Eagan has been at the top of the Class 3A state coaches' poll all season, and the Wildcats (28-1) enter the state tournament as the defending champion, returning all players from its 2015 title run.
The tournament's No. 2 seed, Champlin Park, trails only Eagan in the final rankings, and will face No. 11 Suburban East Conference co-champion Roseville (17-9) in their first round matchup. The Rebels (29-2) have the 2016 Minneapolis Star-Tribune Metro Player of the Year, senior outside hitter Sydney Hilley.
No. 3 seed Hopkins (28-1) will face Moorhead (21-6), and fourth-seeded Lakeville South (28-3) will play South Suburban Conference foe Prior Lake (25-6) to round out the first slate of games.
Kenyon-Wanamingo (28-1) is Class 2A's top-ranked team, and the Knights will face the Academy of Holy Angels (28-4) in first round action.
The only loss the Knights suffered came on Sept. 10 during the Kenyon-Wanamingo tournament against Pine Island. Since then the Knights have won 25 straight matches.
No. 2 seed Maple Lake also enters the state tournament on a high note, dropping just one set in four Section 6-2A matches. The Irish finished the season ranked No. 2 behind Kenyon-Wanamingo with a 27-2 record.
Concordia Academy (24-7), ranked No. 8, advanced out of the Section 5-2A tournament behind an impressive offensive display by senior outside hitter Erin Fallert, who recorded 62 kills in section play. The Beacons will face No. 6 ranked Morris Area/Chokio-Alberta to start.
In the last matchup of the first round, Kasson-Mantorville (23-11) takes on Hermantown (26-3).
Mayer Lutheran leads the Class 1A field with a 23-6 record, with two of those losses being by one set, two other losses came against Class 3A competition, and the sixth loss was at the hands of No. 2-2A Maple Lake.
The Crusaders stormed through Section 2A with four straight-set wins, and will face Stephen-Argyle (23-4) in round one.
Tracy-Milroy-Balaton (28-7) is making its third consecutive appearance at the state tournament, and will look to improve on last season's five-set loss to Heritage Christian in the 2015 third-place game. Facing the Panthers to open the tournament will be Kimball Area (17-11).
Heritage Christian (23-10) took third last season, and is back for its second straight state tournament, taking on Underwood (23-3) in first round action.
Finalizing the Class 1A field is Caledonia (24-4), who matches up against Cook County (18-2).
Tag(s): MSHSL Conferences Northern Lights Stephen-Argyle Central Camden Tracy-Milroy-Balaton Central Minnesota Kimball Maple Lake Heart O'Lakes Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton Hiawatha Valley Kasson-Mantorville Kenyon-Wanamingo Independent Moorhead Iron Range Grand Rapids Lake Hopkins Lake Superior Hermantown Little Eight Underwood MCAA Heritage Christian Minnesota River Mayer Lutheran Northwest Suburban Champlin Park Polar Cook County South Suburban Eagan Lakeville South Suburban East Roseville Three Rivers Caledonia Tri-Metro Concordia Academy Holy Angels West Central South Morris Area/Chokio-Alberta