greenwood and 4A runner-up Shiloh Christian.

7. Brookland (34-4-1)

Previous rank: No. 8

Last week: Class 4A state tournament at Shiloh Christian; def. Bauxite 3-0; def. Farmington 3-0; vs. Gravette; def. No. 11 Shiloh Christian 3-0 for state championship

COMMENT Brookland head coach Nancy Rodriguez wanted to challenge her team and she did as the Lady Bearcats went 9-3 against teams in Classes 5A and 6A and that doesn’t include a loss to Collierville, Tenn. which went 38-7.

8. Greenwood (23-11)

Previous rank: No. 15

Last week: Class 5A state tournament at Searcy; def. No. 17 Sheridan 3-1; def. No. 10 Marion 3-0; def. No. 20 Mount St. Mary 3-0; lost to No. 7 Benton 3-2

COMMENT: A season that featured losses to 6A champion Fayetteville, 6A finalist Conway, 6A semifinalist Fort Smith Southside and 3A champion Baptist Prep ended in a five-set loss in the championship match.

9. Hot Springs Lakeside MTXE (24-6-2)

Previous rank: No. 4

Last week: Class 5A state tournament at Searcy; def. Russellville 3-1; lost to No. 20 Mount St. Mary 3-2

COMMENT Lady Rams were one of two teams to beat Hackett, knocked off Class 5A state champion Benton, 4A champion Brookland and shared 5A-South Conference title.

10. Mansfield (35-2-1)

Previous rank: No. 13

Last week: Class 2A state tournament at Quitman; def. Cedar Ridge 3-0; vs. Yellville-Summit 3-0; def. Life Way Christian 3-0; def. No. 23 Conway Christian 3-0 for state championship

COMMENT: Alyson Edwards repeats as state tournament MVP and was the only player to play in all four state championship matches. Only blemishes on the record were a loss to Hackett in the Alma Invitational a tie to Springdale Har-Ber and loss to Paris in the Paris Invitational.

11. Shiloh Christian (29-7)

Previous rank: No. 11

Last week: Class 4A state tournament at Shiloh Christian; def. Lonoke 3-0; def. Wynne 3-2; vs. Fountain Lake 3-0; lost to No. 8 Brookland 3-0

COMMENT: Lady Saints finish runner-up again but went 9-4 against teams in Classes 5A and 6A.

12. Cabot (19-11)

Previous rank: No. 19

Last week: Class 6A state tournament at Conway; def. No. 16 Bentonville 3-1; lost to No. 2 Fayetteville 3-0

COMMENT: Lady Panthers reached the semifinals for the second consecutive year. Seven of their losses came to teams that reached the state finals.

13. Harrison (21-6)

Previous rank: No. 14

Last week: Class 5A state tournament at Searcy; def. Lake Hamilton 3-0; def. No. 12 Valley View 3-2; lost to No. 7 Benton 3-0

COMMENT: Lady Goblins won the 5A-West, split with 5A runner-up Greenwood and beat 5A-East Champion Marion. Reese Rickets (447 kills) was a fun player to watch.

14. Mount St. Mary (21-10-1)

Previous rank: No. 20

This week: Class 5A state tournament at Searcy; def. Batesville 3-0; def. No. 4 Hot Springs Lakeside MTXE 3-2; lost to No. 15 Greenwood 3-0

COMMENT: Belles recovered from a late-season slump to reach the semifinals the second consecutive year.

15. Springdale Har-Ber (20-12)

Previous rank: No. 9

Last week: Class 6A state tournament at Conway; def. North Little Rock 3-0; lost to No. 5 Conway 3-0

COMMENT: Lady Wildcats recovered from six-game losing streak in midseason that included three losses to teams in Oklahoma to end Fayetteville’s 38-match winning streak against in-state opponents.

16. Marion (24-7-1)

Previous rank: No. 10

Last week: Class 5A state tournament at Searcy; def. Sylvan Hills 3-0; lost to No. 15 Greenwood 3-0

COMMENT: Lady Patriots went undefeated against 5A-East, swept Valley View and tied Hackett at the Hot Springs Lakeside Tournament.

