Indiana Preps | The Net Effect — Volleyball Power 15
Final Regular Season Edition
Fort Wayne Carroll holds the top spot it has owned all season. Behind the Chargers, the board tightened considerably over the final weeks of the regular season — with head-to-head results, strength of schedule and computer ratings all pointing in different directions before the dust settled.
Here is the Indiana Preps final regular season Volleyball Power 15.
1. Fort Wayne Carroll | Previous: 1 | —
Carroll finishes the regular season where it started — at No. 1. The Chargers responded to the Marist loss that ended their 71-match winning streak by beating Yorktown 3-1 and sweeping Noblesville. Their body of work across the full season remains the strongest on the board. No other program has held this spot all fall, and no result in the final week changed that.
2. Westfield | Previous: 2 | —
The head-to-head results between Nos. 2, 3 and 4 are genuinely complicated, but Westfield’s 22-2 record, No. 2 MaxPreps computer rating and strength of schedule of 20.9 support holding them here when evaluating the full season rather than the most recent results alone. The case for moving HSE above them is real — but Westfield’s overall résumé earns the position.
3. Hamilton Southeastern | Previous: 3 | —
HSE holds No. 3 with the strongest strength of schedule of the top four at 21.9 and a direct 3-2 win over Westfield. Yorktown beat HSE head-to-head, which is a genuine argument for moving them above the Royals — but HSE’s computer profile and schedule quality keep them third in this final evaluation. These three teams are separated by margins that could reasonably produce a different order.
4. Yorktown | Previous: 4 | —
Yorktown has the strongest head-to-head argument of the top four — they beat HSE, who beat Westfield. But the Tigers’ slightly lower computer rating and strength of schedule keep them fourth when evaluating the full body of work. Yorktown is not far behind either team above them. The postseason will settle arguments the regular season left open.
5. Center Grove | Previous: 5 | —
Center Grove holds No. 5 over Plainfield based on a direct result — the Trojans beat the Quakers this season. Plainfield has a stronger MaxPreps computer rating and SOS, so this is not automatic, but the differences are modest enough that the head-to-head win is the tiebreaker.
6. Plainfield | Previous: 8 | ↑ 2
Plainfield moves up two spots on the strength of their recent production and a résumé that includes wins over HSE and Center Grove at different points in the season. Their SOS and computer profile both exceed Center Grove’s — enough to keep them immediately behind the Trojans but ahead of the rest of the field.
7. Penn | Previous: 7 | —
Penn holds No. 7 over Floyd Central on overall résumé and the significant win over Southwood. Penn’s body of work across the full season remains stronger even with Floyd Central’s schedule advantage.
8. Floyd Central | Previous: 9 | ↑ 1
Floyd Central moves up one spot. Their SOS of 17.3 compared to Penn’s 16.8 makes this a close comparison — but not close enough to independently justify reversing the order. The Highlanders finish the regular season with one of the more complete résumés in the back half of the Power 15.
9. Carmel | Previous: 6 | ↓ 3
Carmel drops three spots after recent results shifted the conversation around them. The Greyhounds’ overall résumé still warrants a top-ten position, but the movement above them reflects programs that finished the regular season with stronger closing weeks.
10. Providence | Previous: 10 | —
Providence holds No. 10 over Harrison on schedule strength. The Pioneers carry a 19.0 SOS compared to Harrison’s 14.7 — a meaningful gap that justifies keeping Providence here despite Harrison’s superior record. Competition quality matters at this stage of the evaluation.
11. Harrison (West Lafayette) | Previous: 12 | ↑ 1
Harrison moves up one spot. The Raiders have the better record and slightly higher computer ranking than Providence, but the schedule difference is significant enough to keep them eleventh. Harrison has built quietly all fall and enters the postseason with more going for them than their position suggests.
12. Chesterton | Previous: 13 | ↑ 1
Chesterton moves ahead of Southwood based on strength of schedule — 15.1 compared to Southwood’s 10.7. That gap is meaningful in a final evaluation. Chesterton has played a considerably more difficult schedule and earned the position.
13. Southwood | Previous: 11 | ↓ 2
Southwood drops two spots. Their one-loss record is impressive, but the SOS difference with Chesterton is significant, and the loss to Penn provides important context — they were tested against elite statewide competition and came up short. The adjusted position reflects a more complete schedule-weighted evaluation.
14. Bloomington South | Previous: 14 | —
Bloomington South holds No. 14. The Panthers have been consistent all fall and their position entering the postseason reflects a program that has done what it needed to do without the standout results that would move them higher.
15. Tri-West Hendricks | Previous: T-15 | —
Tri-West holds the final spot. The Bruins earn the outright No. 15 position after sharing it in the previous ranking and close out the regular season with a position that reflects consistent production throughout the fall.
How These Rankings Are Built
Indiana Preps evaluates teams using the following methodology for final regular season rankings:
Strength of schedule and quality wins — 30 percent. Head-to-head results — 25 percent. MaxPreps and Z-Ratings — 25 percent. Overall record and consistency — 15 percent. Previous Indiana Preps ranking — 5 percent.
Head-to-head results carry significant weight when teams are otherwise close. Schedule quality is the tiebreaker when computer ratings and records are similar. The previous ranking is the smallest factor — recent results and full-season evaluation drive the board.
