The Northland Pines varsity volleyball team is flying high with momentum heading into the 2026 season, becoming champions of the Merrill High School summer league. The team played 11 different schools from June 15 to July 20, playing two sets in each match, and going 21-1 in the process.

“More important than the wins has been watching this group compete together. These girls showed up each week excited to play, and they were remarkably consistent throughout the summer,” said Pines Head Coach Julie Smith. “This is a unified, well-rounded team with the ability to contribute both offensively and defensively. One of the most encouraging things to see has been their ability to maintain composure when they find themselves behind. They stay together, battle back and finish. They showed up to compete for one another, and they have made this summer league a very special one.”

Teams participating in the Merrill summer league included some familiar Great Northern Conference teams, such as Lakeland, Antigo, Medford, Rhinelander, Tomahawk, and Merrill. Rib Lake and Newman Catholic were the other teams that competed.

After going through pool play with just one set loss, Northland Pines stepped into the postseason on July 27. The Eagles went 3-0 against Lakeland, Medford and Newman Catholic to advance to the semifinals on Aug. 3. A win there would put them into the championship match, which is exactly what the Eagles did. They defeated Antigo in the semifinals and met Rib Lake in the championship game. In a tight contest, the Eagles defeated the Redmen in two sets, 25-20 and 25-23, to secure the championship.

Other summer action

The Northland Pines volleyball team remained busy this summer with its third annual trip down to the Prep Dig Sizzle tournament in Appleton last month. The Eagles finished third in their division, with over 35 teams competing across three divisions. Northland Pines opened day one with three wins against Lodi, Oconto and Sheboygan Lutheran.

That performance put Pines into bracket play on day two, where it advanced to the semifinal match after a 2-0 win against Wrightstown. The Eagles advanced to the semifinal match against Sheboygan Christian, where the two teams needed a deciding third set to determine who would advance to the championship. A 14-16 final in the third set cemented the Eagles’ third-place finish in their division.

“We are very proud of how these girls competed throughout the tournament. Events like the Sizzle give us the opportunity to play strong teams we don’t normally see, challenge our game, and continue preparing for the season ahead,” explained Coach Smith.

Northland Pines used these summer opportunities ahead of its fall volleyball season, which opens Monday, Aug. 17.