Tompkins volleyball fell from No. 2 to No. 24 in the Texas Girls Coaches Association (TGCA) Class 6A state poll released Sept. 1. The 22-spot drop came eight days after the Falcons held the second-best ranking in the state.

The slide marks a sharp reversal for a program that sat atop the TGCA poll on Aug. 18 and slipped only to No. 2 behind Allen on Aug. 24, when the Falcons carried an 11-1 record.

The TGCA poll does not include reasoning for individual ranking changes, and no comment from head coach Allison Merrell on the drop is available.

Lewisville Hebron (21-6) claimed the top spot in the Sept. 1 poll. Duncanville (23-4) moved to No. 2, Allen (21-2) slid to No. 3 and Byron Nelson (16-3) held at No. 4. Austin Westlake (24-6) rounded out the top five.

Despite the ranking decline, Tompkins appears to be competing well in district play. VYPE Houston ranked the Falcons third in its September Houston-area 6A rankings, listing them at 17-5 overall and 3-0 in District 22-6A. Tomball (20-4) and Klein Oak (30-3) held the top two spots in that regional poll.

Two other Katy ISD programs also appeared in the VYPE Houston rankings. Seven Lakes checked in at No. 9 with a 17-10 record and a 3-0 district mark. Fulshear landed at No. 7 at 16-9.

The Falcons entered the season ranked eighth in the TGCA preseason poll on July 8. Tompkins climbed to No. 1 by Aug. 18 before the slide began.

In a Katy ISD fall sports preview published Aug. 31, one day before the poll was released, Merrell praised her team's effort. "They embody 'Nobody Plays Harder,'" she said of her players.

The roster includes three college-committed players. Senior Natalie Kitts has committed to Baylor, junior Elsa St. Rose to Duke and senior Drew Merrell to East Texas Baptist, according to The Nestline on Sept. 9.

The Falcons are 3-0 in District 22-6A play heading into the rest of the district schedule.