As another season has come to conclusion for NJ high school boys volleyball in New Jersey, NJP put the PSR ranking algorithm to the test to predict next years outcomes. Our formula starts with this years final rating and calculates the percentage of statistics lost to graduation for each team. It then applies a plus/minus factor based on the % of stats retained and also factors in school size as Group 4 teams will have an easier time in general filling open spots with quality players than Group 1 schools. The algorithm has no way of measuring if impact freshman arrive on the scene, transfer activity, or JV players who rise up. In the past, we have been very accurate with a large number of teams and not so accurate with others. So take it all with a grain of salt.

Here are some intriguing data points for consideration:

SPF returns all but 1 player for next season. Daniel Ennis will be one year older and stronger as will the rest of the Raider starters. The math favors them slightly over Old Bridge and Southern for the 26 overall title.

Kingsway, WWPS, and Elizabeth are all expected to improve after strong seasons in 2025. Watch out for these three teams to reach even higher in 2026. We also expect positive improvement in 2026 for JP Stevens, Passaic Tech, Williamstown, Demarest, and Oratory.

We expect Lenape, Harrison, and Hackensack to regress in 2026 as many key players will be graduating in 2025. All three teams return less than 20% of their statistics in 2026.

Oratory Prep is the only team in the top 100 that returns ALL of their players next season. OP went 17-8 in the UCC after their inaugural season in 2024 when they finished 5-15. They have the talent to potentially push toward the top 30 with seniors Fernandez, Williamson, Tockarshwesky, Yeager, Hipolit, Owens, and Lissade leading the way.

Old Bridge (Markle), St. Joe’s Met. (Contursi/Martinez), Hillsbrough (Trivedi), Randolph (Tinio), Barnegat (Buscaglia), Lenape (Novellino), West Caldwell Tech (Ayora), Harrison (Rivera), Monroe (Kolluru), and Holmdel (Lavell) will all be transitioning to a new setter in 2026 after having some of the finest playmakers in NJ at the helm of their attacks.

St. Augustine is a candidate for major regression as they lose 98% of their stats to graduation after finishing 18-7 overall in 2025. Marlboro is also in the category after a 2025 campaign that produced 20 wins. They return just 5% of their stats for 2026.

We expect positive advancement from Hopewell Valley, Union, Payne Tech, Bergen Catholic, Woodbridge, and Hoboken. These teams all retain greater then 70% of the 2025 stats going into the 2026 season.

Nineteen school did not report individual statistics in 2025.