NorStar 2026 Season Recap: Big Wins, Big Moments, and an Exciting Road Ahead

What a season for NorStar!

From national qualifications to major tournament finishes, college commitments, individual honors, and plenty of unforgettable moments along the way, this season gave us so much to celebrate. Our athletes showed heart, grit, leadership, and growth from the first serve to the final point and we could not be more proud of the NorStar community.

All of Our 1s Teams Are Nationals Bound

One of the biggest highlights of the season: all of our 1s teams qualified for Nationals.

This is a tremendous accomplishment and a reflection of the hard work happening across our program. Our athletes and coaches pushed through tough competition, continued to improve throughout the season, and earned the opportunity to compete on the national stage.

Qualifying for Nationals is never easy, and seeing every NorStar 1s team achieve that goal speaks volumes about the level of talent, commitment, and competitiveness within our club. And for a club in only its second year of operation, this season represents an incredible step forward for NorStar. The growth, competitiveness, and recognition our athletes have earned in such a short time speak volumes about the foundation being built within our program.

2026 JVA AthLeader Award Recipient

NorStar also celebrated national recognition off the court this season.

MollyAnn Caulfield from our 17-1 team was selected as one of only 25 student-athletes across the country to receive the 2026 JVA AthLeader Award.

This prestigious award recognizes athletes who demonstrate excellence in academics, leadership, responsibility, service, character, and volleyball performance. MollyAnn represents so much of what we value at NorStar, and we are incredibly proud to see her recognized at the national level.

We are especially proud that this marks the second year in a row that a NorStar athlete has been selected for this prestigious national award. Back-to-back recognition at this level speaks volumes about the leadership, work ethic, integrity, and excellence of NorStar athletes.

Season Highlights Worth Celebrating

The road to Nationals was filled with standout performances, memorable finishes, and important growth moments across the club. As our teams competed throughout the season to earn bids and prepare for the highest level of competition, they continued to show the grit, focus, and resilience that define NorStar Volleyball.

Our 14 Teal and 14 Copper teams both finished 2nd in Gold in their divisions at the JVA West Coast Cup, showing incredible fight and growth in a highly competitive tournament environment.

Our 15-1 team had a huge season highlight, earning a USA bid and finishing 5th at the Pacific Northwest Qualifier, an incredible accomplishment that reflects their talent, determination, and steady growth throughout the season.

Our 16-1 team competed in the Open Division at multiple qualifiers, taking on some of the top teams in the country. Their season also included a strong league finish, placing 5th overall in the league and continuing to raise the bar for high-level competition within our program.

Our 17-1 team finished 3rd at Far Westerns, another huge achievement against strong competition and a memorable moment in an already impressive season.

Across every age group, we saw athletes step into bigger roles, teams build chemistry, and players grow in confidence, skill, and leadership. These moments are what make a season special.

From NorStar to NCAA

We are also proud to celebrate two NorStar athletes who have officially committed to continue their academic and athletic careers at the collegiate level.

Eva McLinden is headed to Stevens Institute of Technology, and Sophie Marks is headed to Colorado College!

These are incredibly exciting milestones for Eva, Sophie, their families, and our entire club. Their commitments reflect years of hard work, dedication, and perseverance, and we are so proud to cheer them on as they take the next step in their volleyball journeys.

New Member of the NorStar Family

This season also brought a very special personal milestone for our club.

Our Club Director, Coach Simo, and his wife welcomed their first child, a baby girl named Aya, on February 5.

We are so happy for the growing NorStar family and grateful for the love and support this community continues to show both on and off the court.

Thank You, NorStar Community

To our athletes: thank you for showing up, working hard, competing with pride, and representing NorStar with heart. Whether you were chasing a bid, battling through a long tournament weekend, learning a new position, supporting a teammate, or pushing yourself to get better, your effort mattered.

To our families: thank you for the travel, the cheering, the early mornings, the late nights, and the constant support.

To our coaches: thank you for your time, leadership, and dedication to helping our athletes grow as players and people.

This season was about more than wins and rankings. It was about growth, resilience, teamwork, and building something special together.

What’s Next

As we celebrate this season, we are already looking ahead and there is so much to be excited about.

Information about clinics, open gyms, and tryouts for our 2026-2027 season will be announced soon. These opportunities are a great way for athletes to train, meet our coaches, experience the NorStar environment, and prepare for the next club season.

We also have exciting news coming soon about new teams, new coaches and expanded opportunities for athletes who want to be part of our growing volleyball family.

Whether you are a returning NorStar athlete or a new player looking for a competitive, supportive, and high-energy club environment, we would love to see you in the gym.

Stay tuned for upcoming announcements, registration details, and next steps.

The future is bright at NorStar and we are just getting started.