MaxPreps.com’s computer rankings will play a major role in seeding the volleyball playoffs.
Each conference gets a certain amount of automatic bids, based on the number of teams (1-4 teams = one bid; 5-8 teams = two bids; 9 or more = three bids). MaxPreps ranking is how the conference champions will be seeded, as well as the conference runner-ups and the third-place teams. A second-place team cannot be seeded higher than a 1-seed, a third-place team can’t be seeded higher than a runner-up and a wild-card can’t be seeded ahead of anything but other wild-cards.
Wild-card selections are done entirely based on MaxPreps ranking. If you’re a 4A or 1A bubble team, it’ll be important to stay about No. 48; if you’re in 2A or 3A, the number is No. 64 (though automatic bids could go to teams ranked lower, which would move the wild-card cutoff higher).
The brackets are divided into East and West based on geography. In the 48-team brackets of 4A and 1A, the top eight seeds in each bracket get a first-round bye.
The MaxPreps rankings are updated each Tuesday and Friday. This link will be updated on Tuesdays throughout the season right up until the field is announced on Oct. 18.
We’ll use MaxPreps rankings to project conference champions, runner-ups and, when necessary, third-place teams. This is an if-the-season-ended-today projection.
Last update: Thursday, Oct. 18, 9:20 p.m.
*-earning the overall seed in a split conference
**-earning an automatic bid, but will be seeded as a wild-card, not a 2-seed
Automatic bids - 4A
Conf. (listed W to E) | 1st | 2nd |
Northwestern | McDowell County | N/A |
South Meck | Providence | Ardrey Kell |
I-Meck | Hough | Mallard Creek |
Southwestern | Hickory Ridge | Butler |
Central Piedmont | Reagan | Davie County |
Metro | Northwest Guilford | Page |
Sandhills Athletic | Richmond | Pinecrest |
Triangle 6 | Green Hope | Panther Creek |
Patriot Athletic | Pine Forest | N/A |
South Wake | Apex | Fuquay-Varina |
Cap-7 | Cardinal Gibbons | Broughton |
Northern Athletic | Wakefield | Corinth Holders |
Mideastern | Ashley | Hoggard* |
Eastern Carolina | New Bern | N/A |
4A East
1-Green Hope vs BYE; 16-Sanderson vs 17-Heritage
8-Broughton vs BYE; 9-Hoggard vs 24-Middle Creek
4-Ashley vs BYE; 13-Leesville Road vs 20-Fuquay-Varina
5-Wakefield vs BYE; 12-Holly Springs vs 21-Apex Friendship
3-Apex vs BYE; 14-South Central vs 19-Garner
6-New Bern vs BYE; 11-Corinth Holders vs 22-Wake Forest
2-Cardinal Gibbons vs BYE; 15-Laney vs 18-Jack Britt
7-Pine Forest vs BYE; 10-Panther Creek vs 23-Millbrook
4A West
1-Reagan vs BYE; 16-Myers Park vs 17-Scotland
8-Davie County vs BYE; 9-Ardrey Kell vs 24-Grimsley
4-Hickory Ridge vs BYE; 13-Page vs 20-Hopewell
5-Providence vs BYE; 12-Butler vs 21-South Mecklenburg
3-Hough vs BYE; 14-Lake Norman vs 19-East Forsyth
6-Northwest Guilford vs BYE; 11-Mallard Creek vs 22-Glenn
2-Richmond County vs BYE; 15-West Forsyth vs 18-Hoke County
7-McDowell County vs BYE; 10-Pinecrest vs 23-North Mecklenburg
