The Hartselle Tigers volleyball team starts 2020 ranked as the No. 2 team in Class 6A in the first volleyball poll of the season, released by AL.com. 

The Tigers will face a loaded Class 6A this season. Last year’s runner–up, Hazel Green, is ranked No. 1, while defending state champion Spanish Fort is right behind Hartselle at No. 3.  

Mountain Brook, which moves down from 7A where the team won the state championship, ranked No. 4, while Jasper, the state champ in 5A, moves up and is ranked No. 6. 

Hartselle, which won a school-record 68 matches last season, returns an experienced team led by seniors Hailey Holshouser and Lillyanna Cartee, who was named to the 6A All-State first team. 

Coach Tanya Lybarger returns for her 24th season as the Tigers’ head coach. She picked up win 1,000 late last season in a victory over Addison. 

Brewer starts the season ranked No. 7 in 5A, while Danville is ranked No. 2 in 3A. Decatur Heritage is ranked No. 5 in 1A. All three of these teams will have new head coaches this year, with Jill Faulkner taking over at Brewer, Megan Aldridge leading Danville and Kelly Garland stepping in at Decatur Heritage. 

Here are the AL.com pre–season volleyball rankings. Local teams are in bold: 

CLASS 7A 

1. Hoover
2. McGill-Toolen
3. Spain Park
4. Bob Jones
5. Thompson
6. Sparkman
7. Vestavia Hills
8. Enterprise
9. Baker
10. Grissom

Teams to watch: Albertville, Dothan, Huntsville, James Clemens and Oak Mountain 

CLASS 6A 

1. Hazel Green
2. Hartselle
3. Spanish Fort
4. Mountain Brook
5. Pelham
6. Jasper
7. St. Paul’s
8. Northridge
9. Buckhorn
10. Athens

Teams to watch: Chelsea, Faith Academy, Gardendale, Helena, Muscle Shoals, Southside-Gadsden and St. James 

CLASS 5A 

1. Bayside Academy
2. Guntersville
3. Providence Christian
4. Ramsay
5. Alexandria
6. Madison Academy
7. Brewer
8. Lawrence County
9. West Point
10. BrewbakerTech 

Teams to watch: East Limestone, Lincoln, Satsuma and UMS-Wright 

CLASS 4A 

1. Montgomery Academy
2. Jacksonville
3. Deshler
4. LAMP
5. Curry
6. Westminster Christian
7. West Morgan
8. Brooks
9. Alabama Christian
10. Central-Florence

Teams to watch: Fairview, Madison County, Priceville, St. John Paul II and St. Michael 

CLASS 3A 

1. St. Luke’s
2. Danville
3. Geraldine
4. Plainview
5. Cottage Hill
6. Prattville Christian
7. Ohatchee
8. Carbon Hill
9. Lauderdale County
10. Montgomery Catholic

Teams to watch: Houston Academy, Pleasant Valley and Trinity 

CLASS 2A 

1. Addison
2. Lexington
3. Spring Garden
4. Winston County
5. Altamont
6. Westminster-Oak Mountain
7. G.W. Long
8. Athens Bible
9. Sand Rock
10. Ider

Teams to watch: Ariton, Goshen, Hatton and Westbrook Christian 

CLASS 1A 

1. Donoho
2. Lindsay Lane
3. Meek
4. Phillips
5. Decatur Heritage
6. Holy Spirit
7. Pleasant Home
8. Sweet Water
9. Marion County
10. Cedar Bluff

Teams to watch: Bayshore Christian, Brantley, Faith Christian and Kinston