This was a season of transition, and one of consistency. That meant yet another standout season for Cathedral High School boys volleyball, which continued its historic tradition in 2026 while remaining an elite program. Names and faces changed while winning continued. “I’m incredibly proud of this team,” Tyler McClure said. The Irish in McClure’s sixth season as head coach remained one of the state’s top high school volleyball programs, finishing as state runner-up for a third consecutive season after a memorable run through the postseason. The Irish lost to Roncalli in the Indiana High School Athletic Association boys volleyball state title game at Lawrence North High School. It marked the third consecutive season the Irish lost to Roncalli in the state title match, with Roncalli having won the last five state titles. “We had multiple times this year where we could have folded and said, ‘Well, maybe next year we'll get it,’’’ McClure said. “Every time we had a challenge or a rough spot, they never changed their mentality in practice. We had a rough week in early April where we went 0-3 against North Central, Roncalli and Chatard. “You're a little worried when you come back to practice on Monday or what the attitude is, and they were fired up and ready to play and keep getting better.” The Irish advanced to the title game by sweeping Lake Central 3-0 in the state semifinal. They advanced to the final four by winning the Center Grove Regional -- beating Covenant Christian 3-1 in the title match after beating North Central 3-2 in the semifinal. The Irish rallied to beat North Central in that match: 16-25, 13-25, 25-18, 25-23, 15-13. The Irish beat Irvington Prep 3-0, New Castle 3-0 and Warren Central 3-1 to win the ’26 Section 10 title. “I think that was part of the learning curve at the beginning of the year,” McClure said. “We're a state-championship-or-bust-type of program – and as a school where a championship is the goal, I think every time we step on the court, no matter who we're playing, a team can make their season just by beating us or taking a set.” The Irish after finishing as state runners-up in 2024 and 2025 returned a younger team in 2026 with two seniors. “I think it took a little bit of a learning for the new guys to realize that people just want to beat Cathedral because they can,” McClure said. “A lot of schools felt like we were more vulnerable this year to that. Once our guys kind of got used to that mentality, they kind of embraced those championship expectations.” The Irish in ’26 were led by a strong senior class that included: *Outside hitter Quinn Braun (413 kills, 188 digs). Previously a back row player, Braun emerged as a six-rotation outside player in 2026. “We needed every bit of his production,” McClure said. “He really diversified his offensive attack.” Braun suffered a severe knee injury during warm ups of the state championship match and was unable to play in the title game. *Opposite Kellen O'Brien (73 kills, 40 blocks). “He really grew as a leader this year,” McClure said. “It was a small senior group, but it was very talented,” McClure said. Junior defensive setter Jake Werne (96 assists, 422 digs) and junior outside hitter Owen Peterson (344 kills, 153 digs, 32 blocks) were third-year starters in ’26, with junior setter Cael Persic (1,006 assists, 169 digs, 31 blocks) also key in his first full varsity season. “He understands the game well and makes the right choices,” McClure said of Persic. McClure called the ’26 Irish “the right mix of having a solid baseline in the back row where our defense and our serve/receive is reliable.” “We grew to be much more aggressive and diverse in the front row with our offensive attack,” he said. “We adapted to who we were this year. The past couple years, we were offense heavy, and we kind of figure it out in the back row, whereas this year, more of our top players were in the back row. “No matter who's on the other side of the net or what we're doing or where we're playing, our defense and our serve receive came with us to kind of lift the offense.” McClure also credited freshman coach Joey Landaros. “She knows how we want to do things,” McClure said. “She has done a great job with the freshmen onboarding them and getting them ready to continue growing.” The trio of Werner/Peterson/Persic led a strong group of underclassmen that included junior middle hitter Joey Whelan (189 kills, 74 blocks), sophomore middle hitter Aayan Miles (104 kills, 59 blocks), junior defensive setter Quentin Goddard (32 digs), junior outside hitter Eli Shepherd, junior middle hitter Leo Berg (45 kills), junior defensive setter Matthew Ugo (34 digs), sophomore defensive setter Jerome Coffey (206 digs), sophomore middle hitter Cam Miller, sophomore outside hitter Zyan Davis, sophomore defensive setter Jacob Besson and sophomore setter Gus Browning. That group not only helped the Irish to a strong ’26 season, McClure said it should form a solid future foundation. “We've got 10 guys coming back – eight juniors and two sophomores and it’s across all positions that guys are coming back,” McClure said. “We have a solid JV group ready to jump in and compete for spots as well.”