Automatic bids - 3A
Conf. (listed W to E) | 1st | 2nd | 3rd |
Western Mountain | T.C. Roberson | West Henderson | Enka |
Northwestern | Watauga | Hickory* | N/A |
Big South | Crest | Kings Mountain | N/A |
North Piedmont | North Iredell | Carson | N/A |
Southern Carolina | Marvin Ridge | Charlotte Catholic | N/A |
South Piedmont | Cox Mill | Jay M. Robinson | N/A |
Piedmont Triad | Mount Tabor | Southwest Guilford | N/A |
Mid-Piedmont | Asheboro | Southern Alamance | N/A |
Mid-State | Person | Western Alamance | N/A |
Big Eight | Chapel Hill | Northwood | N/A |
Tri-County 6 | Union Pines | Triton | N/A |
Patriot Athletic | Cape Fear | Gray’s Creek* | N/A |
Greater Neuse River | Cleveland | Clayton | N/A |
Big East | Franklinton | Hunt | N/A |
Mideastern | New Hanover | South Brunswick** | N/A |
Eastern Carolina | D.H. Conley | J.H. Rose* | N/A |
Coastal | West Carteret | Jacksonville | N/A |
3A East
1-D.H. Conley vs 32-Eastern Wayne; 16-Triton vs 17-Jacksonville
8-Franklinton vs 25-East Chapel Hill; 9-Union Pines vs 24-Northern Durham
4-West Carteret vs 29-Southeast Guilford; 13-Western Alamance vs 20-Northern Guilford
5-New Hanover vs 28-Lee County; 12-J.H. Rose vs 21-West Johnston
3-Cleveland vs 30-Orange; 14-Southern Alamance vs 19-Gray’s Creek
6-Chapel Hill vs 27-Swansboro; 11-Clayton vs 22-Southwestern Randolph
2-Person vs 31-South Brunswick; 15-Northwood vs 18-Hunt
7-Asheboro vs 26-McMichael; 10-Cape Fear vs 23-C.B. Aycock
3A West
1-North Iredell vs 32-Stuart Cramer; 16-Sun Valley vs 17-A.C. Reynolds
8-West Henderson vs 25-Statesville; 9-Carson vs 24-North Henderson
4-Cox Mill vs 29-Piedmont; 13-Jay M. Robinson vs 20-Alexander Central
5-Watauga vs 28-Parkwood; 12-Southwest Guilford vs 21-Tuscola
3-T.C. Roberson vs 30-Western Guilford; 14-Kings Mountain vs 19-Cuthbertson
6-Mount Tabor vs 27-North Buncombe; 11-Hickory vs 22-St. Stephens
2-Marvin Ridge vs 31-Erwin; 15-Enka vs 18-West Rowan
7-Crest vs 26-South Iredell; 10-Charlotte Catholic vs 23-Weddington
Automatic bids - 2A
Conf. (listed W to E) | 1st | 2nd | 3rd |
Mountain Six | Hendersonville | Brevard | N/A |
Western Highlands | Owen | N/A | N/A |
Southwestern | R-S Central | East Gaston | N/A |
Northwestern Foothills | West Iredell | Foard | N/A |
South Fork | East Lincoln | Maiden | N/A |
Mountain Valley | North Wilkes | N/A | N/A |
Western Piedmont | North Surry | Forbush | N/A |
Central Carolina | Ledford | West Davidson | South Rowan |
Rocky River | Mount Pleasant | West Stanly | N/A |
PAC-7 | Wheatmore | Providence Grove | N/A |
Mid-State | Carrboro | NCSSM | N/A |
Three Rivers | Whiteville | South Columbus* | N/A |
Northern Carolina | Midway | East Duplin | N/A |
East Central | South Granville | N/A | J.F. Webb* |
Eastern Plains | North Johnston | Farmville Central | N/A |
Eastern Carolina | Ayden-Grifton | South Lenoir | N/A |
Coastal 8 | Dixon | Croatan* | N/A |
Northeastern Coastal | Currituck County | First Flight | N/A |
2A East
1-Carrboro vs 32-Trinity; 16-South Columbus vs 17-J.F. Webb
