DeForest girls volleyball opens 2026 season in Appleton

DeForest began its 2026 girls volleyball schedule in Appleton after an eventful previous season.

DeForest won 30 games and won a regional title. Their season ended two wins shy of a Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA) Division 1 state tournament berth, losing 3-0 in the sectional semifinals to Holmen.

In their final 20 games of the season, DeForest was among the hottest teams in the state at 17-3. They finished the 2025 season with a 30-11 overall record and 5-2 in the Badger-Large Conference, according to MaxPreps.

This year, DeForest will try to build off that success. That’s because three of its four All-Conference honorees last year are back: senior Haylin Arnold, sophomore Brinley Schwenn and senior Addy Tuite.

The previous season, Arnold, an outside-hitter, produced a team-high 391 kills. She averaged 3.6 kills per set. She knocked down 58 total blocks with 229 digs, averaging 3.3 digs per set. She also served 42 aces, according to MaxPreps.

Season-opening results

Meanwhile, Brinley Schwenn was among the top freshmen in the conference the previous season. The outside-hitter smacked 284 kills, averaging 2.6 kills per set, with a kill percentage of 40.2 percent.

DeForest sophomore outside-hitter Brinely Schwenn, pictured the previous season, returns this year, along with senior outside-hitter Haylin Arnold. DeForest has no shortage of weapons on the attack entering the 2026 season.

Addy Tuite, a middle-hitter, led DeForest in hitting percentage (.311) and recorded a conference-high 125 blocks.

While DeForest did lose the Badger-Large Co-Player of the Year, Morgan Bentel, along with key pieces such as Marissa Titel and Liseth Rubiano, DeForest also return notable names in senior libero Kendall Johnson, senior setters Sam Tuite and Maggie Tuite, senior outside hitter Aubrey Volenberg and senior middle blocker Alexis Accuardi, among others.

Equipped with an experienced roster heading into the fall, DeForest officially opened the season at the 2026 Beast of the Northeast Tournament on Friday, Aug. 28 and Saturday, Aug. 29 at the Community First Champion Center in Appleton.

Overall, DeForest fared quite well, going 5-2 throughout the two-day event.

DeForest made quick work of their first two opponents, sweeping both Waupaca (25-17, 25-9) and Houghton (25-16, 25-16).

DeForest lost its next two matches, dropping a three-set match to De Pere (9-25, 25-21, 11-15) before falling to Mosinee (18-25, 19-25). Despite the pair of losses, DeForest reeled off three consecutive three-set victories to end its time in Appleton on a high note.

DeForest defeated Edgar (25-19, 22-25, 15-10), Freedom (25-23, 21-25, 15-8), and Manitowoc Lutheran (22-25, 25-22, 15-12). At the time of publication, no official stats were provided.

With the season-opener in the books, DeForest now heads into league play. DeForest hosts Baraboo on Thursday, Sept. 3 at 7 p.m. On Saturday, Sept. 5, DeForest will host the 2026 Norski Volleyball Invite, set to begin at 9 a.m.