17. Valley View (25-9)

Previous rank: No. 12

This week: Class 5A state tournament at Searcy; def. Vilonia 3-0; lost to No. 14 Harrison 3-2

COMMENT: First time since 2002 Valley View failed to reach the state finals and the first time since 2001 it didn’t reach the semifinals.

18. Bentonville (19-15)

Previous rank: No. 16

Last week: Class 6A state tournament at Conway; def. Jonesboro 3-0; lost to No. 19 Cabot 3-1

COMMENT: Lady Tiger loved to challenge themselves against out-of-state competition as eight of their losses came to teams in Oklahoma, Missouri and Kansas with a combined 187-65 record.

19. Paragould (23-8)

Previous rank: No. 18

Last week: Class 5A state tournament at Searcy; def. Little Rock Christian Academy 3-1; lost to No. 7 Benton 3-0

COMMENT: All eyes for the next three years will be on Ava Beasley (418 kills, 51 aces, 29 blocks, 323 digs, 278 assists), who dazzled a freshman. Head coach Reed Fogleman said if rules allowed it, she would have used her as seventh grader.

20. Sheridan (25-5)

Previous rank: No. 17

Last week: Class 5A state tournament at Searcy; lost to No. 15 Greenwood 3-1

COMMENT Sheridan won its own tournament, the Lonoke Tournament and finished third in the 5A-South.

21. Conway Christian (26-2-1)

Previous rank: No. 23

Last week: Class 2A state tournament at Quitman; def. Magnet Cove 3-2; def. Thaden 3-1; def. No. 24 Lavaca 3-2; lost to No. 13 Mansfield

COMMENT: Kobie McKnight’s first year at Conway Christian ended in the state championship. Both losses came to Mansfield and the tie with Mena at the Paris Invitational.

22. Gravette (23-3)

Previous rank: Not ranked

Last week: Class 4A state tournament at Shiloh Christian: def. Pulaski Academy 3-1; def. No. 21 Mena 3-0; lost to No. 8 Brookland 3-0.

COMMENT: Semifinal trip earns Lady Lions appearance in rankings.

23. Mena (21-6-1)

Previous rank: No. 21

Last week: Class 4A state tournament at Shiloh Christian; def. Batesville Southside 3-2; lost to Gravette 3-0

COMMENT: Mena wins conference title for second consecutive year.

24. Lavaca (22-12–1)

Previous rank: No. 24

This week: Class 2A state tournament at Quitman; def. Barton 3-0; def. No. 25 England 3-0; lost to vs. No. 23 Conway Christian 3-2

COMMENT Golden Arrows reached the semifinals for the fourth consecutive season.

25. England (18-5)

Previous rank: Not ranked

Last week: Class 2A state tournament at Quitman; def. Marshall 3-0; lost to No. 24 Lavaca 3-0

COMMENT: A pair of late-season wins over Taylor earned England the 2A-Central Conference and Conference Tournament titles.

DROPPED OUT

No. 22 Pottsville

— Jeff Halpern

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Arkansas

Drug Take Back Day returns to Arkansas this month; promotes safe drug disposal

Published

7 hours ago

April 7, 2026

Press Room

Drug Take Back Day returns to Arkansas this month; promotes safe drug disposal

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KATV) — Arkansas law enforcement agencies are hosting their 16th-annual Drug Take Back Day this month.

The event is designed so that Arkansans can safely and anonymously dispose of any expired, unused or unwanted medications. Officials say they want to prevent opioid misuse, reduce accidental poisonings, protect waterways from contamination and keep communities safe.

Its set to take place on Saturday, April 25.

“Arkansas Drug Take Back Day continues to bring communities together in the fight against substance misuse, and we’re proud to play such a vital part in it,” said Kirk Lane, director of the Arkansas Opioid Recovery Partnership (ARORP). “We invite Arkansans to take a few minutes to clean out their medicine cabinets, drop off unneeded prescriptions and protect their families and neighbors.”

