Entering the 2026 season as the NJSIAA Group 3
State Champions for the third consecutive year, the PHS
volleyball team is looking to continue their streak by adding
a fourth title to the mix.

Although a fourth title would make them one of the
most successful programs in the area in recent years, the
district has overlooked the program since its inception,
when players had to pay for equipment out of pocket.

They must quickly rebuild after they lost key players
Naomi Lygas ’26, Kaelin Bobetich ’26, and Charlotte Woods
’26. Despite their importance, the team possessed sufficient
depth across the two teams, allowing other players to
step up. For instance, senior Captain Sedona Arminio ’27
highlights Lily Cao ’28, who has seen her responsibilities
on the court shift this season.

“I’m really excited to see Lily play all-around outside,”
said Arminio. “Last year, she only played [in the] back row
and it’s very interesting to see her completely take on this
big role of being an all-around outside, which is a huge
responsibility.”

Beyond individual changes, the team is adopting a
change in their rotation system, a crucial component in
balancing offense and defense. Specifically, the rotation
system now plays to the strengths of setters Ruhi Zhou ’30
and Leah Wang ’28.

“Compared to last year, we only had one setter on the
court, which is called a 5–1 rotation where we have one
setter who would play all six rotations on the court,” said
Cao. “This year, however, we’re running a 6–2 rotation where
we have two setters and both our setters will always stay in
the back row. This is mainly because our setters this year
are on the shorter side and they have really strong defense,
which is why we keep them in the back row.”

While losing their stars from last year has been
acknowledged as a loss for the team, their absence has
opened up new opportunities for variety.

“Especially this year, a lot of the upperclassmen and
everyone on the team in general has stepped up to take
on these positions, and everyone on the team has playing
time this year,” said Cao. “I think having everyone be able
to step up and be able to play on the team with everyone
has allowed us to diversify our offense so that we don’t just
have to rely on one or two people on the team and we can
all really connect with each other.”

To help facilitate these position changes, the team is
emphasizing team chemistry to help acclimate both new
team members and returning upperclassmen to their new
responsibilities.

“Everyone is trying out different positions and different
spots and learning to work with a whole new team,”
said Arminio. “Right now we’re really working on
communication and team bonding. We’re doing a lot
of dinners and after-game lunches to really form those
connections.”

Beyond changes within the team, their schedule reflects
the team’s desire for a fourth title with the inclusion of
more games against opponents outside of the Burlington
County Scholastic League (BCSL), the conference that
the Princeton volleyball team plays in.

“We’ve got big out-of-conference games [against teams
like] Westfield, Williamstown, [and] Morristown, all those
games go beyond the BCSL,” said Head Coach Patricia
Manhart. “I’d love to do well during [those games] because
that kind of shows how we compare to people from other
parts of the state.”

On the other hand, the team is also looking ahead
toward next season. Currently, six of the 11 members on
the varsity team are seniors, meaning that the program
will graduate more than half of its lineup. Although juniors
like Cao have shown their ability to step up, there are no
sophomores on the varsity roster.

“I think that [the lack of sophomores will] impact the
team’s connection, especially on varsity, since there is a gap
between JV and varsity and how it works,” said Cao. “I think
it’s really important that there are enough upperclassmen,
especially next year, that are able to help the upcoming
sophomores come into program as well and and be able
to adjust to high school and the team overall, and I think
that having that gap of a year hurts the team a little bit.”

Even though there may be concerns about upperclassmen
helping underclassmen adjust, overall playing experience
is not the greatest concern for a team like Princeton, which
has benefitted from being more affluent.

“The fact that there are so many people in this town
or area that are able to pay for playing experiences and
opportunities outside of the regular season makes a huge
difference,” said Manhart. “It’s hard to have the time and
the resources and the ability to play outside of your high
school team.”

Regardless of concerns for next season or ambitions for
a “four-peat,” the team is also aiming to maintain a good
record in their section. So far, they have accumulated six
straight wins and no losses in the BCSL. Overall, the team
is looking forward to having a very successful season, to
build up a team with many new players, and above all, a
potential fourth consecutive state title.

photo: Noah Lebowitz

(L-R) Cao, Camila Barbosa ’27, Claire Hua ’27, Wang, Arminio, and Zoe Ghaim ’28 in a huddle during a match at home versus Lawrenceville.

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