Ceres High’s varsity boys volleyball program won four of 10 matches while tying for third place in the Western Athletic Conference standings last spring.

The Bulldogs will strive for major improvement this year. 

“I have very high hopes for my team,” Coach Darlene Tobler said. 

Ceres High’s top returners are Christian Murry (Sr.), Ivan Arita (Sr.) and Jacob Rodriguez (Jr.).

The Bulldogs’ top newcomers are Aaron Delgado (Jr.), Victor Hurtado (Jr.), Samuel Garcia (So.), Yair Munoz (Fr.) and Verlis Smith (Fr.).

“It’s hard to come up with a starting lineup because I have a lot of strong athletes,” Tobler said. “They’re all team players and extremely hard workers. They have a really positive energy. They’re so beyond coachable.”

Murry and Rodriguez are team captains.

Murry was named WAC Defensive Player of the Year as a junior.

He filled the stat sheet with 227 digs, 150 kills, 68 blocks, 34 aces and seven assists.

Arita was selected to the WAC First Team.

He had 186 digs, 67 blocks, 59 kills, eight assists and two aces.

Ceres High’s conference schedule includes matches against Los Banos, Pacheco, Lathrop, Mountain House, Beyer, Grace Davis and Johansen.

“We’re going in blind,” Tobler said. “It’s a new league. We don’t know what the other teams have.”

Beyer, Grace Davis, Johansen, Lathrop and Mountain House moved to the WAC as part of the Sac-Joaquin Section’s league realignment plan.

Beyer, Grace Davis and Johansen previously competed in the Modesto Metro Conference.

Lathrop and Mountain House left the Valley Oak League and Trans Valley League, respectively.

The top three teams advance to the postseason.

“Playoffs,” Tobler said. “That’s our goal.”