8-North Johnston vs 25-North Lenoir; 9-Whiteville vs 24-Fairmont
4-Ayden-Grifton vs 29-Roanoke Rapids; 13-NCSSM vs 20-Northeastern
5-Midway vs 28-Spring Creek; 12-First Flight vs 21-Richlands
3-Currituck County vs 30-Durham School of the Arts; 14-Providence Grove vs 19-Bartlett Yancey
6-Dixon vs 27-Trask; 11-East Duplin vs 22-Northern Vance
2-Wheatmore vs 31-Clinton; 15-Croatan vs 18-North Pitt
7-South Granville vs 26-East Davidson; 10-South Lenoir vs 23-West Craven
2A West
1-North Surry vs 32-Lincolnton; 16-West Stanly vs 17-South Rowan
8-North Wilkes vs 25-Pisgah; 9-Owen vs 24-Bandys
4-R-S Central vs 29-East Henderson; 13-Foard vs 20-East Rutherford
5-Ledford vs 28-Anson County; 12-Forbush vs 21-Bunker Hill
3-East Lincoln vs 30-Surry Central; 14-East Gaston vs 19-West Stokes
6-Mount Pleasant vs 27-Franklin; 11-West Davidson vs 22-West Wilkes
2-West Iredell vs 31-Draughn; 15-Brevard vs 18-North Lincoln
7-Hendersonville vs 26-East Burke; 10-Maiden vs 23-North Davidson
Automatic bids - 1A
Conf. (listed W to E) | 1st | 2nd | 3rd |
Big Smoky | Murphy | Hayesville | N/A |
Little Smoky | Hiwassee Dam | N/A | N/A |
Western Highlands | Polk County | N/A | N/A |
Southern Piedmont | Lincoln Charter | Highland Tech | N/A |
PAC-7 | CSD | Pine Lake Prep | N/A |
Mountain Valley | Starmount | N/A | N/A |
Northwest | East Surry | Mount Airy | N/A |
Yadkin Valley | Gray Stone Day | West Montgomery | Uwharrie Charter |
Central Tar Heel | Raleigh Charter | Chatham Central | N/A |
Three Rivers | East Columbus | N/A | N/A |
North Central | Roxboro Community | Falls Lake Academy | N/A |
Northern Carolina | Louisburg | N/A | N/A |
Carolina 1A | Lakewood | Princeton | N/A |
Tar-Roanoke | Northampton County | Weldon | N/A |
Coastal 8 | Pender | N/A | N/A |
Coastal Plains | Riverside (Williamston) | Pamlico County | N/A |
Albemarle | Perquimans | Camden County | N/A |
Atlantic | Bear Grass Charter | Cape Hatteras | N/A |
1A East
1-Perquimans vs BYE; 16-Weldon vs 17-Franklin Academy
8-Pender vs BYE; 9-Northampton County vs 24-East Carteret
4-Riverside (Williamston) vs BYE; 13-Pamlico County vs 20-East Wake Academy
5-Lakewood vs BYE; 12-Falls Lake Academy vs 21-Gates County
3-Louisburg vs BYE; 14-Princeton vs 19-Manteo
6-Bear Grass Charter vs BYE; 11-Camden County vs 22-South Creek
2-Roxboro Community vs BYE; 15-Cape Hatteras vs 18-Northside (Pinetown)
7-Raleigh Charter vs BYE; 10-East Columbus vs 23-Voyager Academy
1A West
1-CSD vs BYE; 16-Alleghany County vs 17-Mountain Island Charter
8-Hiwassee Dam vs BYE; 9-Pine Lake Prep vs 24-Highlands
4-Murphy vs BYE; 13-Highland Tech vs 20-Union Academy
5-Gray Stone Day vs BYE; 12-Hayesville vs 21-South Stanly
3-East Surry vs BYE; 14-Chatham Central vs 19-South Stokes
6-Starmount vs BYE; 11-Mount Airy vs 22-Swain County
2-Polk County vs BYE; 15-Uwharrie Charter vs 18-Robbinsville
7-Lincoln Charter vs BYE; 10-West Montgomery vs 23-North Moore
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