Fall practice only began last week, but the Helias volleyball team is already receiving national hype for the upcoming 2018 season.
MaxPreps announced its preseason rankings Wednesday, picking the Lady Crusaders as the No. 25 team in the country.
Helias was the only program from Missouri selected among MaxPreps' list of the top 50 high school teams in the rankings.
In its rankings release, MaxPreps noted, "Coach David Harris averaged 35 wins a year over the last four seasons and there is no reason to expect a change with his returning state (Class 3) title-winning group."
The Lady Crusaders won the Class 3 state championship last season, posting a 34-4-2 record. MaxPreps had Helias ranked 34th in its postseason rankings after the Lady Crusaders defeated Lutheran South for the state title.
It was Helias' second state championship in the past four years.
Following the season, MaxPreps named libero Bradi Berhorst to its Medium High School Volleyball All-American second team. Berhorst will play volleyball this fall at Columbia College.
The Lady Crusaders had four players named to the Class 3 all-state team by the Missouri Volleyball Coaches Association last season. Senior Ellie Rockers is Helias' lone returning all-state player.
The Lady Crusaders begin the season Aug. 25 in the Bentonville (Ark.) Tournament.