Mount St. Mary Wins Class 5A Volleyball Title
Mount St. Mary took the first volleyball state championship in school history with a five-set win over Valley View.
Updated on Nov. 1, 2026 in Volleyball
Mount St. Mary defeated Valley View 3-2 on Saturday at Bank OZK Arena in Hot Springs to win the Class 5A state volleyball championship. The match finished 16-25, 25-16, 26-24, 20-25, 15-12, with Mount St. Mary rallying for five straight points to take the third set.
Why it matters
The win marks Mount St. Mary's first volleyball state title, ending its search for a championship while Valley View, which has won 16 state titles, lost in the final. Local students from Mount St. Mary and Little Rock Catholic attended the match to support the team.
Mount St. Mary finished with 18 blocks, led by Marley Bagby's six blocks and 14 kills, while Taylor Wherry recorded 27 kills and two blocks to earn tournament MVP honors.
The players
Mount St. Mary
Mount St. Mary is a Catholic school in Little Rock, Arkansas, that won its first volleyball state championship with this victory.
Valley View
Valley View is a high school in Jonesboro, Arkansas, with 16 state championships in its history, which lost this final.
Taylor Wherry
Taylor Wherry is the Mount St. Mary player who was named tournament MVP after recording 27 kills and two blocks in the final.
The details
Mount St. Mary's block defense shut down hitters across the court and forced Valley View out of its system. The Mavericks adjusted their defense during the match, which went to five sets.
Timeline
Saturday: Mount St. Mary won the Class 5A state volleyball championship at Bank OZK Arena in Hot Springs.
Season Trajectory
Mount St. Mary's first state volleyball title marks a breakthrough for a program that had not previously reached the championship level, while Valley View's loss shows that even a historically dominant program can be beaten in a decisive five-set final. The result reshapes the Class 5A volleyball picture for the coming seasons.
Mount St. Mary's championship ends a long wait for the program, and the team's defensive focus on blocks shows how it won the match. Fans following the Class 5A bracket can now track how the program performs next season.
The takeaway
Mount St. Mary's five-set comeback shows how a team can win a championship by adjusting its defense mid-match. The win is a reminder that consistent blocking can outweigh a single player's offensive output.
Further reading
Find more coverage in the Volleyball section for Little Rock.
Source note: This article includes information reported by ArkansasOnline.