Arkansans destroyed 26,500 pounds of medication during the fall 2025 Drug Take Back Day. Since 2010, over 342 tons have been destroyed.

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There are more than 300 drop boxes that Arkansans can use year-round. You can find your nearest drop box by CLICKING HERE.

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Arkansas

Way-Too-Early Top 25: Ranking College Basketball’s Best for 2026-27

Published

19 hours ago

April 7, 2026

Press Room

Way-Too-Early Top 25: Ranking College Basketball’s Best for 2026-27

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — With the transfer portal reshaping rosters overnight and elite freshmen arriving every summer, projecting the next college basketball season has become an exercise in controlled chaos.

Still, a handful of programs have positioned themselves early as national title contenders through roster continuity, program consistency and coaching stability.

Arkansas will once again be in the mix, but its true preseason forecast will come once the portal is mostly wrapped up. Coach John Calipari knows what type of player he needs to add for his team to advance past the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 and probably won’t sleep a whole lot until he signs at least one major contributor in the paint.

No. 1 seed Michigan had a stellar run in its second season under coach Dusty May, who competes for a national championship against No. 2 seed UConn Monday night. He goes up against two-time championship coach Dan Hurley, who is looking to join elite company by winning his third trophy with the Huskies.

Which teams are best equipped already for next season? Here’s an early look at who can make a run in 2026-27.

1. Michigan

UConn Huskies forward Jaylin Stewart (3) possesses the ball against Michigan Wolverines forward Yaxel Lendeborg (23) in the first half during the national championship of the Final Four of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images | Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

The Wolverines absolutely make sense regardless of if they win a national title Monday night. May added a commitment from 5-star guard Brandon McCoy Saturday who projects to be a lead guard at the next level.

Key big man Yaxel Lendeborg will be a huge loss after being a critical piece to Michigan’s championship game run. Power forward Morez Johnson should return after averaging over 13 points and seven rebounds per game.

Another likely returnee is Trey McKenney, who played well as a freshman averaging 11 points and 44% shooting in the month of March.

1B. UConn

UConn Huskies guard Solo Ball (1) reacts after a made three point basket against the Michigan Wolverines during the NCAA men’s basketball tournament national championship game at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. | Christine Tannous/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Whether Hurley’s bid for a third title falls short, his brilliant coaching in the NCAA Tournament is worth keeping the Huskies near the top of all college basketball rankings.

Veterans such as Alex Karaban and Tarris Reed are seeing their eligibility expire while freshman Braylon Mullins could opt to enter the NBA Draft.

Veteran guard Silas Demary has been a nice addition from Georgia out of the portal this season and will likely return as the Huskies’ starting point guard.

3. Duke

The Blue Devils are set to lose the Boozer twins, but have signed capable replacements in true freshmen Cameron Williams and Deron Rippey, Jr.

Coach Jon Scheyer’s group will continue to run the ACC until anyone else decides to be up for the challenge. If he can find a way to keep Patrick Ngongba around for next season as his key big man, then there’s no reason to count out Duke as national title favorites once again.

Duke Blue Devils coach Jon Scheyer speaks with the media during a press conference ahead of the east regional of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at Capital One Arena. | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

4. Michigan State

No one will ever doubt coach Tom Izzo’s ability to assemble a championship contender and he did just that with Coen Carr, Jeremy Fears and company this season.

With a top high school recruiting class and a couple of key portal additions on the perimeter, the Spartans will be Big Ten title contenders and earn a Top 4 NCAA Tournament seed.

5. Illinois

Coach Brad Underwood has made the Fightin’ Illini a raging success and nearly led his team to the promised land this season.

He discovered freshman wing Keaton Wagler before anyone else, and became a household name and potential lottery pick after arriving to school as aTop 150 prospect.

Lightning might not strike twice next year, but he’ll probably have another solid team built for a deep NCAA Tournament run. Sharpshooter Andrej Stojakovic and forward David Mirkovic are both expected to return after playing key roles in Illinois’ first Final Four run in two decades.

