PC: Stephanie Beck; A Photo of 2026’s Volleyball Senior Night
Senior Night: the long-awaited event for so many seniors and the bittersweet day for those who have yet to experience their own. It represents four years of dedication to a sport that on some days, feels like the best thing that has ever happened to you and on other days, makes you want to quit. For Notre Dame’s volleyball team, the two-hour practices every day, two to three games per week and weekend tournaments can be physically and mentally exhausting. However, after all the preparation, hard work and heart poured into the game, Senior Night gives players a chance to reflect on the journey and celebrate the players who have helped shape the program.
In previous years, Notre Dame’s volleyball team has been filled with veteran players. In 2024, the team had nine seniors, followed by seven in 2025. This year, however, the program is relatively smaller, with only two seniors. Even though the number may be smaller, the impact these players have made is anything but. This year's senior night was a celebration of the time, effort, commitment, and the memories that have brought the team together.
Volleyball as a whole is so much more than just the typical serves, passes and kills. It’s a blend of the friendships built during long practices, the encouragement after a missed ball, the excitement of winning a close set, and the drive to keep going after a difficult loss. Your teammates become people you rely on not only during games, but also throughout the challenges of high school. You inevitably become best friends on and off the court.
For the seniors, this night reflects the closing of a chapter that has shaped so much of their high school experience. Every game and practice has contributed to the players they are today, both as athletes and as a person. For the underclassmen, it is an opportunity to recognize the leadership and dedication of those who came before them and to carry those lessons into future seasons.
As the Sharks, Leopards and Tigers decorate the gym in purple and yellow to honor their seniors, the scoreboard becomes secondary to the memories being celebrated. The season may eventually end, and the familiar routines of practice and competition may change, but the friendships and lessons learned will remain. Senior Night is a tribute to the journey, the team and the legacy our Ravens leave behind.
