Farmington Hills Mercy, Clarkston Head 19 Oakland County Volleyball Brackets
Nineteen district tournaments across four divisions open this week as Oakland County teams begin the MHSAA postseason.
By Yasmin Nasser ·
Nineteen high school volleyball district tournaments open across four divisions this week, the first step in a three-week MHSAA postseason that ends with four state champions. Oakland County programs are entered in districts spread from Hartland to Detroit.
Farmington Hills Mercy carries the top ranking into District 25 at its own gym. The Marlins hold byes through the opening round, with Novi also bye-eligible; Redford Thurston plays Farmington and Livonia Stevenson meets Southfield A&T in the openers. Mercy's roster includes Kate Kalczynski, Kaelyn Easton and McKenzie Andrews. The program has won the last two Division 1 state titles.
District 26 at Berkley pairs Birmingham Groves against Royal Oak and Oak Park against Berkley in round one, with Birmingham Seaholm and Bloomfield Hills Marian taking byes. Marian, ranked second, owns a recent win over Mercy. Quinn Nelson, Sophia Smith and Calli LeFevre handle the outside for the Mustangs.
Clarkston enters District 8 at home carrying a sixth-place ranking and a Division 1 title outlook. Senior setter Marlie Smith has led the Wolves through a season aimed at a return trip to Battle Creek. Oxford, which eliminated Clarkston and Lake Orion in last year's district, opens against Waterford Kettering; Lake Orion, Lapeer and Clarkston hold byes.
Milford draws Brighton in a potential District 5 final at Hartland, where senior outside hitter Lexa Pierson has driven the Mavericks' 2026 season. South Lyon is third-ranked in District 6 at Lakeland behind outside hitter Lexi Coleman and setter Ava Kiernan. Stoney Creek is positioned as the team to beat in District 29 at Troy, with Lauren Sheldon at outside hitter.
Detroit Country Day, the two-time defending Division 2 champion, hosts District 63. Payton Woodruff runs the offense with Sici Guerrant and Cornelia Friedrich on the outside and Leah Green and Aliyah Potapenko in the middle. Sixth-ranked Macomb Lutheran North is host of District 62, where Pontiac Notre Dame Prep's Nicole McDowell is the deciding factor the source identifies for that bracket.
Division 3 places a seven-team district at Royal Oak Shrine, which opens with three matches. Junior setter Becca Pavlik anchors Rochester Hills Lutheran Northwest in District 87 at Clawson. In Division 4, fifth-ranked Oakland Christian opens the postseason at District 124 in Bloomfield Hills, where Sofie Williams plays outside; Oakland Christian holds a bye along with Auburn Hills Christian, Sterling Heights Parkway Christian and Auburn Hills Oakland Christian.
District 123 at Southfield Christian lists Southfield Christian against Southfield Manoogian as its lone opener, with Detroit International Academy, Farmington Hills Huda Upper School and Plymouth Ivywood Classical Academy holding byes. The MHSAA postseason runs three weeks to the state finals.