6. Arizona

The Wildcats were no match for Michigan in the Final Four and are likely going to lose key freshmen Koa Peat and Brayden Burries to the NBA Draft. Keeping veteran big man Mo Krivas and key wing Ivan Kharchenkov in the rotation is key.

Adding McDonald’s All-American MVP Caleb Holt won’t hurt either as the next great freshman for the Wildcats.

7. Arkansas

Coach John Calipari knows his biggest assignment will be adding a big man or two to round out his rotation. He has a three 5-star freshmen in Jordan Smith, Jr. (No. 2 ranked prospect, JJ Andrews and Abdou Toure coming in with potential key returnee Billy Richmond to potentially lockdown the perimeter.

Jordan Smith Jr during the McDonalds All American Boys Game at Desert Diamond Arena. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Arkansas fans are hungry to see their team get back to the Final Four and have been inching closer each of the previous five seasons.

8. Purdue

The Boilermakers are set to lose All-American guard Braden Smith, Fletcher Loyer and Trey Kaufman-Renn which will be hard to come back from for any team.

However, Matt Painter continues to reload with guys who often fly under the radar or lesser known on the recruiting trail out of high school. His next team may not be as talented, or veteran laden but should be fixtures in the Big Ten no matter what the offseason brings.

9. St. John’s

Arkansas guard Boogie Fland (2) and forward Billy Richmond III (24) fight for a rebound against St. John’s guard Aaron Scott (0) during the second half of a second round men’s NCAA Tournament game at Amica Mutual Pavilion. | Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images

The Red Storm will find it tough to replace versatile big man Zury Ejifor, but if anyone can do so it’s hall of fame coach Rick Pitino. His team has been close to breaking into national title contention over the previous two seasons.

Pitino’s combination of Ian Jackson, Dylan Darling and Ruben Prey can give St. John’s a boost next season.

10. Alabama

Nate Oats has the Crimson Tide at a level never before seen in Tuscaloosa with at least a Sweet 16 or better finish in each of the previous four seasons.

Star guard Labaron Philon is probably headed to the league as a mid-first round prospect which leaves a gaping hole in Alabama’s rotation for next season.

Top 20 freshman guard Qadyden Samuels is potentially a solid replacement with a complete offensive skillset as a three-level scorer. If his length translates well to college, he can be an exceptional perimeter defender.

Oats will need to find a way to keep key big men such as Amari Allen and Aiden Sherrell around or pick up a couple out of the transfer portal to stay near the top of the SEC.

Alabama Crimson Tide coach Nate Oats looks on in the second half against the Michigan Wolverines during a Sweet Sixteen game of the Midwest Regional of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at United Center. | David Banks-Imagn Images

11. Iowa State

The Cyclones were on the verge of a breakthrough before falling short in the Sweet 16. Losing All-American Joshua Jefferson early in the tournament sidelined any hopes of coach T.J. Otzelberger leading his team to its first Final Four since 1944.

Iowa State will probably make a strong run in the portal to replace other key contributors. But one thing is sure that this program has staying power on the national scene.

12. Kansas

Kansas Jayhawks forward Justin Cross (25) is welcomed by Kansas Jayhawks head coach Bill Self before the Sunflower Showdown game against Kansas State Wildcats inside Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence, Kansas, on Saturday, March 7, 2026. | Evert Nelson/The Capital-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Each passing year it seems that the biggest question is whether or not coach Bill Self will return for another year.

He is, at least this year, but even with his exceptional recruiting skills and a deep portal budget, it seems like a slight nosedive has taken place since winning the national title in 2022.

Star freshman Darryn Peterson’s one-and-done stay in Lawrence certainly didn’t live up to the hype. Big man Flory Bidunga is currently evaluating his options, which shouldn’t give anyone a reason to rank the Jayhawks higher.

13. Iowa Hawkeyes
14. Gonzaga Bulldogs
15. Florida Gators
16. North Carolina Tar Heels
17. Louisville Cardinals
18. Wisconsin Badgers
19. Nebraska Cornhuskers
20. Houston Cougars
21. Providence Friars
22. St. Louis Billekins
23. Texas Longhorns
24. Auburn Tigers
25. LSU Tigers