Four college commits. A 9-1 start. A No. 8 state ranking. And a motto that fits: "Fear None."

The Wylie Lady Pirates volleyball team entered the 2026 season with eight seniors who have played together since seventh grade at Raymond Cooper Junior High School, and they're chasing the program's first state tournament berth under 11th-year head coach Sherry Olivares.

Julia Hudgins (Lamar University), Keelyn Green (Old Dominion), Aubrey DeGrate (Grambling) and Paloma Smith (Arizona State) have all signed college commitments. They're joined by seniors Audrey Adams, Hailey Wolfe, Jolene Bao and Stacy Kiambi to form a core that went undefeated in seventh grade and lost just one match throughout middle school.

"The plan was to come dominate," Hudgins told the Wylie News on Aug. 20. "She wants to go to state and wants to win a state title. She sees our group as close and we've been together forever. It's nice to see that she has that much confidence in us. It makes us want to do it for her."

Olivares, who has coached at Wylie since 2015 after stints at Garland, North Mesquite and John Paul II, began investing in this group early. She attended Cooper Junior High practices weekly and frequently watched their matches while the players were still in middle school.

The closest she has come to a state tournament at Wylie was in 2020, when the Lady Pirates fell to Klein in three sets in the regional final.

Early returns

The seniors have delivered immediately. Wylie opened Aug. 11 by rallying from a set down to beat Waxahachie in five sets, then swept No. 9 McKinney Boyd the same day. Hudgins totaled 40 kills across the day's two matches, while Green posted a near triple-double with nine kills, 21 digs and 21 assists against Waxahachie. Bao, last season's District 9-6A Defensive Player of the Year, added 18 digs in the Boyd sweep.

The Lady Pirates then went 7-1 at the Grapevine Fieldhouse Volleyfest, beating defending District 5-6A champion Hebron twice and Frisco Reedy twice. Green earned all-tournament honors. Their lone loss came to TGCA No. 10 Flower Mound in gold bracket play.

That run earned Wylie the No. 8 ranking in the Texas Girls Coaches Association Class 6A poll, released Monday, Aug. 17, with the Wylie News's coverage publishing the following day.

Versatility as identity

Smith is playing high school indoor volleyball for the first time in three years after focusing on beach volleyball. She called the transition difficult but credited her teammates for easing the adjustment.

DeGrate anchors the middle as a blocker who can also defend on the back row. Green plays both outside hitter and setter, sharing setting duties with Wolfe and Berkeley Weidinger.

"A lot of us are very versatile," Green said. "So, if someone isn't having a good game, someone else can come in and step up."

After the Aug. 11 season opener, Olivares told the Wylie News on Aug. 12 that a tough preseason schedule was by design: "Playing a tough pre season schedule shows us our weaknesses, and those are the things we work on in practice."

What's ahead

Wylie (9-1) opens pool play at the Allen Varsity Texas Open on Friday, Aug. 21, facing Richardson at 9 a.m. at Lowery Freshman Center, followed by Katy at 11:30 a.m. and Waco Midway at 3:15 p.m. The tournament continues Saturday, Aug. 22. District 9-6A play begins Friday, Sept. 4, against Rowlett, and playoffs are scheduled to start in late October.