District 31-5A Volleyball Preview: The Road to the Title Still Runs Through McAllen

By Diamond DITV | Fan Perspective

Realignment has changed the map, but it hasn’t changed the standard.

District 31-5A looks completely different heading into 2026. Sharyland Pioneer, Edinburg Vela, Sharyland High and PSJA North are gone. In their place come Donna, Donna North and Weslaco East, joining McAllen Memorial, McAllen High, McAllen Rowe, PSJA Memorial and PSJA Southwest.

That creates fresh matchups, new playoff races and a district that feels more balanced than it did a year ago.

But before you start debating fourth place or the final playoff spot, one question has to be answered.

Can anyone knock off McAllen Memorial?

The Mustangs earned that target with last year’s regional semifinal run. Behind them, McAllen High and McAllen Rowe look ready to battle for second, Donna returns one of the district’s most experienced lineups, and the bottom half enters the season searching for a breakthrough.

Every team has a different story. Here’s how we see it.

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1. McAllen Memorial

Until someone proves otherwise, this is Memorial’s district. Yes, the Mustangs graduated Ana Davila and District Libero of the Year Juliet Trevino. Losing that kind of production would be enough to slow down most programs.

Memorial isn’t most programs.

Lylah Lopez-Castillo returns after one of the Valley’s most impressive freshman seasons, stuffing the stat sheet with more than 600 assists while also contributing over 200 kills, more than 300 digs and 52 aces. Jozlin Rodriguez gives the Mustangs another experienced setter, Larae Jones is ready for a larger offensive role, and Sophia Vega quietly became one of the district’s most efficient middle hitters.

What separates Memorial isn’t just talent. It’s experience.

The players stepping into bigger roles have already played meaningful volleyball deep into the postseason. That makes the Mustangs the clear favorite entering 2026.

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2. McAllen High

If Memorial sits at the top, McAllen High is the team with the strongest argument to challenge them. The Bulldogs swept Rowe during district play last season, earned the playoff berth and return stability at volleyball’s most important position. Setter.

Saige Curl and Rozlynn Navarro give McHi continuity that few teams enjoy after graduating senior leaders. While replacing Isabella Rivera’s production won’t be easy, the Bulldogs also bring back Izabella Palacios, Giuliana Gomez and several young contributors who already know what playoff volleyball feels like.

The Bulldogs don’t have to reinvent themselves. They simply have to replace points. That’s a much easier task than replacing an entire system.

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3. McAllen Rowe

No team in this district has more to gain from realignment than Rowe. The Warriors won nine district matches a year ago and still missed the postseason because they were stuck behind one of the Valley’s deepest districts. Now the opportunity is there.

Rowe returns Lynette Palacios, Katie Barrera, Sarai Cano and Rosario Contreras, giving the Warriors plenty of proven production throughout the lineup. The only question—and it’s a significant one—is replacing both primary setters.

If Rowe answers that early, don’t be surprised if the Warriors spend the season battling McAllen High for second place. The talent is there. Now they need someone to bring it all together.

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4. Donna

Donna feels like the district’s biggest sleeper. The Bravettes quietly doubled their win total from the previous season, improved in district play and now return the foundation that fueled that progress.

First Team All-District selections Kaylee-Star Howell and Audrey Jones headline a group that also includes Madison Garza, Sonya Perez and Olivia Ramirez. Few teams in District 31-5A return as much experience as Donna.

The challenge isn’t building chemistry. The chemistry is already there. The challenge is proving that continuity can overcome the experience of the McAllen programs. If it does, Donna could crash the top three conversation much sooner than people expect.

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5. Weslaco East

There may not be a tougher team to project. The Wildcats appear to have graduated much of their varsity roster, but they also return senior Mylie Knuckles, who gives the program valuable experience at setter and right side, along with Melany Bautista as another piece of the next core.

That’s a solid place to start. How quickly the younger players develop will determine whether Weslaco East becomes a playoff contender or spends another season building toward the future. This team may look very different by October than it does in August.

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6. PSJA Memorial

PSJA Memorial enters the season with one of the widest ranges of outcomes in the district. The Wolverines appear to return several young players with varsity experience, but replacing veteran leadership while closing the gap on the district’s upper half remains the biggest challenge.

There’s enough returning talent to believe improvement is possible. Whether that improvement results in a playoff push is the question. The race between Memorial and Weslaco East could become one of the district’s most entertaining storylines.

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7. Donna North

Donna North enters 2026 looking for a fresh start. The Chiefs struggled to consistently generate offense last season and now face the challenge of replacing experienced players while developing a new identity.

The standings may not change overnight. But establishing a stronger offensive foundation would represent meaningful progress for a program looking to turn the corner.

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8. PSJA Southwest

No team enters this season with more motivation than PSJA Southwest. The Javelinas endured a winless campaign, but there were flashes that suggested the program was more competitive than the record alone indicates.

The next step is finding ways to finish matches. Until that happens, Southwest remains the district’s biggest question mark.

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Diamond DITV Projected Standings

1. McAllen Memorial

2. McAllen High

3. McAllen Rowe

4. Donna

5. Weslaco East

6. PSJA Memorial

7. Donna North

8. PSJA Southwest

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Diamond DITV Final Word

This district isn’t difficult to predict at the top. McAllen Memorial has earned the right to be called the favorite. The real drama starts behind the Mustangs.

Can McAllen High keep its edge over Rowe? Can Rowe finally turn a playoff-caliber roster into a postseason appearance? Can Donna’s continuity become the district’s biggest surprise? And can either Weslaco East or PSJA Memorial emerge from the middle of the pack to make the playoff race uncomfortable?

Those questions won’t be answered in August. They’ll be answered over two months of district volleyball. And that’s exactly what should make District 31-5A one of the most compelling races in the Valley this fall.